with only a few nazis in the cabinet, von papen as vice-chancellor and the policies made by von papen, hitler just had to gain support in the reichstag for those policies and control the communists. The case was promptly seized by an American intelligence agent. On January 30, 1933, President Paul von Hindenburg names Adolf Hitler, leader or führer of the National Socialist German Workers Party (or Nazi Party ), as chancellor of Germany. Hitler and his allies instead quickly marginalised Papen and the rest of the cabinet. 33 terms. If in his present situation he was powerless, his proximity to Hitler meant he was relatively safe. Much of the evidence against Papen in 1915 was supplied by British agents who were not completely unwilling to manufacture information implicating a German national during wartime. This new government did not have the support of the majority of the Reichstag. The new Chancellor, Papen, in return appointed Schleicher as Minister of Defense, who now became General der Infanterie. Until the end of the war, he served as chief of staff of the Fourth Turkish Army in Palestine. As vice chancellor, Papen, whose fellow non-Nazi nationalists received a majority of the ministerial posts, naively thought he could restrain the Nazis. ineffective cabinet of aristocrats and industrialists presided over a nation that would soon be on the verge of anarchy. Vice Chancellor Papen quickly learned that Hitler was not so easily swayed from the aims of his Nazi agenda. However, instead of being allowed to continue assisting the war effort by using his own methods, Papen was placed in the position made vacant by Rintelen’s departure, that of supervising sabotage in the United States. He eventually became ambassador to Turkey (1939–44), where he attempted to keep that country out of an alliance with the Allies. Both characteristics seemed to follow Papen throughout his career, before and after his term as chancellor. Before appointing Von Papen in 1932, Bruening had been the chancellor of Germany. January – Von Papen and Hindenburg turned to Hitler, appointing him as Chancellor with Von Papen as Vice Chancellor. Papen was of the opinion that Rintelen’s “loose cannon” approach was not only reckless in its own right, but it potentially endangered the plans implemented by Papen as well. The aristocratic Papen assembled a cabinet of men like himself. This way, Von Papen said, Hitler could be put in charge but in reality Hindenburg and himself could make all the real decisions. Born October 29, 1879, in Werl, Westphalia, Franz von Papen was the son of a wealthy landowner. Papen’s activities finally caught up with him and caused his ejection from America. By World War I he had risen to become the military attaché to the German Embassy in Washington, D.C. Papen had married the niece of a French marquis, who taught him to speak almost perfect French. Though he soon realized how mistaken he had been, he continued to serve Hitler. Behind Papen is Hugenberg who had nearly ruined the whole day for Hitler. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. His elevation to the chancellorship (June 1, 1932), engineered by Pres. On May 31, 1932, Franz von Papen achieved the pinnacle of a long career serving his country when, in a surprising move, the aging President Paul von Hindenburg named him Chancellor of … He frequently acted without consulting his nominal superior, Papen. Franz Von Papen was selected as Chancellor as soon as Bruning resigned. In this scenario, Papen envisioned his own return to power, believing that Hitler would be malleable to behind-the-scenes manipulation. Rather than being swept into power on a wave of public support, or snatching control of the government with a bold and decisive move, Hitler instead became chancellor … On 1 February 1933, Hitler presented to the cabinet an Article 48 decree law that had been drafted by Papen in November 1932 allowing the police to take people into "protective custody" wi… It contained sensitive documents, and their eventual publication in American newspapers caused significant embarrassment to the German diplomatic corps, particularly Papen. Papen was named as his vice-chancellor, a nomination Hindenburg decided to insist upon to relieve some of his own hesitation with Hitler’s appointment. Von Papen's government struggled and he called new elections in July 1932, in which the Nazis won 230 seats, making them the largest party in the Reichstag. For example, as part of the deal between Hitler and Papen, Göring had been appointed interior minister of Prussia, thus putting the largest police force in Germany under Nazi control. He launched the Preußenschlag coup against the Social Democratic government of the Free State of Prussia. Corrections? Read More on … In an effort to appease the Nazis, who formed the second largest party in Parliament, he lifted the ban on the Nazis’ paramilitary Sturmabteilung (SA) on June 15 and deposed the Social Democratic government of Prussia on July 20. While he never ordered acts of overt terrorism in the United States like his predecessor, Papen evidently did authorize such activities in Canada. Although Papen was not as extreme as Hitler in pushing the persecution of German Jews, his attempts to justify that discrimination were apparent in a speech delivered in Gleiwitz in 1934. Papen had been successful in persuading Hindenburg that he could prevent Hitler from enacting many of the extremist Nazi programs he was anxious to implement. Leading a ring of spies for the Turks in their war against the British, he was charged with tracking down Arab guerrillas under the command of T.E. (3) Reich Chancellor, 1 June 1942 to 2 December 1942, acting pro-tem between 17 November and 2 December (2902-PS). In connection with the approaching death of Hindenburg, von Papen tried in vain in the spring of 1934 to obtain a will from his hand in which the restoration of the monarchy should be publicly recommended. ), German statesman and diplomat who played a leading role in dissolving the Weimar Republic and in helping Adolf Hitler to become German chancellor in 1933. A further factor was Hitler’s leadership. (4) Vice Chancellor, 30 January 1933 to August 1934 (?) As Papen had only a small political following it came as a great shock when Paul von Hindenburg decided to appoint Papen as chancellor on 31st May, 1932. While Rintelen was busy funding sabotage operations against U.S. merchant vessels and the 1917 explosion at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in San Francisco (in which 16 children were killed), Papen was consistently cabling the Abwehr (Germany’s intelligence agency) insisting that his more flamboyant associate be recalled to Germany. By 1932, the suave, well-mannered Papen had attracted the attention of party leaders. Papen’s memoirs, Der Wahrheit eine Gasse (Memoirs), appeared in 1952. Papen got his way, and Rintelen was indeed ordered home to Germany. Charged with overseeing German espionage agents and their activities concentrated on preventing American armaments from reaching England, Papen was given a considerable budget to fund the operation. From 1921 to 1932, he was a deputy in the Prussian Landtag (state parliament) and belonged to the ultraright wing of the Catholic Centre Party. At the president’s insistence, Papen accepted the role reluctantly. Papen was arrested by the Allies in April 1945 and placed on trial as a war criminal. Franz von Papen, (born Oct. 29, 1879, Werl, Ger.—died May 2, 1969, Obersasbach, W.Ger. Papen narrowly escaped with his life during Hitler’s purge of the SA on June 30, 1934, and he resigned the vice chancellorship three days later. Von Schleicher 28 Why was Hitler given the job of Chancellor Von Papen and Hindenburg thought he could be controlled29 What date was Hitler made Chancellor? Sent to Spain briefly in 1917, Papen was serving again as military attaché when he reportedly had contact with the ill-fated German spy, Mata Hari. One of the last acts of Brüning’s government had been to impose a ban on the Nazi SA (Sturmabteilungen). By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. In 1921 he was elected to the Reichstag, the German parliament, settling into a position as an unexciting but wealthy member of his party, and ultimately serving as a party deputy. On 30th January 1933 he appointed Hitler as Chancellor and Von Papen as Vice-Chancellor. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Franz-von-Papen, Franz von Papen - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). However, without a majority of his own in the Reichstag, von Schleicher faced the same problems as von Papen. However, Canadian authorities and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were able to thwart this mission. 30th January 1933 Papen now decided to gain the support of the Nazi Party by lifting the ban on the Sturm Abteilung (SA) that had been introduced by Heinrich Brüning . The immediate problem which Von Papen faced was controlling the Nazis. On May 31, 1932, Franz von Papen achieved the pinnacle of a long career serving his country when, in a surprising move, the aging President Paul von Hindenburg named him Chancellor of Germany. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). ... Hitler became the supreme leader/fuhrer. The couple had grown quite popular among the Washington diplomatic corps by 1915 when Papen was declared persona non grata by the U.S. government and ordered home to Germany. Career diplomat and aristocrat Franz von Papen remains something of an enigma among prominent Germans of the Nazi era. The hand of fate had taken an unusual route in guiding this career diplomat and spy to the helm of Germany. Hindenburg did just that and hired Franz Von Papen of the Centre Party in May 1932. Like many young men of the day, he decided upon a career in the military. In particular was one Heinrich Albert, an attaché at the embassy who inadvertently left his briefcase on a train in New York. General Schleicher then took matters into his own hands by convincing several cabinet ministers to flout Papen’s initiatives, and the chancellor resigned in December 1932, only to be replaced by Schleicher himself at the direction of President Hindenburg. In 1918, mainly because of his bungling attempts at espionage in the United States and a less than stellar performance in Spain, Papen was sent to Palestine where he was to serve as the chief of staff of the 4th Turkish Army. Though he had certain links with German monarchists, former aristocrats, big business circles, and the German army, Papen himself had no political following. The return of Von Papen In January 1933, Von Papen gave Hindenburg an alternative: make Hitler Chancellor of Germany and make Von Papen Vice Chancellor. Updates? Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... One of the last acts of Brüning’s government had been to impose a ban on the Nazi SA (Sturmabteilungen). Why did Von Papen and Hindenburg decide to appoint Hitler as chancellor? ), German statesman and diplomat who played a leading role in dissolving the Weimar Republic and in helping Adolf Hitler to become German chancellor in 1933. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. 1934: army swore oath of loyalty to hitler and promised to stay out of politics to serve him. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Papen’s attempts to disregard the Weimar constitution and implement his authoritarian rule had managed to alienate one of the key men who had helped place him in power, Schleicher. In June 1932, he rescinded the ban on the Nazi Party’s paramilitary SA (Sturm Abteilung or Storm Section, also known as the Brownshirts) and deposed Prussia’s Social Democratic government. ID. On May 31, 1932, Franz von Papen achieved the pinnacle of a long career serving his country when, in a surprising move, the aging President Paul von Hindenburg named him Chancellor of … Papen thereupon resigned and was on December 4 succeeded as chancellor by Schleicher. General von Schleicher persuaded President von Hindenburg to appoint von Papen as chancellor on 20th May, 1932. January 30th 1933 marked the beginning of the end of the Weimar Republic, with Adolf Hitler’s appointment as German chancellor. Von Papen thought he would be able to control Hitler if Hitler was given the title of Chancellor, and he eventually persuaded Hindenburg to allow Hitler to be Chancellor, Hindenburg didn’t really have a choice. Schleicher was appointed defense minister, and when Papen was forced to resign (Dec. 1, 1932), Schleicher became chancellor as well. Although Hidenburg despised of Hitler, he was forced into doing this to avoid civil war. One positive accomplishment of his administration was that he did manage to get Germany’s war reparation debts cancelled, but it was not enough to validate his other actions. 30th January 1933, von-Papen. As vice chancellor for almost 18 months, he was unable to sway Hitler from his extremist plan, but so desperate to hold on to any shred of power was Papen that the alternative of resignation and possessing no power at all was even worse. He was then sent as ambassador to Austria (1934–38), for whose annexation to Germany he worked. Hindenburg was already frustrated with von Schleicher, so when a new government was proposed with Hitler as Chancellor, von Papen as Vice-Chancellor and a cabinet largely composed of non-Nazis, he asked von Schleicher to resign. His unofficial job while in America had been that of spymaster. The scion of a wealthy Catholic landowning family, Papen began his career as a professional soldier. While he was coordinating these activities, he also supervised operations preparing forged identification papers for German citizens who were eager to return to Germany and fight for their homeland. Dummy corporations were established which then took all the orders they could for Allied armaments. As one of Germany’s most prominent generals in the years after World War I, he exercised considerable power. He dispatched men to blow up crucial portions of the Canadian Pacific Railway, thus preventing troops from reaching the transports destined to take them to England. Papen was Charged with Tracking Down Arab Guerrillas Under the Command of T.E. Though these two operations were relatively successful in assisting Germany’s war effort, other efforts were not, primarily because of the ineptitude of Papen’s subordinates. Papen established a rightist authoritarian government without a political base or voting majority in the Reichstag. Returning after the war to Germany, Papen, a monarchist, decided to enter politics. Other fictitious firms created by Papen bought all the gunpowder available in the United States under the guise that these fabricated companies were manufacturing grenades and artillery shells destined for England. Following von Papen’s failure, Hitler was offered the chancellorship, but without the right to rule by presidential decree. Kurt von Schleicher Photo by: Bundesarchiv Creative Commons Kurt von Schleicher (1882-1934) was the last man to be German Chancellor during the Weimar Republic, the era before the rise to the Chancellorship of Adolf Hitler. Incidents such as this increased the tension between Franz von Rintelen and Papen as well. “There can certainly be no objection to keeping the unique quality of a people as clean as possible,” Papen had stated, “and to awaken the sense of a people’s community.”, Papen Narrowly Escaped Death When as Many as 400 Members of the SA Were Purged. This now infamous arrangement would see the aging Hindenburg appoint Hitler as chancellor on January 30, 1933, with Papen as vice chancellor. Papen was now effectively trapped in a powerless position. Schleicher had selected the entire cabinet himself before he … They thought they could control him once he was in power. Franz von Papen became Chancellor. Who was vice-chancellor? © Copyright 2021 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved. Papen’s reactionary policies and his efforts to replace Germany’s Weimar constitution with authoritarian rule alienated Schleicher, who wished to establish a broad national front that would have a real popular mandate. Despite Hindenburg’s misgivings, Hitler was officially appointed as chancellor and sworn in at noon on January 30, 1933. Below: Nazi stormtroopers parade through the Brandenburg Gate to celebrate the dawn of a new era. Intent on preserving peace while contending with unstable political and economic situations domestically, Papen’s six-month administration as chancellor instead was dominated by controversy and international intrigue. With no intention of filling the orders, their customers were continually given excuses about the endless delays, thus helping Germany’s cause. Below: Hitler in the spotlight gazing at the cheering throngs. Von Papen hated the Weimar Government and was unpopular in the Reichstag with only 68 supporters. On August 19, 1934, Adolf Hitler, already chancellor, is also elected president of Germany in an unprecedented consolidation of power in the short history of It was General Kurt von Schleicher, Hindenburg’s chief adviser, who orchestrated Papen’s ascendance to German chancellor. After the During this period he also implemented clandestine operations that encouraged rebellion in both India and Ireland, as well as more sabotage in the United States. Below: Chancellor Papen (third from right) with his befuddled Cabinet in June 1932. How did von Papen became chancellor? Instead, the gunpowder languished in warehouses never to see use during the war at all. They believed they could control Hitler and get him to do what they wanted.
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