Franz von Papen Autograph

Profession:
(1879-1969) German conservative politician, diplomat, Prussian nobleman and General Staff officer. He served as the chancellor of Germany in 1932, and then as the vice-chancellor under Adolf Hitler from 1933 to 1934

Year of Birth: 1879

Franz von Papen was born on October 29th 1879 in Cologne, Germany. He was a German politician and diplomat, who served as Vice-Chancellor of Germany from 1932 to 1933. He was instrumental in the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party.

Von Papen began his career as a soldier in the German military. He served in the German army during World War I, and rose to the rank of Major by the end of the war. After the war, he went into politics and became a member of the Catholic Centre Party. He served in the Reichstag from 1924 to 1932, and was appointed Minister of Defense in 1930.

In 1932, von Papen was appointed Vice-Chancellor by Chancellor Heinrich Brüning. He argued in favor of the dissolution of the Reichstag and the establishment of a totalitarian government. He also supported the Enabling Act of 1933, which granted Adolf Hitler dictatorial powers. Von Papen was largely responsible for orchestrating the Nazi regime’s seizure of power, and became the face of Nazi Germany’s government in the eyes of the international community.

Despite his role in the Nazi government, von Papen was largely unsuccessful in gaining support for the regime. He was removed from his position as Vice-Chancellor in 1934, and was arrested in 1944 for his role in the failed July 20 Plot. Following the war, he was tried at Nuremberg, and was acquitted of any war crimes. He was released in 1949, and spent the remainder of his life in obscurity.

Von Papen is remembered as a controversial figure in German history. While he is credited with helping to bring Adolf Hitler to power, he also opposed the regime in various ways, and was instrumental in preventing a complete Nazi takeover of the government. He is remembered as an example of the complex relationship between politics and power in Germany during the 1930s and 1940s.

Von Papen died in 1969, aged 89. He is buried in a cemetery in Berlin, and his grave is marked by a plaque that reads, “Franz von Papen - A German patriot who served his country in difficult times.” His legacy and role in German history continues to be debated to this day.