Eberhard von Brauchitsch
Encyclopedia
Eberhard von Brauchitsch (28 November 1926 – 7 September 2010) was a German
industrial manager. In his work for Flick KG, he was responsible for the donation of about 26 million Deutsche Mark to all the major German political parties and their associated foundations between 1969 and 1981. As a result of this scandal, he was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment on probation and 550,000 DM financial penalty for tax evasion. In 1982 he became a lawyer and management consultant.
, Weimar Germany to Konrad von Brauchitsch and Edith, née de la Barre. The Brauchitsch
family is a Silesia
n noble family originating from Brauchitschdorf
, Silesia (modern Chróstnik, Poland). Brauchitsch attended school in Berlin and Bad Tölz
, where he was a classmate of Friedrich Karl Flick
.
He was conscripted as a Flakhelfer in 1943 and to the Wehrmacht
in 1944. After World War II
he passed his Abitur
in 1946 and studied law at the University of Mainz and political sciences at the University of Amsterdam. He also studied at the London School of Economics
and in The Hague
.
In the 1950s Brauchitsch worked for Deutsche Lufthansa and became the first chief executive of the Deutsche Flugdienst GmbH. In 1960 he became the personal consultant of Friedrich Karl Flick and executive partner of the Flick KG in 1965.
From 1971 to 1973 he was the chief representative of the Axel Springer AG
but returned to the Flick KG after the death of Friedrich Flick (senior). He was responsible for the donation of about 26 million DM to all major German political parties and their associated foundations between 1969 and 1981. The Christian Democrats
and the Christian Social Union of Bavaria
received about 15 million DM, the Social Democrats
about 6.5 million and the Liberals
about 4.3 million. Sums between 40,000 and 250,000 DM were directly paid to politicians like Franz Josef Strauss, Willy Brandt
and CDU bursar Walther Leisler Kiep. Helmut Kohl
received in total 565,000 DM. Brauchitsch called this practise "cultivating the political scene".
These donations led to the Flick affair
and the demission of Otto Graf Lambsdorff
and Hans Friderichs, who had granted tax advantages to Friedrich Karl Flick after he had realized his 40 percent share of Mercedes-Benz
stocks valuing 1.9 billion DM. Brauchitsch was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment on probation and 550,000 DM financial penalty for tax evasion. He left the Flick KG in 1982 and worked as a lawyer and management consultant.
Brauchitsch was married to Helga née Hempe since 1952, they had three daughters and one son. After both had suffered from long and severe illnesses, Brauchitsch and his wife committed suicide together in Zürich, aided by the Swiss pro-euthanasia group EXIT.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
industrial manager. In his work for Flick KG, he was responsible for the donation of about 26 million Deutsche Mark to all the major German political parties and their associated foundations between 1969 and 1981. As a result of this scandal, he was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment on probation and 550,000 DM financial penalty for tax evasion. In 1982 he became a lawyer and management consultant.
Biography
Brauchitsch was born in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Weimar Germany to Konrad von Brauchitsch and Edith, née de la Barre. The Brauchitsch
Brauchitsch
Brauchitsch is the surname of a German noble family, first documented in the 13th century at the Silesian village of Chrustenik . Notable members are:* Walther von Brauchitsch , Wehrmacht field marshal...
family is a Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
n noble family originating from Brauchitschdorf
Chróstnik
Chróstnik is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Lubin, within Lubin County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. Prior to 1945 it belonged to Germany...
, Silesia (modern Chróstnik, Poland). Brauchitsch attended school in Berlin and Bad Tölz
Bad Tölz
Bad Tölz is a town in Bavaria, Germany, and administrative center of the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen.- History :Since the retreat of the glaciers at the end of the Ice Age, archaeology has shown continuous occupation of the site of Bad Tölz...
, where he was a classmate of Friedrich Karl Flick
Friedrich Karl Flick
Friedrich Karl Flick was a German-Austrian industrialist and billionaire....
.
He was conscripted as a Flakhelfer in 1943 and to the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
in 1944. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he passed his Abitur
Abitur
Abitur is a designation used in Germany, Finland and Estonia for final exams that pupils take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling, see also for Germany Abitur after twelve years.The Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, often referred to as...
in 1946 and studied law at the University of Mainz and political sciences at the University of Amsterdam. He also studied at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
and in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
.
In the 1950s Brauchitsch worked for Deutsche Lufthansa and became the first chief executive of the Deutsche Flugdienst GmbH. In 1960 he became the personal consultant of Friedrich Karl Flick and executive partner of the Flick KG in 1965.
From 1971 to 1973 he was the chief representative of the Axel Springer AG
Axel Springer AG
Axel Springer AG is one of the largest multimedia companies in Europe, with more than 11,500 employees and with annual revenues of about €2.9 billion. The Company is active in a total of 36 countries, including Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Russia and Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland...
but returned to the Flick KG after the death of Friedrich Flick (senior). He was responsible for the donation of about 26 million DM to all major German political parties and their associated foundations between 1969 and 1981. The Christian Democrats
Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
and the Christian Social Union of Bavaria
Christian Social Union of Bavaria
The Christian Social Union in Bavaria is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It operates only in the state of Bavaria, while its sister party, the Christian Democratic Union , operates in the other 15 states of Germany...
received about 15 million DM, the Social Democrats
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
about 6.5 million and the Liberals
Free Democratic Party (Germany)
The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government...
about 4.3 million. Sums between 40,000 and 250,000 DM were directly paid to politicians like Franz Josef Strauss, Willy Brandt
Willy Brandt
Willy Brandt, born Herbert Ernst Karl Frahm , was a German politician, Mayor of West Berlin 1957–1966, Chancellor of West Germany 1969–1974, and leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany 1964–1987....
and CDU bursar Walther Leisler Kiep. Helmut Kohl
Helmut Kohl
Helmut Josef Michael Kohl is a German conservative politician and statesman. He was Chancellor of Germany from 1982 to 1998 and the chairman of the Christian Democratic Union from 1973 to 1998...
received in total 565,000 DM. Brauchitsch called this practise "cultivating the political scene".
These donations led to the Flick affair
Flick Affair
The Flick Affair was a German political scandal of the early 1980s relating to political contributions by the Flick company, a major German conglomerate, to various political parties "for the cultivation of the political landscape"...
and the demission of Otto Graf Lambsdorff
Otto Graf Lambsdorff
Otto Friedrich Wilhelm Freiherr von der Wenge Graf Lambsdorff, known as Otto Graf Lambsdorff, was a German politician of the Free Democratic Party.- Biography :...
and Hans Friderichs, who had granted tax advantages to Friedrich Karl Flick after he had realized his 40 percent share of Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
stocks valuing 1.9 billion DM. Brauchitsch was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment on probation and 550,000 DM financial penalty for tax evasion. He left the Flick KG in 1982 and worked as a lawyer and management consultant.
Brauchitsch was married to Helga née Hempe since 1952, they had three daughters and one son. After both had suffered from long and severe illnesses, Brauchitsch and his wife committed suicide together in Zürich, aided by the Swiss pro-euthanasia group EXIT.