Friedrich Mandl
Encyclopedia
Friedrich Mandl was chairman of Hirtenberg
er Patronen-Fabrik
, a leading Austrian armaments firm founded by his father, Alexander Mandl.
Mandl was a prominent fascist, but rather attached to the Austrofascism
and Italian varieties than to Nazism. In the 1930s he became close to Prince Ernst Rüdiger Starhemberg
, the commander of the Austrian fascist private army ("Heimwehr
") leader, whom he furnished with weapons and ammunition. Following incorporation of Austria into Nazi Germany
with the Anschluss
of 1938, Mandl's remaining property which had not yet been transferred to Swiss ownership was seized, since he had supported the separatist Austrofascism and his father was Jewish. Despite Mandl's Jewish heritage, his then-wife Hedy Lamarr
wrote in her autobiography 'Ecstasy and Me' that both Italian dictator Benito Mussolini
and German dictator Adolf Hitler
attended Mandl's parties. Lamarr described Mandl as extremely controlling, and wrote that she escaped only by disguising herself as a maid and fleeing to Paris
, where she obtained a divorce. Until 1940, Mandl tried to establish contact with Hermann Göring
's office in order to supply Germany with iron.
Mandl later moved to Brazil and then to Argentina, where he became a citizen and remarried. In Argentina he served as an advisor to Juan Perón
and attempted a new role as film producer. He also founded a new airplane manufacturing firm, Industria Metalúrgica y Plástica Argentina.
Mandl became a leading member of Argentina's social circles. He acquired homes in Mar del Plata
a castle in Córdoba and a petit hotel in Buenos Aires
. He worked closely with French designer Jean-Michel Frank
who was then artistic director of Comte S.A. who produced most of Mandl's furnishings.
After the war, he returned to Austria.
From 1933 to 1937, Mandl was married to Jewish actress "Hedy" Kiesler, who would later become known as Hedy Lamarr
in Hollywood. Mandl is rumoured to have attempted to bring a halt to her acting career and to purchase all copies of her infamous film Ecstasy
(1933), in which she appeared nude. Mandl's last of several marriages was to Monika Brücklmeier, daughter of Eduard Brücklmeier
, an accessory executed for his involvement in the July 20 plot
to assassinate Adolf Hitler.
Hirtenberg
Hirtenberg is a town of approx. 2,500 inhabitants near Baden bei Wien in Lower Austria, Austria. The river Triesting is located at the south border of the town...
er Patronen-Fabrik
Otto Eberhardt Patronenfabrik
Otto Eberhardt Patronenfabrik was a Nazi Germany munitions company. The company's Hirtenberger Patronen Zündhutchen und Metallwarenfabrik near Wiener Neustadt used forced labor from a sub-camp of the World War II Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp and produced...
, a leading Austrian armaments firm founded by his father, Alexander Mandl.
Mandl was a prominent fascist, but rather attached to the Austrofascism
Austrofascism
Austrofascism is a term which is frequently used by historians to describe the authoritarian rule installed in Austria with the May Constitution of 1934, which ceased with the forcible incorporation of the newly-founded Federal State of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938...
and Italian varieties than to Nazism. In the 1930s he became close to Prince Ernst Rüdiger Starhemberg
Ernst Rüdiger Starhemberg
Ernst Rüdiger Camillo Starhemberg was an Austrian nationalist and conservative politician prior to World War II, a leader of the Heimwehr and later of the Christian Social Party/Fatherland's Front...
, the commander of the Austrian fascist private army ("Heimwehr
Heimwehr
The Heimwehr or sometimes Heimatschutz were a Nationalist, initially paramilitary group operating within Austria during the 1920s and 1930s; they were similar in methods, organisation, and ideology to Germany's Freikorps...
") leader, whom he furnished with weapons and ammunition. Following incorporation of Austria into Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
with the Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
of 1938, Mandl's remaining property which had not yet been transferred to Swiss ownership was seized, since he had supported the separatist Austrofascism and his father was Jewish. Despite Mandl's Jewish heritage, his then-wife Hedy Lamarr
Hedy Lamarr
Hedy Lamarr was an Austrian-American actress celebrated for her great beauty who was a major contract star of MGM's "Golden Age".Lamarr also co-invented – with composer George Antheil – an early technique for spread spectrum communications and frequency hopping, necessary to wireless...
wrote in her autobiography 'Ecstasy and Me' that both Italian dictator Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
and German dictator Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
attended Mandl's parties. Lamarr described Mandl as extremely controlling, and wrote that she escaped only by disguising herself as a maid and fleeing to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where she obtained a divorce. Until 1940, Mandl tried to establish contact with Hermann Göring
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
's office in order to supply Germany with iron.
Mandl later moved to Brazil and then to Argentina, where he became a citizen and remarried. In Argentina he served as an advisor to Juan Perón
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...
and attempted a new role as film producer. He also founded a new airplane manufacturing firm, Industria Metalúrgica y Plástica Argentina.
Mandl became a leading member of Argentina's social circles. He acquired homes in Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata is an Argentine city located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, south of Buenos Aires. Mar del Plata is the second largest city of Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" had apparently the sense of "sea of the Río de la Plata region" or "adjoining sea to the Río de la Plata"...
a castle in Córdoba and a petit hotel in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
. He worked closely with French designer Jean-Michel Frank
Jean-Michel Frank
Jean-Michel Frank was a French interior designer known for minimalist interiors decorated with plain-lined but sumptuous furniture made of luxury materials, such as shagreen, mica, and intricate straw marquetry.-Life and career:...
who was then artistic director of Comte S.A. who produced most of Mandl's furnishings.
After the war, he returned to Austria.
From 1933 to 1937, Mandl was married to Jewish actress "Hedy" Kiesler, who would later become known as Hedy Lamarr
Hedy Lamarr
Hedy Lamarr was an Austrian-American actress celebrated for her great beauty who was a major contract star of MGM's "Golden Age".Lamarr also co-invented – with composer George Antheil – an early technique for spread spectrum communications and frequency hopping, necessary to wireless...
in Hollywood. Mandl is rumoured to have attempted to bring a halt to her acting career and to purchase all copies of her infamous film Ecstasy
Ecstasy (film)
Ecstasy – Extase in Czech, Ekstase in German – is a Czech film made in 1933 by the Czech director Gustav Machatý. It stars Hedy Lamarr, credited under her original surname Kiesler, and Zvonimir Rogoz....
(1933), in which she appeared nude. Mandl's last of several marriages was to Monika Brücklmeier, daughter of Eduard Brücklmeier
Eduard Brücklmeier
Eduard Robert Wolfgang Brücklmeier was a German diplomat and resistance fighter against the Nazi régime who was executed as a result of his association with the July 20 Plot.- Life :...
, an accessory executed for his involvement in the July 20 plot
July 20 Plot
On 20 July 1944, an attempt was made to assassinate Adolf Hitler, Führer of the Third Reich, inside his Wolf's Lair field headquarters near Rastenburg, East Prussia. The plot was the culmination of the efforts of several groups in the German Resistance to overthrow the Nazi-led German government...
to assassinate Adolf Hitler.
Sources
- Bill, Ramón. Waffenfabrik Solothurn. Schweizerische Präzision im Dienste der deutschen Rüstungsindustrie. In: Schriftenreihe des Kantonalen Museums Altes Zeughaus Solothurn, Heft 14. Solothurn, 2002
- Hug, Peter. Schweizer Rüstungsindustrie und Kriegsmaterialhandel zur Zeit des Nationalsozialismus. Unternehmensstrategien – Marktentwicklung – politische Überwachung. Zurique: Chronos Verlag, Band 11 der Publikationen der Unabhängigen Expertenkommission, 2002.
- Kerekes, Lajos. Abenddämmerung einer Demokratie. Mussolini, Gömbös und die Heimwehr. Wien-Frankfurt-Zürich: Europa Verlag, 1966.
- Louçã, António. Conspiradores e traficantes. Portugal no tráfico de armas e de divisas nos anos do nazismo. 1933-1945. Lissabon: Oficina do Livro, 2005.