Friedrich Wilhelm Kritzinger
Encyclopedia
Dr. Friedrich Wilhelm Kritzinger (April 14, 1890 – April 25, 1947) was a German official and state secretary in the Reich Chancellery
during the period of National Socialism. He was the deputy head of the Reich Chancellery under Hans Lammers
, and was present at the Wannsee Conference
as Lammers' representative.
near Filehne (Polish: Wieleń) in the Prussian province of Posen
. He received his Abitur
in 1908 and studied law. During 1914–1918 Kritzinger served in the German military, reaching the rank of lieutenant in the reserve. In 1921 he passed the bar examination and then worked as an assistant in the Reich Ministry of Justice. In 1925-1926 he worked in the Prussian Ministry of Commerce and in 1926 moved back to the Ministry of Justice. He joined the Nazi party in 1938.
In February 1938 Kritzinger was transferred into the Reich Chancellery, as head of the Division B with the official designation of a Permanent Secretary. In early 1942 Kritzinger was promoted to State Secretary.
Kritzinger was one of the participants at the Wannsee Conference
. Following the conference, he attempted to resign his position in the Chancellery, but his resignation was refused on the grounds that "it would be worse without him". It is speculated by historians that he may have openly and vocally opposed the Wannsee protocols, which would have explained his resignation, but no accurate historical record exists to support or confirm such speculation.
Kritzinger would be eventually arrested, along with most of the surviving members of the Conference, in 1946. During the Nuremberg Trials
, where he was a witness, he publicly declared himself ashamed of the atrocities committed by the Nazi regime. He was released, and died in Nuremberg
the following year.
Kritzinger was portrayed by Franz Rudnick in a 1984 movie Wannseekonferenz
, and again by David Threlfall
in the 2001 BBC
/HBO
film Conspiracy.
Reich Chancellery
The Reich Chancellery was the traditional name of the office of the Chancellor of Germany in the period of the German Reich from 1871 to 1945...
during the period of National Socialism. He was the deputy head of the Reich Chancellery under Hans Lammers
Hans Lammers
Dr.jur. Hans Heinrich Lammers was a German jurist and prominent Nazi politician. From 1933 until 1945 he served as head of the Reich Chancellery under Adolf Hitler....
, and was present at the Wannsee Conference
Wannsee Conference
The Wannsee Conference was a meeting of senior officials of the Nazi German regime, held in the Berlin suburb of Wannsee on 20 January 1942. The purpose of the conference was to inform administrative leaders of Departments responsible for various policies relating to Jews, that Reinhard Heydrich...
as Lammers' representative.
Life
Kritzinger was born as a son of a pastor in GrünfierZielonowo, Greater Poland Voivodeship
Zielonowo is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Wieleń, within Czarnków-Trzcianka County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, in west-central Poland...
near Filehne (Polish: Wieleń) in the Prussian province of Posen
Province of Posen
The Province of Posen was a province of Prussia from 1848–1918 and as such part of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918. The area was about 29,000 km2....
. He received 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 1908 and studied law. During 1914–1918 Kritzinger served in the German military, reaching the rank of lieutenant in the reserve. In 1921 he passed the bar examination and then worked as an assistant in the Reich Ministry of Justice. In 1925-1926 he worked in the Prussian Ministry of Commerce and in 1926 moved back to the Ministry of Justice. He joined the Nazi party in 1938.
In February 1938 Kritzinger was transferred into the Reich Chancellery, as head of the Division B with the official designation of a Permanent Secretary. In early 1942 Kritzinger was promoted to State Secretary.
Kritzinger was one of the participants at the Wannsee Conference
Wannsee Conference
The Wannsee Conference was a meeting of senior officials of the Nazi German regime, held in the Berlin suburb of Wannsee on 20 January 1942. The purpose of the conference was to inform administrative leaders of Departments responsible for various policies relating to Jews, that Reinhard Heydrich...
. Following the conference, he attempted to resign his position in the Chancellery, but his resignation was refused on the grounds that "it would be worse without him". It is speculated by historians that he may have openly and vocally opposed the Wannsee protocols, which would have explained his resignation, but no accurate historical record exists to support or confirm such speculation.
Kritzinger would be eventually arrested, along with most of the surviving members of the Conference, in 1946. During the Nuremberg Trials
Nuremberg Trials
The Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals, held by the victorious Allied forces of World War II, most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of the defeated Nazi Germany....
, where he was a witness, he publicly declared himself ashamed of the atrocities committed by the Nazi regime. He was released, and died in Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
the following year.
Kritzinger was portrayed by Franz Rudnick in a 1984 movie Wannseekonferenz
The Wannsee Conference (film)
The Wannsee Conference is a 1984 German TV movie treating the events of the Wannsee Conference. The same events were later depicted in the English-language film Conspiracy....
, and again by David Threlfall
David Threlfall
David Threlfall is an English stage, film and television actor and director best known for playing Frank Gallagher in Channel 4's Manchester-based drama series Shameless. He has also directed several episodes of the show.-Early life:...
in the 2001 BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
/HBO
Home Box Office
HBO, short for Home Box Office, is an American premium cable television network, owned by Time Warner. , HBO's programming reaches 28.2 million subscribers in the United States, making it the second largest premium network in America . In addition to its U.S...
film Conspiracy.