Hans Krüger
Encyclopedia
Hans Krüger was a former member of the NSDAP party and other Nazi organizations who served as a judge in occupied Poland during Second World War. After the war he became West German
politician
of the Christian Democratic Union
(CDU). He served as Federal Minister for Displaced Persons, Refugees and War Victims
of the Federal Republic of Germany
from 17 October 1963 to 7 February 1964, in the First Cabinet of Chancellor Ludwig Erhard
, as President of the Federation of Expellees
from 1959 to 1964, and as a Member of Parliament from 1957 to 1965. He stepped down from cabinet amid controversy about his war-time background.
) in the Province of Pomerania. He completed studies of political science
s and law in 1922. In 1934 he was appointed as a judge
in Pomerania after passing two exams in the years 1927-1929. In 1937 his work as criminal judge was praised by state officials as "avoiding undue sensitivity" and of "correct orientation" when passing out sentences.
in Munich
. At the time he was a member of the Nazi Party and other Nazi organisations such as the Reichsbund Deutscher Beamter (German Civil Service), the NS-Rechtswahrerbund (National Socialist Lawyers Association), and the Volksbund für das Deutschtum im Ausland (Association for Germanism Abroad). He worked as a judge in Lauenburg
(Lębork), Stargard
(Stargard Szczeciński) and after 1940 in Chojnice
(Konitz), where he was made an NSDAP-Ortsgruppenleiter
and where he passed out several death sentence
s. From 1943-1945 he served in the German Navy
.
, joining the predecessor of the organisation in 1948 and serving as their president from 1959 to 1964.
He was a member of the German Bundestag
from 1957 to 1965, and served as deputy chair of the Committee for Displaced Persons, Refugees and War Victims from 1961 to 1963.
He became the Federal Minister for Displaced Persons, Refugees and War Victims in 1963, serving until 1964. He resigned from the cabinet and the chairmanship of the Federation of Expellees in 1964 amid controversy about his work during the Nazi era, after the communist regime of East Germany, particularly Albert Norden
, had attacked him heavily since December 1963.
After he left parliament in 1965, Krüger worked as a lawyer. He died in Bonn
.
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...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
of the Christian Democratic Union
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...
(CDU). He served as Federal Minister for Displaced Persons, Refugees and War Victims
Federal Ministry for Displaced Persons, Refugees and War Victims
The Federal Ministry for Displaced Persons, Refugees and War Victims was part of the West German federal government from 1949 till 1969.Before the formation of the Federal Republic of Germany on the territory of the three western allied zones, the individual state governments were in charge of...
of the Federal Republic of Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
from 17 October 1963 to 7 February 1964, in the First Cabinet of Chancellor Ludwig Erhard
Ludwig Erhard
Ludwig Wilhelm Erhard was a German politician affiliated with the CDU and Chancellor of West Germany from 1963 until 1966. He is notable for his leading role in German postwar economic reform and economic recovery , particularly in his role as Minister of Economics under Chancellor Konrad Adenauer...
, as President of the Federation of Expellees
Federation of Expellees
The Federation of Expellees or Bund der Vertriebenen is a non-profit organization formed to represent the interests of Germans who either fled their homes in parts of Central and Eastern Europe, or were expelled following World War II....
from 1959 to 1964, and as a Member of Parliament from 1957 to 1965. He stepped down from cabinet amid controversy about his war-time background.
Education and work
Krüger was born in Neustettin (SzczecinekSzczecinek
Szczecinek [] is a city in Middle Pomerania, northwestern Poland with some 39,777 inhabitants . Previously in Koszalin Voivodeship , it has been the capital of Szczecinek County in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999...
) in the Province of Pomerania. He completed studies of political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
s and law in 1922. In 1934 he was appointed as a judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
in Pomerania after passing two exams in the years 1927-1929. In 1937 his work as criminal judge was praised by state officials as "avoiding undue sensitivity" and of "correct orientation" when passing out sentences.
Nazi activity
Krüger claimed to participate in the Beer Hall PutschBeer Hall Putsch
The Beer Hall Putsch was a failed attempt at revolution that occurred between the evening of 8 November and the early afternoon of 9 November 1923, when Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler, Generalquartiermeister Erich Ludendorff, and other heads of the Kampfbund unsuccessfully tried to seize power...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. At the time he was a member of the Nazi Party and other Nazi organisations such as the Reichsbund Deutscher Beamter (German Civil Service), the NS-Rechtswahrerbund (National Socialist Lawyers Association), and the Volksbund für das Deutschtum im Ausland (Association for Germanism Abroad). He worked as a judge in Lauenburg
Lebork
Lębork is a town on the Łeba and Okalica rivers in Middle Pomerania region, north-western Poland with some 37,000 inhabitants.Lębork is also the capital of Lębork County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999, formerly in Słupsk Voivodeship ....
(Lębork), Stargard
Stargard Szczecinski
Stargard Szczeciński is a city in northwestern Poland, with a population of 71,017 . Situated on the Ina River it is the capital of Stargard County and since 1999 has been in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship; prior to that it was in the Szczecin Voivodeship...
(Stargard Szczeciński) and after 1940 in Chojnice
Chojnice
Chojnice is a town in northern Poland with 39 670 inhabitants , near famous Tuchola Forest, Lake Charzykowskie and many other water reservoirs. It is the capital of the Chojnice County....
(Konitz), where he was made an NSDAP-Ortsgruppenleiter
Ortsgruppenleiter
Ortsgruppenleiter was a Nazi Party political rank and title which existed between 1930 and 1945. The term first came into being during the German elections of 1930, and was held by the head Nazi of a town or city for the purposes of election district organization...
and where he passed out several death sentence
Death Sentence
Death Sentence is a short story by the American science-fiction writer Isaac Asimov. It was first published in the November 1943 issue of Astounding Science Fiction and reprinted in the 1972 collection The Early Asimov.-Plot summary:...
s. From 1943-1945 he served in the German Navy
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
.
Political career in West Germany
After the war Krüger became a CDU politician and co-founder of the Federation of ExpelleesFederation of Expellees
The Federation of Expellees or Bund der Vertriebenen is a non-profit organization formed to represent the interests of Germans who either fled their homes in parts of Central and Eastern Europe, or were expelled following World War II....
, joining the predecessor of the organisation in 1948 and serving as their president from 1959 to 1964.
He was a member of the German Bundestag
Bundestag
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
from 1957 to 1965, and served as deputy chair of the Committee for Displaced Persons, Refugees and War Victims from 1961 to 1963.
He became the Federal Minister for Displaced Persons, Refugees and War Victims in 1963, serving until 1964. He resigned from the cabinet and the chairmanship of the Federation of Expellees in 1964 amid controversy about his work during the Nazi era, after the communist regime of East Germany, particularly Albert Norden
Albert Norden
Albert Norden was a German communist politician. He went into exile during Nazi rule. He returned to Germany after the war, and became an important politician in the German Democratic Republic...
, had attacked him heavily since December 1963.
After he left parliament in 1965, Krüger worked as a lawyer. He died in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
.