Karl Heinz Bremer
Encyclopedia
Karl Heinz Bremer was a German
historian
who died during the Second World War
.
He had taught German at the Sorbonne
and the Ecole Normale
before the Second World War. When he returned to Germany
he joined the Nazi party. Following the fall of France he was the associate director of the German Institute in Paris, from its creation in the fall of 1940, until he was sent to the Russian front
a year later. The German Institute was responsible for editing the French
press, and for controlling newly published French books during the occupation.
Bremer is known for the friendship he developed with the French collaborator
and journalist, Robert Brasillach
. This friendship prospered because both men were eager to exchange knowledge of each other's country and culture. But Bremer got involved very much in the policy of the Nazis in Paris. Together with Gerhard Heller he became the main censor of the German embassy in Paris. Bremer also translated several works of Henry de Montherlant
.
After a change in the personal policy of the Auswärtiges Amt Bremer was sent to the Eastern front
as many men servicing not in the army. He died shortly later at a battle near to Lake Ilmen.
In April 1943 Henry de Montherlant
wrote an obituary for Bremer in the journal "Germany-France. Quarterly Journal of the German Institute in Paris" ("Deutschland-Frankreich. Vierteljahrsschrift des Deutschen Instituts Paris"), which was titled: „Souvenirs sur Karl Heinz Bremer“.
K. H. Bremer 1938 diagnosed in an article in the German magazine Tat the situation of the Second Republic
in the following manner. While the republicans of 1848 were trying to solve the constitutional question, he observed, Louis Napoleon realized that the social question was the most important one. Parliamentarism, with its conflicting political parties and class struggles, was incapable of solving the social question. Only a dictatorship with a social outlook, in the view of Napoleon could solve it. His great aim was to establish a political system based upon the unity of all classes and of all interests in France
. It was he, according to Bremer, who first created the new type of state in the form of authoritarian, plebiscitarian leadership." Napoleon was seen by Bremer as the precedessor of Hitler.
Mr. Bremer also said that Proudhon
popularized a social idea that was antiliberal in order to give a social significance to the Second Empire. Proudhon developed a social idea for Louis Napoleon that was to bring workers into the Second Empire. Because Proudhon advocated slow changes over time, Napoleon rejected this solution.
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
who died during the Second World War
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 had taught German at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
and the Ecole Normale
École Normale Supérieure
The École normale supérieure is one of the most prestigious French grandes écoles...
before the Second World War. When he returned to Germany
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...
he joined the Nazi party. Following the fall of France he was the associate director of the German Institute in Paris, from its creation in the fall of 1940, until he was sent to the Russian front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
a year later. The German Institute was responsible for editing the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
press, and for controlling newly published French books during the occupation.
Bremer is known for the friendship he developed with the French collaborator
Collaborationism
Collaborationism is cooperation with enemy forces against one's country. Legally, it may be considered as a form of treason. Collaborationism may be associated with criminal deeds in the service of the occupying power, which may include complicity with the occupying power in murder, persecutions,...
and journalist, Robert Brasillach
Robert Brasillach
Robert Brasillach was a French author and journalist. Brasillach is best known as the editor of Je suis partout, a nationalist newspaper which came to advocate various fascist movements and supported Jacques Doriot...
. This friendship prospered because both men were eager to exchange knowledge of each other's country and culture. But Bremer got involved very much in the policy of the Nazis in Paris. Together with Gerhard Heller he became the main censor of the German embassy in Paris. Bremer also translated several works of Henry de Montherlant
Henry de Montherlant
Henry de Montherlant or Henry Marie Joseph Frédéric Expedite Millon de Montherlant was a French essayist, novelist and one of the leading French dramatists of the twentieth century.- Works :...
.
After a change in the personal policy of the Auswärtiges Amt Bremer was sent to the Eastern front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
as many men servicing not in the army. He died shortly later at a battle near to Lake Ilmen.
In April 1943 Henry de Montherlant
Henry de Montherlant
Henry de Montherlant or Henry Marie Joseph Frédéric Expedite Millon de Montherlant was a French essayist, novelist and one of the leading French dramatists of the twentieth century.- Works :...
wrote an obituary for Bremer in the journal "Germany-France. Quarterly Journal of the German Institute in Paris" ("Deutschland-Frankreich. Vierteljahrsschrift des Deutschen Instituts Paris"), which was titled: „Souvenirs sur Karl Heinz Bremer“.
K. H. Bremer 1938 diagnosed in an article in the German magazine Tat the situation of the Second Republic
French Second Republic
The French Second Republic was the republican government of France between the 1848 Revolution and the coup by Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte which initiated the Second Empire. It officially adopted the motto Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité...
in the following manner. While the republicans of 1848 were trying to solve the constitutional question, he observed, Louis Napoleon realized that the social question was the most important one. Parliamentarism, with its conflicting political parties and class struggles, was incapable of solving the social question. Only a dictatorship with a social outlook, in the view of Napoleon could solve it. His great aim was to establish a political system based upon the unity of all classes and of all interests in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It was he, according to Bremer, who first created the new type of state in the form of authoritarian, plebiscitarian leadership." Napoleon was seen by Bremer as the precedessor of Hitler.
Mr. Bremer also said that Proudhon
Pierre-Joseph Proudhon
Pierre-Joseph Proudhon was a French politician, mutualist philosopher and socialist. He was a member of the French Parliament, and he was the first person to call himself an "anarchist". He is considered among the most influential theorists and organisers of anarchism...
popularized a social idea that was antiliberal in order to give a social significance to the Second Empire. Proudhon developed a social idea for Louis Napoleon that was to bring workers into the Second Empire. Because Proudhon advocated slow changes over time, Napoleon rejected this solution.