Kurt Baron von Schröder
Encyclopedia
Baron Kurt von Schroeder (often simply referred to in the literature of the Third Reich as Kurt von Schroeder) was a banker in Cologne
, Germany who was a member of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and who hosted a notorious meeting between Franz von Papen
and Hitler that facilitated Hitler's assumption of the Chancellorship.
He was born in Hamburg
, Germany, on 24 November 1889. He was a student at the University of Bonn
and joined the Reichswehr
during the World War I
. He there served as a captain in the General Staff
.
After the war he joined a firm of bankers in Cologne. In 1928 he joined the German People's Party
. His right-wing political beliefs propelled him to contribute money to the Nazi Party and to join the Circle of Friends of the Economy (Freundeskreis der Wirtschaft
). On 1 February 1933 he became a member of the Nazi Party.
and his party with enough financial support to survive through the early 1930s. He also hosted a critical meeting on 4 January 1933 between Papen and Hitler—a meeting that eventually led to Hitler's appointment as Chancellor of Germany
.
He figures prominently in the work of former Hoover Institution scholar Antony C. Sutton
, Wall Street And The Rise Of Hitler. As Sutton observes,
After the war there were attempts to conceal the financing of Nazi regime, some by the former American bankers and officials of the Allied military government, especially by blocking the investigation of the bank Bankhaus J.H. Stein based in Cologne, Germany. This bank, so called the "bank of the cartel kings", had been suspected to have served as a conduit for funding Heinrich Himmler's SS through deposits by German industrial cartels.
Kurt von Schröder died on November 4, 1966.
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Germany who was a member of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and who hosted a notorious meeting between Franz von Papen
Franz von Papen
Lieutenant-Colonel Franz Joseph Hermann Michael Maria von Papen zu Köningen was a German nobleman, Roman Catholic monarchist politician, General Staff officer, and diplomat, who served as Chancellor of Germany in 1932 and as Vice-Chancellor under Adolf Hitler in 1933–1934...
and Hitler that facilitated Hitler's assumption of the Chancellorship.
He was born in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Germany, on 24 November 1889. He was a student at the University of Bonn
University of Bonn
The University of Bonn is a public research university located in Bonn, Germany. Founded in its present form in 1818, as the linear successor of earlier academic institutions, the University of Bonn is today one of the leading universities in Germany. The University of Bonn offers a large number...
and joined the Reichswehr
Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
during the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He there served as a captain in the General Staff
General Staff
A military staff, often referred to as General Staff, Army Staff, Navy Staff or Air Staff within the individual services, is a group of officers and enlisted personnel that provides a bi-directional flow of information between a commanding officer and subordinate military units...
.
After the war he joined a firm of bankers in Cologne. In 1928 he joined the German People's Party
German People's Party
The German People's Party was a national liberal party in Weimar Germany and a successor to the National Liberal Party of the German Empire.-Ideology:...
. His right-wing political beliefs propelled him to contribute money to the Nazi Party and to join the Circle of Friends of the Economy (Freundeskreis der Wirtschaft
Freundeskreis der Wirtschaft
The Freundeskreis der Wirtschaft, or Circle of Friends of the Economy was a group of German industrialists whose aim was to raise funds for racial research within the Third Reich...
). On 1 February 1933 he became a member of the Nazi Party.
Role in supporting Hitler
Schroeder was an important member of the Freundeskreis der Wirtschaft which provided Adolf HitlerAdolf 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...
and his party with enough financial support to survive through the early 1930s. He also hosted a critical meeting on 4 January 1933 between Papen and Hitler—a meeting that eventually led to Hitler's appointment as Chancellor of Germany
Chancellor of Germany
The Chancellor of Germany is, under the German 1949 constitution, the head of government of Germany...
.
He figures prominently in the work of former Hoover Institution scholar Antony C. Sutton
Antony C. Sutton
Antony Cyril Sutton was a British-born economist, historian, and writer.- Biography :Sutton studied at the universities of London, Gottingen, and California, and received his D.Sc. from the University of Southampton...
, Wall Street And The Rise Of Hitler. As Sutton observes,
After the war there were attempts to conceal the financing of Nazi regime, some by the former American bankers and officials of the Allied military government, especially by blocking the investigation of the bank Bankhaus J.H. Stein based in Cologne, Germany. This bank, so called the "bank of the cartel kings", had been suspected to have served as a conduit for funding Heinrich Himmler's SS through deposits by German industrial cartels.
Rewards for support
Schroeder became chairman of the board of directors of several major companies in Germany and was president of the Rhineland Industrial Chamber in Cologne.Postwar
After the Second World War Schroeder was arrested and was tried by a German court for crimes against humanity. He was found guilty and was sentenced to three months' imprisonment.Kurt von Schröder died on November 4, 1966.