Max Winkler
Encyclopedia
Max Winkler was Mayor
of Graudenz (now Grudziądz
, Poland), Reich Trustee and Reich Commissioner for German Cinema.
Born 7 September 1875 in Karresch (West Prussia
, now Poland
), Winkler, who came from a family of teachers, was working for the postal service by 1891, and as of 1914, he was a city councillor in Graudenz, and by November 1918, the mayor.
From 1919 he was a member of the Landtag
in Prussia
for the German Democratic Party, and between 1920 and 1933 as Reich Trustee for Ceded German Areas.
As head of Cautio Treuhand GmbH, a German holding company
, Winkler was trusted with the task of economically and culturally supporting ethnic German communities in other countries, and establishing the "fortification" of German minority newspapers. After Adolf Hitler
seized power
, Winkler was therefore instrumental in the Gleichschaltung
(bringing in line) in the press.
Winkler joined the Nazi Party rather late in 1937. In the same year, the Führer named him "Reich Commissioner for the German Film Industry". In this function, by order of the Propaganda Ministry, he decreed appointments and instructions which curtailed the industry's entrepreneurial freedom. This included buying up controlling interests in all German film production companies, thereby making them an organ of Joseph Goebbels
's ministry. Between 1939 and 1945, Winkler was leader of the Main Trusteeship East (Haupttreuhandstelle Ost).
After the war, Winkler found himself in an internment camp. By 11 August 1949, however, the main Denazification
court in Lüneburg
had classified him as "uncharged" and released him.
Right afterwards, Winkler became a staffer at a film company. Under orders from the new West German
government, Winkler was also involved in the Denazification of Universum Film AG
.
Winkler was involved in both the execution of Gleichschaltung of the press and the nationalization
of the film industry. As leader of the Haupttreuhandstelle Ost he was responsible for the administration of seized state and private industrial and property assets in Poland.
Winkler died 1961 in Düsseldorf
.
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Graudenz (now Grudziądz
Grudziadz
Grudziądz is a city in northern Poland on the Vistula River, with 96 042 inhabitants . Situated in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship , the city was previously in the Toruń Voivodeship .- History :-Early history:...
, Poland), Reich Trustee and Reich Commissioner for German Cinema.
Born 7 September 1875 in Karresch (West Prussia
West Prussia
West Prussia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773–1824 and 1878–1919/20 which was created out of the earlier Polish province of Royal Prussia...
, now Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
), Winkler, who came from a family of teachers, was working for the postal service by 1891, and as of 1914, he was a city councillor in Graudenz, and by November 1918, the mayor.
From 1919 he was a member of the Landtag
Landtag
A Landtag is a representative assembly or parliament in German-speaking countries with some legislative authority.- Name :...
in Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
for the German Democratic Party, and between 1920 and 1933 as Reich Trustee for Ceded German Areas.
As head of Cautio Treuhand GmbH, a German holding company
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
, Winkler was trusted with the task of economically and culturally supporting ethnic German communities in other countries, and establishing the "fortification" of German minority newspapers. After 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...
seized power
Machtergreifung
Machtergreifung is a German word meaning "seizure of power". It is normally used specifically to refer to the Nazi takeover of power in the democratic Weimar Republic on 30 January 1933, the day Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany, turning it into the Nazi German dictatorship.-Term:The...
, Winkler was therefore instrumental in the Gleichschaltung
Gleichschaltung
Gleichschaltung , meaning "coordination", "making the same", "bringing into line", is a Nazi term for the process by which the Nazi regime successively established a system of totalitarian control and tight coordination over all aspects of society. The historian Richard J...
(bringing in line) in the press.
Winkler joined the Nazi Party rather late in 1937. In the same year, the Führer named him "Reich Commissioner for the German Film Industry". In this function, by order of the Propaganda Ministry, he decreed appointments and instructions which curtailed the industry's entrepreneurial freedom. This included buying up controlling interests in all German film production companies, thereby making them an organ of Joseph Goebbels
Joseph Goebbels
Paul Joseph Goebbels was a German politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. As one of Adolf Hitler's closest associates and most devout followers, he was known for his zealous oratory and anti-Semitism...
's ministry. Between 1939 and 1945, Winkler was leader of the Main Trusteeship East (Haupttreuhandstelle Ost).
After the war, Winkler found himself in an internment camp. By 11 August 1949, however, the main Denazification
Denazification
Denazification was an Allied initiative to rid German and Austrian society, culture, press, economy, judiciary, and politics of any remnants of the National Socialist ideology. It was carried out specifically by removing those involved from positions of influence and by disbanding or rendering...
court in Lüneburg
Lüneburg
Lüneburg is a town in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located about southeast of fellow Hanseatic city Hamburg. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, and one of Hamburg's inner suburbs...
had classified him as "uncharged" and released him.
Right afterwards, Winkler became a staffer at a film company. Under orders from the new West German
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....
government, Winkler was also involved in the Denazification of Universum Film AG
Universum Film AG
Universum Film AG, better known as UFA or Ufa, is a film company that was the principal film studio in Germany, home of the German film industry during the Weimar Republic and through World War II, and a major force in world cinema from 1917 to 1945...
.
Winkler was involved in both the execution of Gleichschaltung of the press and the nationalization
Nationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
of the film industry. As leader of the Haupttreuhandstelle Ost he was responsible for the administration of seized state and private industrial and property assets in Poland.
Winkler died 1961 in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
.