Walter Becher
Encyclopedia
Walter Becher was a Bohemian German politician
, representative of the All-German Bloc/League of Expellees and Deprived of Rights
(GB/BHE), All German Party (GDP) and the Christian Social Union of Bavaria
.
He was an associate of the pro-Nazi
politician Konrad Henlein
. Later, he became a writer for the Nazi newspaper "Die Zeit" published in Sudetenland
.
, Austro-Hungarian Empire. He came from a Karlsbad manufacturing family, which was established there since 1530. Its most popular product was the "Karlsbader Becherbitter" (Karlsbad Bitters), which today is sold under the name "Becherovka
" produced by Jan Becher
.
After leaving school Becher studied political science
and then worked as a journalist
. While a student joined the "Deutsche Gildenschaft" student association. In 1938, he became a staff member of the Sudetenland
NSDAP, precursor to the Nazi Party, controlled newspaper the "Die Zeit" (The Time) where worked as the arts, science and entertainment editor.
From 1940 he fought as a soldier in the Second World War and in part, from 1942, he also worked the 2nd editor for the military "Panzer-Propagandazug PK 697" (Tank Propaganda Company 697) led by Kurt Joachim Fischer. Becher ended the war in an American
run Prisoner-of-war camp
.
where he became active in a movement of exiled Bohemian Germans. In 1947, he participated in the founding of the "Gründung des Sudetendeutschen Rates" Sudeten German Council). Between 1956 and 1958 he became the Chairman of the Witikobund, an association of Sudeten Germans.
Becher initiated the "Komitee zum Schutz der Bürger gegen Diffamierung durch die Linkspresse" a group committed to protect citizens against defamation by left-wing press in 1959. He also was vice chairman, until 1968, and then until 1982, chairman, of the Sudetendeutsche Landsmannschaft
(Sudeten German Homeland Association).
Becher was awarded, in 1962, the Bavarian Order of Merit
. In 1983, he was awarded the European Charlemagne Prize of the Sudeten German Association for outstanding services to self-determination and international understanding.
In 1969, East German film makers Walter Heynowski and Gerhard Scheumann shot a documentary about him called "Der Präsident im Exil" .
His son Peter Becher is chairman of the Adalbert Stifter -Vereins.
. In 1931, he became a member of the Sudeten German Party (SdP) of Konrad Henlein
. After annexation of Sudetenland by Germany he was accepted into the Nazi Party.
After the Second World War he took part in the founding of the Deutsche Gemeinschaft party (DG). Shortly before the parliamentary elections in 1954 he switched parties to the BHE. In 1959 he tried, with the National Democratic Union (NDU), to establish a collective conservative movement but only the BHE, the Witikobund and some smaller organizations participated.
With the merger of the BHE with the German party in 1961 he became a member of the All-German party. In the 1962 parliamentary election in Bavaria he lost. Negotiations with the Free Democratic Party
(FDP) for a cross-over to their party failed. In 1967 he joined the Christian Social Union of Bavaria
(CSU).
Because of the coalitions of the GDP for the general election in 1965 with the CDU, CSU and SPD Becher was on the CSU list in the German Bundestag, where he served until 1980. In the Bundestag
he was a strict opponent of the Social-Liberal coalition.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, representative of the All-German Bloc/League of Expellees and Deprived of Rights
All-German Bloc/League of Expellees and Deprived of Rights
The All-German Bloc/League of Expellees and Deprived of Rights was a right-wing political party in West Germany, which acted as an advocacy group of the Germans fled and expelled in and after World War II.-History:...
(GB/BHE), All German Party (GDP) and the Christian Social Union of Bavaria
Christian Social Union of Bavaria
The Christian Social Union in Bavaria is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It operates only in the state of Bavaria, while its sister party, the Christian Democratic Union , operates in the other 15 states of Germany...
.
He was an associate of the pro-Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
politician Konrad Henlein
Konrad Henlein
Konrad Ernst Eduard Henlein was a leading pro-Nazi ethnic German politician in Czechoslovakia and leader of Sudeten German separatists...
. Later, he became a writer for the Nazi newspaper "Die Zeit" published in Sudetenland
Sudetenland
Sudetenland is the German name used in English in the first half of the 20th century for the northern, southwest and western regions of Czechoslovakia inhabited mostly by ethnic Germans, specifically the border areas of Bohemia, Moravia, and those parts of Silesia being within Czechoslovakia.The...
.
Early life
Becher was born on October 1, 1912 in Karlsbad, BohemiaBohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
, Austro-Hungarian Empire. He came from a Karlsbad manufacturing family, which was established there since 1530. Its most popular product was the "Karlsbader Becherbitter" (Karlsbad Bitters), which today is sold under the name "Becherovka
Becherovka
Becherovka is a herbal bitters that is produced in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, by the Jan Becher company. The brand is owned by Pernod Ricard....
" produced by Jan Becher
Jan Becher
Jan Becher is a Czech liqueur company headquartered in Karlovy Vary. The most famous product of Becher is Becherovka.- History :The company Jan Becher — Karlovarská Becherovka, a.s., dates back 200 years to the first decade of the 19th century. In 1807, Josef Becher, a pharmacist from Karlovy Vary,...
.
After leaving school Becher studied 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...
and then worked as a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. While a student joined the "Deutsche Gildenschaft" student association. In 1938, he became a staff member of the Sudetenland
Sudetenland
Sudetenland is the German name used in English in the first half of the 20th century for the northern, southwest and western regions of Czechoslovakia inhabited mostly by ethnic Germans, specifically the border areas of Bohemia, Moravia, and those parts of Silesia being within Czechoslovakia.The...
NSDAP, precursor to the Nazi Party, controlled newspaper the "Die Zeit" (The Time) where worked as the arts, science and entertainment editor.
From 1940 he fought as a soldier in the Second World War and in part, from 1942, he also worked the 2nd editor for the military "Panzer-Propagandazug PK 697" (Tank Propaganda Company 697) led by Kurt Joachim Fischer. Becher ended the war in an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
run Prisoner-of-war camp
Prisoner-of-war camp
A prisoner-of-war camp is a site for the containment of combatants captured by their enemy in time of war, and is similar to an internment camp which is used for civilian populations. A prisoner of war is generally a soldier, sailor, or airman who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or...
.
Post WWII
After his release from prison Becher was displaced from his home of Bohemia to BavariaBavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
where he became active in a movement of exiled Bohemian Germans. In 1947, he participated in the founding of the "Gründung des Sudetendeutschen Rates" Sudeten German Council). Between 1956 and 1958 he became the Chairman of the Witikobund, an association of Sudeten Germans.
Becher initiated the "Komitee zum Schutz der Bürger gegen Diffamierung durch die Linkspresse" a group committed to protect citizens against defamation by left-wing press in 1959. He also was vice chairman, until 1968, and then until 1982, chairman, of the Sudetendeutsche Landsmannschaft
Sudetendeutsche Landsmannschaft
The Sudetendeutsche Landsmannschaft is an organization representing Sudeten German refugees from the Sudetenland. Most of them fled to West Germany from Czechoslovakia during the Expulsion of Germans after World War II....
(Sudeten German Homeland Association).
Becher was awarded, in 1962, the Bavarian Order of Merit
Bavarian Order of Merit
The Bavarian Order of Merit is the order of merit of the Free State of Bavaria. It is awarded by the Minister-President of Bavaria as a "recognition of outstanding contributions to the Free State of Bavaria and the Bavarian people"....
. In 1983, he was awarded the European Charlemagne Prize of the Sudeten German Association for outstanding services to self-determination and international understanding.
In 1969, East German film makers Walter Heynowski and Gerhard Scheumann shot a documentary about him called "Der Präsident im Exil" .
His son Peter Becher is chairman of the Adalbert Stifter -Vereins.
Political parties
Becher was initially a member of the national "Kameradschaftsbund, Bund für gesamtgesellschaftliche Bildung" (Federation for societal education) which followed the teachings of Othmar SpannOthmar Spann
Othmar Spann was a conservative Austrian philosopher, sociologist and economist whose radical anti-liberal and anti-Socialist views, based on early 19th century Romantic ideas expressed by Adam Müller et al...
. In 1931, he became a member of the Sudeten German Party (SdP) of Konrad Henlein
Konrad Henlein
Konrad Ernst Eduard Henlein was a leading pro-Nazi ethnic German politician in Czechoslovakia and leader of Sudeten German separatists...
. After annexation of Sudetenland by Germany he was accepted into the Nazi Party.
After the Second World War he took part in the founding of the Deutsche Gemeinschaft party (DG). Shortly before the parliamentary elections in 1954 he switched parties to the BHE. In 1959 he tried, with the National Democratic Union (NDU), to establish a collective conservative movement but only the BHE, the Witikobund and some smaller organizations participated.
With the merger of the BHE with the German party in 1961 he became a member of the All-German party. In the 1962 parliamentary election in Bavaria he lost. Negotiations with the Free Democratic Party
Free Democratic Party (Germany)
The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government...
(FDP) for a cross-over to their party failed. In 1967 he joined the Christian Social Union of Bavaria
Christian Social Union of Bavaria
The Christian Social Union in Bavaria is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It operates only in the state of Bavaria, while its sister party, the Christian Democratic Union , operates in the other 15 states of Germany...
(CSU).
Bundestag
In the state elections of 1950 Becher with the League of Expellees and Deprived of Rights , a coalition of DG (6 seats) and BHE (20 seats) in the Bavarian state parliament and elected first deputy chairman of the DG coalition. From 1954 until his retirement from parliament in 1962 he was Chairman of the GB / BHE Group.Because of the coalitions of the GDP for the general election in 1965 with the CDU, CSU and SPD Becher was on the CSU list in the German Bundestag, where he served until 1980. In the 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...
he was a strict opponent of the Social-Liberal coalition.
Literature
- Richard Stöss: Deutsche Gemeinschaft, Fußnote 21, in: ders. Parteienhandbuch, Westdeutscher Verlag, Dormagen 1986, Seite 887.
- Mandat und Dynamit in Der SpiegelDer SpiegelDer Spiegel is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. It is one of Europe's largest publications of its kind, with a weekly circulation of more than one million.-Overview:...
44/1964 vom 28. Oktober 1964.
See also
- List of Bavarian Christian Social Union politicians