Werner von Clemm
Encyclopedia
Werner C. von Clemm was born into a German
family that married into German nobility, the Nazi party and prominent American families. His father-in-law was a Vice President of Citibank
. In 1922 he immigrated to the United States
. Prior to this he had served in the German army during World War I
. He was a representative of the German international banking firm Hardy & Co. and an employee of the Pioneer Import Corp., which imported materials from Germany and handled his cousin and Nazi diplomat, Joachim von Ribbentrop
's champagne business. Along with his twin brother, Karl
he had become friends with U.S. oil man, William Rhodes Davis
. In the United States
Werner became Vice President of Davis' company Davis & Co., which shipped large quantities of oil to Germany and became a propaganda strategist and financial aid of the America First Committee
, which encouraged American isolationism. In 1940 the Nazis seized large quantities of diamonds from Belgium
and Holland, which Werner was smuggling to the U.S. The United States was neutral and did not declare war until December 1941. To avoid detection he moved the diamonds through various Europe
an cities, shipped them to South America
and they eventually found their way to New York
. The operation was stumbled upon by mistake by agents of the Treasury Department
when they searched a Budweiser beer box being carried by two American soldiers of German descent. On inspection of the box they found it had a false bottom under which were one hundred letters and government bonds. The letters detailed Werner's diamond smuggling operation. After further investigation von Clemm was arrested on 28 January 1942 and was sentenced to two years in prison for his crime. On his release he entered private banking. He was also an agent of the German intelligence agency, Abwehr
and was involved in espionage during World War II
.
His son Michael von Clemm
went on to become a leading American banker who was involved in Western banking operations in Africa
and helped found Canary Wharf
.
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...
family that married into German nobility, the Nazi party and prominent American families. His father-in-law was a Vice President of Citibank
Citibank
Citibank, a major international bank, is the consumer banking arm of financial services giant Citigroup. Citibank was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York, later First National City Bank of New York...
. In 1922 he immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Prior to this he had served in the German army during 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 was a representative of the German international banking firm Hardy & Co. and an employee of the Pioneer Import Corp., which imported materials from Germany and handled his cousin and Nazi diplomat, Joachim von Ribbentrop
Joachim von Ribbentrop
Ulrich Friedrich Wilhelm Joachim von Ribbentrop was Foreign Minister of Germany from 1938 until 1945. He was later hanged for war crimes after the Nuremberg Trials.-Early life:...
's champagne business. Along with his twin brother, Karl
Karl von Clemm
Karl F. von Clemm was born into a German family that married into German nobility, the Nazi party and prominent American families....
he had become friends with U.S. oil man, William Rhodes Davis
William Rhodes Davis
William Rhodes Davis was an American businessman, named in assistant U.S. Attorney General O. John Rogge's Nazi Report, published in 1961, as Abwehr agent C-80, financed with the personal approval of Hitler, engaged in supplying petroleum to Germany.-Biography:William Rhodes Davis first married...
. In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Werner became Vice President of Davis' company Davis & Co., which shipped large quantities of oil to Germany and became a propaganda strategist and financial aid of the America First Committee
America First Committee
The America First Committee was the foremost non-interventionist pressure group against the American entry into World War II. Peaking at 800,000 members, it was likely the largest anti-war organization in American history. Started in 1940, it became defunct after the attack on Pearl Harbor in...
, which encouraged American isolationism. In 1940 the Nazis seized large quantities of diamonds from Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and Holland, which Werner was smuggling to the U.S. The United States was neutral and did not declare war until December 1941. To avoid detection he moved the diamonds through various Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an cities, shipped them to South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and they eventually found their way to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The operation was stumbled upon by mistake by agents of the Treasury Department
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
when they searched a Budweiser beer box being carried by two American soldiers of German descent. On inspection of the box they found it had a false bottom under which were one hundred letters and government bonds. The letters detailed Werner's diamond smuggling operation. After further investigation von Clemm was arrested on 28 January 1942 and was sentenced to two years in prison for his crime. On his release he entered private banking. He was also an agent of the German intelligence agency, Abwehr
Abwehr
The Abwehr was a German military intelligence organisation from 1921 to 1944. The term Abwehr was used as a concession to Allied demands that Germany's post-World War I intelligence activities be for "defensive" purposes only...
and was involved in espionage during World War II
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...
.
His son Michael von Clemm
Michael von Clemm
Dr Michael von Clemm was an American businessman, restaurateur, anthropologist and President of Templeton College, Oxford. Although in one interpretation of his life, he was merely a high-flying banker, he could also have been said to have helped start the restaurant revolution in the UK of the...
went on to become a leading American banker who was involved in Western banking operations in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and helped found Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf is a major business district located in London, United Kingdom. It is one of London's two main financial centres, alongside the traditional City of London, and contains many of the UK's tallest buildings, including the second-tallest , One Canada Square...
.