Arthur Seyß-Inquart

Arthur Seyß-Inquart (b. 22 July 1892 in Stannern, Margraviate of Moravia, Austria-Hungary; d. 16 October 1946 in Nuremberg, Bavaria, Allied-occupied Germany) was a German jurist, officer (at last Oberleutnant d. R.) of the Imperial and Royal Army (de), politician and high-ranking member of the Schutzstaffel, at last (since 1941) SS-Obergruppenführer.

NSDAP

Seyß-Inquart was Minister of the Interior of Austria from 16 February 1938 until 13 March 1938, the latter date being the accession of Austria to National Socialist Germany (de). He was also briefly Chancellor (Kanzler) of Austria and Minister of Defence from 11 until 13 March 1938 (from the latter date he became a member of the NSDAP) and was appointed state governor (Reichsstatthalter) in Austria on 15 March 1938 by Adolf Hitler, which position he held until 30 April 1939.

During World War II, he served as Secretary of State in the General Government for Poland (Generalgouvernement für die besetzten polnischen Gebiete) under Hans Frank from 12 October 1939 until 18 May 1940, and from 29 May 1940 Reich Commissioner (Reichskommissar) of the Netherlands (Reichskommissar für die besetzten niederländischen Gebiete). From 30 April 1945 until 2 May 1945, he had the official title Reichsminister of Foreign Affairs in National Socialist Germany (de facto Reichsminister without portfolio).

Death

At the International Military Tribunal Seyss-Inquart was sentenced to death.

Family

Arthur was the son of the teacher Professor Emil Seyß-Inquart (b. 29 November 1841; d. 17 October 1920) and his wife Auguste, née Hyrenbach. In 1911, Seyß-Inquart met Gertrud Maschka. The couple married in December 1916 and had three children: Ingeborg Carolina Augusta (born 18 September 1917), Richard (born 22 August 1921) and Dorothea (born 7 May 1928).

Awards and decorations

• k. u. k. Wound Medal (Verwundetenmedaille)
  • after 1938 exchanged for the German Wound Badge (Verwundetenabzeichen 1918 in Schwarz)
• War Commemorative Medal (Austria) with Swords
• Ehrenkreuz des Weltkrieges
• Golden Party Badge (Goldenes Parteiabzeichen der NSDAP)
• Honour Chevron for the Old Guard (Ehrenwinkel der Alten Kämpfer)
• Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938 (Anschluss Medal)
• Danzig Cross, 2nd Class (Danziger Kreuz, II. Klasse)
• War Merit Cross (1939), 2nd and 1st Class without Swords
  • 1st Class on 21 September 1940
• Ring der Wiener Philharmoniker, 1942
• German Reich Sport Badge for war invalids (Deutsches Reichssportabzeichen DRL für Versehrte) on 30 November 1942
  • presented by Reichssportführer Hans von Tschammer und Osten (de)
• Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal (Medaille „Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42“)
• Ehrendegen „Reichsführer-SS“
• Totenkopfring der SS

External links

• His last words in Nuremberg (in German)
• NOT GUILTY AT NUREMBERG: The German Defense Case - detailed descriptions and criticisms of the alleged evidence against each of the accused at the IMT