Schleicher, Kurt von |
| GENERAL, POLITICIAN (GERMANY) |
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BORN 4 Jul 1882, Brandenburg an der Havel, Brandenburg - DIED 30 Jun 1934, Neubabelsberg, Brandenburg BIRTH NAME Schlecher, Kurt Ferdinand Friedrich Hermann von CAUSE OF DEATH murdered by gunshots GRAVE LOCATION Berlin: Parkfriedhof Lichterfelde, Thuner Platz 2-4 (FiW 81) |
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Kurt von Schleicher was the son of the Prussian officer Hermann Friedrich Ferdinand von Schleicher (1853-1906). His mother Magalena, born Hein (1857-1939) came from a family of shipowners. He attended the cadet academy in Lichterfelde near Berlin and the Preussische Kriegsakademie in Berlin. He graduated in 1913 and served during the First World War. After the war he worked for the Reichswehr, where he became the head of the new Armed Forces Department in 1926. In 1929 he was promoted to mayor general, and his mentor Reichswehr Minister Wilhelm Groener (1867-1939) appointed him Chief of the Ministerial Office in his ministry. In 1931 he married Elizabeth von Schleicher, born Von Hennigs (1893-1934), the divorced wife of his cousin Bogislav von Schleicher (1892-1945). In 1932 he forced Groener out of his job and became Reichswehr Minister himself under the new Chancellor Franz von Papen. He succeeded von Papen on 3 December 1932 as Chancellor. On 28 January 1933 he stepped down and advised president Von Hindenburg to appoint Adolf Hitler in his place. He moved to villa in Neubabelsberg with Elisabeth and her daughter Lonny von Schleicher. He criticized the National Socialists despite warnings to be careful. On 30 Juni 1934 he was murdered together with his wife at his house by members of the SS. |
| Images |
 The grave of Kurt von Schleicher at Parkfriedhof Lichterfelde, Berlin. Picture by androom (23 Aug 2006) |
Sources • Kurt von Schleicher - Wikipedia (DE) |
