Did you know that Kurt von Schleicher was the last Chancellor of Germany before Adolf Hitler? Right here, we delve into the life and times of this influential figure of the Weimar Republic.
Kurt von Schleicher was born into a military family. He entered the Prussian Army as a lieutenant in 1900. Schleicher quickly rose through the ranks. He became a General Staff officer. He served in the Railway Department of the German General Staff. During World War I, he served in the General Staff of the Supreme Army Command.
After the war, Schleicher acted as a liaison between the Army and the new Weimar Republic. He became an important figure in the Reichswehr. He tried to avoid the restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles. Schleicher rose to power as head of the Reichswehr’s Armed Forces Department. From 1926, he was a close advisor to President Paul von Hindenburg.
In 1928, Wilhelm Groener became Minister of Defence. Schleicher then became head of the Defence Ministry’s Office of Ministerial Affairs in 1929. By 1930, he was instrumental in toppling Hermann Müller’s government. He helped appoint Heinrich Brüning as Chancellor. From 1931, he enlisted the Nazi Party’s SA as an auxiliary force for the Reichswehr.
From 1932, Kurt von Schleicher served as Minister of Defence. He was in Franz von Papen’s cabinet. Schleicher organized Papen’s downfall. On December 3, he succeeded him as Chancellor. During his short term, Schleicher negotiated with Gregor Strasser. He hoped for Strasser’s defection from the Nazi Party but the plan was abandoned.
Schleicher tried to “tame” Hitler. He wanted Hitler to cooperate with his government. He threatened him with an anti-Nazi alliance of parties. This was known as the Querfront or “cross-front”. Hitler refused to abandon his claim to the chancellorship. Schleicher’s plan failed. He then proposed to Hindenburg that he disperse the Reichstag. He wanted Hindenburg to rule as a de facto dictator. Hindenburg rejected this idea.
On January 28, 1933, Schleicher resigned. He faced a political impasse and deteriorating health. Schleicher recommended the appointment of Hitler. Later, Schleicher sought to return to politics. He aimed to exploit the divisions between Ernst Röhm and Hitler. On June 30, 1934, he and his wife Elisabeth were murdered. Hitler ordered their deaths during the Night of the Long Knives.
Kurt von Schleicher’s life was marked by political intrigue and military service. He served as the penultimate chancellor of Germany. His story is a reminder of the tumultuous times of the Weimar Republic and the rise of Nazi Germany.