Konstantin von Neurath
German diplomat, Reichsminister of Foreign Affairs / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Konstantin Hermann Karl Freiherr[1] von Neurath (2 February 1873 – 14 August 1956) was a German diplomat and Nazi war criminal who served as Foreign Minister of Germany between 1932 and 1938.
Konstantin von Neurath | |
|---|---|
 Neurath as a Reichsprotektor in 1939 | |
| Reichsminister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 1 June 1932 – 4 February 1938 | |
| President | Paul von Hindenburg Adolf Hitler (as Führer) |
| Chancellor | Franz von Papen Kurt von Schleicher Adolf Hitler |
| Preceded by | Heinrich Brüning |
| Succeeded by | Joachim von Ribbentrop |
| Protector of Bohemia and Moravia | |
| In office 21 March 1939 – 24 August 1943 | |
| Appointed by | Adolf Hitler |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Wilhelm Frick |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Konstantin Hermann Karl von Neurath (1873-02-02)2 February 1873 Kleinglattbach, Kingdom of Württemberg, German Empire |
| Died | 14 August 1956(1956-08-14) (aged 83) Enzweihingen, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany |
| Nationality | German |
| Political party | Nazi Party |
| Spouse |
Marie Auguste Moser von Filseck
(m. 1901) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Friedrich Wilhelm University University of Tübingen |
| Occupation | Diplomat |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Cabinet | Hitler Cabinet |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  German Empire |
| Branch/service | Imperial German Army |
| Years of service | 1914–1916 |
| Unit | Grenadier Regiment "Queen Olga" (26th Division) |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
| Awards | Iron Cross, 1st class Wound Badge |
| Criminal conviction | |
| Criminal status | Deceased |
| Conviction(s) | Conspiracy to commit crimes against peace Crimes of aggression War crimes Crimes against humanity |
| Trial | Nuremberg trials |
| Criminal penalty | 15 years imprisonment |
Born to a Swabian noble family, Neurath began his diplomatic career in 1901. He fought in World War I and was awarded the Iron Cross for his service. After the war, Neurath served as minister to Denmark, ambassador to Italy and ambassador to Britain. In 1932, he was appointed Foreign Minister by Chancellor Franz von Papen, and he continued to hold the post under Adolf Hitler.
In the early years of the Nazi regime, Neurath was regarded as playing a key role in Hitler's foreign policy pursuits in undermining the Treaty of Versailles and in territorial expansion in the prelude to World War II. However, he was often averse to Hitler's aims for tactical, not necessarily ideological, reasons. That aversion eventually induced Hitler to replace Neurath in 1938 with the more compliant Joachim von Ribbentrop, a fervent Nazi. Neurath served as Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia between 1939 and 1943, but his authority was only nominal after September 1941.
Neurath was tried as a war criminal at the Nuremberg trials and was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his compliance and actions in Nazi Germany. He received an early release in 1954 and then retired to his family estate, where he died two years later.