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Arthur Seyss-Inquart
b. 22 Jul 1892, Stannern bei Iglau, Moravia, Austria-Hungary
d. 16 Oct 1946, Nürnberg, Germany |
| Title: |
Bundeskanzler (Federal Chancellor) |
| Term: |
11 Mar 1938 - 13 Mar 1938 |
| Chronology: |
11 Mar 1938, appointed by decree of the Federal President [1] |
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12 Mar 1938, took oath of office (AT-OeStA/AdR PK 1Rep AR, GZ 3.120/1938 und 3.151/1938) |
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13 Mar 1938, functions of Bundespräsident devolved on Bundeskanzler following a formal notification on ceasing to exercise the functions of office, communicated by the Bundespräsident in writing |
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13 Mar 1938, office of Bundeskanzler ceased to exist with incorporation of the Federal State of Austria into the German Reich (federal law of 13 Mar 1938) |
| Names/titles: |
Original name: Arthur Seyss, changed to Seyss-Inquart by bequest of his great-uncle Heinrich Ritter von Inquart. |
| Biography: |
| Born in the family of a teacher; studied law in Vienna (from 1910); served in the Austro-Hungarian army during World War I (1915-1918), wounded; law practice in Vienna (from 1921); participated in Catholic nationalist unions; chairman of the German-Austrian People's Union (from 1925); since 1931 close ties with the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, NSDAP) (joined in 1938). Appointed to the Staatsrat (17 Jun 1937); after negotiations of Adolf Hitler and Kurt Schuschnigg appointed minister responsible for internal affairs and security in the Office of Federal Chancellor (16 Feb 1938 - 11 Mar 1938); as Bundeskanzler (11 Mar 1938 - 13 Mar 1938) formed Nazi government and enacted the law on Anschluss (incorporation of Austria into the German Reich); Reichsstatthalter and Head of the Austrian Land government (15 Mar 1938 - 30 Apr 1939); Reich Minister without portfolio (1 May 1939 - 1945); chief of Civil Administration of South Poland (Sep 1939); Deputy Governor in Poland (12 Oct 1939 - May 1940); Reich Commissioner for the Netherlands (appointed 18 May 1940, installed 29 May 1940); appointed Foreign Minister in Hitler's testament (30 Apr 1945); never assumed office; arrested by Canadian troops (4 May 1945); convicted of war crimes at the Nürnberg trials and sentenced to death (1 Oct 1946). Biography source: [2] |
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| [1] |
Wiener Zeitung, Nr. 71, Sonntag, 13. März 1938. S. 1. |
| [2] |
"Deutsche Gemeinschaft: Seyss-Inquart und der Anschluß", by Wolfgang Rosar (Wien: Europa Verlag, 1971). |
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Image: contemporary photograph © Christian Brandstätter Verlag, Wien. |
