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Seyss-Inquart, Arthur

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]
  12 Mar 1938, took oath of office (AT-OeStA/AdR PK 1Rep AR, GZ 3.120/1938 und 3.151/1938)
  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
  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]

[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).
  Image: contemporary photograph © Christian Brandstätter Verlag, Wien.