Born in the family of a factory clerk; graduated from the Heidelberg University (1922) with a doctorate in German philology; joined the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, NSDAP) (9 Dec 1925); NSDAP Gauleiter of Rheinland-Nord (Jul 1925 - 26 Sep 1925); NSDAP Gauleiter of Ruhr (7 Mar 1926 - Jun 1926); NSDAP Gauleiter of Berlin-Brandenburg (26 Oct 1926 - 1 Oct 1928); NSDAP propaganda head (from 9 Jan 1928); NSDAP Gauleiter of Berlin (1 Oct 1928 - 1 May 1945); member, Reichstag (20 Apr 1928 - 1 May 1945); minister for public enlightenment and propaganda (13 Mar 1933 - 1 May 1945); president of the Reich Chamber of Culture (22 Sep 1933 - 1 May 1945); Reich commissar of defense for Groß-Berlin (16 Nov 1942 - 1 May 1945); Reich plenipotentiary for the total war effort on the home front (25 Jul 1944 - 1 May 1945); municipal president of Berlin (1 Apr 1943 - 1 May 1945); Reich chancellor (30 Apr 1945 - 1 May 1945). |
