Adolf Wagner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Adolf Wagner
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| Gauleiter of Gau Munich-Upper Bavaria | |
| In office 16 November 1930 – 12 April 1944 |
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| Preceded by | Office created |
| Succeeded by | Paul Giesler |
| Minister of the Interior of Bavaria | |
| In office 12 April 1933 – 12 April 1944 |
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| Preceded by | Karl Stützel |
| Succeeded by | Paul Giesler |
| Minister of Education and Culture of Bavaria | |
| In office 28 November 1936 – 12 April 1944 |
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| Preceded by | Hans Schemm |
| Succeeded by | Paul Giesler |
| Deputy Minister-President of Bavaria | |
| In office 12 April 1933 – 12 April 1944 |
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| Preceded by | Office created |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Gauleiter of Greater Munich | |
| In office 1 November 1929 – 16 November 1930 |
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| Preceded by | Office created |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Gauleiter of Gau Upper Palatinate | |
| In office 1 October 1928 – 1 November 1929 |
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| Preceded by | Office created |
| Succeeded by | Franz Maierhofer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 October 1890 Algringen, Alsace-Lorraine, German Empire |
| Died | 12 April 1944 (aged 53) Bad Reichenhall, Nazi Germany |
| Cause of death | Stroke |
| Political party | Nazi Party |
| Other political affiliations |
Völkischer Block |
| Profession | Mining engineer |
| Civilian awards | German Order Blood Order |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  German Empire |
| Branch/service | Imperial German Army |
| Years of service | 1909–1910 1914–1918 |
| Rank | Leutnant |
| Unit | Infantry Regiment 143 Infantry Regiment 135 |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
| Military awards | Iron Cross, 1st and 2nd class |
Adolf Wagner (born October 1, 1890 – died April 12, 1944) was an important official and politician in the Nazi Party. He served as the Party's leader, known as Gauleiter, in Munich. He was also the powerful Interior Minister of Bavaria for most of the Third Reich period.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Adolf Wagner was born in Algringen, which is now called Algrange, in a region called Alsace-Lorraine. His father was a coal miner. Wagner went to school locally and then to high school in Metz and Pforzheim.
After serving in the army for a year, Wagner studied science and math at Strasbourg University. He then studied mining for three years at RWTH Aachen University. In 1914, he became a certified mining engineer.
When World War I began, he joined the Imperial German Army. He fought on the western front. He became an officer in 1917. Wagner was wounded twice during the war. In 1918, he lost his right leg below the knee. He received the Iron Cross, a military award, for his service. He left the army in 1918.
After the war, Wagner returned to Lorraine. However, in 1919, the French government made him leave the area. This happened because Lorraine became part of France after the Versailles Treaty. Wagner then moved to Bavaria. He worked as a manager at a coal and ore mining company. Later, he worked for a mining company in Austria. He worked at these companies from 1919 to 1929.
Joining the Nazi Party
Wagner joined the Nazi Party in 1923. He became a local leader in Erbendorf. He took part in the Beer Hall Putsch on November 9, 1923. This was a failed attempt by the Nazis to take control of the government. Because of his involvement, he received the Blood Order, a special Nazi award.
After the failed coup, the Nazi Party was banned. Wagner joined a group called the Völkischer Block, which was connected to the Nazis. He was elected to the Bavarian Landtag (state parliament) in April 1924. He served there until October 1933.
Becoming a Gauleiter
When the Nazi Party was allowed again, Wagner rejoined it in July 1925. On October 1, 1928, he was made Gauleiter of Upper Palatinate. A Gauleiter was a regional leader of the Nazi Party. On November 1, 1929, he became the Gauleiter of Greater Munich. Munich was a very important city for the Nazi movement.
On November 16, 1930, his area grew to include Upper Bavaria. He then became Gauleiter of Gau Munich-Upper Bavaria. This area was given a special name, Traditionsgau. As Gauleiter of Munich, Wagner led the yearly events remembering the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch. He was also given the special title of Speaker of the Party. This meant he read Adolf Hitler's speeches at big public events, like the yearly Nazi Party rally in Nuremberg. People said Wagner's voice and speaking style were very similar to Hitler's.
Rise to Power in Bavaria
On March 10, 1933, the Nazis took control of the Bavarian government. Hitler sent Wagner to lead the Bavarian police. In this role, Wagner controlled all the state's security forces. He supported creating special places for "protective custody." This led to Heinrich Himmler setting up the first Nazi concentration camp in Dachau.
On April 12, 1933, Wagner was officially made interior minister and Deputy Minister-President of Bavaria. This gave him a lot of power in both the Party and the government. In November 1933, he was elected to the Reichstag, which was the German parliament. On November 28, 1936, he also became the Bavarian Minister for Education and Culture.
Role in Key Events
Wagner played a part in the removal of SA leaders on June 30, 1934. This event is known as the Night of the Long Knives. When Hitler arrived in Munich, Wagner had already arrested the SA leaders there. He also made sure that wanted SA leaders were stopped at the Munich railway station.
Wagner was also involved in the Nazi Party's policies against Jewish people. In May 1935, he organized anti-Jewish demonstrations in Munich. These were carried out by members of the SA and SS. On July 9, 1938, the main synagogue in Munich was destroyed on Wagner's orders. A few months later, during the Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) on November 9-10, 1938, other historic synagogues were destroyed. Jewish shops were also looted.
As Bavarian Education Minister, Wagner ordered changes in schools on April 23, 1941. He said that school prayers should be replaced by Nazi songs. He also ordered that crucifixes and religious pictures be removed from classrooms in Bavaria. This made many people, especially Catholics, very upset. The public's strong reaction forced Wagner to cancel the order on August 28. This was one of the few times public opposition succeeded in Nazi Germany.
Wagner's Relationship with Hitler
Even with some setbacks, Hitler seemed to remain on good terms with Wagner. Wagner was one of the Alter Kämpfer (Old Fighters), meaning he had been with the Nazi Party from early on. He also held the Golden Party Badge, a special award.
Wagner often boasted that he ignored orders from other government ministers. He said that if they wanted to talk to him, they would have to come to Munich. Sometimes, Hitler even let Wagner use his airplane for trips to Berlin. Wagner usually had direct access to Hitler. He could ask Hitler for support when he had disagreements with other officials. He was often invited to Hitler's home on the Obersalzberg. There is rare color film from around 1938, filmed by Hitler's companion Eva Braun, that shows Wagner talking with Hitler on the terrace of Hitler's home, the Berghof.
War Years, Illness, and Death
When Second World War started on September 1, 1939, Wagner was given a new role. He was named Reich Defense Commissioner for two large military districts. He was the only person to lead two such districts. His area included his own region and four other Bavarian regions. In this job, Wagner was in charge of civil defense, air defense, and helping people evacuate. He also managed the local war economy. This included controlling wartime rationing and stopping black market activities.
On November 15, 1940, he became the Housing Commissioner for his region. On April 6, 1942, he was named the representative for Fritz Sauckel in his region. Sauckel was in charge of getting workers for Germany's war industries. In this role, Wagner helped arrange for forced civilian labor for German factories during the war.
In June 1942, Wagner became very ill. Paul Giesler took over his duties temporarily on June 23. On July 15, 1942, Wagner suffered a stroke at a Party meeting. This stroke made it very hard for him to speak and move. Wagner officially stayed in his jobs, but he was very sick. A second stroke led to his death on April 12, 1944. After his death, Giesler became his permanent replacement.
Hitler, who rarely appeared in public by then, attended Wagner's large funeral on April 17. The funeral was held at the Deutsches Museum. Minister of Propaganda Josef Goebbels gave a speech praising Wagner. After his death, Wagner was given the German Order. This was the highest award of the Nazi Party. He was buried near the Ehrentempel (Honor Temples). These temples held the remains of those who died in the Beer Hall Putsch.
Images for kids
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Adolf Wagner
Sources
- Müller, Winfried: Gauleiter als Minister. Die Gauleiter Hans Schemm, Adolf Wagner, Paul Giesler und das Bayerische Staatsministerium für Unterricht und Kultus 1933-1945, In: Zeitschrift für Bayerische Landesgeschichte 60, 1997, (973-1021).
See also
In Spanish: Adolf Wagner para niños
