Joseph Berchtold | |
|---|---|
 Berchtold in his SA uniform | |
| 2nd Reichsführer-SS | |
| In office 15 April 1926 – 1 March 1927 | |
| Leader | Adolf Hitler |
| Preceded by | Julius Schreck |
| Succeeded by | Erhard Heiden |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 March 1897 |
| Died | 23 August 1962(1962-08-23) (aged 65) |
| Political party | Nazi Party (1920–1921, 1922–1945) |
| Other political affiliations | German Workers' Party (1920) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | German Empire |
| Branch/service | Royal Bavarian Army |
| Years of service | 1914–1918 |
| Rank | Leutnant |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
| Awards | Iron Cross, 2nd class |
Joseph Berchtold (6 March 1897 – 23 August 1962) was a GermanNazi official and journalist who was the 2ndReichsführer-SS from 1926 to 1927. An early seniorNazi Party member, he was a co-founder of theSturmabteilung (SA) andSchutzstaffel (SS).
Berchtold served inWorld War I and upon Germany's defeat joined theGerman Workers' Party (DAP), a small extremist organization at the time. He remained in the party after it became known as the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazi Party; NSDAP) and went on to become the second commander of theSchutzstaffel (SS) from April 1926 to March 1927.
After resigning as the SS leader, Berchtold spent much of his time writing for Nazi magazines and journals. He survived the war, but was arrested by the Allies. Berchtold was later released and died in 1962. He was the last surviving person to hold the rank ofReichsführer-SS and the only one to survive theSecond World War.
Joseph Berchtold was born on 6 March 1897 inIngolstadt, Berchtold attended school inMunich from 1903 to 1915. He went on to serve in theRoyal Bavarian Army duringWorld War I (1914–1918) and held the rank ofLeutnant at the end of the war. After the war, he studied economics at theUniversity of Munich and gained employment as a journalist.[1] In early 1920, he joined the small right-wing extremist group theGerman Workers' Party (DAP). He remained in the party after it became known as theNational Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazi Party; NSDAP).[2] Berchtold became the treasurer of the Nazi Party, until he resigned at the end of July 1921.[3]
Upon re-joining the party in 1922, Berchtold became a member of theSturmabteilung ("Storm Detachment"; SA), aparamilitary wing formed to protect its speakers at rallies, and to police Nazi meetings.[3]Adolf Hitler, leader of the party since 1921, ordered the formation of a small separate bodyguard dedicated to his protection instead of less trustworthy ordinary party members in 1923.[4] Originally the unit was composed of only eight men, commanded byJulius Schreck and Berchtold.[5] It was initially designated theStabswache ("Staff Guard"). Later that year, the unit was renamedStoßtrupp-Hitler ("Shock Troop-Hitler").[4]
On 9 November 1923 theStoßtrupp, along with the SA and several other paramilitary units, took part in what would become known as theBeer Hall Putsch. The plan was to first take control ofMunich, thenBavaria and then seize total power by marching onBerlin, much like howMussolini and hisBlackshirts had done in Italy. Thecoup d'état failed and resulted in the death of 16 Nazis, three police officers, and one bystander.[6] In the aftermath of the putsch both Hitler and other Nazi leaders were incarcerated atLandsberg Prison.[7] The Nazi Party and all associated formations, including theStoßtrupp, were officially disbanded and outlawed.[8] Berchtold ended up fleeing to Tirol,Austria. He was tried in absentia in Munich before the specialPeople's Court in 1924 for his role in the Beer Hall Putsch and sentenced to a prison term. During his time in Austria, Berchtold continued to be involved with Nazi Party activities, even though it was illegal.[3]
When Hitler was released from prison on 20 December 1924, Berchtold was District Director of the Nazi Party inCarinthia, Austria and was leader of the SA there.[3] After the re-formation of the Nazi Party on 20 February 1925, he rejoined it, documented as member #964. In March 1926, Berchtold returned to Munich from Austria.[9] He became chief of the SA in Munich not long after.[3]
On 15 April 1926, Berchtold became the successor to Schreck as chief of theSchutzstaffel ("Protection Squadron"; SS), a special elite branch of the party under the control of the SA. Berchtold changed the title of the office position which became known as theReichsführer-SS.[10] He issued new rules to establish the position of the SS. The rules stated the unit was "...neither a military organisation nor a group of hangers-on, but a small squad of men that our movement and our Führer can rely on."[10]
He further stressed that the men must follow "only party discipline".[10] He was considered to be more dynamic than his predecessor, but was still unable to keep the party organizers at bay. He was frustrated in his efforts to have a more independent unit and became disillusioned by the SA's authority over the SS.[11] On 1 March 1927, he handed over leadership of the SS to his deputyErhard Heiden.[12]
In 1927, he became a lead writer forVölkischer Beobachter, the Nazi Party newspaper. From 1928 to 1945, Berchtold was an SA leader, serving on the staff of the Supreme SA leadership (OSAF). In 1934, he became the permanent deputy editor-in-chief of theVölkischer Beobachter. In the following years, he was primarily a Nazi Party journalist and propagandist. In 1928, Berchtold founded the newspaperSA-Mann ("SA Man"), which was published by the OSAF. Until January 1938, he was its main writer. Berchtold was also the author of various Nazi publications and on the staff of additional magazines.[13]
Additional posts inNazi Germany were of secondary importance to Berchtold. From March 1934 to the end of the war, Berchtold served on the city council in Munich. On 15 November 1935, Berchtold was appointed Reich Culture Senator. In addition, he belonged to the "Cultural Circle of the SA" from 6 March 1936. On 29 March 1936, he was elected to theReichstag from electoral constituency 32 (Baden) and retained this seat until the fall of Nazi Germany. From 29 April 1940, Berchtold served as aHauptmann (captain) ofreserves in theWehrmacht on a temporary basis.[14]
AfterWorld War II inEurope ended, Berchtold was arrested in 1945 and interned at Oberpfaffenhofen. He died on 23 August 1962, in Herrsching am Ammersee, near Munich.[14]
| Berchtold's Ranks[1] | |
|---|---|
| Date | Rank |
| 1 November 1926 | Reichsführer-SS |
| 1 January 1933 | SA-Oberführer |
| 9 November 1934 | SA-Brigadeführer |
| 1 May 1937 | SA-Gruppenführer |
| 29 April 1940 | Hauptmann der Reserve |
| 30 January 1942 | SA-Obergruppenführer |
Information about Joseph Berchtold in the Reichstag database
| Government offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Reich Leader of the SS 1926–1927 | Succeeded by |
|  | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
