Theo Hupfauer | |
|---|---|
| Reich Minister for Labour | |
| In office 30 April 1945 (1945-04-30) – 5 May 1945 (1945-05-05)[1] | |
| President | Karl Dönitz |
| Chancellor | Joseph Goebbels |
| Preceded by | Franz Seldte |
| Succeeded by | Franz Seldte |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1906-07-17)17 July 1906 |
| Died | 31 August 1993(1993-08-31) (aged 87) |
| Party | Nazi Party (1930-1945) |
| Alma mater | University of Würzburg |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | Nazi Germany |
| Branch | Reichsführer-SS |
| Service years | 1941–1945 |
| Rank | SS-Sturmbannführer (major) |
Theo Hupfauer (17 July 1906 – 31 August 1993) was a German politician and a senior civil servant of theNazi Party. In accordance to theAdolf Hitler’s will, he was appointed theReich Minister for Labour, although this only lasted five days whenFranz Seldte again took over.
Hupfauer was born on 17 July 1906 inDellmensingen, which was then part of theGerman Empire.[2] In 1920, at 15 years old, he joined a right-wing youth group led byAdolf von Trotha.[3] He originally wanted to become asports journalist, but switched to wanting to become alawyer after his uncle, who was a lawyer in theUnited States, returned to Munich.[4] Thus, he started attendingLeague of Nations meetings, listening to speeches byGustav Stresemann andAristide Briand and inspired to move temporarily to the United States to work as a lawyer.[4] He then studied law inGeneva andLausanne inSwitzerland, receiving hisdoctorate in 1932 from theUniversity of Würzburg.[2]
He joined theNazi Party in 1930.[3] In 1935 he was staff chairman in the Main Office of theNational Socialist Factory Cell Organization, a workers organization.[5] In 1936 he became of the Office of theGerman Labour Front.[6] He rose through the ranks in the DAF, becoming Head of the Office for Social Arbitration.[7] During this time, he ran for a seat in theReichstag, but did not receive a mandate.[8] In 1942, he was appointed DAF's liaison to theMinistry of Armaments.[5] As liaison, he represented the DAF in trying to get the removal ofair-raid damage, working withAlbert Speer.[9]
In addition to his career as a civil servant during this time, he joined the military. He reached the rank ofSturmbannführer in theReichsführer-SS.[10] He was the commander atOrdensburg Sonthofen until 1943.[11][12]
By December 1944 he was head of the Central Office of theMinistry of Armaments.[9] On 29 April 1945,Adolf Hitler signed his will, which came into effect the next day when he committed suicide making Hupfauer theReich Minister for Labour.[13][14] On 5 MayFranz Seldte took over again in theFlensburg Government, the last Nazi government.[15] After the war, he was interned atKransberg Castle alongside many other Speer associates.[16]
Hupfauer played an important role in theNuremberg trials as adefense witness. He was extensively interrogated in July 1946, whenAlbert Speer was on trial, about his role in DAF and the Ministry of Armaments.[17] He stated that membership in the DAF was not forced, but it was recommended since it took over the role oftrade unions.[18] He also testified when asked byRobert Servatius about how the DAF functioned, including how many of the DAF were politically active leaders.[19] Later on, when prompted aboutknowledge of the atrocities committed by the SS, he said that some details were known but that this was "decisively suppressed" until after the trials.[20]
Throughout Hupfauer's later years, he remained a close friend toAlbert Speer. After the war, when Speer andRudolf Wolters friendship had deteriorated after his letter in November 1966, Hupfauer arranged meetings every Friday evening with other associates of Speer's in order to "build bridges".[4]