Kurt Ferdinand Friedrich Hermann von Schleicher, a German general and influential political figure, held the position of the last Chancellor of Germany during the Weimar Republic. Throughout his career, he rose through the ranks of the Prussian Army and gained power as the head of the Armed Forces Department of Reichswehr. As a trusted advisor to President Paul von Hindenburg, he played a significant role in the fall of the Hermann Müller government and the appointment of Heinrich Brüning as Chancellor. Schleicher’s involvement in the putsch in Prussia led to Franz von Papen taking over the Free State of Prussia, but he later orchestrated Papen’s removal to become the new Chancellor. Despite initially attempting to control Adolf Hitler, their relationship deteriorated, resulting in Schleicher’s resignation and eventual demise at the hands of Hitler’s Schutzstaffel during the Night of the Long Knives.
Quick Facts
- German Celebrities Born In April
- Also Known As: Kurt Ferdinand Friedrich Hermann von Schleicher
- Died At Age: 52
- Family: Spouse/Ex-: Elisabeth von Schleicher (m. 1931)
- Born Country: Germany
- Military Leaders
- Political Leaders
- Died on: June 30, 1934
- Place of death: Neubabelsberg, Potsdam, Germany: Gun Shots
- Notable Alumni: Prussian Military Academy
- Cause of Death: Assassination
- City: Brandenburg, Germany
- More Facts
- Education: Prussian Military Academy
Childhood & Early Life
Kurt Ferdinand Friedrich Hermann von Schleicher was born on April 7, 1882, in Brandenburg an der Havel, German Empire, to Hermann Friedrich Ferdinand von Schleicher and Magdalena Heyn. He had an elder sister and a younger brother. From 1896 to 1900, he attended the Hauptkadettenanstalt in Lichterfelde. After graduating, he joined the German General Staff and served in various positions in the military.
Army Service During & After the First World War
During the First World War, Schleicher served in the General Staff of the Supreme Army Command. He also worked in the War Office and had a front-line assignment as Chief of Staff of the 237th Division on the Eastern Front. After the war, he played a crucial role in negotiating the Ebert-Groener pact and forming the German military volunteer units, Freikorps. He also worked towards avoiding the constraints established by the Treaty of Versailles.
Rise in the Reichswehr & Political Moves
Schleicher had a steady rise in the Reichswehr, eventually becoming a Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, and Generalmajor. He also played a significant role in Reichswehr’s control of the nation’s administration after the 1923 hyperinflation. He became a close advisor to President Paul von Hindenburg and served as the Chief of the Ministerial Affairs. Schleicher was involved in political moves and played a major role in the fall of Chancellor Hermann Müller’s government and the appointment of Heinrich Brüning as the new Chancellor. He later had conflicts with Brüning and General Wilhelm Groener, leading to their fall and the appointment of Franz von Papen as the new Chancellor.
Assassination & Personal Life
Schleicher had a hand in the coup in Prussia in 1932 and later became the new Chancellor of Germany. However, his attempts to negotiate with the left-wing branch of the Nazi Party and “tame” Hitler failed. He eventually resigned as Chancellor and favored Hitler’s chancellorship. Schleicher made a final attempt to regain power but was murdered, along with his wife, by the Schutzstaffel on the first day of the Night of the Long Knives.
Schleicher married Elisabeth von Schleicher in 1931.