Konrad henlein biography samples

1. Biography of Conrad Henlein
2. Early Life and Career
3. Political Activism
4. Alliance with Hitler
5. Capture and Death

Biography of Conrad Henlein

Conrad Henlein, also known as Conrad Genlein, was a German politician and leader of the Sudeten German Party in Czechoslovakia. He was born on May 6, 1898 in Maffersdorf (now Vratislavice) in Bohemia. His father was German and his mother was Czech.

Early Life and Career

Henlein initially worked as a bank clerk before becoming a physical education teacher. In 1931, he became the leader of the German Gymnastics Association in Czechoslovakia.

Political Activism

On October 1, 1933, Henlein founded a small political party called the German Patriotic Front, which demanded autonomy for the Sudetenland within Czechoslovakia. He proposed the creation of a federal state similar to the Swiss cantonal system, which would grant independence to ethnic minorities without undermining national unity. However, Henlein's party was organized based on the principles of dictatorship.

In October 1934, the party held its first mass rally, attended by 20,000 people. In 1935, the German Patriotic Front changed its name to the Sudeten German Party (SdP) and gained a significant number of followers. By 1936, the SdP functioned as a "fifth column" in Czechoslovakia, receiving substantial financial support through the "Volksdeutsche Mittelstelle" (Ethnic German Central Office). For example, in 1933, Henlein's party newspaper received 120,000 Czech crowns from Germany to settle its debts. The same year, Rudolf Hess granted one-time subsidies of 8 million crowns. Henlein himself received 12,000 Reichsmarks per month.

Supporters of Henlein, temporarily operating under the name "Sport Abteilung" (the initials coincided with the SA abbreviation), engaged in vigorous propaganda advocating for independence for Sudeten Germans. In the 1935 elections, the SdP won 44 seats, representing 60% of the German-speaking population in Czechoslovakia.

Alliance with Hitler

On March 28, 1938, Hitler assured Henlein, "I will support you. Tomorrow, you will become my deputy (Sie sind auch morgen mein Statthalter)." A month later, Henlein presented the "Karlsbad Demands," which effectively called for full autonomy for Sudeten Germans. In May, he traveled to London, where he swore that he had never received orders or even recommendations from Berlin.

After the Munich Agreement in 1938, Henlein was appointed as the Reich Commissioner for the Sudetenland. On May 1, 1939, he became the Gauleiter and Reichsstatthalter, leading the civil administration in Czechoslovakia.

Capture and Death

In May 1945, Henlein was captured by the US 7th Army and was interned in a displaced persons camp. On May 10, 1945, he took his own life.