Heinrich Georg Stahmer
Encyclopedia
Heinrich Georg Stahmer economist by training, served as an aide to German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop
(1938–1940), special envoy to Japan
(1940–1942) and German Ambassador to Japan (January 1943-May 1945).
A native of Hamburg, Germany, Stahmer fought during World War I
and earned both classes of Iron cross
.
Throughout 1940, worked for a German-Japanese alliance treaty, and on August 13, 1940, was able to notify the Japanese Embassy in Berlin about the decision to conclude such a treaty. In September 1940, took part in the negotiations leading to the conclusion of the Tripartite Pact
. Following the conclusion of the pact, was sent to his next mission in Tokyo.
In October 1941 was appointed as German Ambassador to the Chinese government under Wang Jingwei
, established in Nanjing
by the Japanese occupation, and remained in that position until late 1942.
In January 1943, was appointed ambassador to Japan, and remained in that position until the end of the war. He arrived to Tokyo from Nanjing on January 28, 1943.
On May 5, 1945, as German surrender was approaching, Stahmer was handed an official protest by Japanese Foreign Minister Shigenori Togo
, accusing the German government of betraying its Japanese ally. Following the surrender of the German government, the Japanese government broken off diplomatic relations with the German Reich on May 15, 1945, and Stahmer was interned and kept under arrest in a hotel near Tokyo
until the Japanese surrender in August 1945.
On September 10, 1945, following Japanese surrender, he was placed under arrest by the US authorities in Sugamo Prison
in Tokyo, and in September 1947 was returned to Germany, where he was interned until September 1948.
Following his release, became involved in business with Japanese companies. He died in 1978 at Vaduz
, Liechtenstein
.
Joachim von Ribbentrop
Ulrich Friedrich Wilhelm Joachim von Ribbentrop was Foreign Minister of Germany from 1938 until 1945. He was later hanged for war crimes after the Nuremberg Trials.-Early life:...
(1938–1940), special envoy to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(1940–1942) and German Ambassador to Japan (January 1943-May 1945).
A native of Hamburg, Germany, Stahmer fought during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and earned both classes of Iron cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
.
Diplomatic career
In 1936, took part in the negotiations for the Anti Comintern Pact between the German and the Japanese governments.Throughout 1940, worked for a German-Japanese alliance treaty, and on August 13, 1940, was able to notify the Japanese Embassy in Berlin about the decision to conclude such a treaty. In September 1940, took part in the negotiations leading to the conclusion of the Tripartite Pact
Tripartite Pact
The Tripartite Pact, also the Three-Power Pact, Axis Pact, Three-way Pact or Tripartite Treaty was a pact signed in Berlin, Germany on September 27, 1940, which established the Axis Powers of World War II...
. Following the conclusion of the pact, was sent to his next mission in Tokyo.
In October 1941 was appointed as German Ambassador to the Chinese government under Wang Jingwei
Wang Jingwei
Wang Jingwei , alternate name Wang Zhaoming, was a Chinese politician. He was initially known as a member of the left wing of the Kuomintang , but later became increasingly anti-Communist after his efforts to collaborate with the CCP ended in political failure...
, established in Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
by the Japanese occupation, and remained in that position until late 1942.
In January 1943, was appointed ambassador to Japan, and remained in that position until the end of the war. He arrived to Tokyo from Nanjing on January 28, 1943.
On May 5, 1945, as German surrender was approaching, Stahmer was handed an official protest by Japanese Foreign Minister Shigenori Togo
Shigenori Togo
was Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Empire of Japan at both the start and the end of the Japanese-American conflict during World War II...
, accusing the German government of betraying its Japanese ally. Following the surrender of the German government, the Japanese government broken off diplomatic relations with the German Reich on May 15, 1945, and Stahmer was interned and kept under arrest in a hotel near Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
until the Japanese surrender in August 1945.
On September 10, 1945, following Japanese surrender, he was placed under arrest by the US authorities in Sugamo Prison
Sugamo Prison
Sugamo Prison was located in the district of Ikebukuro, which is now part of the Toshima ward of Tokyo, Japan-History:...
in Tokyo, and in September 1947 was returned to Germany, where he was interned until September 1948.
Following his release, became involved in business with Japanese companies. He died in 1978 at Vaduz
Vaduz
Vaduz is the capital of the principality of Liechtenstein and the seat of the national parliament. The town, located along the Rhine, has about 5,100 inhabitants , most of whom are Roman Catholic. Its cathedral is the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishop....
, Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein
The Principality of Liechtenstein is a doubly landlocked alpine country in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and by Austria to the east. Its area is just over , and it has an estimated population of 35,000. Its capital is Vaduz. The biggest town is Schaan...
.
In popular culture
Heinrich Stahmer is one of the heroes in the alternate history novel The Final Countdown. He is also mentioned in the alternate history novel Sic Semper Tyrannis Germaniae by Chris Oakley.Further reading
- Heinrich Stahmer, "Germany and Japan" The XXth Century, Feb. 1943 (journal published in Shanghai) http://libweb.hawaii.edu/libdept/russian/XX/PDF/15-Volume4.pdf
External links
- Time article mentioning Stahmer's nomination as Ambassador to Japan http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,884718,00.html.
- Dickinson Magazine article on the German Embassy in Japan under Stahmer http://www.dickinson.edu/magazine/article.cfm?article=225.
- Article about the Stahmer mission to Tokyo in September 1940 (in Japanese) http://www3.kiwi-us.com/~ingle/pacific%20war/stamer%20matsuoka.html
- "Heinrich Georg Stahmer and Hiroshi Ōshima", Nippon News, No. 18. in the official website of NHKNHKNHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
.