Walther Sommerlath
Encyclopedia
Carl August Walther Sommerlath (22 January 1901 – 21 October 1990) was a German
businessman
and the father of Queen Silvia of Sweden
. He was president of the Brazilian subsidiary of the Swedish steel-parts manufacturer Uddeholm Tooling
after World War II
.
, Grand Duchy of Baden
, German Empire
(now Baden-Württemberg
, Germany
). His parents were Louis Carl Moritz Sommerlath (1860–1930) who was born in Chicago
, Illinois
in the United States who was from an armigerous
family of the German
Bourgeoisie
, and his wife Erna Sophie Christine Waldau (1864–1944). In the mid 1920s, Walther Sommerlath moved to São Paulo
, Brazil
where he worked for the steel company Acus Roechling Boulerus do Brasil, a subsidiary in the German steel group Roechling.
. Between 1939 and 1943, Sommerlath ran a company in Berlin that was seized from its Jewish owners by the Nazis. The company manufactured arms
to be used in the War
. In 1943, Sommerlath’s plant was destroyed by allied
bombs. Later that year, the Sommerlath family returned to Heidelberg.
After the war, in 1947 the Sommerlath family returned to Brazil, where Walther Sommerlath worked as the president of the Brazilian subsidiary of the Swedish steel-parts manufacturer Uddeholm. The family finally moved back to Heidelberg in 1957. Walter Sommerlath died in Heidelberg in 1990.
, Brazil
, Sommerlath joined as an expatriate member the German National Socialist Worker's Party, NSDAP/AO
on December 1, 1934, as member no. 3592030. His brother Paul Sommerlath had joined the Party in 1933. Most Germans in Brazil chose not to be members in the party. The Sommerlath brothers remained members of the Nazi party until the party was banned and dissolved by the allies in 1945.
In 1976, when Silvia was to marry King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
, the Swedish daily Expressen
interviewed Sommerlath about his Nazi background. In the interview, Sommerlath denied that he had any connections with the Nazi Party, saying that his only part of the War was his work at the arms factory in Berlin.
The Swedish Royal Family
has declined to give out any information about the Queen's father's role in the war or the name and facts about his company. But on May 16, 2011, Queen Silvia announced that she would probe her father's alleged Nazi ties in reaction to a Swedish TV news magazine.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
businessman
Businessperson
A businessperson is someone involved in a particular undertaking of activities for the purpose of generating revenue from a combination of human, financial, or physical capital. An entrepreneur is an example of a business person...
and the father of Queen Silvia of Sweden
Queen Silvia of Sweden
|align=right|Queen Silvia of Sweden is the Queen consort of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. Styled Her Majesty The Queen, Silvia is the mother of the heir apparent to the throne, Crown Princess Victoria.-Childhood:Queen Silvia was born in Heidelberg, Germany, on 23 December 1943...
. He was president of the Brazilian subsidiary of the Swedish steel-parts manufacturer Uddeholm Tooling
Böhler-Uddeholm
Böhler-Uddeholm is a large Austrian company specialised in producing tool steel and special forgings. It was formed in 1991 as a result of a merger between the Austrian parastatal Böhler and of Uddeholms AB of Sweden. The company has production sites in Austria, Germany, Sweden, Brazil, Belgium,...
after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Early life
He was born and raised in HeidelbergHeidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
, Grand Duchy of Baden
Grand Duchy of Baden
The Grand Duchy of Baden was a historical state in the southwest of Germany, on the east bank of the Rhine. It existed between 1806 and 1918.-History:...
, German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
(now Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
). His parents were Louis Carl Moritz Sommerlath (1860–1930) who was born in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
in the United States who was from an armigerous
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
family of the German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
Bourgeoisie
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
, and his wife Erna Sophie Christine Waldau (1864–1944). In the mid 1920s, Walther Sommerlath moved to São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
where he worked for the steel company Acus Roechling Boulerus do Brasil, a subsidiary in the German steel group Roechling.
Marriage
On 10 December 1925 he married the Brazilian Alice Soares de Toledo (1906–1997), in Santa Cecília, São Paulo. She was the daughter of Arthur Floriano de Toledo and his wife Elisa de Novaes Soares. The couple had four children:- Ralf Sommerlath (born 1929)
- Walther Ludwig Sommerlath (born 1934)
- Hans Jörg Sommerlath (1941–2006)
- Silvia SommerlathQueen Silvia of Sweden|align=right|Queen Silvia of Sweden is the Queen consort of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. Styled Her Majesty The Queen, Silvia is the mother of the heir apparent to the throne, Crown Princess Victoria.-Childhood:Queen Silvia was born in Heidelberg, Germany, on 23 December 1943...
(born 23 December 1943), married in 1976 to Carl XVI Gustaf of SwedenCarl XVI Gustaf of SwedenCarl XVI Gustaf is the reigning King of Sweden since 15 September 1973, succeeding his grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf because his father had predeceased him...
, had issue.
Life in Germany
In 1938, Walther Sommerlath left Brazil and returned to Heidelberg. In 1939 he moved to the German capital BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. Between 1939 and 1943, Sommerlath ran a company in Berlin that was seized from its Jewish owners by the Nazis. The company manufactured arms
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
to be used in the War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1943, Sommerlath’s plant was destroyed by allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
bombs. Later that year, the Sommerlath family returned to Heidelberg.
After the war, in 1947 the Sommerlath family returned to Brazil, where Walther Sommerlath worked as the president of the Brazilian subsidiary of the Swedish steel-parts manufacturer Uddeholm. The family finally moved back to Heidelberg in 1957. Walter Sommerlath died in Heidelberg in 1990.
Membership of the Nazi Party
Not very much is publicly known about Sommerlath's Nazi affiliations. Living as a German citizen in São PauloSão Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Sommerlath joined as an expatriate member the German National Socialist Worker's Party, NSDAP/AO
NSDAP/AO
The NSDAP/AO was the Foreign Organization branch of the National Socialist German Workers Party . AO is the abbreviation of the German compound word Auslands-Organisation...
on December 1, 1934, as member no. 3592030. His brother Paul Sommerlath had joined the Party in 1933. Most Germans in Brazil chose not to be members in the party. The Sommerlath brothers remained members of the Nazi party until the party was banned and dissolved by the allies in 1945.
In 1976, when Silvia was to marry King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
Carl XVI Gustaf is the reigning King of Sweden since 15 September 1973, succeeding his grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf because his father had predeceased him...
, the Swedish daily Expressen
Expressen
Expressen is one of two nationwide evening tabloid newspapers in Sweden, the other being Aftonbladet. Expressen was founded in 1944; its symbol is a wasp and slogans "it stings" or "Expressen to your rescue", always on the reader's side....
interviewed Sommerlath about his Nazi background. In the interview, Sommerlath denied that he had any connections with the Nazi Party, saying that his only part of the War was his work at the arms factory in Berlin.
The Swedish Royal Family
Swedish Royal Family
The Swedish Royal Family since 1818 consists of a number of persons in the Swedish Royal House of Bernadotte, closely related to the King of Sweden. They are entitled to royal titles and style , and some perform official engagements and ceremonial duties of state...
has declined to give out any information about the Queen's father's role in the war or the name and facts about his company. But on May 16, 2011, Queen Silvia announced that she would probe her father's alleged Nazi ties in reaction to a Swedish TV news magazine.