Wilhelm Weiss
Encyclopedia
Wilhelm Weiss (31 March 1892 in Stadtsteinach
– 24 February 1950 in Wasserburg am Inn
) was, in the time of the Third Reich, an SA
Obergruppenführer
as well as editor
-in-chief of the Nazi Party's official newspaper, the Völkischer Beobachter
in Munich
, Weiss began a career as a soldier
.
By 1911 he was an ensign (Fahnenjunker) and by 1913 a lieutenant
. In 1915 – the First World War was already under way – Weiss was transferred to the Airmen's Squad (Fliegertruppe). On one of his battle deployments, he was shot down, as a result of which he lost his left leg. Nonetheless, in 1917, he was promoted to Oberleutnant
before being transferred to the Bavarian War Ministry
in 1918, shortly before the war ended. In 1920, when it turned out that the Reichswehr
, which was busy reconstituting itself, could no longer find a job for him, he was discharged with the rank of Captain.
Already by 1919, Weiss had been busying himself as a member of the state leadership of the Bavarian Inhabitants' Defence (Einwohnerwehr), through which he was appointed editor of the magazine Heimatland (Homeland
), a publication with strongly Nazi leanings.
.
Between 1924 and 1926, Weiss held a position as editor-in-chief of the Völkischer Kurier, until January 1927 when he became Office Chief at the editorial department of the Völkischer Beobachter (VB).
A military career advance came in 1930 when Weiss was appointed SA Oberführer
on the Supreme SA Leadership's staff. At the same time, Weiss was given leadership of the SA press office.
Besides his work on the VB, Weiss also functioned as editor-in-chief of the anti-Semitic magazine Brennessel ("Stinging Nettle"), and in 1932, he became leader of the Central Writing Leadership of the NSDAP's central publishing
house.
Only in 1933 did Weiss become acting editor-in-chief, and as of 1938 as Alfred Rosenberg
's successor, fully-fledged editor-in-chief of the VB.
Further important functions bestowed upon Weiss between 1933 and 1945 were Leader of the Reich Association of the German Press, and in the same period Member of the Reichstag
.
Having been promoted to SA Gruppenführer
in February 1934, he functioned as of July in the same year as a member of the Volksgerichtshof.
In 1935, Weiss became a member of the Reich Culture Senate, and in 1936 Main Office Leader (Hauptamtsleiter) in the NSDAP's Reich leadership. In 1937 came Weiß's promotion to SA Obergruppenführer.
court sentenced him to three years in a labour camp, confiscated 30% of his wealth, and placed a 10-year ban on his professional activities.
Shortly before he began his sentence, Wilhelm Weiss died, about a month short of his 58th birthday. Through his activities in the Bavarian War Ministry's press department, Weiß came to journalism after the First World War. He got involved early on in the völkisch movement and was a fervent devotee of Adolf Hitler
's ideas. Before 1933, the year of the Nazis' seizure of power
, he was judicially sentenced many times for political misdeeds.
However, after Hitler and the NSDAP had come to power, Weiss organized the "equalization" of the press, though he also saw to it that individual journalists could keep their jobs despite the Editor Law (Schriftleitergesetz).
Weiß never questioned National Socialism.
Stadtsteinach
Stadtsteinach is a town in the district of Kulmbach, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the Frankenwald, 8 km northeast of Kulmbach.It is known for its proximity to mountains, fields and nature reserves.-City arrangement:...
– 24 February 1950 in Wasserburg am Inn
Wasserburg am Inn
Wasserburg am Inn is a town in the district Rosenheim in Upper Bavaria, Germany. The historic centre is a peninsula, formed by the meandering Inn River...
) was, in the time of the Third Reich, an SA
Sturmabteilung
The Sturmabteilung functioned as a paramilitary organization of the National Socialist German Workers' Party . It played a key role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s...
Obergruppenführer
Obergruppenführer
Obergruppenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was first created in 1932 as a rank of the SA and until 1942 it was the highest SS rank inferior only to Reichsführer-SS...
as well as editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
-in-chief of the Nazi Party's official newspaper, the Völkischer Beobachter
Völkischer Beobachter
The Völkischer Beobachter was the newspaper of the National Socialist German Workers' Party from 1920. It first appeared weekly, then daily from February 8, 1923...
Early career
After finishing his studies at the GymnasiumGymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Weiss began a career as a soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
.
By 1911 he was an ensign (Fahnenjunker) and by 1913 a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. In 1915 – the First World War was already under way – Weiss was transferred to the Airmen's Squad (Fliegertruppe). On one of his battle deployments, he was shot down, as a result of which he lost his left leg. Nonetheless, in 1917, he was promoted to Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
before being transferred to the Bavarian War Ministry
Ministry of War (Kingdom of Bavaria)
The Ministry of War was a ministry for military affairs of the Kingdom of Bavaria, founded as Ministerium des Kriegswesens on October 1, 1808 by King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria. It was located at Ludwigstraße in Munich...
in 1918, shortly before the war ended. In 1920, when it turned out that the Reichswehr
Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
, which was busy reconstituting itself, could no longer find a job for him, he was discharged with the rank of Captain.
Already by 1919, Weiss had been busying himself as a member of the state leadership of the Bavarian Inhabitants' Defence (Einwohnerwehr), through which he was appointed editor of the magazine Heimatland (Homeland
Homeland
A homeland is the concept of the place to which an ethnic group holds a long history and a deep cultural association with —the country in which a particular national identity began. As a common noun, it simply connotes the country of one's origin...
), a publication with strongly Nazi leanings.
Nazi Party
In 1922 – as one of the first members – Weiss joined the Nazi Party, and participated in the Beerhall Putsch and the March on the FeldherrnhalleFeldherrnhalle
The Feldherrnhalle is a monumental loggia in Munich, Germany. It was built between 1841 and 1844 at the southern end of Munich's Ludwigstrasse next to the Palais Preysing and east of the Hofgarten. Previously the Gothic Schwabinger Tor occupied that place...
.
Between 1924 and 1926, Weiss held a position as editor-in-chief of the Völkischer Kurier, until January 1927 when he became Office Chief at the editorial department of the Völkischer Beobachter (VB).
A military career advance came in 1930 when Weiss was appointed SA Oberführer
Oberführer
Oberführer was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party dating back to 1921. Translated as “Senior Leader”, an Oberführer was typically a Nazi Party member in charge of a group of paramilitary units in a particular geographical region...
on the Supreme SA Leadership's staff. At the same time, Weiss was given leadership of the SA press office.
Besides his work on the VB, Weiss also functioned as editor-in-chief of the anti-Semitic magazine Brennessel ("Stinging Nettle"), and in 1932, he became leader of the Central Writing Leadership of the NSDAP's central publishing
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
house.
Only in 1933 did Weiss become acting editor-in-chief, and as of 1938 as Alfred Rosenberg
Alfred Rosenberg
' was an early and intellectually influential member of the Nazi Party. Rosenberg was first introduced to Adolf Hitler by Dietrich Eckart; he later held several important posts in the Nazi government...
's successor, fully-fledged editor-in-chief of the VB.
Further important functions bestowed upon Weiss between 1933 and 1945 were Leader of the Reich Association of the German Press, and in the same period Member of the Reichstag
Reichstag (German Empire)
The Reichstag was the parliament of the North German Confederation , and of the German Reich ....
.
Having been promoted to SA Gruppenführer
Gruppenführer
Gruppenführer was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party, first created in 1925 as a senior rank of the SA.-SS rank:...
in February 1934, he functioned as of July in the same year as a member of the Volksgerichtshof.
In 1935, Weiss became a member of the Reich Culture Senate, and in 1936 Main Office Leader (Hauptamtsleiter) in the NSDAP's Reich leadership. In 1937 came Weiß's promotion to SA Obergruppenführer.
Post Second World War
In 1945, after the Second World War had ended, Weiss was interned, and on 15 July 1949 a DenazificationDenazification
Denazification was an Allied initiative to rid German and Austrian society, culture, press, economy, judiciary, and politics of any remnants of the National Socialist ideology. It was carried out specifically by removing those involved from positions of influence and by disbanding or rendering...
court sentenced him to three years in a labour camp, confiscated 30% of his wealth, and placed a 10-year ban on his professional activities.
Shortly before he began his sentence, Wilhelm Weiss died, about a month short of his 58th birthday. Through his activities in the Bavarian War Ministry's press department, Weiß came to journalism after the First World War. He got involved early on in the völkisch movement and was a fervent devotee of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's ideas. Before 1933, the year of the Nazis' seizure of power
Machtergreifung
Machtergreifung is a German word meaning "seizure of power". It is normally used specifically to refer to the Nazi takeover of power in the democratic Weimar Republic on 30 January 1933, the day Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany, turning it into the Nazi German dictatorship.-Term:The...
, he was judicially sentenced many times for political misdeeds.
However, after Hitler and the NSDAP had come to power, Weiss organized the "equalization" of the press, though he also saw to it that individual journalists could keep their jobs despite the Editor Law (Schriftleitergesetz).
Weiß never questioned National Socialism.