GPB #6544 - Georg Hußmann's political career

[der-hase-fee]

Over the next few weeks, I plan to write about the political career of Georg Hußmann (Hussmann), an early member of the NSDAP. Already in 1934 he moved to Berlin, where he held several political positions.

I came across his large GPB on John Carlin's web side earlier this year and negotiated a decent price for the unattributed badge. Rob McDivitt was able to determine the original owner's name and provided a thick research file. Besides a personal petition and correspondence on Hußmann between high ranking party officials it contains a report from the OPG (Oberstes Parteigericht; Highest Party Court) with lots of details.

Obviously, these being the official party records, the perspective is going to be single sided. I do not intend to judge Hußmann and what he did or didn't do. An interesting political career, different from that of most other NSDAP members, written by a collector for collectors.

[Br. James]

Thanks Andreas -- I look forward to reading further about this person.

Br. James

[Erich S]

Congrats on your new GPB with I'm sure a very interesting history. I'm looking forward to the details as well.

[der-hase-fee]

DOB: June 3rd, 1886
POB: Hankenberge, district of Iburg, south of Osnabrück
married to Emilie, party #44614
two sons

education:
private school, public school in Osnabrück

military service:
volunteer June 1917 - November 1918; border police east until December 1919

political and employment career:

Deutsch-Völkischer Schutz- und Trutzbund 1920
activities for NSDAP starting in 1922
white collar Reichsbahn (railroad) employee in Lehrte, district of Burgdorf, east of Hannover starting ?
joint NSDAP May 25th, 1925
left NSDAP November 30th, 1926
re-joint NSDAP March 5th, 1928
held Ortsgruppen- and Kreisleiter positions until 1930
Reichsredner #178 starting ?
employed at 2. Sektion of Gauleitung Ost-Hannover starting May 1st, 1931 (should be the position of Gauobmann of the Beamtenbund / Head of Civil Service Organisation at Gau level)
retirement from Reichsbahn June 1st, 1932
honorary city councilman ("Senator", a title he'd continue to use later) of Lehrte after the NSDAP's raise to power on January 30, 1933
employed at Reichsorganisationleitung, Hauptabteilung VII, Hauptamt für Beamte, Fachschaft (representative body) Reichsbahn in Berlin (under Jakob Sprenger) between June 1st, 1933 and October 31st, 1935 (starting as Abteilungsleiter, promotion to Hauptstellenleiter on July 1st, 1934) and Hauptabteilungsleiter in the Reichsbund der Deutschen Beamten (RDB; under Hermann Neef)
GPB awarded March 19th, 1934
temporary party exclusion decree April 4th, 1940
employed at Reichsstand des Deutschen Handwerks as of January 1st, 1941
exclusion confirmed through OPG October 28th, 1942

[StephenL]

So he was kicked out of the Party, yet his GPB survived. The common belief is that he would have had to surrender it. Apparently not.

[der-hase-fee]

So he was kicked out of the Party, yet his GPB survived. The common belief is that he would have had to surrender it. Apparently not.

Thanks for posting this observation, Stephen. I'll address this subject, please check back !

[Br. James]

It's a 'slice of life,' Stephen! And further complicated by the fact that GPB holders had to pay for their badges, nominal as it was, and that must have made it even more difficult to enforce return of the badge(s) after expulsion.

I belong to a number of organizations that provide pins/emblems/decorations to members and am expected to return them at death or when ceasing to maintain membership. But in reality I know that many people do not provide for the return of their decorations at death and it never happens; likewise, former members seem to feel that they are somehow entitled to keep such emblems after they leave the organization...as souvenirs? After all, paying dues should entitle you to something...!

Thank you for providing this snapshot of Pg. Hußmann's life and career, Andreas.

Br. James

[StephenL]

I would have thought that enforcing the return of GPB by a dishonourably discharged Pg. would be a simple matter, and one the Party would take special interest in, especially after an appearance in front of the OPG. Next step would be a visit by a Blockleiter or Ort or Kreis official to collect Party uniforms and such from expelled members.

If there was no requirement or interest in getting back GPBs of disgraced or deceased members, then there is no source of badges for re-numbering.

Personally, I've never believed GPBs we reissued and renumbered, so Pg. Georg Hußmann's badge surviving doesn't actually surprise me, and points to the fact that these badges weren't recalled.

[Erich S]

I would have thought that enforcing the return of GPB by a dishonourably discharged Pg. would be a simple matter, and one the Party would take special interest in, especially after an appearance in front of the OPG. Next step would be a visit by a Blockleiter or Ort or Kreis official to collect Party uniforms and such from expelled members.

If there was no requirement or interest in getting back GPBs of disgraced or deceased members, then there is no source of badges for re-numbering.

Personally, I've never believed GPBs we reissued and renumbered, so Pg. Georg Hußmann's badge surviving doesn't actually surprise me, and points to the fact that these badges weren't recalled.
Like you Stephen I also don't believe that badges were renumbered. Andreas, thanks for a look into the history of a guy that the NSDAP didn't even want.:D

[der-hase-fee]

Since the mystery of Hußmann's GPB is a matter of interest, I am going to deviate from my original plan to write about him in chronological order. Actually, I'll move backwards in time.

On Oct. 10th, 1943 Oberbereichsleiter and Gauschatzmeister of Berlin Otto de Mars wrote a letter to Reichsschatzmeister Franz Xaver Schwarz in Munich. This is the cover letter for Hußmann's affirmation, dated Sep. 3rd, declaring his small GPB lost.

Already on Aug. 23rd, 1943 de Mars had send a copy of the OPG verdict along with Hußmann's membership book, large GPB and citation document back to Munich. He committed to follow up on the small GPB (see above) and confirmed the notice of Hußmann's removal from the NSDAP to have been published in the monthly announcement of February 1943.

In response to de Mars's letter dated Feb. 11, 1941 he received a new party membership book for Hußmann - the old one had been lost - on June 16th. The new book's issue date is actually May 9th.; confirmation of Hußmann's signature is dated much later, on March 6th, 1943.

But now back to his GPB's: On April 17th, 1941 de Mars requested a large replacement GPB for Hußmann, which he received with cover letter dated June 14th, 1941.

A leap in time back to Nov. 2nd, 1934, which is the date on a letter from the Reichsschatzmeister to Gauleitung Groß-Berlin. Hußmann had written him (I'd assume Schwarz's staff would deal with this kind of correspondence anyway) on Sep. 9. The replacement for the large GPB, which had been lost, came with this letter.

Only a few months earlier, with a letter dated April 16th, the Gauleitung Ost-Hannover had received Hußmann's GPB's (original matched set) and citation. On May 22nd they responded to an inquiry from the Reichsschatzmeister dated May 14th and confirm that these were forwarded with registered mail on April 21st.

Hußmann's GPB application form had been submitted through Gauleitung Ost-Hannover on Mar. 5th, 1934 with the remark that Hußmann had been employed with them until December 1933 and been transferred to Berlin as of Jan. 1st, 1934 as published in the monthly announcement the same month.

Counting on you guys to assist in trying to make sense all all this !

[der-hase-fee]

Summarized history of Hußmann's NSDAP documents and badges:

membership book - original issue / replacement '41 / return '43
GPB citation - original issue '34 / return '43
large GPB - original issue '34 / replacement '34 / replacement '41 / return '43
small GPB - original issue '34 / declared lost '43

I think most likely I have his '34 replacement badge.

[der-hase-fee]

Hußmann's bulletized political career in the 4th post shows him missing about 15 months of NSDAP membership between 1926 and 1928.

Per the rules, an uninterrupted membership was required to be eligible for application for the GPB. Unfortunately, the research did not reveal any documentation how he succeeded to get his application approved.

However, submission of his application from Gauleitung Ost-Hannover - along with two more for early party members both named Bock from Lehrte - is addressed to the attention of Herr Reichsschatzmeister Schwarz, making a reference to a letter from him dated Jan. 21st, 1934. The particular wording of the response may suggest that Schwarz had requested submission of Hußmann's application personally.

A letter of recommendation on Hußmann letterhead (Senator, Organisations- und Presseleiter) is dated Feb. 20th, 1934; he is confirming character and reputation of one of the two Bocks - the younger, one of his fellows -, not missing to point out his own involvement and sincerity. So something must have gone on between January and March 1934. Did the Bocks - maybe the older - have any leverage, perhaps ?

In other cases, I have seen extensive written correspondence on the subject of whether an early party member qualified for the prestigious GPB or not. One particular case I will be writing about here at WWM would only be resolved by 1939 with the award being granted !

If is wasn't the Bocks, maybe Hußmann has had the "right contacts", maybe due to his relocation to Berlin, that made this minor problem go away.

[Erich S]

This thread really gives us a behind the scenes look at the Politics sometimes involved in getting this very important award.

[der-hase-fee]

I had lost some focus on this subject, so I have looked where to pick up the story again. I think this will do:

Besides a personal petition and correspondence on Hußmann between high ranking party officials it contains a report from the OPG (Oberstes Parteigericht; Highest Party Court) with lots of details.


Wording of the petition:

quote
Lehrte, Nov. 10, 1932

Herrn Reichsorganisationsleiter Gregor Strasser, M.d.R.
Munich
=====

Dear Herr Pg. Strasser !
Only being forced by a dreadful, unbearable hardship I have permitted myself to address the following to you, venerated Pg. Strasser. It is being said in general that it is useless to write letters to the Führer or yourself, since they would not be received anyway. But I refuse to believe this and am writing anyway.
In the year 22 I came in contact with the Movement the first time and actively promoted it. When the Führer proclaimed the reestablishment, I reported back right away and brought the first Ortsgruppe of Gau Hanover-East right along. Our district Burgdorf belonged to Hanover-South at the time. From the beginning I was District Leader and Reichsredner for the Movement. In my duties I have always been exposed to heavy harassment, because the head of HR is a Jew. I have always been listed for Reich, State and Province elections; in September 30 on 4th place of Gau Hanover-East. Without my intervention, Gauleiter Telschow promised me 2nd place on the list for the following State election. Before the last Prussian State election I held the Gau Hauptabteilungsleiter VII office and informed Herrn Gauleiter that I had receive a confidential note that I was going to be laid off. Would I have been listed on a secure position (note: at the top), I am conviced I could not have been laid off. But my name appeared on no list any more, without any reason given to me. I was ridiculed in the eyes of the many colleagues I had won for the Movement already and I was reproached with having been good enough to be a number on the list, but once an Old Fighter was to step up to the front I was pushed aside.
I have (been) retired on June 1st with a pension that does not cover rent and tuition. I did my part anyway as Reichsredner and addressed thousands with a sore heart and rejoiced and was encouraged from the elation in my rallies.
I have also numerous times been involved in fights of the Movement. I lead the defamation court case (Zarnow volume 1 pages 153 -156 *) against Police President Weiss in Berlin in the Feme (note: revenge or extra-judicial) image matter and I succeeded as the first National Socialist to prove that the Feme image has been generated by police officers as motivated by higher civil servants. I had been assured by the Gauleitung that I would not incur any cost, but this has been the case to a very substantial amount. Over the years I have spent my limited assets to the last penny for the Movement. With my political engagement and disposition a career advancement was out of reach in my prior employment. I am not able to continue the education of my two sons as planned, because I have not retained anything, not even enough for me to know how to fill our stomachs. Sometimes I have not been able to pay the rent and tuition. Therefore the worries seem to overwhelm us.
My youngest son is a member of the Hitlerjugend for many years., my oldest a SA member, my wife has resigned from the leader position of female affairs eight days ago, because she worried so much. She is a member of the Movement since 26 and had one of the largest - if not the largest - female groups in the Gau. From the beginning the four of us have identified with the Movement, and we still do. We do not ask for special treatment as reward for our accomplishments, because we did what we did in the holy sense of duty for the people and Fatherland. But I am convinced a way out of our misery could be found by means of a position somewhere for me, which would match my prior work and level in the party and allow me to earn a decent wage to feed my family. I would agree to any relocation.
I trust in the sense of justice of my Führer and you and ask for help along the lines above.

Heil !
G.Hußmann
Reichsredner #178.
Member #6544.
unquote

* note: Gottfried Zarnow, Gefesselte Justiz, Politische Bilder aus deutscher Gegenwart. Band. 1. München, Lehmann 1931. 187 Seiten - Der Autor versucht, die Vertuschung von Verfahren gegen demokratische bzw. sozialdemokratische Beamte oder Minister nachzuweisen.
(Captive Justice, Political Images from the German Present, volume 1. The author tries to prove cover-ups of proceedings against democratic and social democratic civil servants and ministers.)

[der-hase-fee]

It did not take long for the word to spread and feedback to get written:

quote
Der Gauleiter Harburg-Wilhelmburg I,
T/M. 21st November 1932

Herrn Reichsorganisationsleiter
Pg. G r e g o r S t r a s s e r M.d.R
Munich 43
=================

I am returning the enclosed file via Herrn Landesinspekteur (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernhard_Rust) with the following report:
When in 1927 I took over the district of Burgdorf including the city of Lehrte from Gau Hanover-South, the political organization of the city Lehrte was in complete disintegration. A few railroaders, the Pgg. Hussmann and Bok (note: this should be the aforementioned Bock), were at highest feud with each other and the members had taken sides for and against each of them. It took years of work to resolve any disputes in Lehrte. Then in 1930 it had been found out that Hussmann had embezzled about 100 membership applications along with membership dues. His membership was suspended, which was not confirmed only because he apologized to the USchlA R.L. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USCHLA) and promised to administer everything to the satisfaction of the party. When Hussmann did not appear as candidate on any election list since 1930, then he has to attribute this to himself for this very reason and because his character is insufficient.
Hussmann has not been laid of from the Reichsbahn, as he reports, for being a "National Sozialist", but he asked for his retirement himself, and it has been agreed to easily enough because under the need to reduce headcount it was preferable to dispose of civil servants who are not "suitable". If he is now facing hardships, it is his own fault.
Later another attempt has been made to use him in the party organization, namely as Gauobmann for the Beamtenbund. But also here I had to ask Pg. Sprenger after only a short time to releave him from his duties, because he wasted membership dues and made statements in civil servant conventions, which everyone could easily determine to be wrong.
Due to his character Hussmann is to be regarded with suspicion. From the duration of his party membership only no member should assume to have any right for support; I have no motivation to support him any further. If Hussmann should be refined and have improved due to his supposed misery, he could only put to use in another Gau.
Hussmann is Reichsredner still today. As such, it should be possible for him to make some money in addition to his pension to feed his small family. His wife is in possession of a house in Lehrte.
I am returning this via Herrn Landesinspekteur, because he is well acquainted with Pg. Hussmann.

Heil Hitler !
Telschow
unquote

Strong words !

[der-hase-fee]

Wasn't hard to guess what's next: Bernhard Rust's feedback.

quote
Der Landesinspekteur Hannover, 29th November 1932
R/M
Letter #1/32

To the
Reichsorganisationsleitung der NSDAP
Reichsorganisationsleiter
M u n i c h
----------
Braunes Haus

Ref. Pg. Hussmann-Lehrte
-------------------------

I am forwarding herewith the letter from Gauleiter Telschow dated 21st November to the Gauorganisationsleiter.
The Pg. Hussmann-Lehrte repeatedly contacted me personally and in writing regarding the same matter. I have recommended Hussmann emphatically as speaker to Gau South-Hanover-Brunswick. Also the other Gaue in the inspection authority have been notified of Hussmann. Therewith the possibilities of his employment are exhausted as far as I am concerned. The financial situation of the Movement is known to the Reichsorganisationsleitung. There might not be a single party office at the moment that would be in a situation to be able to assign a paid position to Hussmann. The question concerning the character and organizational talents of Hussmann from the standpoint of the Landesinspektion therefore does not need to be addressed by me.

Heil Hitler !
Bernhard Rust
Landesinspekteur
unquote

[der-hase-fee]

Final part of this chapter: Response to Georg Hußmann.

quote
Tgb. 711/32 We/Ko.Munich, 6th Dezember 1932

Herrn
Georg H u ß m a n n
-------------------
Lehrte,
-------
Poststr. 18

Settling your petition from the 10th of the prior month to Herrn Reichsorganisationsleiter, I advise you after further inquiry that your letter did indeed contain a few misstatements.
It is not Gauleiter Hanover-East's fault that you did not appear on the Reichs and state voting lists since 1931. It appears that the reason was that in 1930 is had been found that you did not perform to the satisfaction of the party in the city of Lehrte.
Furthermore, it is not the fault of the Gau nor because you are a "National Socialist" that you have been send into retirement, but you asked for it.
You were then later used as Gauobmann of the Beamtenbund again. But also here you were suspended, because one was not satisfied with your work.
I certainly do not misconceive your economic situation in which you may find yourself perhaps at the moment, but right now no office of the party can offer you a paying function, since all are taken.
Furthermore you still carry a speakers identification. The district inspector Lower Saxony explicitly recommended you to all Gaue in his inspection.
Also, you will again be used for the upcoming propaganda campaigns and you should be able to make enough in addition to your pension to feed your small family.
H e i l H i t l e r !
unquote

I don't think this is exactly what Georg Hußmann had in mind for a response. Anyway, eventually he succeeded to land another post, bringing him to the center of Nazi power, Berlin.

[Adrian Stevenson]

All very interesting to read, thanks for posting them.

Cheers, Ade.

[der-hase-fee]

All very interesting to read, thanks for posting them.

Cheers, Ade.

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated. Hope others read it, too.

[Erich S]

This gives an inside look at the inner workings of Party matters. Thanks for posting it!

[der-hase-fee]

This gives an inside look at the inner workings of Party matters. Thanks for posting it!

You are welcome, Erich. And I have more to write about !

[der-hase-fee]

A letter of recommendation on Hußmann letterhead (Senator, Organisations- und Presseleiter) is dated Feb. 20th, 1934; he is confirming character and reputation of one of the two Bocks - the younger, one of his fellows -, not missing to point out his own involvement and sincerity. So something must have gone on between January and March 1934. Did the Bocks - maybe the older - have any leverage, perhaps ?


quote

Georg Hußmann
Senator
Organisations- und Presseleiter
der Fachschaft Reichsbahn
im Reichsbund der Deutschen Beamten
Berlin
*
11 Bismarck 3408 and 3034 36

Berlin W 50, den ___ 193_
Rankestr. 4

Confirmation
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

I am pleased to confirm that Reichsbahnobersekretär Christoph Bock, Lehrte, has always been a candid and honest fighter for the national socialist movement in Northern Germany. For Bock and as well myself, I may call upon having been co-founders of the national socialist movement not only in our district, but the whole of Northwest Germany. We attended the very first rallies and fought all fights. There cannot be a more loyal and faithful fighter for the Movement than Parteigenosse Bock is and has been. He was literally a fighter while quite a few others, who joined the Movement by chance and sat behind the stove cannot really be articulated as fighters.
Already during 1918 till 1922 did Pg. Bock, who as I was a member of the DVSTB (*), risked life and limb for the national idea.

Berlin, February 20, 1934

stamped and signed

Senator and Presseleiter.

unquote

(*) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutschv%C3%B6lkischer_Schutz_und_Trutzbund
http://www.historisches-lexikon-bayerns.de/artikel/artikel_44476

[der-hase-fee]

Have confirmed that both, Georg and his wife Emilie, were awarded the silver Gau Berlin Honor Badge. :thumbup:

Love the hobby (mostly when something new is being detected) ! :001_tt1: