Curt Bräuer
Encyclopedia
Curt Bräuer was a German
career diplomat
.
Born in Breslau, in what is modern-day Poland
, Bräuer entered service in the German foreign ministry in 1920. At the outbreak of World War II
in September 1939, Bräuer was posted at the German embassy in Paris
. Later that year, Bräuer was named as envoy to Norway
, and served in Oslo
beginning on November 14, 1939. Bräuer was Germany's representative in Norway at the time of Nazi Germany's invasion of Norway in April 1940.
Until the invasion, the official German foreign policy was to respect Norwegian neutrality
, a line with which Bräuer is said to have agreed and worked toward. However, on the evening of April 8, 1940, the envoy received orders from Berlin
— he was to be Hitler
's representative and deliver a German ultimatum
for the occupation of Norway to the Norwegian government the next morning.
The Norwegian government refused the German demands and left the capital as it became clear that Norway was becoming overrun with German troops. In the following days, Bräuer tried to convince the Norwegian government and King Haakon VII to capitulate and to name Vidkun Quisling
as prime minister. The Norwegian government refused these demands and vowed to resist the German invasion as long as possible.
On April 16, 1940, Hitler recalled Bräuer from Oslo, deciding that the Norwegian resistance movement
dictated that the country be administered by a more authoritarian personality
. Hitler named Josef Terboven
— an enthusiastic Nazi
— to assume the position of Reichskommissar
for Norway. Terboven wielded near-dictatorial powers in Norway until war's end.
After his recall from Norway, Bräuer left the diplomatic service and was sent to the front as an ordinary soldier. He spent nine years as a prisoner-of-war in the Soviet Union
.
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...
career diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
.
Born in Breslau, in what is modern-day Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Bräuer entered service in the German foreign ministry in 1920. At the outbreak of 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...
in September 1939, Bräuer was posted at the German embassy in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Later that year, Bräuer was named as envoy to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, and served in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
beginning on November 14, 1939. Bräuer was Germany's representative in Norway at the time of Nazi Germany's invasion of Norway in April 1940.
Until the invasion, the official German foreign policy was to respect Norwegian neutrality
Neutral country
A neutral power in a particular war is a sovereign state which declares itself to be neutral towards the belligerents. A non-belligerent state does not need to be neutral. The rights and duties of a neutral power are defined in Sections 5 and 13 of the Hague Convention of 1907...
, a line with which Bräuer is said to have agreed and worked toward. However, on the evening of April 8, 1940, the envoy received orders from Berlin
Berlin
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...
— he was to be 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 representative and deliver a German ultimatum
Ultimatum
An ultimatum is a demand whose fulfillment is requested in a specified period of time and which is backed up by a threat to be followed through in case of noncompliance. An ultimatum is generally the final demand in a series of requests...
for the occupation of Norway to the Norwegian government the next morning.
The Norwegian government refused the German demands and left the capital as it became clear that Norway was becoming overrun with German troops. In the following days, Bräuer tried to convince the Norwegian government and King Haakon VII to capitulate and to name Vidkun Quisling
Vidkun Quisling
Vidkun Abraham Lauritz Jonssøn Quisling was a Norwegian politician. On 9 April 1940, with the German invasion of Norway in progress, he seized power in a Nazi-backed coup d'etat that garnered him international infamy. From 1942 to 1945 he served as Minister-President, working with the occupying...
as prime minister. The Norwegian government refused these demands and vowed to resist the German invasion as long as possible.
On April 16, 1940, Hitler recalled Bräuer from Oslo, deciding that the Norwegian resistance movement
Norwegian resistance movement
The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...
dictated that the country be administered by a more authoritarian personality
Authoritarian personality
-Historical Origins:Adorno, Frenkel-Brunswick, Levinson and Sanford compiled a large body of research and theory , which attempted to characterize a personality type that described the “potentially fascistic individual”...
. Hitler named Josef Terboven
Josef Terboven
Josef Antonius Heinrich Terboven was a Nazi leader, best known as the Reichskommissar during the German occupation of Norway.-Early life:...
— an enthusiastic Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
— to assume the position of Reichskommissar
Reichskommissar
Reichskommissar , in German history, was an official gubernatorial title used for various public offices during the period of the German Empire and the Nazi Third Reich....
for Norway. Terboven wielded near-dictatorial powers in Norway until war's end.
After his recall from Norway, Bräuer left the diplomatic service and was sent to the front as an ordinary soldier. He spent nine years as a prisoner-of-war in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.