Emil Ketterer
Encyclopedia
Emil Ketterer was a German
track and field athlete
who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics
. Later in his life, he became an ardent Nazi and SA
-Obergruppenführer
. As a medical doctor, he was involved in approval and promotion of euthanasia
under the Nazi regime. He was father-in-law of Hanns-Martin Schleyer, SS officer and victim of the Red Army Faction
.
Born in Neustadt
, he studied at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, where he specialized in internal medicine and sports medicine. In 1912 Summer Olympics
, he was eliminated in the first round of the 100 metres competition
as he was not able to finish his race due to an injury.
He participated in the World War I
as a medical officer in the Bavarian army. After the war, Ketterer joined Bayerische Volkspartei and was involved in the Freikorps
' clashes with left-wing radicals
. As a member of the Reichskriegsflagge organisation, he took part in Hitler's Beer Hall Putsch
, for which he was awarded the Nazi Blood Order
, and in 1925 he became the NSDAP (Membership number 697). He joined SA in 1931 and was its Chief of Medical Services until 1937.
Since 1933, Ketterer was also Munich City councillor and in the period of 1936-1945 he was chairman of the TSV 1860 München
sports club. He died in Munich
.
His daughter Waltrude
(1916-2008) was the wife of Hanns-Martin Schleyer, murdered by the RAF terrorists in 1977.
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...
track and field athlete
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics
1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,407 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports...
. Later in his life, he became an ardent Nazi and 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 a medical doctor, he was involved in approval and promotion of euthanasia
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
under the Nazi regime. He was father-in-law of Hanns-Martin Schleyer, SS officer and victim of the Red Army Faction
Red Army Faction
The radicalized were, like many in the New Left, influenced by:* Sociological developments, pressure within the educational system in and outside Europe and the U.S...
.
Born in Neustadt
Titisee-Neustadt
Titisee-Neustadt is a municipality in the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is made up of the six communities of Neustadt, Langenordnach, Rudenberg, Titisee, Schwärzenbach and Waldau.The town of Neustadt is a spa known for its Kneipp hydrotherapeutic...
, he studied at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, where he specialized in internal medicine and sports medicine. In 1912 Summer Olympics
1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,407 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports...
, he was eliminated in the first round of the 100 metres competition
Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics - Men's 100 metres
The men's 100 metres was a track and field athletics event held as part of the Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme. It was the fifth appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics...
as he was not able to finish his race due to an injury.
He participated in the 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...
as a medical officer in the Bavarian army. After the war, Ketterer joined Bayerische Volkspartei and was involved in the Freikorps
Freikorps
Freikorps are German volunteer military or paramilitary units. The term was originally applied to voluntary armies formed in German lands from the middle of the 18th century onwards. Between World War I and World War II the term was also used for the paramilitary organizations that arose during...
' clashes with left-wing radicals
Bavarian Soviet Republic
The Bavarian Soviet Republic, also known as the Munich Soviet Republic was, as part of the German Revolution of 1918–1919, the short-lived attempt to establish a socialist state in form of a council republic in the Free State of Bavaria. It sought independence from the also recently proclaimed...
. As a member of the Reichskriegsflagge organisation, he took part in Hitler's Beer Hall Putsch
Beer Hall Putsch
The Beer Hall Putsch was a failed attempt at revolution that occurred between the evening of 8 November and the early afternoon of 9 November 1923, when Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler, Generalquartiermeister Erich Ludendorff, and other heads of the Kampfbund unsuccessfully tried to seize power...
, for which he was awarded the Nazi Blood Order
Blood Order
The Blood Order , officially known as the Decoration of 9 November 1923 , was one of the most prestigious decorations in the Nazi Party...
, and in 1925 he became the NSDAP (Membership number 697). He joined SA in 1931 and was its Chief of Medical Services until 1937.
Since 1933, Ketterer was also Munich City councillor and in the period of 1936-1945 he was chairman of the TSV 1860 München
TSV 1860 München
Turn- und Sportverein München von 1860, commonly known as TSV 1860 München or 1860 Munich, is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. The club's football team plays in the Second Bundesliga, after relegation from the Bundesliga following the 2003–04 season...
sports club. He died 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...
.
His daughter Waltrude
Waltrude Schleyer
Waltrude Schleyer was daughter of the Nazi advocate of Euthanasia, SA-Obergruppenführer Emil Ketterer. She campaigned against leniency for the murderers of her husband, Hanns-Martin Schleyer, following his assassination by the Red Army Faction which shocked West Germany during the 1970s...
(1916-2008) was the wife of Hanns-Martin Schleyer, murdered by the RAF terrorists in 1977.
Further reading
- CAMPBELL, Bruce: The SA Generals and the Rise of Nazism. Lexington, Kentucky, University Press of Kentucky, 2004 ISBN 978-0-8131-9098-3