Gunter d'Alquen
Encyclopedia
Gunter d'Alquen (ˈdalkən) (October 24, 1910 - May 15, 1998) was Chief Editor of the SS weekly, Das Schwarze Korps
("The Black Corps") the official newspaper of the Schutzstaffel (SS), and commander of the SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers
(SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers. The honour title Kurt Eggers referred to the SS War Correspondent and editor of the SS Magazine Das Schwarze Korps, killed in 1943).
, North Rhine-Westphalia
, Germany
, the son of a Protestant merchant and reserve officer. After attending secondary school in Essen and joining the Hitler Youth
in 1925, d'Alquen entered the NSDAP at the age of seventeen and was an SA
man and Youth Leader in the Party between 1927 and 1931.
He played an active part in the National Socialist German Students' League
and later joined the SS on April 10, 1931, becoming an SS Captain within three years. D'Alquen never completed his university studies, concentrating instead on a journalistic career. In 1932 he joined the staff of the Völkischer Beobachter
as a political correspondent, catching the eye of Heinrich Himmler
who in March 1935 appointed him editor of the official SS paper, Das Schwarze Korps.
As the mouthpiece of revolutionary Nazism
and chief spokesman of the SS in the German press, d'Alquen's paper frequently attacked intellectuals, students, distinguished scientists, recalcitrant business firms, black marketeers, churchmen and other groups or trends in German society which had aroused Himmler's wrath. Apart from its notorious antisemitism and censorious role in national affairs, the paper saw itself as a bastion of German morale during World War II
, concentrating its attention on German victories at the front.
propaganda department. Among his publications was an official history of the SS, Die SS. Geschichte, Aufgabe und Organisation der Schutzstaffeln der NSDAP (1939). He also edited Das ist der Sieg (1940) and Waffen-SS im Westen (1941). In July 1955 d'Alquen was fined DM 60,000
by a Berlin Denazification
court, deprived of all civic rights for three years and barred from drawing an allowance or pension from public funds.
He was found guilty of having played an important role in the Third Reich, of war propaganda, incitement against the churches, the Jews
and foreign countries, and incitement to murder. He had glorified the SS State and Hitler's infallibility, brought democracy
into contempt and encouraged anti-Semitism. After a further investigation into his earnings from Nazi propaganda, d'Alquen was fined another DM 28,000 by the Berlin Denazification court on January 7, 1958.
Das Schwarze Korps
Das Schwarze Korps was the official newspaper of the Schutzstaffel . This newspaper was published on Wednesdays and distributed free of charge. Each SS member was supposed to read the publication and urge others to do so as well...
("The Black Corps") the official newspaper of the Schutzstaffel (SS), and commander of the SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers
SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers
SS-Kriegsberichter-Kompanie SS-Kriegsberichter-Abteilung SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers The SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers was a German Waffen SS war correspondent formation which reported on the actions of all Waffen SS combat formations, seeing action in all major theatres of war with the exception of North...
(SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers. The honour title Kurt Eggers referred to the SS War Correspondent and editor of the SS Magazine Das Schwarze Korps, killed in 1943).
From the National Socialist Students' Association to the Völkischer Beobachter
Gunter d'Alquen was born in EssenEssen
- Origin of the name :In German-speaking countries, the name of the city Essen often causes confusion as to its origins, because it is commonly known as the German infinitive of the verb for the act of eating, and/or the German noun for food. Although scholars still dispute the interpretation of...
, North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
, 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...
, the son of a Protestant merchant and reserve officer. After attending secondary school in Essen and joining the Hitler Youth
Hitler Youth
The Hitler Youth was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party. It existed from 1922 to 1945. The HJ was the second oldest paramilitary Nazi group, founded one year after its adult counterpart, the Sturmabteilung...
in 1925, d'Alquen entered the NSDAP at the age of seventeen and was 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...
man and Youth Leader in the Party between 1927 and 1931.
He played an active part in the National Socialist German Students' League
National Socialist German Students' League
The National Socialist German Students' League was founded in 1926 as a division of the NSDAP with the mission of integrating University-level education and academic life within the framework of the National Socialist worldview...
and later joined the SS on April 10, 1931, becoming an SS Captain within three years. D'Alquen never completed his university studies, concentrating instead on a journalistic career. In 1932 he joined the staff of 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...
as a political correspondent, catching the eye of Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler was Reichsführer of the SS, a military commander, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. As Chief of the German Police and the Minister of the Interior from 1943, Himmler oversaw all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo...
who in March 1935 appointed him editor of the official SS paper, Das Schwarze Korps.
As the mouthpiece of revolutionary Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
and chief spokesman of the SS in the German press, d'Alquen's paper frequently attacked intellectuals, students, distinguished scientists, recalcitrant business firms, black marketeers, churchmen and other groups or trends in German society which had aroused Himmler's wrath. Apart from its notorious antisemitism and censorious role in national affairs, the paper saw itself as a bastion of German morale during 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...
, concentrating its attention on German victories at the front.
SS War Reporter
D'Alquen himself became a prominent SS war reporter after September 1939 and towards the end of the war was appointed by Himmler as head of the WehrmachtWehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
propaganda department. Among his publications was an official history of the SS, Die SS. Geschichte, Aufgabe und Organisation der Schutzstaffeln der NSDAP (1939). He also edited Das ist der Sieg (1940) and Waffen-SS im Westen (1941). In July 1955 d'Alquen was fined DM 60,000
German mark
The Deutsche Mark |mark]], abbreviated "DM") was the official currency of West Germany and Germany until the adoption of the euro in 2002. It is commonly called the "Deutschmark" in English but not in German. Germans often say "Mark" or "D-Mark"...
by a Berlin Denazification
Denazification
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, deprived of all civic rights for three years and barred from drawing an allowance or pension from public funds.
He was found guilty of having played an important role in the Third Reich, of war propaganda, incitement against the churches, the Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
and foreign countries, and incitement to murder. He had glorified the SS State and Hitler's infallibility, brought democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
into contempt and encouraged anti-Semitism. After a further investigation into his earnings from Nazi propaganda, d'Alquen was fined another DM 28,000 by the Berlin Denazification court on January 7, 1958.
See also
- Das Schwarze KorpsDas Schwarze KorpsDas Schwarze Korps was the official newspaper of the Schutzstaffel . This newspaper was published on Wednesdays and distributed free of charge. Each SS member was supposed to read the publication and urge others to do so as well...
- SS-Standarte Kurt EggersSS-Standarte Kurt EggersSS-Kriegsberichter-Kompanie SS-Kriegsberichter-Abteilung SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers The SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers was a German Waffen SS war correspondent formation which reported on the actions of all Waffen SS combat formations, seeing action in all major theatres of war with the exception of North...
- Ex-Nazi