Magnus von Braun (senior)
Encyclopedia
Magnus Alexander Maximilian Freiherr von Braun (8 February 1878 – 30 August 1972) was a German
jurist and politician.
(present-day Dubki near Bagrationovsk, Russia
) in East Prussia
to Maximilian von Braun (1833–1918) and Eleonore (née von Gostkowski) (1842–1928).
He studied law at the Universities of Göttingen and Königsberg
and joined the Prussia
n civil service in 1905, at first at the department of trade and commerce in Berlin
.
Between 1911 and 1915 he was the district chief executive (Landrat) of the Kreis Wirsitz
(Province of Posen
) and returned to Berlin in 1915 to the department of interior.
In September 1917 Braun became the first chief press officer of the Reich Chancellery
and later the head of the political department of the military administration
of Vilnius
.
He became the Stadthauptmann (head of the administration) of Daugavpils
in 1918 and commissarial Police President of Stettin in 1919. Braun then worked again at the department of interior and became the President of the Governorate of Gumbinnen
.
He was dismissed from the civil service after the Kapp Putsch
in 1920 for his role in the coup.
Braun returned to his family's manor in East Prussia and was active in several agricultural organisations like the Raiffeisen cooperative
.
In 1930 he became the Vice President of the Reichsverband der Landwirtschaftlichen Genossenschaften (Association of Agricultural Cooperatives).
On 1 June 1932 he was appointed Weimar Germany's Minister of Nutrition and Agriculture and Reichskommissar for Eastern Aid (Osthilfe)
in the cabinet of Chancellor Franz von Papen
, a position he kept under Chancellor Kurt von Schleicher
until 28 January 1933.
After the Nazis came to power on 30 January 1933, Braun moved to his manor in Silesia
, which after World War II
became part of Poland and Braun was expelled to Western Germany in 1946.
Braun followed his son Wernher to the United States
in 1947, but returned to Germany in 1952, where he died in 1972 at Oberaudorf
.
Braun married Emmy von Quistorp (1886–1959) on 12 July 1910. They had three sons:
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...
jurist and politician.
Biography
Braun was born at his family's manor of Neucken, an estate the von Brauns had owned since 1803, near Pr. EylauBagrationovsk
Bagrationovsk is a town and the administrative center of Bagrationovsky District of Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, located south of Kaliningrad. Population: -History:...
(present-day Dubki near Bagrationovsk, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
) in East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
to Maximilian von Braun (1833–1918) and Eleonore (née von Gostkowski) (1842–1928).
He studied law at the Universities of Göttingen and Königsberg
University of Königsberg
The University of Königsberg was the university of Königsberg in East Prussia. It was founded in 1544 as second Protestant academy by Duke Albert of Prussia, and was commonly known as the Albertina....
and joined the Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n civil service in 1905, at first at the department of trade and commerce in 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...
.
Between 1911 and 1915 he was the district chief executive (Landrat) of the Kreis Wirsitz
Kreis Wirsitz
Kreis Wirsitz was one of several Kreise in the northern administrative district of Bromberg, in the Prussian province of Posen.- History :...
(Province of Posen
Province of Posen
The Province of Posen was a province of Prussia from 1848–1918 and as such part of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918. The area was about 29,000 km2....
) and returned to Berlin in 1915 to the department of interior.
In September 1917 Braun became the first chief press officer of the Reich Chancellery
Reich Chancellery
The Reich Chancellery was the traditional name of the office of the Chancellor of Germany in the period of the German Reich from 1871 to 1945...
and later the head of the political department of the military administration
Ober Ost
Ober Ost is short for Oberbefehlshaber der gesamten Deutschen Streitkräfte im Osten, which is a German term meaning "Supreme Commander of All German Forces in the East" during World War I. In practice it refers not only to said commander, but also to his governing military staff and the district...
of Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
.
He became the Stadthauptmann (head of the administration) of Daugavpils
Daugavpils
Daugavpils is a city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city gets its name. Daugavpils literally means "Daugava Castle". With a population of over 100,000, it is the second largest city in the country after the capital Riga, which is located some...
in 1918 and commissarial Police President of Stettin in 1919. Braun then worked again at the department of interior and became the President of the Governorate of Gumbinnen
Gumbinnen (region)
Regierungsbezirk Gumbinnen was a Regierungsbezirk, or government region, of the Prussian province of East Prussia from 1815 until 1945. The regional capital was Gumbinnen .-History:...
.
He was dismissed from the civil service after the Kapp Putsch
Kapp Putsch
The Kapp Putsch — or more accurately the Kapp-Lüttwitz Putsch — was a 1920 coup attempt during the German Revolution of 1918–1919 aimed at overthrowing the Weimar Republic...
in 1920 for his role in the coup.
Braun returned to his family's manor in East Prussia and was active in several agricultural organisations like the Raiffeisen cooperative
Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen
Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen was a German mayor and cooperative pioneer. Several credit union systems and cooperative banks have been named after Raiffeisen, who pioneered rural credit unions.- Life :...
.
In 1930 he became the Vice President of the Reichsverband der Landwirtschaftlichen Genossenschaften (Association of Agricultural Cooperatives).
On 1 June 1932 he was appointed Weimar Germany's Minister of Nutrition and Agriculture and Reichskommissar for Eastern Aid (Osthilfe)
Eastern Aid (Osthilfe)
Osthilfe was a policy of the German Government of the Weimar Republic to give financial support from Government funds to bankrupt estates in East Prussia....
in the cabinet of Chancellor Franz von Papen
Franz von Papen
Lieutenant-Colonel Franz Joseph Hermann Michael Maria von Papen zu Köningen was a German nobleman, Roman Catholic monarchist politician, General Staff officer, and diplomat, who served as Chancellor of Germany in 1932 and as Vice-Chancellor under Adolf Hitler in 1933–1934...
, a position he kept under Chancellor Kurt von Schleicher
Kurt von Schleicher
Kurt von Schleicher was a German general and the last Chancellor of Germany during the era of the Weimar Republic. Seventeen months after his resignation, he was assassinated by order of his successor, Adolf Hitler, in the Night of the Long Knives....
until 28 January 1933.
After the Nazis came to power on 30 January 1933, Braun moved to his manor in Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
, which after 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...
became part of Poland and Braun was expelled to Western Germany in 1946.
Braun followed his son Wernher to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1947, but returned to Germany in 1952, where he died in 1972 at Oberaudorf
Oberaudorf
Oberaudorf is a municipality in the district of Rosenheim in Bavaria in Germany.Oberaudorf is the birthplace of German politician Edmund Stoiber and soccer player Bastian Schweinsteiger grew up there.-External links:*...
.
Braun married Emmy von Quistorp (1886–1959) on 12 July 1910. They had three sons:
- Sigismund von Braun (1911–1998), diplomat
- Wernher von BraunWernher von BraunWernher Magnus Maximilian, Freiherr von Braun was a German rocket scientist, aerospace engineer, space architect, and one of the leading figures in the development of rocket technology in Nazi Germany during World War II and in the United States after that.A former member of the Nazi party,...
(1912–1977), rocket scientist - Magnus von BraunMagnus von BraunMagnus "Mac" Freiherr von Braun was a German chemical engineer, Luftwaffe aviator, and rocket scientist at Peenemünde, the Mittelwerk, and after emigrating to the United States via Operation Paperclip, at Fort Bliss...
(1919–2003), industrial manager