 |
Otto Karl GesslerGerman politician
Date of Birth: 06.02.1875
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Otto Gessler: A Prominent German Politician
- Legal and Political Career
- World War I and the Weimar Republic
- Minister of Defense
- Bavaria and Military Scandals
- Later Years and Resistance
- Post-World War II and Humanitarian Work
Otto Gessler: A Prominent German Politician
Early Life and EducationBorn on February 6, 1875, in Württemberg, Otto Gessler hailed from a Catholic family. He pursued law studies in several universities between 1893 and 1900, with a brief military service from 1898 to 1899. Upon receiving his doctorate in law from the University of Erlangen in 1900, he passed his second state exam in 1903.
Legal and Political Career
Gessler's legal career included positions in various judicial offices in Leipzig and Munich, including serving as a state prosecutor in Straubing and a judge in the commercial court in Munich. In 1903, he married Maria Helmschrott. Turning to politics, he became the mayor of Regensburg in 1910 and later the mayor of Nuremberg from 1913 to 1919.
World War I and the Weimar Republic
Despite his medical exemption from active military service during World War I, Gessler played a significant role in politics. In 1918, he became a founding member of the German Democratic Party in Nuremberg. Joining the Weimar Republic's cabinet as Minister of Reconstruction in 1919, Gessler remained a "prudent Republican."
Minister of Defense
After the suppression of the Kapp Putsch in 1920, Gessler was appointed as the new Minister of Defense. Despite cabinet changes, he held the position for eight years. Collaborating with the commander of the army, Hans von Seeckt, Gessler oversaw the modernization of the Reichswehr.
Bavaria and Military Scandals
During the Ruhr Crisis in 1923, Bavaria declared a dictatorship. Reichskanzler Gustav Stresemann responded by imposing martial law and granting Gessler full executive powers in the region. However, Gessler later handed over authority to von Seeckt. Allegations of financial irregularities in the army modernization led to Gessler's resignation as Minister of Defense in 1928.
Later Years and Resistance
After 1928, Gessler held various presidency roles and served as the chairman of the Association of Germans Abroad. Despite his ill health, he joined the German resistance movement led by Franz Sperr. Following the failed July 20, 1944, plot, Gessler was arrested and imprisoned until 1945.
Post-World War II and Humanitarian Work
Gessler participated in Bavarian government affairs and humanitarian organizations after World War II. He served as the president of the Bavarian Red Cross and the president of the Red Cross in Germany. He published his memoirs, "Reichswehrpolitik in der Weimarer Zeit," in 1958.
