Helmut Bruckner

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Helmuth Brückner (1896–1954) was a Gauleiter of the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP) from 1925 until 1934.

[edit] Life

Helmuth Brückner was born on May 7, 1896 in Peilau (Prussia). He attended Volkschule in Peilau, Höhere Knabenschule in Langenbielau, and Kgl. Realgymnasium in Reichenbach. He then studied at Friederich-Wilhelm-Universität in Breslau.

In 1914, Brückner volunteered for the Army and was posted with the Feld-Artillerie-Regiment 88 where he won the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class as Leutnant der Reserve and Abteilung-Adjutant. On March 25, 1918, he was seriously wounded while in France. In 1921, he was Ib–Gruppe Nord with the Deutschen Selbstschutz (Freikorps) in Oberschlesien.

In 1924, Brückner joined the NS-Freiheitsbewegung (the NSDAP had been banned after the failed “Beer Hall Putsch” in 1923) and became editor of Schlesien Volksstimme. He also became Stadtverordneter in Breslau, a position he held until 1926. Brückner organized the NSDAP in Schlesien and on March 15, 1925, he officially joined the NSDAP (number 2 023) and was appointed Gauleiter for Schlesien. In September, 1930 he became a member of the Reichstag for Breslau (Wkr.8) and on April 24, 1932, he became a member of the Preußischen Lantags. On August 17, 1932 Brückner was named Kommissar Ost der NSDAP. It was at this time he also founded the publishing house NS-Schlesien which published the “Schlesischen Beobachters.” On March 12, 1933, Brückner became Provinzial-Landtagsabgeordneter, Kreistagsabgeordneter and Stadtverordneter. On March 25, 1933, he became a Preußischen Staatsrat and the Oberpräsident in Breslau (while simultaneously being given temporary authority of Oberpräsident in Oppeln). On October 7, 1933 he became SA-Gruppenführer, but on December 25, 1934, he was expelled from NSDAP and dismissed as Gauleiter in connection with the "Röhm Putsch".

From 1938, Brückner was as an industrial worker in the Heinkel works in Rostock. Arrested by the Soviets in July, 1945, he was confined in a Thüringischen prison camp until 1949, then moved to the USSR where he was also in various internment camps. Official sources give his year of death as both 1954, however hide the date and place.