Richard Drauz
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Richard Drauz (; 2 April 1894 – 4 December 1946) was a
Nazi Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
politician and ''
Kreisleiter ''Kreisleiter'' (; "District Leader") was a Nazi Party political rank and title which existed as a political rank between 1930 and 1945 and as a Nazi Party title from as early as 1928. The position of ''Kreisleiter'' was first formed to provide ...
'' of
Heilbronn Heilbronn () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, surrounded by Heilbronn (district), Heilbronn District. With over 126,000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state. From the late Mid ...
,
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. He was also a member of the '' Reichstag'' from 1933 until the collapse of
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
after the end of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
in Europe. One of the most fanatical and violent
Nazi Party The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party (german: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP), was a far-right politics, far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that crea ...
leaders in the last days of the war,Jill Stephenson, ''Hitler's Home Front: Württemberg under the Nazis'' (London: Hambledon Continuum, 2006, ), p. 332 Drauz was put on trial and executed by American occupation forces for war crimes in 1946.


Early life

Drauz was born in
Heilbronn Heilbronn () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, surrounded by Heilbronn (district), Heilbronn District. With over 126,000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state. From the late Mid ...
in
Württemberg Württemberg ( ; ) is a historical German territory roughly corresponding to the cultural and linguistic region of Swabia. The main town of the region is Stuttgart. Together with Baden and Hohenzollern, two other historical territories, Würt ...
, the son of postal official Christian Heinrich Drauz (1865–1937) and Friederike Johanna
née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
Dederer (1866–1938). His parents were both from old Heilbronner vintner's families. After attending middle and high school in Heilbronn, he became a mechanic's apprentice. He enlisted in the
German Army The German Army (, "army") is the land component of the armed forces of Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German ''Bundeswehr'' together with the ''Marine'' (German Navy) and the ''Luftwaf ...
at the start of
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and advanced to the rank of ''
Feldwebel ''Feldwebel '' (Fw or F, ) is a non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in several countries. The rank originated in Germany, and is also used in Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, and Estonia. The rank has also been used in Russia, Austria-Hungary, occupi ...
'' (Sergeant) by 1918. After the war, he studied at the Hochschule Esslingen in
Esslingen am Neckar Esslingen am Neckar ( Swabian: ''Esslenga am Neckor'') is a town in the Stuttgart Region of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany, seat of the District of Esslingen as well as the largest town in the district. Within Baden-Württemberg it is t ...
and from 1921 to 1928 worked at the
Maschinenfabrik Esslingen Maschinenfabrik Esslingen (ME), was a German engineering firm that manufactured locomotives, tramways, railway wagons, roll-blocks, technical equipment for the railways, (turntables and traversers), bridges, steel structures, pumps and boilers. ...
as a refrigeration engineer. There he met
Wilhelm Murr Wilhelm Murr (16 December 1888 – 14 May 1945) was a Nazi German politician. From 1928 until his death he was ''Gauleiter'' of Gau Württemberg-Hohenzollern, and from early 1933 held the offices of State President and '' Reichsstatthalter'' (Re ...
, a
Nazi Party The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party (german: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP), was a far-right politics, far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that crea ...
agitator who later became ''
Gauleiter A ''Gauleiter'' () was a regional leader of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) who served as the head of a ''Administrative divisions of Nazi Germany, Gau'' or ''Reichsgau''. ''Gauleiter'' was the third-highest Ranks and insignia of the Nazi Party, rank in ...
'' and then ''
Reichsstatthalter The ''Reichsstatthalter'' (, ''Imperial lieutenant'') was a title used in the German Empire and later in Nazi Germany. ''Statthalter des Reiches'' (1879–1918) The office of ''Statthalter des Reiches'' (otherwise known as ''Reichsstatthalte ...
'' of the German State of
Württemberg Württemberg ( ; ) is a historical German territory roughly corresponding to the cultural and linguistic region of Swabia. The main town of the region is Stuttgart. Together with Baden and Hohenzollern, two other historical territories, Würt ...
. On 1 April 1928, Drauz joined the Nazi Party as Member No. 80730 and shortly afterwards he and his family moved to
Dortmund Dortmund (; Westphalian nds, Düörpm ; la, Tremonia) is the third-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia after Cologne and Düsseldorf, and the eighth-largest city of Germany, with a population of 588,250 inhabitants as of 2021. It is the la ...
. His employment there is unclear."Richard Drauz - NS Career and Downfall"
(german: NS-Karriere und Untergang), ''Mahnung Gegen Rechts Extremismus'', retrieved 2011-02-15 (archived link, 13 December 2014)


Rise to Power

In 1932
Wilhelm Murr Wilhelm Murr (16 December 1888 – 14 May 1945) was a Nazi German politician. From 1928 until his death he was ''Gauleiter'' of Gau Württemberg-Hohenzollern, and from early 1933 held the offices of State President and '' Reichsstatthalter'' (Re ...
, the new Party ''
Gauleiter A ''Gauleiter'' () was a regional leader of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) who served as the head of a ''Administrative divisions of Nazi Germany, Gau'' or ''Reichsgau''. ''Gauleiter'' was the third-highest Ranks and insignia of the Nazi Party, rank in ...
'' of
Württemberg Württemberg ( ; ) is a historical German territory roughly corresponding to the cultural and linguistic region of Swabia. The main town of the region is Stuttgart. Together with Baden and Hohenzollern, two other historical territories, Würt ...
, called upon Drauz to be the Nazi Party District Leader in Heilbronn, a city with a loyal
SPD The Social Democratic Party of Germany (german: Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, ; SPD, ) is a centre-left social democratic political party in Germany. It is one of the major parties of contemporary Germany. Saskia Esken has been t ...
/ DDP social-democratic electorate and therefore a problem for the Party. Drauz returned to his home city to impose "National Socialist virtue", by force, if necessary. He was made Director of the Nazi daily party newspaper, the ''Heilbronner Tagblatt'', a position he would use to spread propaganda, harass enemies and make calls to action. After the Nazi Seizure of Power on 30 January 1933, Drauz pushed all other Heilbronner newspapers out of business through raids, property seizures and advertiser intimidation. In July 1933, a large group of ''
Sturmabteilung The (; SA; literally "Storm Detachment") was the original paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party. It played a significant role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s. Its primary purposes were providing protection for Nazi ral ...
'' (SA) storm troopers attacked the former Lord Mayor Emil Beutinger, who had been critical of the Nazis. Beutinger's home was damaged but he was able to escape unharmed. Police proceedings against 40 suspects were suppressed by Drauz. He was rewarded for such brutal actions, first appointed Political Commissar for the greater Heilbronn
Landkreis In all German states, except for the three city states, the primary administrative subdivision higher than a '' Gemeinde'' (municipality) is the (official term in all but two states) or (official term in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia ...
and then made an honorary SA-''
Sturmbannführer __NOTOC__ ''Sturmbannführer'' (; ) was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank equivalent to major that was used in several Nazi organizations, such as the SA, SS, and the NSFK. The rank originated from German shock troop units of the First World War ...
''. From August 1933 he gained membership on the Heilbronn City Council, and as such, also appointed deputy to '' Oberbürgermeister'' (Lord Mayor) Heinrich Gültig on 12 October. This was merely a formality as Drauz already had authority over Gültig in the party hierarchy. In the national elections of November 1933, Drauz also won a seat in the '' Reichstag'' for Württemberg District 18, although by this time the ''Reichstag'' was neither democratically elected nor politically influential. By 1938 Drauz had gained significant positions on the Boards of many companies, associations and unions in Heilbronn, such as: Heilbronn Maschinenbau-Gesellschaft, Glashütte Heilbronn AG, the Portland Cement Plant in
Lauffen am Neckar Lauffen am Neckar () or simply Lauffen is a town in the district of Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is on the river Neckar, southwest of Heilbronn. The town is famous as the birthplace of the poet Friedrich Hölderlin and for its qu ...
and even the
VfR Heilbronn FC Heilbronn () was a German association football club based in Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg formed in 2003 out of a merger between VfR Heilbronn () and Heilbronner SpVgg. In 2012 the club merged with the football department of Union Böckinge ...
football club. He answered the rejection of his request for a supervisory board position at the food manufacturer
Knorr (brand) Knorr (, , ) is a German food and beverage brand. It has been owned by the British company Unilever since 2000, when Unilever acquired Best Foods, excluding Japan, where it is made under licence by Ajinomoto. It produces dehydrated soup and ...
with hate mail and abusive articles in the ''Tagblatt''. As the result of district reforms on 1 October 1938, Heilbronn became seat of the newly created Heilbronn County and the previously independent towns of Böckingen, Sontheim and Neckargartach were annexed. Drauz was unpopular with many people, even within the Nazis' own ranks. There were several proceedings against him before the Party's Internal District Court. Two complainants accused him in 1934 of "purely arbitrary policies of violence" and that he was leading "an immoral lifestyle that defies description and will harm the overall movement". They pointed at notorious street drinking sessions and numerous adulterous love affairs. All proceedings ended with acquittal, probably due to the patronage of ''
Gauleiter A ''Gauleiter'' () was a regional leader of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) who served as the head of a ''Administrative divisions of Nazi Germany, Gau'' or ''Reichsgau''. ''Gauleiter'' was the third-highest Ranks and insignia of the Nazi Party, rank in ...
''
Wilhelm Murr Wilhelm Murr (16 December 1888 – 14 May 1945) was a Nazi German politician. From 1928 until his death he was ''Gauleiter'' of Gau Württemberg-Hohenzollern, and from early 1933 held the offices of State President and '' Reichsstatthalter'' (Re ...
. Drauz responded by insulting his internal party opponents, initiating smear campaigns and dismissing them from any party functions he could. If his reputation was tarnished, his career remained unharmed: In 1943 he was appointed '' Oberbereichsleiter'' and he acquired additional district management roles in
Vaihingen an der Enz Vaihingen an der Enz is a town located between Stuttgart and Karlsruhe, in southern Germany, on the western periphery of the Stuttgart Region. Vaihingen is situated on the river Enz, and has a population of around 30,000. The former district-cap ...
and
Ludwigsburg Ludwigsburg (; Swabian: ''Ludisburg'') is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about north of Stuttgart city centre, near the river Neckar. It is the largest and primary city of the Ludwigsburg district with about 88,000 inhabitants. It is ...
.


World War II

After news of the German defeat at Stalingrad in 1943, Drauz was continuously active in delivering propaganda at the behest of the Party. He delivered speeches nearly every day in front of local Nazi rallies in the City and County of Heilbronn. His speeches typically conjured up old memories of the First World War to emphasize how much victory depended on their attitude and loyalty. On 16 January 1944 Drauz attended a Party meeting, which adopted "Struggle, Work, Faith" as slogan of the year, and on 30 January in Heilbronn's
Marktplatz A marketplace or market place is a location where people regularly gather for the purchase and sale of provisions, livestock, and other goods. In different parts of the world, a marketplace may be described as a '' souk'' (from the Arabic), ' ...
he announced a policy of '' Endsieg''. In August 1944, he ordered the managers of Heilbronn-based companies to an information session, during which he demanded full mobilization of all available resources for "
Total War Total war is a type of warfare that includes any and all civilian-associated resources and infrastructure as legitimate military targets, mobilizes all of the resources of society to fight the war, and gives priority to warfare over non-combata ...
". One result was the discontinuation of the Metropolitan Orchestra and Municipal Theater. Any remaining cultural life in the city was finally broken after the first heavy bombing raids on 10 September 1944, to be replaced only by Drautz's "Rallying Calls".Christhard Schrenk: "Das Jahr 1944," in ''Heilbronn 1944/45 – The Life and Death of a City'' ed. Hubert Bläsi and Christhard Schrenk (Heilbronn: Stadtarchiv Heilbronn, 1995. ) Despite his arbitrary leadership, behind the scenes Drauz became more serious about evacuation plans for the city, although far too late. Initial air raids had killed about 300 people, and Drauz carefully argued a case to his boss, ''Gauleiter'' and now Military Defense Commissar
Wilhelm Murr Wilhelm Murr (16 December 1888 – 14 May 1945) was a Nazi German politician. From 1928 until his death he was ''Gauleiter'' of Gau Württemberg-Hohenzollern, and from early 1933 held the offices of State President and '' Reichsstatthalter'' (Re ...
, that any large-scale attack on the densely populated city center would result in heavy loss of life because of its confined position on the
Neckar The Neckar () is a river in Germany, mainly flowing through the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg, with a short section through Hesse. The Neckar is a major right tributary of the Rhine. Rising in the Schwarzwald-Baar-Kreis near Schwenn ...
. Murr refused to permit any evacuation, not only because it would be "defeatist" but, more practically, any evacuees would by now have no place to go. Drauz's prediction became a tragic reality on 4 December 1944. That night a major raid completely destroyed the city center and over 6500 people were killed, including 1000 children, the majority incinerated in a
fire storm A firestorm is a conflagration which attains such intensity that it creates and sustains its own wind system. It is most commonly a natural phenomenon, created during some of the largest bushfires and wildfires. Although the term has been used ...
. It became the worst bombing experience of any city in Württemberg.Stephenson, p. 160 In the final months of the war, Drauz became increasingly desperate and violent in trying to follow Hitler's most absurd commands. As a result of the
Nero Decree The Nero Decree (german: Nerobefehl) was issued by Adolf Hitler on 19 March 1945, ordering the destruction of German infrastructure to prevent its use by Allied forces as they penetrated deep within Germany. It was officially titled Decree Con ...
in March 1945, Drauz sought to turn what remained of the ruined city into
scorched earth A scorched-earth policy is a military strategy that aims to destroy anything that might be useful to the enemy. Any assets that could be used by the enemy may be targeted, which usually includes obvious weapons, transport vehicles, communi ...
, for example giving orders to blow up the
Neckarsulm Neckarsulm () is a city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, near Heilbronn, and part of the district of Heilbronn. , Neckarsulm had 26,800 inhabitants. The name Neckarsulm derives from the city's location where the Neckar and Sulm rivers ...
Vehicle Factory. His goal was largely resisted by the population because defeat was obvious, however it partly succeeded through his orders to withdraw any remaining fire brigades. He ordered every district village be turned into a bastion and fight to the last on penalty of death. On 3 April 1945, as Allied ground forces approached, Drauz had ''
Ortsgruppenleiter ''Ortsgruppenleiter'' (Local Group Leader) was a Nazi Party political rank and title which existed between 1930 and 1945. The term first came into being during the German elections of 1930, and was held by the head Nazi of a town or city, or in ...
'' Karl Taubenberger shot because he failed to prevent residents from removing a tank barricade. He left Taubenberger's corpse on display on the main road. A sign with the inscription "I am a national traitor" was hung around his neck."District Leaders and War Criminals: Richard Drauz,"
''Heilbronn City Archives'' retrieved 2011-02-14
The final Battle of Heilbronn began on 4 April 1945. By 6 April, recognizing the city center could not be held but refusing to accept defeat, Drauz disbanded his District Office, burned records and the Party Flag, then fled in two cars with a large escort. On reaching Schweinsbergstraße, the entourage saw white flags flying from five or six homes, including that of City Council member Karl Kübler. The inhabitants had been advised to raise the flags by retreating
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...
troops, who had described the superior strength of approaching American forces. Drauz stopped the car and ordered "get out, shoot, shoot everything!" Three companions indiscriminately shot at anyone who showed up at a window or opened a door. Kübler's wife Anna, standing protectively in front of her husband, was murdered as well as Kübler himself, the 72-year-old pastor Gustav Beyer and 46-year-old Elsa Drebinger. Heilbronn Dairy director Karl Weber, who barely escaped the hail of bullets, later reported that Kübler had been given authority by mayor Heinrich Gültig to surrender the city without a fight, but Drauz "was too powerful and would not allow surrender." Drauz's actions directly left a total of 14 civilians dead, and his orders to fanatical
paramilitary A paramilitary is an organization whose structure, tactics, training, subculture, and (often) function are similar to those of a professional military, but is not part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. Paramilitary units carr ...
units to fight to the end culminated in another week of bitter hand-to-hand fighting, needlessly costing hundreds more lives and further destroying what was left of the city. Unlike
Stuttgart Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the ...
, whose mayor
Karl Strölin Karl Strölin (21 October 1890 – 21 January 1963) was a German Nazi politician and from 1933 to 1945, was the mayor of Stuttgart. Early career Karl Strölin was born in 1890 into a religious family in Berlin, Germany. As the son of an arm ...
had quietly negotiated his city's surrender, Heilbronn was not spared this final agony because of Drauz.


Arrest and execution

At war's end in May 1945, Drauz was already being sought by the US Army because of his involvement in the
summary execution A summary execution is an execution in which a person is accused of a crime and immediately killed without the benefit of a full and fair trial. Executions as the result of summary justice (such as a drumhead court-martial) are sometimes include ...
of an American
POW A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war ...
that previous March. Now a fugitive, he fled initially to
Tübingen Tübingen (, , Swabian: ''Dibenga'') is a traditional university city in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, and developed on both sides of the Neckar and Ammer rivers. about one in thr ...
with his family. The couple then left their children behind with a tutor and escaped under false papers into the
Rhineland The Rhineland (german: Rheinland; french: Rhénanie; nl, Rijnland; ksh, Rhingland; Latinised name: ''Rhenania'') is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly its middle section. Term Historically, the Rhinelands ...
, where they took shelter at Dernbach Monastery in
Montabaur Montabaur () is a town and the district seat of the Westerwaldkreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. At the same time, it is also the administrative centre of the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' of Montabaur – a kind of collective municipality – to w ...
. In July 1945, when his wife learned their children had been abandoned by the tutor, she went back across American lines and brought them to her hometown of
Talheim Talheim () is a Municipalities of Germany, municipality in the district of Heilbronn (district), Heilbronn in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is commonly known for its wine, the tennis tournament Intersport Heilbronn Open, Heilbronn ...
. There the US
Counter Intelligence Corps The Counter Intelligence Corps (Army CIC) was a World War II and early Cold War intelligence agency within the United States Army consisting of highly trained special agents. Its role was taken over by the U.S. Army Intelligence Corps in 1961 and ...
was waiting for her. After a long interrogation, the CIC learned her husband's location and his false name of "Richard Binder". CIC agent Al Sandwina and investigator Helmut F.W. Frey then drove by Jeep to the monastery, where with guns drawn they found a man in a small garden house answering to the name "Binder". The agents, of course, already knew this name in the false passport. When confronted, Drauz fell apart and was arrested without further incident. He was tried by the American General Military Government Court (''US vs. Richard Drauz'', Case Number 12-1182-1) in the Dachau Trials. The court determined that on 24 March 1945 he shot and killed a downed American Airman who had surrendered in the village of Dürrenzimmern, in the Heilbronn district of
Brackenheim Brackenheim () is a town in the ''Landkreis'' Heilbronn in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is southwest of Heilbronn. With of vineyards, it is the biggest grape-growing municipality of Württemberg. Geography Geographical positio ...
, a war crime under the
Third Geneva Convention The Third Geneva Convention, relative to the treatment of prisoners of war, is one of the four treaties of the Geneva Conventions. The Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War was first adopted in 1929, but significantl ...
. In his defense he stated that the American pilot represented "Anglo-American air gangsters" who had indiscriminately murdered hundreds of thousands of civilians in Dresden, Hamburg, and other cities. Drauz was found guilty and sentenced to death on 11 December 1945. Transferred to
Landsberg Prison Landsberg Prison is a penal facility in the town of Landsberg am Lech in the southwest of the German state of Bavaria, about west-southwest of Munich and south of Augsburg. It is best known as the prison where Adolf Hitler was held in 1924, a ...
, he was executed by hanging on 4 December 1946. In the aftermath, Heilbronn's new newspaper, the ''Heilbronner Stimme'' (Voice of Heilbronn), remarked that "he was a particularly nasty specimen of the Nazi movement". For his brutality, indiscriminate murder, and responsibility in the final agony of their city, Drauz remains a figure of contempt in Heilbronn to this day.Susanne Schlösser, "The Heilbronner NSDAP and its Leaders," ''Heilbronnica 2'', 2003, p. 317


References


External links


Detailed, illustrated page on Drauz
at mahnung-gegen-rechts.de
Richard Drauz
photos and documents in city history-heilbronn.de

in the database of members of the Reichstag {{DEFAULTSORT:Drauz, Richard 1894 births 1946 deaths Executed German mass murderers Members of the Reichstag of Nazi Germany Dachau trials executions People from Heilbronn German Army personnel of World War I Sturmabteilung officers Executed people from Baden-Württemberg People from the Kingdom of Württemberg Kreisleiter