Alfred Hugenberg

German National People's Party (DNVP) Conservatism and Christian democracy 1865–1951 ○ Natural causes

Press baron and leader of the German National People's Party who brought his party into coalition with Hitler

Born in Hanover, he studied economics and law and in 1891 co-founded the organisation that became the Pan-German League. Chairman of the Krupp board from 1909 to 1918, he bought the Scherl publishing house in 1916, then a news agency, newspapers and in 1927 the film company Ufa, becoming Germany's leading media proprietor. Chairman of the German National People's Party after its 1928 losses, he steered it against the republic and in 1931 formed the Harzburg Front with the Nazis. In January 1933 he became economics and agriculture minister in Hitler's cabinet, hoping to use Hitler as his tool, but was forced out in June when his party dissolved. He remained a guest member of the Reichstag until 1945 without influence.

Also known as: Alfred Ernst Christian Alexander Hugenberg