Martin Bormann

Nazi party and regime Fascists and Nazis Counter-revolutionary forces 1900–1945 ✕ Suicide

Rossbach Freikorps veteran who wielded power as head of the Nazi Party Chancellery and Hitler’s private secretary

After Hess flew to Britain in 1941 he took over his duties as head of the Party Chancellery. With final approval over civil-service appointments and legislation, he held power at Hitler’s side.

The son of a post-office employee from Wegeleben, he was managing a Mecklenburg estate when he joined Freikorps Rossbach in 1922 as section leader and treasurer, and in 1924 he was jailed for a year as accomplice to his friend Rudolf Höss in the 1923 murder of teacher Walther Kadow. He joined the Nazi Party in 1927, worked in its insurance fund and from July 1933 was chief of staff to Deputy Führer Rudolf Hess. After Hess flew to Britain in 1941 he took over his duties as head of the Party Chancellery, vetting civil-service appointments and legislation, and in 1943 became Hitler’s private secretary, controlling access to him. He pressed for curbing the churches and harsh treatment of Jews and Slavs. He probably killed himself fleeing Berlin in May 1945 and was sentenced to death in absentia at Nuremberg.

Also known as: Martin Ludwig Bormann