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World War II -- Holocaust biographies Martin Bormann
World War II Biographies: Martin Bormann (German, 1900-45)
Figure 1.--Martin Bormann married 19-year-old Gerda Buch, about 10 years younger (1929). Gerda's father drew Bormann and Hitler together. Hess and Hitler served as witnesses at the wedding. Bormann also had a series of mistresses, including Manja Behrens, an actress. Martin and Gerda Bormann had 10 children. This is Martin Adolf Bormann (1930–2013), the odest chikd. He was called Krönzi (little crown prince) and named after his father and Hitler, his godfather. The photograph looks to have been taken at Berchesgarten, perhaps by Eva Braun. Notice that he is wearing a Wehrnmacht unifirm with a Hitler Youth patch. Gerda Bormann and the children fled Obersalzberg for Italy after an Allied air attack (April 25), just befire Hitler committed suiside. Borman of course was in the Bunker with Hitler. Gerda died of cancer in Merano, Italy (1946). Bormann's children survived the War, and were brought up in foster homes. Martin here was ordained a Roman Catholic priest and worked in Africa as a missionary. He later left the priesthood and married a nun.
Martin Luther Bormann (1900-45) was a NAZI Nazi Party official and most importantly head of the Party Chancellery. Hevbecame known as the 'Brown Eminance'. The brown of course referring to the color of the NAZI uniforms. He rose to great power because as Adolf Hitler's private secretary, he largely controlled not only access to Hitler, but thg flow of information to him . Bormann used his position to become one of the most powerful person in the Reich. Bormann was to young to see actio in in World War I although he joined a unit in the final months of the War. Bormann joined a right-wing paramilitary Freikorps organisation fighting left-wing groups (1922). At the time he was working as manager of a large farm estate with Polish workers. He was involved in a murder along with his friend Rudolf Höss (future commandant of Auschwitz). He joined the NAZI Party (1927). And the Schutzstaffel (SS) (1937). He initially worked in the Party's insurance service (1927-33). He was a master organizer. He moved to another Party office, in fact the most important section--the office of the Deputty Führer. Apparently Rudolf Hess recognized his talenbts. He served as Hess' chief of staff (1933). This connected him with one of the NAZI luminaries. Bormann used his position to build an extensive personal bureaucracy and involve himself as much as possible in NAZI decision making. And most importantly gained acceptance into Hitler's inner circle. He began accompaning Hitler not Hess everywhere, providing briefings and summaries of events and requests. He started acting as Hitler's personal secretary (1935). Hitler like Hess recognized his skills. Bormann was given Hess' former duties as the Head of the Parteikanzlei (Party Chancellery). While Bormann star was rising, the opposite was true of Hess who Hitlernow rarely turned to for adice or counsel. And he was not commonly seen at Berchesgarte, unlike Bormann with his large family were frequent visitors. This fall from grace what promted Hess' surprise flight to Britain (1941). Hitler was furious and despite Bormann's connections with Hess, he did not suffer like many other Hess associates. In fact he became increasingly important to Hitler. Bormann did not have command responsibility for Holocaust actions, but was a strong advocate. Just what he told Hitler will never be known. He was one of the leading proponents within the NAZI hierarchy for the persecution of the Christian churches and favored harsh treatment of both Jews and Slavs in the expanding NAZI zone of control as a result of military victories. These trends were apparent in his early connection with the Freikorps mirrored Hitler's own impulses. Bormann married 19-year-old Gerda Buch, a virulent anti-Semite. She was about 10 years younger than him (1929). Gerda's father drew Bormann and Hitler together. Hess and Hitler served as witnesses at the wedding. Martin and Gerda Bormann had 10 children. This is Martin Adolf Bormann (figure 1). Bormann treated her terribltbin public--often humiliating her. But at home he was apparently a loving husband and father. Like many top NAZIs, despite the Party's emphasis on family values, he had a series of mistresses, including Manja Behrens, an actress. Gerda Bormann and the children fled Obersalzberg for Italy after an Allied air attack (April 25), just befire Hitler committed suiside. Borman of course was in the Bunker with Hitler. She died of cancer in Merano, Italy (1946). Bormann's children survived the war, and were brought up in foster homes. Martin here was ordained a Roman Catholic priest and worked in Africa as a missionary. He later left the priesthood and married.
Parents
Martin Bormann's father was Theodor Bormann (1862–1903), a post office employee. His mother was his father's second wife, Antonie Bernhardine Mennong. The family was devout Lutherans .
Childhood
Martin was born Wegeleben (now in Saxony-Anhalt) than in the Kingdom of Prussia/German Empire (1900). He had two half-siblings (Else and Walter Bormann) from his father's first marriage to Louise Grobler who had died (1898). Antonie Bormann gave birth to three sons, one of whom died in infancy. Martin and Albert (1902–89) survived to adulthood. Martin's father Theodor died when Bormann was only 3-years old. His mother quickly remarried. [Lang, pp. 16-18.]
Education
Bormann's studied at an agricultural trade high school. He left school because of the War (1918).
World War I
Bormann was to young to see action in in World War I although he joined a unit in the final months of the War. He joined the 55th Field Artillery Regiment as a gunner (June 1918), a few months befire the ebd of the War. He never went into action, served garrison duty until February 1919.
Post War
Borman worked in a cattle feed mill. It is at this time he was hired as an estate manager of a large farm in Mecklenburg. His studies of agricultural science before the War probably helped him get the job. He joined an antisemitic landowners association. He not only hated Jews, but also Slavs and many of the workers onm the estate were Polish. He also joined a right-wing paramilitary Freikorps organisation fighting left-wing groups active in aftermath of the War (1922). It is at this time that the Weimar Republic adopted policies that led to hyperinflation whuch meant that German currency was money was worthless, but foodstuffs produced and stored on farms and estates were valuable and many people could not afford to buy them. Many estates this hired Freikorps units guard the crops from pillaging. [Lang, p.8.] Bormann joined the Freikorps organisation headed by Gerhard Roßbach and served as a section leader and treasurer. Höss and Bormann believed Kadow had informed the French occupation authorities in the Ruhr District that fellow Freikorps member Albert Leo Schlageter was carrying out sabotage operations against French industries. Schlageter was arrested and was executed (1923). He was involved in the murder of Walther Kadow along with his friend, the brutal Rudolf Höss (future commandant of Auschwitz) and others. Borman was arrested, triued, amd found guilty as an accomplice. He was sentenced to a year in Elisabethstrasse Prison (1924).
Bormann was released from prison (1925). He joined the Frontbann, a short-lived NAZI Party paramilitary organisation created to replace the Sturmabteilung (SA) which had been banned after the failed NAZI Munich Beer Hall Putsch. Bormann returned to his job at Mecklenburg and remained there until (1926). He returned home and moved in with his mother in Oberweimar.
Family
Bormann married 19-year-old Gerda Buch, a virulent anti-Semite lkike himself. She was about 10 years younger than him (1929). Gerda's father drew Bormann and Hitler together. Hess and Hitler served as witnesses at the wedding. Martin and Gerda Bormann had 10 children. This is Martin Adolf Bormann (figure 1). Bormann treated her terribltbin public--often humiliating her. But at home he was apparently a loving husband and father. Like many top NAZIs, despite the Party's emphasis on family values, he had a series of mistresses, including Manja Behrens, an actress. Gerda Bormann and the children fled Obersalzberg for Italy after an Allied air attack (April 25), just befire Hitler committed suiside. Borman of course was in the Bunker with Hitler. She died of cancer in Merano, Italy (1946). Bormann's children survived the war, and were brought up in foster homes. Martin here was ordained a Roman Catholic priest and worked in Africa as a missionary. He later left the priesthood and married.
NAZI Party (1927)
Martin Luther Bormann (1900-45) was a NAZI Nazi Party official and most importantly head of the Party Chancellery. He became known as the 'Brown Eminance'. The brown of course referring to the color of the NAZI uniforms. He rose to great power because as Adolf Hitler's private secretary, he largely controlled not only access to Hitler, but thg flow of information to him . Bormann used his position to become one of the most powerful person in the Reich.. He joined the NAZI Party befoire it had become a major political force (1927). And the Schutzstaffel (SS) (1937). He initially worked in the Party's insurance service (1927-33). He was a master organizer. He moved to another Party office, in fact the most important section--the office of the Deputty Führer. Apparently Rudolf Hess recognized his talenbts. He served as Hess' chief of staff (1933). This connected him with one of the NAZI luminaries. Bormann used his position to build an extensive personal bureaucracy and involve himself as much as possible in NAZI decision making. And most importantly gained acceptance into Hitler's inner circle. He began accompaning Hitler not Hess everywhere, providing briefings and summaries of events and requests. He started acting as Hitler's personal secretary (1935). Hitler like Hess recognized his skills. Bormann was given Hess' former duties as the Head of the Parteikanzlei (Party Chancellery). Bormann was one of the leading proponents within the NAZI hierarchy for the persecution of the Christian churches
Directly above Berchtesgaden was the small neighborhood of Obersalzberg, It privided the best Alpine views in Germany. The magnificent views attracted a young Adolf Hitler to rent a home here when he was releasedfrom jail after the failed Beer Hall Putsch. Thus after seizin power he had a mountain top villa built there. Hitler purchased Haus Wachenfeld with funds he received from the sale of Mein Kampf (1933). Once expoanded to Hitler's specifications (1935-36), Hitler used it to host foreign leaders, most notably British Prime-Minister Neville Chamberlain during the Czech Crisis (1938). It came to be called the 'Berghof' mountain farm. Hitler would say, "These were the best times of my life. My great plans were forged here" We have an excellent record of wht went in there, inm part thanks to Eva Braun's home movies. The NAZI elite immediuately began buying or building their villa nearby. Existing owners were forced out. Bormann took over an existing house owned by a local doctor named Seitz. Borman's villa could not have neen more perfect. It overlooked Hitler's Berghof and much of the rest of the Obersalzberg complex. Bormann could this keep an eye on everything, most importantly the comings and goings at the Berghof. Bormann like Hitler and the other NAZI leaders later enlarged and modernized the house, installing costly interior furnishings. Most importantly, Bormann had an secure air raid shelter and bunker system built into the hill behind the house. It was connecting to the main air raid control and communications center underground. The Bormann's were frequest visitors to the Berghof. Their children were featured promently in Eva Braun's home movies. Other NAZI bigwigs brough along the kids, but the Borman children were the mostcommomlybphotographed. Hitler was fond of young children and liked to be photographed with them. Braun was also charmed with the children. And the Bormann's with 10 children in all had many of them. Notice that Hess is rarely seen there. But there are many images of Hitler with the Bormann children.
World War II (1939-45)
While Bormann star was rising, the opposite was true of Hess who Hitlernow rarely turned to for adice or counsel. And he was not commonly seen at Berchesgarte, unlike Bormann with his large family were frequent visitors. This fall from grace what promted Hess' surprise flight to Britain (1941). Hitler was furious and despite Bormann's connections with Hess, he did not suffer like many other Hess associates. In fact he became increasingly important to Hitler.
The Holocaust
Bormann favored harsh treatment of both Jews and Slavs in the expanding NAZI zone of control as a result of the early military victories. These trends were apparent in his early connection with the Freikorps mirrored Hitler's own impulses. Bormann did not have command responsibility for Holocaust actions, but was a strong advocate and involved in the legal steps that laid the ground work. Borman signed the decree of 31 May 1941 extending the 1935 Nuremberg Laws to the annexed territories of the East (May 31, 1941). This was only days before Gerany invaded the Soiviet Unioin, unleashing the deadly Einsatzgruppen on Soviet Jews. hen he signed essentially a murder decree (October 9, 1942). This ordered that the permanent Final Solution in Greater Germany could no longer be solved by emigration --meaning expulsion. The Reich would have to use 'ruthless force in the special camps of the East'. [Miller, p. 152.] The special camps were the NAZI death camps. Next another decree, signed by Bormann on 1 July 1943, gave Adolf Eichmann absolute powers over Jews, who now came under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Gestapo (July 1, 1943) Just what he told Hitler and whatbinformnation hevopassed on will never be known.
Berlin Bunker (1945)
Bormann joined the NAZI Party because he whole heatedly agreed with Hitker's policies. He latched on to Hess and Hitler because it was a means of inflience, plower, and wealth. He basked in the glories of being so closely assiciated with Hitler. What he did not sign on for was to be stuck in the Nerlin Bunker while the Americans and British pulverized the city from the aiur and massive Soviet forces closed in on the ground. He kndw what would happen if the Siviets got hold of him. He tried to comvince Hitler to leave Berlin and seel safty in the south. Hitker was, however, adament. He was going to stick nit out in the bunker. And Bormann could mot ask to leave. When Albert Speer flew in for a final visit, Bormann begged him to convimnce Hitler to leave. Speer was taken back as Bormann was not a friend. Speer found tghat Hitler was adament. He was going to remain in the bunker. [Speer] After Hitler and Braun committed suiside, Bormann attempted a break out and was never seen again.
Sources
Lang, Jochen von. The Secretary. Martin Bormann: The Man Who Manipulated Hitler (New York: Random House. , 1979).
Miller, Michael. Leaders of the SS and German Police , Vol. 1. (San Jose, CA: R. James Bender, 2006).
Speer, Albert. Richard and Clara Winston, trans. Inside the Third Reich (Avon Books: New York, 1970), 734p.
