People

Julius Streicher

Hermann Goering

Joachim von Ribbentrop

This section outlines the organizations and leading individuals in four overlapping spheres of Nazi Germany: the Reich ministries (the government); the Nazi party; the SS; and the Wehrmacht (the armed forces). Adolf Hitler was the head of all four of these sectors, and they became increasingly interconnected over time. Reich ministries were often matched by parallel party organizations, with the same person in charge of both. The SS began as a party organization but took over governmental functions (police and security) and created a military branch, the Waffen SS. The Wehrmacht was relatively self-contained as a Reich organization, but it held jurisdiction over the Waffen SS in military operations. These different institutions frequently competed for jurisdictional power and resources; for example, in addition to the Reich economic ministries, the SS took over economic enterprises in order to control resources and generate income. Much of the information in this section is drawn from the encyclopedias compiled by L. L. Snyder and C. Zentner, and from Anatomy of the SS State, editied by E. Wiskemann.

For details on the organization and leaders of the SS Economic and Administrative Main Office (WVHA, 1942-45), see the introduction to NMT Case 4, USA v. Oswald Pohl et al. For more information on the medical officials, see the introduction to NMT Case 1, USA v. Karl Brandt et al. (the Medical Case).

Government (Reich Chancellery and ministries)

• Reich Chancellor and Fuehrer: Adolf Hitler, 1933-45; Karl Doenitz, chancellor, 1945
• Vice-Chancellor: Franz von Papen, 1933
• Reich Chancellery: Hans Lammers
• Armed Forces High Command (OKW): Gen. Wilhelm Keitel, chief. See Military (below)
• Presidial Chancellery: Otto Meissner, chief
• Subordinate offices of the Reich Chancellery included: General inspector for highways; Reich office for regional planning; Reich youth leadership; General inspector for the Reich capital; General construction councillor for the capital of the movement (Munich); Reich construction councillor for the city of Linz
• Plenipotentiary for the Four-Year Plan: Hermann Goering
• Privy Cabinet Council (foreign policy): Konstantin von Neurath
• Reich Protector for Bohemia and Moravia: Konstantin von Neurath, 1939-43
• General-Governor of Occupied Poland: Hans Frank
• Ministerial Council for the Defense of the Reich: Hermann Goering
• Reich Foreign Minister: Konstantin von Neurath, 1932-38; Joachim von Ribbentrop, 1938-45.
• Subordinate offices included: NSDAP Foreign Organization (Ernest Bohle), Reich Office for Foreign Trade
• Reich Minister of War: Adolf Hitler, 1938-1945. See Military (below)
• Reich Interior Minister: Wilhelm Frick. Subordinate offices included: Prussian Interior Minister, Reich Labor Service (Konstantin Hierl), Reich Publishing Office, Reich Health Office (Dr. Leonard Conti), Reich Sports Office. For police and security services, see SS (below)
• Reich Minister for Volk Enlightenment and Propaganda: Joseph Goebbels
  • Radio Division: Hans Fritzsche
• Reich Minister for Aviation: Hermann Goering
  • State Secretary: Erhard Milch
  • NS Flying Corps: Keller
• Reich Minister of Finance: Lutz Schwerin von Krosigk
• Reich Minister of Justice: Franz Guertner, 1932-41; Franz Schlegelberger (acting), 1941-42, Otto Thierack, 1942-45
  • Civil Law and Procedure Division: Josef Altstoetter
  • Penal Administration Division: Karl Engert
• Reich Minister for Economics: Walther Funk (also Prussian Minister for the Economy and Labor)
• Reich Minister for Armaments and War Production: Fritz Todt, 1940-42; Albert Speer, 1942-45
  • Central Planning Board: Albert Speer, Erhard Milch, Fritz Sauckel
• Reich Minister for Nutrition and Agriculture: Walther Darré (also Prussian Agricultural Minister)
• Reich Labor Minister: Franz Seldte (also Prussian Labor Minister)
• Reich Minister for Science, Education, and Public Instruction: Berhard Rust (also Prussian parallel ministry). Subordinate offices included: Reich Institute for the History of the New Germany, Kaiser Wilhelm Society for the Encouragement of Science (and the Kaiser Wilhelm institutes), Reich Research Council (until June 1942).
• Reich Minister for Ecclesiastical Affairs: Hanns Kerrl (d. 1941); succeeded by state secretary
• Reich Transportation Minister: Julius Dorpmueller, 1937-45 (also Prussian Transportation Minister and chief of the German Railroad).
• Reich Postal Minister: Wilhelm Ohnesorge. (Research bureau conducted military technology development.)
• Reich Minister for the Occupied Eastern Territories: Alfred Rosenberg, 1941-45
• Party Chancellery: Martin Bormann
• Reich Master Forester: Hermann Goering
• Reich Treasury: Mueller, president
• Reich Bank: Walther Funk, president
• Reich Commissioner for Health and Sanitation: Dr. Karl Brandt
• Plenipotentiary for Labor Allocation: Fritz Sauckel Reich Research Council (under Ministry for Science until June 1942, then independent agency under Goering)
• Reich Ministers Without Portfolio: Neurath, Frank, Hjalmar Schacht, Arthur Seyss-Inquart

SS (Schutzstaffel of the NSDAP and Reich police and security services)

• Fuehrer of the SS: Adolf Hitler
• Reichsfuehrer-SS: Heinrich Himmler (also Chief of Police in the Interior Ministry)
  • Chief of staff: Karl Wolff
• Reich Security Main Office (RSHA): Reinhardt Heydrich, 1939-42; Ernst Kaltenbrunner, 1942-45
  • Gestapo (Secret State Police; Office Group IV): Rudolf Diels, 1933-34; Reinhardt Heydrich, 1934; Heinrich Mueller, 1939-45
  • SD (Security Service; Sicherheitsdienst): Heydrich, 1932 (intelligence office)
  • Sipo (Security Police; Sicherheitspolizei): Office combining Gestapo and Kripo (RKPA)
  • RKPA (Reichs Criminal Police; Office Group V): Arthur Nebe, 1939
  • Secret Service for Foreign Countries (Office Group VI): Walter Schellenberg
  • Office for Jewish Questions (office IV-B-4): Adolf Eichmann, 1938-45
• Operational Main Office (Fuehrungshauptamt): Hans Juettner, 1940-45
• Economic and Administrative Main Office (WVHA, 1942-45): Oswald Pohl.
  • Finance (Office Group A): Heinz Fanslau
  • Supplies (Office Group B): Georg Loerner
  • Construction (Office Group C): Hans Kammler
  • Inspectorate of Concentration Camps (Office Group D): Richard Gluecks
  • Economic Enterprises (Office Group W): Oswald Pohl, Georg Loerner, Hans Baier
• Race and Settlement Main Office (RuSHA, Rasse- und Siedlungshauptamt): Richard Hildebrandt
• Personnel Main Office: Maximilian von Herff
• Health Department: Dr. Ernst-Robert Grawitz, Reich-Physician SS
• Ahnenerbe (Institute for Research): Wolfram Sievers (manager)

NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers Party)

(Subordinated non-party organizations are enclosed in curly braces.)

• Fuehrer: Adolf Hitler
• Chief of Party Chancellery and Secretary of Fuehrer: Martin Bormann
  • Internal affairs office: Friedrichs
  • Law office: Klopfer
  • Finance office: Winkler
  • Personnel office: Walkenhorst
  • {Air Raid Protection League: Hirschauer}
  • {Peoples Militia (Volksturm): Martin Bormann, Heinrich Himmler}
• Fuehrer Chancellery (Hitler's personal affairs): Philip Bouhler
• SS Reichsfuehrer (Security Staff): Heinrich Himmler. See section on the SS
• SA chief of staff (Storm Troops): Lutze; Schepmann (deputy: M. Juettner)
• Propaganda: Paul Joseph Goebbels (chief of staff: Naumann)
• Foreign Policy Office: Alfred Rosenberg
• Legal Office: Hans Frank
  • {League of Legal Officials: Otto Thierach}
• Treasurer: Franz Schwarz
  • Leiter des Kanzlai: W. Kalz
• Leader of Reichstag Delegation: Wilhelm Frick (deputy: Fabricius)
• Colonial Office: Franz von Epp (chief of staff: Wenig)
  • Colonial Affairs: Franz von Epp (also chief of {Reich Colonial League})
• Delegate for Ideological Training: Alfred Rosenberg
• Youth Education and Hitler Youth: Baldur von Schirach
• Press Chief: Dietrich
• Leader of the Press: Amann (chief of staff: Saur)
• Party Organization: Robert Ley (chief of staff: Simon)
  • Training: Bruhn
  • Personnel: Marrenbach
  • Organization: Stegemann
  • {German Labor Front: Robert Ley}
• Delegate for Folkdom: Heinrich Himmler
  • Folkdom Office: Himmler (chief of staff: Cassel}
• Supervisor for Nazi Literature: Philip Bouhler (chief of staff: Nederich)
• Reichsleiter without Party Office: Hierl
• Office for Peasants: Walther Darré (deputy: Backe}
  • {Reich Food Estate: Backe}
• Health Office: Wagner
• Public Health: Dr. Leonard Conti (deputy: Kurt Blome)
  • {League of Physicians: Conti}
• Party Supreme Court: Walter Buch (chief of staff: Reckmann)
• Technical Affairs: Albert Speer (chief of staff: Karl Saur)
• {German Technological League: Speer}
• Communal Policy (municipalities): Fiehler (chief of staff: Patutschnik)
• {Chamber of German Municipalities: Fiehler}
• Racial Policy: Gross
• Genealogical Research: Mayer
• {German Family League: Kaiser}
• Motor Corps (NSKK): Kraus (chief of staff: Denk)
• Flying Corps (NSFK): Keller (subordinated to Ministry of Aviation)
• Women's League (NSF): Gertrud Scholtz-Klink (chief of staff: Paul)
  • {German Women's Work: Gertrud Scholtz-Klink}
• University Teachers (NSDoB): Scheel (chief of staff: Horn)
  • {Society of German University Teachers: Scheel}
• German Students (NSDSB): Scheel (chief of staff: Horn)
  • {League of Former Corps Members: Scheel}
  • {German Students Society: Scheel}
• Public Welfare: Hilgenfeldt
  • {Public Welfare Association: Hilgenfeldt}
  • {League of German Nurses: Hilgenfeldt}
• War Victims: Aumeyer
  • {Organization for War Victims: Aumeyer}
• Educators: Waechtler
  • {League of Teachers: Waechtler}
• Civil Servants: Neef
  • {League of Civil Servants: Neef}
• Geographical officers: gauleiter (district or province leader); subordinate officers included kreisleiter (circuit leader), ortsgruppenleiter (local group leader), zellenleiter (cell leader), blockwart (block warden), parteignosse (pg, party member)

Military (Wehrmacht)

(The organization of the armed forces (Wehrmacht) changed from 1934 to 1941, with Hitler assuming more control; this list covers 1939-45.)

• Supreme Commander, Minister of War, and Commander in Chief of the Army: Adolf Hitler
• Chief of the High Command of the Armed Forces (OKW): Gen. Wilhelm Keitel
• Commander in Chief of the Army: Walther von Brauchitsch, 1938-41; Hitler, 1941-45
• Commander in Chief of the Navy: Erich Raeder, 1928-43; Admiral Karl Doenitz, 1943-45
• Commander in Chief of the Air Force: Gen. Hermann Goering (also Reich Marshal)
• Chief of the Operations Staff of the Armed Forces: Alfred Jodl, 1939-45

Alphabetical List of Persons

(This includes all defendants in IMT and NMT 1-4.)

• Altstoetter, Josef (def. NMT 3): Chief of the Civil Law and Procedure Division, Ministry of Justice
• Ammon, Wilhelm von (def. NMT 3): Criminal Legislation and Administration Division, Ministry of Justice
• Baier, Hans H. (def. NMT 4): executive officer, Office Group W (economic enterprises), SS Economic and Administrative Main Office
• Barnickel, Paul (def. NMT 3): Senior Public Prosecutor of the People's Court
• Becker-Freyseng, Hermann (def. NMT 1): Dr., Medical Corps
• Beiglboeck, Wilhelm (def. NMT 1) : Dr., Prof., Medical Corps
• Blome, Kurt (def. NMT 1): Prof., deputy of Leonard Conti (NSDAP Public Health Office)
• Bobermin, Hans (def. NMT 4): office 2, Office Group W (economic enterprises), SS Economic and Administrative Main Office
• Bormann, Martin (def. IMT): chief of Party Chancellery, secretary to the Fuehrer
• Bouhler, Philip: NSDAP Fuehrer Chancellery (Hitler's personal affairs) (d. 1945)
• Brack, Viktor (def. NMT 1): administrator, Reich Chancellery
• Brandt, Karl (def. NMT 1): Dr., Reich Commissioner for Health and Sanitation
• Brandt, Rudolf (def. NMT 1): aide to Himmler
• Brauchitsch, Walther von: Commander in Chief of the Army, 1938-41
• Buch, Walter: Chief of NSDAP Party Supreme Court, party arbitrator
• Conti, Dr. Leonard: Reich Health Office; NSDAP Public Health Office
• Cuhorst, Hermann (def. NMT 3): Chief Justice of Special Court, Stuttgart
• Darré, Walther: Minister for Nutrition and Agriculture; NSDAP Office for Peasants
• Doenitz, Karl (def. IMT): Admiral, commander in chief of the Navy, 1943-45; Chancellor, 1945
• Dorpmueller, Julius: Transportation Minister, 1937-45
• Eichmann, Adolf: Office for Jewish Questions, RSHA, 1938-45
• Eirenschmalz, Franz (def. NMT 4): office 6, Office Group C (construction), SS Economic and Administrative Main Office
• Engert, Karl (def. NMT 3): Chief of Penal Administration Division and Inmate Transfer Division, Ministry of Justice
• Epp, Franz von: NSDAP Colonial Office, governor of Bavaria
• Fanslau, Heinz K. (def. NMT 4): chief of Office Group A (finance), SS Economic and Administrative Main Office
• Fischer, Fritz (def. NMT 1): Dr., surgeon, Hohenlychen clinic
• Frank, August (def. NMT 4): Office Group W (economic enterprises), SS Economic and Administrative Main Office
• Frank, Hans (def. IMT): head of NS legal department; Governor-General of Occupied Poland
• Frick, Wilhelm (def. IMT): Interior Minister; leader of NSDAP Reichstag Delegation
• Fritzsche, Hans (def. IMT): chief of the radio division, Propaganda Ministry
• Funk, Walther (def. IMT): Economics Minister, president of Reich Bank
• Gebhardt, Karl (def. NMT 1): Dr., Prof.
• Genzken, Karl (def. NMT 1): Dr., chief of Waffen-SS Medical Service
• Gluecks, Richard: Inspector of Concentration Camps
• Goebbels, Paul Joseph: Minister for Propaganda; NSDAP propaganda leader
• Goering, Hermann (def. IMT): General of the Air Force, chief of the Four-Year Plan (war economy), Minister for Aviation
• Grawitz, Dr. Ernst-Robert: Chief of SS Health Department, Reich-Physician SS
• Guenther, Joel (def. NMT 3): Legal adviser (prosecution) to Minister of Justice, Chief Public Prosecutor of Westphalia
• Guertner, Franz: Minister of Justice, 1932-41
• Handloser, Siegfried (def. NMT 1): Dr., Prof., chief of medical services of the armed forces
• Herff, Maximilian von: SS Personnel Main Office
• Hess, Rudolf (def. IMT): Deputy to the Fuehrer, NSDAP
• Heydrich, Reinhardt: chief of Gestapo; chief of SS Reich Security Main Office (RSHA), 1939-42
• Hildebrandt, Richard: chief of SS Race and Settlement Main Office (RuSHA), SS chief in Danzig
• Himmler, Heinrich: Reichsfuehrer-SS, Chief of the Police
• Hitler, Adolf: Fuehrer, Reich Chancellor, Supreme Commander of Armed Forces, Minister of War, commander in chief of the army, Fuehrer of the NSDAP, Fuehrer of the SS
• Hoess, Rudolf F.: commandant of Auschwitz
• Hohberg, Hans (def. NMT 4): auditor, Office Group W (economic enterprises), SS Economic and Administrative Main Office
• Hoven, Waldemar (def. NMT 1): Dr., physician at Buchenwald
• Jodl, Alfred (def. IMT): chief of the operations staff of the armed forces, 1939-45
• Juettner, Hans: SS Operational Main Office, 1940-45
• Kaltenbrunner, Ernst (def. IMT): chief of the Reich Security Main Office (RSHA), 1942-45
• Kammler, Hans: chief of Office Group C (construction), SS Economic and Administrative Main Office
• Keitel, Wilhelm (def. IMT): General, chief of the Armed Forces High Command (OKW)
• Kerrl, Hanns: Minister for Ecclesiastical Affairs (d. 1941)
• Kiefer, Max (def. NMT 4): office 2, Office Group C (construction), SS Economic and Administrative Main Office
• Klein, Horst (def. NMT 4): office 8, Office Group W (economic enterprises), SS Economic and Administrative Main Office
• Klemm, Herbert (def. NMT 3): State Secretary and director of Legal Education and Training, Ministry of Justice
• Lammers, Hans: chief of Reich Chancellery
• Lautz, Ernst (def. NMT 3): Chief Public Prosecutor of the People's Court
• Ley, Robert (def. IMT): chief of NSDAP Party Organization; German Labor Front
• Loerner, Georg (def. NMT 4): chief of Office Group B (supplies), SS Economic and Administrative Main Office
• Loerner, Hans (def. NMT 4): office 1, Office Group A (finance), SS Economic and Administrative Main Office
• Mentzell, Rudolf: director in Reich Research Council
• Mettgenberg, Wolfgang (def. NMT 3): Criminal Legislation and Administration Division, Ministry of Justice
• Milch, Erhard (def. NMT 2): Field Marshal of the Air Force; state secretary in Aviation ministry, Central Planning Board
• Mrugowsky, Joachim (def. NMT 1): Dr., Prof., Waffen-SS Hygiene Institute
• Mueller: president of Reich Treasury
• Mueller, Heinrich: chief of Gestapo, 1939-45
• Mummenthey, Karl (def. NMT 4): office 1, Office Group W (economic enterprises), SS Economic and Administrative Main Office
• Nebe, Arthur: chief of Reich Criminal Police
• Nebelung, Guenther (def. NMT 3): Chief Justice of Fourth Senate of the People's Court
• Neurath, Konstantin von (def. IMT): Privy Cabinet Council; Foreign Minister, 1932-38; Protector of Bohemia and Moravia, 1939-43
• Oberheuser, Herta (def. NMT 1): Dr., surgeon at Hohenlychen clinic
• Oeschey, Rudolf (def. NMT 3): Judge and Chief Justice of the Special Court, Nuremberg
• Ohnesorge, Wilhelm: Postal Minister
• Papen, Franz von (def. IMT): Chancellor, 1932; Vice Chancellor; ambassador to Austria, 1934-38; ambassador to Turkey, 1939-44
• Petersen, Hans (def. NMT 3): Lay Judge of the First Senate of the People's Court
• Pohl, Oswald (def. NMT 4): chief of SS Economic and Administrative Main Office (WVHA), 1942-45
• Pokorny, Adolf (def. NMT 1): Dr., Munich
• Pook, Hermann (def. NMT 4): office 3, Office Group D (concentration camps), SS Economic and Administrative Main Office
• Poppendick, Helmut (def. NMT 1): Dr., surgeon, Race and Settlement Main Office (RuSHA)
• Raeder, Erich (def. IMT): commander of the navy, 1928-43
• Rascher, Sigmund: Dr., medical researcher at Dachau (d. 1944)
• Ribbentrop, Joachim von (def. IMT): Foreign Minister, 1938-45
• Romberg, Hans W. (def. NMT 1): Dr., German Experimental Institute for Aviation
• Rose, Gerhardt (def. NMT 1): Dr., Prof., Division of Tropical Medicine, Robert Koch Institute
• Rosenberg, Alfred (def. IMT): Minister for the Occupied Eastern Territories, 1941-45; NSDAP ideological and foreign policy offices
• Rostock, Paul (def. NMT 1): Dr., Prof., Medical Corps
• Rothaug, Oswald (def. NMT 3): Senior Public Prosecutor of the People's Court
• Rothenberger, Curt (def. NMT 3): State Secretary of the Ministry of Justice
• Ruff, Siegfried (def. NMT 1): Dr., Institute of Aviation Medicine
• Rust, Bernhard: Minister for Science, Education, and Public Instruction; Reich Research Council
• Sauckel, Fritz (def. IMT): Plenipotentiary for Labor Allocation
• Saur, Karl O.: director of Technical Office, Armaments (Speer) Ministry
• Schacht, Hjalmar (def. IMT): Minister of Economics, 1934-37; Reichsbank, 1933-39
• Schaefer, Konrad (def. NMT 1): Dr., Schering Corp.
• Scheide, Rudolf (def. NMT 4): office 5, Office Group B (supplies), SS Economic and Administrative Main Office
• Schellenberg, Walter: Office Group VI (Secret Service for Foreign Countries), RSHA
• Schirach, Baldur von (def. IMT): NS German Students League, 1929; NS Hitler Youth
• Schlegelberger, Franz (def. NMT 3): State Secretary and acting Minister of Justice, 1941-42
• Schroeder, Oskar (def. NMT 1): Dr., chief of Air Force Medical Service
• Schwarz, Franz X.: NSDAP treasurer, Reichsleiter
• Schwerin von Krosigk, Lutz: Minister of Finance
• Seldte, Franz: Labor Minister
• Seyss-Inquart, Arthur (def. IMT): Governor of Austria; Commissioner for the Netherlands, 1940-45
• Sievers, Wolfram (def. NMT 1): Ahnenerbe (SS Institute for Research)
• Sommer, Karl (def. NMT 4): office 2, Office Group D (concentration camps), SS Economic and Administrative Main Office
• Speer, Albert (def. IMT): Minister for Armaments and War Production, 1942-45; NSDAP Office of Technical Affairs; Inspector General of Highways
• Streicher, Julius (def. IMT): founder of Der Stuermer
• Thierack, Otto: Minister of Justice, 1942-45 (d. 1946)
• Todt, Fritz: Minister for Armaments and War Production, 1940-42 (d. 1942)
• Tschentscher, Erwin (def. NMT 4): office 1, Office Group B (supplies), SS Economic and Administrative Main Office
• Vogt, Josef (def. NMT 4): office 4, Office Group A (finance), SS Economic and Administrative Main Office
• Volk, Leo (def. NMT 4): executive office of Office Group W (economic enterprises), SS Economic and Administrative Main Office
• Weltz, Georg A. (def. NMT 1): Dr., Prof., Institute of Aviation Medicine
• Westphal, Carl (def. NMT 3): Criminal Legislation and Administration Division, Ministry of Justice
• Wolff, Karl: chief of staff for Himmler; military governor, Italy