Herbert Merker
Richard Edgar Herbert Merker (born June 15, 1901 in Bornstedt near Potsdam, † March 17, 1981 in Altenstadt) was an SA brigade leader .
Life and activity
Early life
Merker was a son of Otto Merker (* December 8, 1862) and Marie Meissner (* June 2, 1866). After attending elementary school (1907 to 1910) and the Kantgymnasium in Spandau, where he obtained the upper secondary qualification, Merker completed a commercial apprenticeship as a banker. From 1925 to 1927 he worked as an intern at the Reichsbank in Hamm. From 1927 to 1928 he was an independent automobile haulier. He then worked in the automotive industry until 1930.
In the period after the First World War, Merker turned to the extreme political right: from February 14, 1919 to November 14, 1919, he was a member of the Hülsen Free Corps and the 3rd machine gun company of the 103rd Reserve Infantry Regiment. Later he was a member of the Stahlhelm (1922 to 1923) in Spandau and then of the formation of the Frontbanns Nord in Spandau (1923-1924).
Career in the Nazi movement before 1933
Merker joined the NSDAP on July 29, 1925 (membership number 28,700). Also in 1925 he became a member of the Sturmabteilung (SA). As an early party member, after 1933, Merker was a bearer of the Alte Garde (old fighter) award.
In 1925, Merker acted as NSDAP local group leader in Hamm. He then officiated as district leader of the party in Hellweg from 1926 to 1927. From 1928 to 1930 he was the official speaker of the NSDAP in Berlin. And from September 25, 1930 to April 7, 1931, he held the post of head of organization in the Brandenburg region.
From March 25, 1931 to November 28, 1931, Merker led the Sturmbann in Wittstock as SA leader. He then stood from November 28, 1931 to February 3, 1932 at the head of SA Standard 39 in Westprignitz.
In the years before 1933, Merker repeatedly came into conflict with the judiciary due to his activities as SA leader and as party speaker of the NSDAP: In 1931 he was sentenced to three months imprisonment by the Neuruppin district court for violating the emergency ordinance of the Reich President of March 28, 1931, who was suspended on parole. Another procedure before the district court in Neuruppin because of breach of the peace was on 9 ,. Issued November 1931 for lack of evidence. An indictment before the same court on January 6, 1932 for attempted willful killing of a political opponent resulted in an acquittal on January 10, 1932. There were also minor penalties for offenses such as prohibited wearing of uniform.
On February 3, 1932, Merker was entrusted with the management of an SA school, which was established at the time in the Brandenburg Castle Harnekop , which belonged to the Kunersdorf estate near Wriezen. The appointment went hand in hand with the promotion to SA Standartenführer. In his capacity as head of the SA school at Harnekop Castle, Merker was responsible for overseeing the paramilitary training (military sports, drills, marching exercises, etc.) of members of the SA group Berlin-Brandenburg on the castle grounds as part of courses lasting several weeks about 65 people took part. In September 1932 he was replaced by Karl Moritz . In the following period he was leader of Standard 24 in the Ruppin district .
From April 12 to June 15, 1932, Merker was entrusted with the care and supervision of the SA standards 64, 296 and 207 (which were officially non-existent at that time due to the SA verb issued by the Brüning government).
Activity in the Nazi state
From September 16, 1932 to March 21, 1933, Merker belonged to the SA group Berlin Brandenburg as z. b. V. leaders. He was then assigned to the group from March 21 to October 31, 1933 as Standartenführer.
By the leader's order of the Supreme SA Leadership No. 19 of November 9, 1933, Merker was appointed leader of the SA Standard 24 on November 1, 1933. He held this position until June 30, 1934.
In the course of the disempowerment of the SA ( Röhm Putsch ) on June 30th and July 1st, 1934, Merker, who had been in the Neuruppin district hospital since June 23rd as a result of a car accident, was arrested by members of the SS on July 1st, 1934 and after Berlin transferred. After a short stay in the SS barracks in Lichterfelde, he was brought to the Columbia House , where he was held as an honorary prisoner for several weeks together with numerous other SA leaders. In exile journalism, he was wrongly reported as murdered on various occasions.
After his release from prison on August 3, 1934, Merker took over the leadership of SA Standard 24 again on August 4, 1934, which he retained until October 15, 1934. He was then from October 16, 1934 to November 3, 1934 and again from April 1 to July 31, 1935 of the Berlin Brandenburg group in a z. b. V. position assigned. In between he was a school leader for the head of training for a few months.
On August 1, 1935, Merker was commissioned with the management of SA Standard 27. After he had proven himself in this function, he was appointed regular leader of this unit on September 15, 1935, whose leadership he retained until April 14, 1936. He then took over the leadership of SA Standard 68. On April 15, 1936, Merke was entrusted with the leadership of Brigade 68 (until February 28, 1937), and on March 1, 1937, he was finally appointed leader of this unit.
On January 30, 1939, Merker reached the formal climax of his SA career with his promotion to SA Brigadefuhrer.
From the Gau inspection meeting in Siegen in 1937, he passed on the remark “Anyone who stands against us should be turned to ashes in hatred.” In 1938 he was proposed as a member of the Reichstag on April 10, 1938 on the list of the Führer for the election of the Greater German Reichstag , but received no mandate.
post war period
After the end of World War II, Merker was arrested by the British military government and interned until 1947. After his release he settled in Siegerland.
In 1949, as part of the denazification process, Merker was initially classified as Category III ("burdened") by a panel of judges. A few months later, he was reclassified to Category IV (“Follower”), which means that a. the property freeze that had previously been imposed on him no longer applies.
In the 1950s, Merker worked as a businessman in Siegen.
family
Merker was married twice. After his divorce on May 18, 1933, he remarried on June 15, 1935 with Maria Antoinette Adler (born July 1, 1912).
estate
Various personal files on Merker are kept in the Federal Archives: The holdings of the former BDC contain an OPG personal file, a PK personal file (PK microfilm I 46, images 1677 to 1734), an SA personal file (microfilm 46-B, Figs. 35–49), an SA-P personnel file. In addition, there is a trial file relating to a case against Merker in 1932 for insulting the Reich government and the Prussian state government (R 3001/183945).
literature
- Erich Stockhorst : 5000 people. Who was what in the 3rd Reich . 2nd Edition. Arndt, Kiel 2000, ISBN 3-88741-116-1 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ the civil registry Old City: Death Certificate No. 7/1981..
- ^ Martin Schuster: The SA in the National Socialist "seizure of power" in Berlin and Brandenburg 1926–1934 , Berlin 2005, pp. 191f.
- ↑ Fuehrer order of the Supreme SA Leadership No. 19, p. 10, column "Group Berlin-Brandenburg".
- ↑ Heinz Höhne: Mordsache Röhm , Reinbek 1984, p. 301.
- ↑ White book on the shootings of June 30, 1934 , 1934, pp. 90 and 100 and Otto Strasser : Die deutsche Bartholomäusnacht , 1998, p. 123 (as “Märker”). Strasser incorrectly identifies Merker as the son of Georg Ludwig Rudolf Maercker .
- ↑ Fuehrer's Order of the Supreme SA Leadership No. 71.
- ↑ Regionales Personenlexikon, article Herbert Merker .
- ↑ Regionales Personenlexikon, article Herbert Merker .
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Merker, Herbert |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Merker, Herbert Edgar |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German SA leader |
| DATE OF BIRTH | June 15, 1901 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Bornstedt near Potsdam |
| DATE OF DEATH | 20th century |