Karl Wernecke

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Karl Wernecke (born August 4, 1885 in Wartenburg , † November 1945 in the Soviet special camp No. 7 Sachsenhausen ) was a German local politician.

family

Karl Wernecke grew up in a Protestant rectory with several siblings. His parents were the pastor Gustav Ernst Wernecke (1842–1930) and Johanna, geb. Brunner (1851-1921). He was married to Gertrud Prause (1888–1968).

education

Wernecke received his education at the state school Pforta near Naumburg. After studying law for six semesters, he passed the legal trainee examination at the Naumburg Higher Regional Court in 1907 and the major state examination in Berlin in 1912 . In 1910 he was at the University of Halle for Dr. iur. PhD.

First work experience

He received his first employment in municipal services in Eisleben and Charlottenburg . In May 1914 Wernecke took up the position of second mayor in Stendal , but from March 1915 to 1918 he took part in the First World War as a lieutenant and battalion adjutant . From 1919 he was again active as the second mayor in Stendal. Among other things, Wernecke founded the adult education center, helped create the Altmark Theater and was involved in the Altmark Museum Association.

Lord Mayor in Stendal

In 1931 Wernecke took over the post of Lord Mayor in Stendal. Before 1933 Wernecke was a member of the German National People's Party and the Masonic Lodge Zur Goldenen Krone . On April 20, 1933, Wernecke applied for membership in the NSDAP , albeit unsuccessfully. Instead he joined the SA in November 1933 , from which he was excluded again in April 1934 because of his membership in a lodge. In 1940 he was one of the founders of the Winckelmann Society . In 1941 Wernecke was finally accepted into the NSDAP . In the SA he was now active as a storm leader. As Lord Mayor, Wernecke gave the order on April 12, 1945 to hoist the white flag everywhere in Stendal, thus helping to protect the city from the threat of destruction. For this he was sentenced to death by the responsible Gauleiter , but the judgment was no longer enforced because the war ended. The American occupation forces confirmed him as Lord Mayor.

Arrest and death

After the departure of the Americans Wernecke was from July 1, Soviet Administration arrested on August 4, 1945 the NKVD - 7 Sachsenhausen Special Camp No.. Spent. In November 1945 Wernecke died there of sepsis. There are no known charges against him, and neither did the Soviet rulers provide information about his death.

Varia

As Lord Mayor, Karl Wernecke surrendered Stendal without a fight in 1945, contrary to Nazi orders, thus saving his city from destruction. A short time later, after being interned in a legally controversial internment in a special Soviet camp, he died. He shared this fate, for example, with the mayors of Freiberg , Werner Hartenstein , and von Wurzen , Armin Graebert - they had also surrendered their cities without a fight.

Publications

  • Right to challenge and appeal. Dissertation from the Law Faculty of the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. CA Kaemmerer, Halle an der Saale 1909.

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Podolsky, Sabine. (Ed.): Johanna Wernecke. Diaries 1867-1896. Akire Publishing, 1993 .
  2. ^ Karl Wernecke: Right of avoidance and action for objection. Dissertation from the Law Faculty of the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg . CA Kaemmerer, Halle an der Saale 1909.
  3. ^ Martin Wiehle: Altmark personalities. Biographical lexicon of the Altmark, the Elbe-Havel-Land and the Jerichower Land (= contributions to the cultural history of the Altmark and its peripheral areas. Vol. 5). Dr. ziethen verlag, Oschersleben 1999, ISBN 3-932090-61-6 , pp. 184f.
personal data
SURNAME Wernecke, Karl
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German local politician
DATE OF BIRTH 4th August 1885
PLACE OF BIRTH Wartenburg
DATE OF DEATH November 1945
Place of death Special camp No. 7 Sachsenhausen