Erhard Heiden
Erhard Heiden ( born February 23, 1901 in Munich, † April-September 1933) was an early member of the NSDAP and second Reichsführer of the SS
Life
Activity in the early NSDAP
Heiden has been active since the summer of 1923 in the Munich NSDAP. Already at that time he belonged to the so-called shock troops of Adolf Hitler, a precursor organization of the SS, at. Public sensation was caused by pagans during this time, after he attacked one night in the fall of 1923, with his strike force colleague Joseph Berchtold Vice President of the Munich-based industrial and Commerce, Siegmund Fraenkel, a Jew, along with his wife and son and brutally beat. The Völkische observers acknowledged this with the cynical reference, "that we are happy when Munich gradually comes to reputation, that it is better for Jews and other foreigners, not to enter the city. " In November 1923 Heiden took part in the failed Beer Hall Putsch exhibition in Munich. In the period between the prohibition of the NSDAP after the defeat of the coup and its reestablishment in the spring of 1925, he worked in various transit organizations of the party.
Activity in the SS ( 1925-1929 )
When Adolf Hitler, the NSDAP newly founded in the spring of 1925, Heiden was one of the first to the "new" party joined (member number 74). After finalized in April 1925 Founding of the Schutzstaffel ( SS) - which was set up as a guard within the combat units of the Party - Gentiles also was deputy to the first leader Julius Schreck ( 1925-1926 ) appointed, a post he also below the second SS leader Joseph Berchtold (1926-1927) held. Following the resignation of Berchtold as Reich SS leader, Hitler appointed in March 1927 pagans, then standing in the rank of SS - Sturmbannführer, the new SS chief. As his deputy appointed Heinrich Himmler Gentiles, a member of the Munich Sturmabteilung (SA).
Under the command Heidens the number of members of the SS in the subsequent period has been reduced from 1,000 to 280 men. This was done with the intention of by a small group of members as possible to increase the exclusivity of the SS membership to underline the "elite thoughts " of the SS within the SA and the Nazi Party.
Along with Adolf Rottenberger led Gentiles also since 1926 as a " kingdom economy point " designated business, the NSDAP members, and especially SA and SS members, supplied with uniforms and equipment. Until his expulsion from the party in May 1927 Edmund Heine worked in this operation. In June 1927, the business was finally confirmed by Hitler as the only authorized supplier of the SA.
On January 6, 1929 Heiden was relieved of his duties Hitler as Reich Leader of the SS. New SS chief Heinrich Himmler has now, which should remain so until 1945. The exact background of the change in staffing are not clear: In the Heidens dismissal notifying available from January 20, 1929, Hitler stated that Gentiles would have asked him already on December 1, 1928 about him, pagans, from " family and economic reasons, " his official position to relieve the SS chief. An alternative or additional background sounds to in the penultimate sentence of Hitler's disposal, in which it stressed the Nazi party boss that Heidens dismissal not related to " slander " Heiden is to see through the social democratic press. Background of this movement was a critical article in the Munich Post ( " Jews as Hitler Suppliers") of 21 January 1929 which stated that the goods exchange rotting Bergers, was involved in the nations as the second partner, have temporarily based materials by a company, whose owner was a Jew. The article alleged profit calculations were presented, after which Rottenberger and Gentiles detriment of their customers - especially Party members - have pocketed substantial profits by charging excessive prices and that, furthermore, ( held the dividend claims ) through creative accounting both the Treasury as well as the party had withheld considerable sums. The extent to which these allegations were true, the file is obtained is not apparent. A lawsuit filed by Rottenberger against the Munich Post for libel but finally gave up this.
In a letter dated January 22, 1929 letter to the Gentiles asked for his removal from the SS, which was as far as ascertainable short time later. Instead, he actively turned back to the SA.
Murder
In April 1933 Erhard Heiden was arrested on the orders of Heinrich Himmler by members of the Security Service of the Reichsführer- SS in Munich cafe "Orlando" and presumably killed later in the Munich office. His body was discovered by accident in September 1933 and buried on 15 September.