Josef Leopold
Josef Leopold ( born February 18, 1889 in Langenlois; † 24 June 1941 in Volhynia ) was Gauleiter and state leader of the NSDAP in Austria.
Life
The son of a farmer visited a fruit and wine school and worked in his father's business. After his military service, he joined in 1913 as a professional soldier in the imperial army. 1914 used as a sergeant on the Eastern Front, Leopold came on August 1, 1915 in Russian captivity. It was only in January 1918 he managed to escape and successful return to his unit. After the war he joined the people's militia, was appointed people's militia lieutenant and Offizierssoldatenrat of the people's militia battalion in the ninth district of Vienna, Alsergrund selected.
In the oktroyierte professional army of the First Republic adopted, he graduated from 1920-1923 the Army School in Enns with rating of " Very Good " in all subjects. However, as a graduate of the Army School and Non - Matura he could only reach the rank of captain. In 1932 he retired from the army and devoted himself entirely to politics. The reason was partly due to his membership of the later (June 1933) in Austria banned the NSDAP.
In September 1926 he was a member of the NSDAP, which appointed him on August 29, 1929 Gauleiter of Lower Austria. In 1932 he moved for the NSDAP in the Landtag of Lower Austria and was then appointed to the provincial government. After the prohibition of the NSDAP 1933 to German - Austrian Juliabkommen in 1936 Leopold sat several times, although elected by the people, immune Member of the Lower Austrian provincial parliament and the provincial government, in custody. Then he was on 29 January 1935 to February 21, 1938 State of the NSDAP in Austria, however, long since fallen out of favor with Hitler for his alleged lack of enforcement and leadership ability.
After the "Anschluss " Leopold was born on May 23, 1938 promoted to Inspector of the Reich NSDAP and SA group leader, with his office in Munich. After this " cold junction " he was - in the meantime to lieutenant colonel (Titus ) of the Wehrmacht transports - reactivate in October 1939; one and a half years later, in the early days of the German - Soviet war, he fell down as commander of Znojmo Protect Battalion during a command output by a direct hit. His grave is located next to the church of Worsowska in Volhynia.
Leopold's widow, Sidonie ( * ca 1893, † unknown), since 1927 the National Socialist and winner of the Golden Party Badge of the NSDAP, was condemned by the Vienna People's Court according to law banning two and a half years of hard time in a financial collapse on 8 October 1945.
Awards, honors
- Honorary citizen of the city of Krems (1938 )