Origins & Early Life

Baldur Benedikt von Schirach (German pronunciation: [ˈbaldʊʁ ˈbeːnedɪkt fɔn ˈʃiːʁax]; 9 May 1907 – 8 August 1974) was a German politician who was the leader (Reichsjugendführer) of the Hitler Youth from 1931 to 1940. From 1940 to 1945, he was the Gauleiter (district leader) and Reichsstatthalter (Reich governor) of Vienna. A member of the Nazi Party from the age of 18, Schirach was named national youth leader of the party in 1931. In 1932, he was elected as a deputy to the Reichstag.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

After Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933, he was appointed Jugendführer (Youth Leader) of the German Reich, responsible for all youth organizations in the nation. In 1940, Schirach saw action as an infantryman in the French Campaign, for which he was awarded the Iron Cross, 2nd Class. In 1940, Schirach was appointed Gauleiter of the Reichsgau Vienna; Artur Axmann succeeded him as leader of the Hitler Youth. A virulent antisemite, he was responsible for deporting 65,000 Viennese Jews to various Nazi concentration camps in German-occupied Poland. In April 1945, facing Red Army advance, Schirach fled from Vienna to Tyrol, where he later surrendered to American forces.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

At the Nuremberg trials...

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