KONRAD HENLEIN: THE BETRAYAL OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA AND THE ‘EHRENBURGERBRIEF’

By Eric J. Johansson, Archivist

Manion’s International Auction House offers a unique historical document in its Auction 210, German Militaria—this is known as an EHRENBURGERBRIEF, or Honorary Citizenship Document, presented to Reichs Commissar and Gauleiter, Konrad Henlein, 29 November 1938.

The history of this document, the biography of the man in question and his role in the betrayal of Czechoslovakia to Hitler and Nazi Germany make for very interesting reading.

The Ehrenburgerbrief:

The Document known as an Honorary Citizenship Patent or Document can be traced back to Medieval Europe: its continuance into the Twentieth Century is a testimony to the power of authority granted by it. Originally, before the consolidation of national territories, the very concept of a ‘kingdom’ was perceived only on a tribal level. A group of Franks, Visigoths, Goths or other people existed as a tribal unit, held in place under the loose hegemony of a war chief. These small communities often operated out of a specific geographical area, an estuary, a fortified city or a vital cross roads. As they began to solidify into national entities, one of their legacies was the appearance of cities, each generally fortified and each very protective of its authority. Logically, it followed that it was desirable to be a ‘citizen’ or ‘Burger’ of a city with authority and power: this protected the individual from wanton acts of aggression or mayhem: he had the backing of a city-state for support.

By the end of the 18th century the cities held only nominal control of their destinies: they had been incorporated into national entities but they were still jealous of their ‘rights’ and the granting of citizenship, even honorary, was considered vital to them.

By the 20th century, German cities still retained honorary citizenship rights which they could bestow: in a very real way, this was and is equivalent to American cities granting the “keys of the city” to some important person. One does not actually have a “key” that will unlock the city-gate: rather the key is symbolic of the respect of the city in granting a person the honor to “hold the power of the city” in his or her hands.

During the Third Reich, Hitler, as Chancellor, accumulated a significant number of Honorary Citizenship Documents: lesser Nazi luminaries also received these documents and, in this case, Konrad Henlein was honored by a citizenship document.

In the 20th century, these documents were done on vellum, hand illustrated and inscribed and often placed in a red leatherette presentation case similar to that found for the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross.

Henlein’s document is signed by the Burgermeister or Mayor of Gablonz a.N. giving him full honors for his services to the ethnic Germans in Czechoslovakia in the district occupied by the city in question and its environs. The reverse of the document displays a muted swastika over a very beautifully hand illustrated design of a blossoming orange tree representing the crest of the city, along with a heraldic city gate and stream.

The man, Konrad Henlein, who was he?

Henlein was born on May 6, 1898 in Bohemia, at Maffersdorf. His father was German, his mother was a Czech. As a young man, as with most of his Generation, he served in the World War, being captured by the Italians and returning to his home in 1919. Following the World War, he entered a commercial college and found legitimate employment as a bank clerk. His entry into the fiercely contested world of national politics can be traced to his assuming the role of a gymnastics instructor of an ethnic or Sudeten German sports club in 1925. In many cases, these so-called “clubs” were front organizations where nationalistic thought could be taught to the members: under the guise of “meetings” to celebrate the love of sports, treason could be hatched. It was not long before Henlein “advanced” in his career, first becoming a leader of the German Gymnastic Union in Czechoslovakia and then, by 1933, coming forth as the founder of the German Heimatfront.

In all actuality, the Heimatfront replaced the outlawed NSDAP or Nazi Party in Czechoslovakia. With the help of the parent organization in Germany, the Heimatfront, by 1935, had assumed its true form, now being called the ‘Sudetendeutsche Partei (SPD). The political Programme was very simple—advocation of Nazi principles and preparing the way for Hitler to absorb Czechoslovakia by claming that Greater Germany was only concerned for the fate of the ethnic Germans then living in Czechoslovakia.

After 1935, Henlein led the new SPD openly, receiving at least 15,000 marks a month from a Party organization and the active support of Hitler who called him “my viceroy.”

Subverting all pro-nationalist Czech organizations, Henlein’s SPD prepared the way for the absorption of the whole of Czechoslovakia into Germany.

He was well rewarded for his treachery to the Czechs: in October of 1938 Henlein was appointed Gauleiter of Czechoslovakia; he became a member of the Reichstag and on May 1, 1939 he was appointed head of the Civil Administration in the Sudeten Deutsche area. Promotion in the SS also flowered him with Hitler’s favors. By June 21, 1943 he was now an SS Obergruppenfuher in the SS.

The end of the war brought a personal end to Henlein’s treachery: he was captured by soldiers of the American 7th Army early in May of 1945. Destined to be tried as a ‘Major Offender,’ Henlein escaped the judgment at Nuremberg by slashing his wrists on May 10, 1945. A razor blade, hidden in a cigarette case, proved the tool that would end his days.

Henlein’s chosen path of honor and self glory brought him Death: his memory in the Czech Republic is no longer honored and there are few, if any major artifacts, of his participation in the downfall of the Czech Republic.

This simple Ehrenburgerbrief seems to say it all—earthly honors, grand dreams and now, only an artifact of a diseased life, sold by auction….