Franz von Papen (1879–1969)

Franz von Papen was a German politician during the Weimar and Nazi periods. He was the leader of a conservative party, and continued to serve in the German government well into World War 2. After the war, he ended up in the hands of the Western Allies, and was acquitted of war crimes.

Papen's memoirs give a great deal of insight into the chaotic situation in Germany in the 30s, and how that led to the appointment of Hitler as Chancellor. There is also a good exposition of various inner workings of the Nazi government, and the turbulence inside it.

Von Papen's story is ultimately a tragic one, and is partially based on the emptiness of the Continental conception of conservatism. As a conservative, he's appalled by Hitler and this gang, but because Hitler makes some obesiances to the traditional symbols and mores of Germany, von Papen was powerless to offer any principled effective opposition when there was still a chance to do so. Even once the war has started, von Papen is blinded to the merging of the Nazi Party with the state, and continues to work for "the best interests of Germany", including a pivotal role in dissuading Turkey from joining the Allies. There's a point in the book where he upstages one of Hitler's inner circle among a working-class crowd, but he doesn't have a compelling vision to offer, and is thus unable to offer any effective opposition, even though he realizes that the Nazis are fundamentally immoral.… (mere)