Konstantin von Neurath

Konstantin von Neurath
Neurath as a Reichsprotektor in 1939
Reichsminister of Foreign Affairs
In office 1 June 1932 – 4 February 1938
President	Paul von Hindenburg Adolf Hitler (as Führer)
Chancellor	Franz von Papen Kurt von Schleicher Adolf Hitler
Preceded by	Heinrich Brüning
Succeeded by	Joachim von Ribbentrop
Protector of Bohemia and Moravia
In office 21 March 1939 – 24 August 1943
Appointed by	Adolf Hitler
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Wilhelm Frick
Personal details
Born	Konstantin Hermann Karl von Neurath (1873-02-02)2 February 1873 Kleinglattbach, German Empire
Died	14 August 1956(1956-08-14) (aged 83) Enzweihingen, West Germany
Political party	Nazi Party
Spouse	Marie Auguste Moser von Filseck ​ ​ (m. 1901)​
Children	2
Alma mater	Friedrich Wilhelm University University of Tübingen
Occupation	Diplomat
Profession	Lawyer
Cabinet	Hitler Cabinet
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	German Empire
Branch/service	Imperial German Army
Years of service	1914–1916
Unit	Grenadier Regiment "Queen Olga" (26th Division)
Battles/wars	World War I
Awards	Iron Cross, 1st class Wound Badge
Criminal conviction
Criminal status	Deceased
Conviction(s)	Conspiracy to commit crimes against peace Crimes of aggression War crimes Crimes against humanity
Trial	Nuremberg trials
Criminal penalty	15 years imprisonment

Konstantin Hermann Karl Freiherr^[1] von Neurath (2 February 1873 – 14 August 1956) was a German diplomat and Nazi war criminal who served as Foreign Minister of Germany between 1932 and 1938.

Born to a Swabian noble family, Neurath began his diplomatic career in 1901. He fought in World War I and was awarded the Iron Cross for his service. After the war, Neurath served as minister to Denmark, ambassador to Italy and ambassador to Britain. In 1932, he was appointed Foreign Minister by Chancellor Franz von Papen, and he continued to hold the post under Adolf Hitler.

In the early years of the Nazi regime, Neurath was regarded as playing a key role in Hitler's foreign policy pursuits in undermining the Treaty of Versailles and in territorial expansion in the prelude to World War II. However, he was often averse to Hitler's aims for tactical, not necessarily ideological, reasons. That aversion eventually induced Hitler to replace Neurath in 1938 with the more compliant Joachim von Ribbentrop, a fervent Nazi. Neurath served as Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia between 1939 and 1943, but his authority was only nominal after September 1941.

Neurath was tried as a war criminal at the Nuremberg trials and was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his compliance and actions in Nazi Germany. He received an early release in 1954 and then retired to his family estate, where he died two years later.