Rotter Kidnapping

The Rotter kidnapping () was a failed organized kidnapping in Liechtenstein of and , German film directors and theatre managers of Jewish background, by Liechtenstein citizens sympathetic to Nazi Germany. The attack was additionally supported by five German nationals within the country.

Background

Fritz and Alfred Rotter worked as writers and composers and owned multiple successful theatres in Berlin during the era of the Weimar Republic. However, by 1933 due to the two men's Jewish backgrounds, they were the target of pressure contemporaneous with the rise of Nazism in Germany, and in January 1933, they were forced to declare bankruptcy and emigrate to Liechtenstein. They had previously succeeded in being naturalized in the country in 1931 as a result of a wider initiative by the Liechtenstein government. Prime minister Josef Hoop attempted to use private contacts and offering informal support to the German government, where he considered appealing to Otto Meissner in order for the press attacks to end.

However, due to this, Liechtenstein became the target of attacks by German press outlets. In particular, the Rotters became the target of attacks from the press, who falsely accused them of faking their bankruptcy and transferring their money abroad. As a result, it was publicly demanded that the two men be extradited back to Nazi Germany to face trial. Four local Liechtensteiner Nazis (, , Peter Rheinbeger, and Eugen Frommelt) used the German press demands as an impetus to kidnap the two men and forcefully extradite them to Nazi Germany, which was intended to coincide with the formation of an organized Nazi Party in Liechtenstein.

Kidnapping

On 5 April 1933, Fritz and Alfred Rotter, along with Alfred's wife, Gertrud Rotter, and Fritz's domestic partner, Julie Wolff, were convinced by Schädler to stay at a health resort in Gaflei on the Alps, which he managed. Once they arrived, the four men, along with five other German nationals convinced to assist with the plot, attempted to kidnap them and throw them into cars. This was unsuccessful as they fought back and began to escape on foot.

Shortly afterwards, Alfred and Gertrud fell into a nearby ravine while fleeing the kidnappers and were killed immediately. Around the same time, Fritz was tricked by one of the kidnappers into getting into his car under the false pretext of aiding him to safety, though once he realized, he managed to overpower the driver and jump out of the car, thus breaking his shoulder in the process. Following this, he was able to re-unite with Julie Wolff, who was also injured, and managed to reach safety and inform the Liechtenstein government.

Trials and aftermath

Following the kidnapping attempt, three of the men involved were arrested within Liechtenstein, whereas the rest were caught while attempting to flee through Götzis in Austria and then extradited back to Liechtenstein. In June 1933, the men went on trial for the kidnapping. Notably however, both the deaths of Alfred and Gertrud and the political motivation behind the kidnapping were deliberately downplayed in order to avoid further press attacks from Nazi Germany. Fritz Rotter's lawyer, Wladimir Rosenbaum, was prevented from reading his plea where he directly criticized the Nazis' use of violence. In addition, approximately 700 signatures were gathered demanding the pardon of the German men involved.

As a result of the trial, Schädler was sentenced to one year in prison, whereas Roeckle, Rheinbeger and Frommelt were sentenced to four months. Four of the German men involved were separately sentenced to three months in a court in Konstanz. In October of the same year, it was agreed that in order for German press attacks against Liechtenstein to come to an end, Schädler and Rheinbeger would be released from prison early. Schädler was released the following month.

In response to the kidnapping, naturalizations into Liechtenstein where discontinued until further notice, of which the Liechtensteiner Nachrichten criticized. In addition, the Liechtenstein government sent a diplomatic protest on 9 April 1933 to Nazi Germany and urged for both government's to work towards a solution for the press attacks to end. However, Liechtenstein's desire to work with Germany independently contradicted the agreement with Switzerland, as such it expressed it's desire for no independent meeting between Liechtenstein and Germany to solve the issue. As a result, 6 October 1933 a conference was held in Berlin with representatives from Germany and Switzerland, with Hoop representing Liechtenstein. At the conference, he defended the country against the allegations made by the German press. The Reich ministry demanded that Liechtenstein revised its naturalization policy, which Hoop obliged. In addition, Schädler and Rheinbeger, who were still in prison for the kidnapping, were to be released early, and both men were pardoned by Franz I and released the following month.

The kidnappings and subsequent trials temporarily held back the formation of an organized Nazi Party in Liechtenstein, and it would not form until 1938 as the German National Movement in Liechtenstein (VBDL) with Schädler as its initial leader. Fritz Rotter and his wife would shortly after leave Liechtenstein, and with assistance from Wladimir Rosenbaum, would live in exile in France until his death in 1939.

In August 2022, two plaques were placed in Vaduz to commemorate Alfred and Gertrud Rotter.

References

Further reading

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Kidnapping in the 1930s
1933 in Liechtenstein
Antisemitism in Liechtenstein
Political violence in Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein collaborators with Nazi Germany
Nazi terrorism
Premiership of Josef Hoop