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Siegfried Uiberreither (29 March 1908 – 29 December 1984) was an Austrian
Nazi Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...
''
Gauleiter A ''Gauleiter'' () was a regional leader of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) who served as the head of a ''Administrative divisions of Nazi Germany, Gau'' or ''Reichsgau''. ''Gauleiter'' was the third-highest Ranks and insignia of the Nazi Party, rank in ...
'' and ''
Reichsstatthalter The ''Reichsstatthalter'' (, ''Reich lieutenant'') was a title used in the German Empire and later in Nazi Germany. ''Statthalter des Reiches'' (1879–1918) The office of ''Statthalter des Reiches'' (otherwise known as ''Reichsstatthalter'' ...
'' of the Reichsgau Styria during the
Third Reich Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a totalitarian dictat ...
.


Early life

Born in
Salzburg Salzburg is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020 its population was 156,852. The city lies on the Salzach, Salzach River, near the border with Germany and at the foot of the Austrian Alps, Alps moun ...
, he was the son of an engineer named Josef Überreither. The family name was officially changed to Uiberreither in June 1933. Uiberreither attended '' Volksschule'' and '' Realschule'' in Salzburg and, in 1924, joined the Schill Youth (''Schilljugend''), a right-wing youth organization founded by Gerhard Roßbach. In 1927, he joined the Austrian Nazi Party. From 1927 to 1933, he studied
law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the ar ...
and
political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and Power (social and political), power, and the analysis of political activities, political philosophy, political thought, polit ...
at the University of Graz while working as a construction worker. From 1930 to 1938, he was employed as a secretary and, later, executive secretary for the Workers' Sickness Fund (''Arbeiterkrankenkasse'') in
Graz Graz () is the capital of the Austrian Federal states of Austria, federal state of Styria and the List of cities and towns in Austria, second-largest city in Austria, after Vienna. On 1 January 2025, Graz had a population of 306,068 (343,461 inc ...
. In 1933 he joined the ''
Sturmabteilung The (; SA; or 'Storm Troopers') was the original paramilitary organisation under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party of Germany. It played a significant role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power, Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and early 1930s. I ...
'' (SA), serving in SA-'' Standarte'' 27 in Graz. In July 1933, the month after the Austrian Nazi Party was outlawed by Austrian Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuß, Überreither graduated from his studies with a Doctor of Law degree. He remained active in the underground Party as an ideological officer (1935-1937) and, from October 1937, leader (''Führer'') of the illegal SA-Brigade 5, ''"Mittel-Steiermark",'' based in Graz.


Career after the ''Anschluss''

Following Austria's ''
Anschluss The (, or , ), also known as the (, ), was the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into Nazi Germany on 12 March 1938. The idea of an (a united Austria and Germany that would form a "German Question, Greater Germany") arose after t ...
'' with
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
on 12 March 1938, Uiberreither was promoted to SA-'' Brigadeführer'' and was named Acting Police President for Graz. At the parliamentary election of 10 April, he was elected as a Nazi deputy to the '' Reichstag'' from the newly renamed Ostmark. On 24 May 1938,
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
appointed him ''
Gauleiter A ''Gauleiter'' () was a regional leader of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) who served as the head of a ''Administrative divisions of Nazi Germany, Gau'' or ''Reichsgau''. ''Gauleiter'' was the third-highest Ranks and insignia of the Nazi Party, rank in ...
'' of Gau Styria. Additionally, on 9 June he was named '' Landeshauptmann'' of
Styria Styria ( ; ; ; ) is an Austrian Federal states of Austria, state in the southeast of the country. With an area of approximately , Styria is Austria's second largest state, after Lower Austria. It is bordered to the south by Slovenia, and cloc ...
, thus uniting under his control the highest party and governmental offices in his jurisdiction. On 1 October 1938, Uiberreither officially joined the Nazi Party with membership number 6,102,560. On 9 November of the same year, he was advanced to the rank of SA-'' Gruppenführer''. In May 1939 Uiberreither married Käte Wegener (1918–2012), the daughter of Alfred and Else Wegener. They had four sons. In October 1939 he entered
military service Military service is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, air forces, and naval forces, whether as a chosen job (volunteer military, volunteer) or as a result of an involuntary draft (conscription). Few nations, such ...
as a mountain trooper ('' Gebirgsjäger'') with the 3rd Mountain Division and participated in the German landings in
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...
. He was awarded the
Iron Cross The Iron Cross (, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire (1871–1918), and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). The design, a black cross pattée with a white or silver outline, was derived from the in ...
, 2nd class and the War Merit Cross, 1st and 2nd class. In July 1940, he was discharged from the ''
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...
'' with the rank of '' Leutnant'' in the reserves. On 1 April 1940, a new more centralized administrative structure went into effect in Austria. The federal States were abolished and the country was divided into seven '' Reichsgaue'', each headed by a ''
Reichsstatthalter The ''Reichsstatthalter'' (, ''Reich lieutenant'') was a title used in the German Empire and later in Nazi Germany. ''Statthalter des Reiches'' (1879–1918) The office of ''Statthalter des Reiches'' (otherwise known as ''Reichsstatthalter'' ...
'' (Reich Governor) reporting directly to Hitler. Uiberreither was appointed ''Reichstatthalter'' of ''Reichsgau'' Styria. On 14 April 1941, after the conquest of
Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...
, he was named the Chief of Civil Administration in the occupied area of
Lower Styria Styria (, ), also known as Slovenian Styria (; ) or Lower Styria (; ) to differentiate it from Austrian Styria, is a traditional region in northeastern Slovenia, comprising the southern third of the former Duchy of Styria. The population of St ...
(now part of
Slovenia Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...
). This was an area of 6,050 square kilometers with a population of approximately 530,000. Uiberreither was given a mandate by Hitler to "Make this territory German again for me." Accordingly, Uiberreither oversaw a policy of ruthless
Germanization Germanisation, or Germanization, is the spread of the German language, German people, people, and German culture, culture. It was a central idea of German conservative thought in the 19th and the 20th centuries, when conservatism and ethnic nati ...
. He convened a meeting on 6 May 1941 at
Maribor Maribor ( , , ; also known by other #Name, historical names) is the List of cities and towns in Slovenia, second-largest city in Slovenia and the largest city of the traditional region of Styria (Slovenia), Lower Styria. It is the seat of the ...
to plan measures that resulted in the expulsion to
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
of tens of thousands of
Slovenes The Slovenes, also known as Slovenians ( ), are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Slovenia and adjacent regions in Italy, Austria and Hungary. Slovenes share a common ancestry, Slovenian culture, culture, and History of Slove ...
in three waves beginning in July 1941. The Slovene language was banned and place names were Germanized. These repressive actions led to increased partisan attacks upon German occupation authorities and their local collaborators. In addition, the Aktion T4 program of
euthanasia Euthanasia (from : + ) is the practice of intentionally ending life to eliminate pain and suffering. Different countries have different Legality of euthanasia, euthanasia laws. The British House of Lords Select committee (United Kingdom), se ...
involving mentally impaired individuals was operational within Styria and Lower Slovenia at this time. It is estimated that over 500 patients from various mental care facilities were gassed to death at the Hartheim Euthanasia Center near
Linz Linz (Pronunciation: , ; ) is the capital of Upper Austria and List of cities and towns in Austria, third-largest city in Austria. Located on the river Danube, the city is in the far north of Austria, south of the border with the Czech Repub ...
. Also, 62 children and teenagers were killed at the Fendhof hospital in Graz. On 30 January 1939, Uiberreither was awarded the Golden Party Badge. On 16 November 1942, he was appointed the Reich Defense Commissioner for his ''Reichsgau''. On 9 November 1943, he was promoted to SA-'' Obergruppenführer''. In September 1944 he became the leader of the '' Volkssturm'' in Styria, a last-ditch Nazi Party militia set up towards the end of the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
and associated with the Nazi " Werwolf" organization. This consisted of conscripted males between the ages of 16 and 60 who were not already in the military. Uiberreither was also charged with construction of defensive positions against the anticipated assault by the
Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...
, which involved the procurement of forced civilian labor.


Postwar life

In May 1945, after the Allies had overrun the Reich and Hitler was dead, Uiberreither was arrested in Murau by British authorities and later testified as a defense witness at the Nuremberg Trials. He was held at the former Dachau concentration camp but he fled in 1947 when he learned of plans to hand him over to
Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...
for prosecution. There were unconfirmed reports that he escaped to
Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
, though this is disputed. It is known that he eventually lived with his family in Sindelfingen under an assumed name, Friedrich Schönharting. He died there in 1984, reportedly of
Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems wit ...
.


References


Sources

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External links

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Photos of Siegfried Uiberreither
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Uiberreither, Siegfried 1908 births 1984 deaths Aktion T4 personnel Austrian escapees Austrian Nazis Deaths from Alzheimer's disease in Germany Escapees from United States military detention Gauleiters German Army personnel of World War II Governors of Styria Holocaust perpetrators in Austria Lawyers in the Nazi Party Members of the Reichstag 1938–1945 People from the Duchy of Salzburg Politicians from Salzburg Recipients of the Iron Cross (1939), 2nd class Recipients of the War Merit Cross SA-Obergruppenführer University of Graz alumni Volkssturm personnel Witnesses to the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg