Walter Buch
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Walter Buch (24 October 1883 – 12 September 1949) was a German
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 ...
jurist A jurist is a person with expert knowledge of law; someone who analyzes and comments on law. This person is usually a specialist legal scholar, mostly (but not always) with a formal education in law (a law degree) and often a Lawyer, legal prac ...
who served as Chairman of the Uschla/Supreme Party Court from 1927 to 1945. Buch was early member of the Nazi Party, the SA, and the SS, a close associate of
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 ...
, and a participant in the
Beer Hall Putsch The Beer Hall Putsch, also known as the Munich Putsch,Dan Moorhouse, ed schoolshistory.org.uk, accessed 2008-05-31.Known in German as the or was a failed coup d'état by Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler, Erich Ludendorff and other leaders i ...
. Buch was appointed chief judge of the Uschla in 1925, an important position for settling disputes within the party, despite having no formal
legal Law is a set of rules that are created and are law enforcement, 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 Socia ...
training. Buch's insistence on prosecuting major Nazi officials for
moral A moral (from Latin ''morālis'') is a message that is conveyed or a lesson to be learned from a story or event. The moral may be left to the hearer, reader, or viewer to determine for themselves, or may be explicitly encapsulated in a maxim. ...
issues alienated Hitler and other powerful party members, causing his own power and influence to decline, serving as a
figurehead In politics, a figurehead is a practice of who ''de jure'' (in name or by law) appears to hold an important and often supremely powerful title or office, yet '' de facto'' (in reality) exercises little to no actual power. This usually means that ...
from 1942 until the end of the
World War II 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 ...
in 1945. Buch was classified as a major regime functionary in the
denazification Denazification () was an Allied initiative to rid German and Austrian society, culture, press, economy, judiciary, and politics of the Nazi ideology following the Second World War. It was carried out by removing those who had been Nazi Par ...
proceedings in 1948 and released from prison 1949, committing
suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...
shortly afterwards.


Early life and career

Walter Buch was born on 24 October 1883 in Bruchsal,
Grand Duchy of Baden The Grand Duchy of Baden () was a German polity on the east bank of the Rhine. It originally existed as a sovereign state from 1806 to 1871 and later as part of the German Empire until 1918. The duchy's 12th-century origins were as a Margravia ...
, the son of Hermann Buch, a Senate President at the
Karlsruhe Karlsruhe ( ; ; ; South Franconian German, South Franconian: ''Kallsruh'') is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, third-largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, after its capital Stuttgart a ...
Regional Court. Buch graduated from the gymnasium in
Konstanz Konstanz ( , , , ), traditionally known as Constance in English, is a college town, university city with approximately 83,000 inhabitants located at the western end of Lake Constance in the Baden-Württemberg state of south Germany. The city ho ...
in 1902 and entered the
Imperial German Army The Imperial German Army (1871–1919), officially referred to as the German Army (), was the unified ground and air force of the German Empire. It was established in 1871 with the political unification of Germany under the leadership of Kingdom o ...
as an
officer An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...
cadet A cadet is a student or trainee within various organisations, primarily in military contexts where individuals undergo training to become commissioned officers. However, several civilian organisations, including civil aviation groups, maritime ...
. He was promoted to ''
Leutnant () is the lowest junior officer rank in the armed forces of Germany ( Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the military of Switzerland. History The German noun (with the meaning "" (in English "deputy") from Middle High German «locum ...
'' in 1904 and ''
Oberleutnant (English: First Lieutenant) is a senior lieutenant Officer (armed forces), officer rank in the German (language), German-speaking armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the Swiss Armed Forces. In Austria, ''Oberle ...
'' in 1913. Buch served in the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, first as a
training Training is teaching, or developing in oneself or others, any skills and knowledge or fitness that relate to specific useful competencies. Training has specific goals of improving one's capability, capacity, productivity and performance. I ...
officer, and then as a
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commander, earning 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 ...
1st and 2nd class. In March 1918, he became an instructor at the Döberitz military training area until September when he took up a position at the Prussian War Ministry in
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
. In November 1918, upon the end of the war, Buch was released from the army as a
major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...
when he refused to swear allegiance to the new
Weimar Republic The Weimar Republic, officially known as the German Reich, was the German Reich, German state from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional republic for the first time in history; hence it is also referred to, and unofficially proclai ...
. He then ran a chicken farm near Gernsbach and was active in the Baden Veterans' League. From 1919 to 1922, he was a member of the national-conservative
German National People's Party The German National People's Party (, DNVP) was a national-conservative and German monarchy, monarchist political party in Germany during the Weimar Republic. Before the rise of the Nazi Party, it was the major nationalist party in Weimar German ...
(DNVP). He was also manager of the Baden branch of the Deutschvölkischer Schutz- und Trutzbund, the largest, most active, and most influential
anti-semitic Antisemitism or Jew-hatred is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who harbours it is called an antisemite. Whether antisemitism is considered a form of racism depends on the school of thought. Antisemi ...
federation in post-war Germany On 9 December 1922, Buch joined the
Nazi Party The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party ( or NSDAP), was a far-right politics, far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported the ideology of Nazism. Its precursor ...
( membership number 13,726), attracted by its virulent anti-semitism, and soon became the '' Ortsgruppenleiter'' (Local Group Leader) in Karlsruhe. On 1 January 1923, he joined the (SA), the
paramilitary A paramilitary is a military that is not a part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. The Oxford English Dictionary traces the use of the term "paramilitary" as far back as 1934. Overview Though a paramilitary is, by definiti ...
wing of the Nazi Party. By August of that year, he was leader of the SA in
Franconia Franconia ( ; ; ) is a geographical region of Germany, characterised by its culture and East Franconian dialect (). Franconia is made up of the three (governmental districts) of Lower Franconia, Lower, Middle Franconia, Middle and Upper Franco ...
, which he had helped organise in
Nuremberg Nuremberg (, ; ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the Franconia#Towns and cities, largest city in Franconia, the List of cities in Bavaria by population, second-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Bav ...
. In mid-1923, Buch was recruited to the '' Stoßtrupp-Hitler'' (Shock Troop-Hitler), a small group of SA members formed for Nazi leader
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 ...
's personal protection, which would later evolve into the ''
Schutzstaffel The ''Schutzstaffel'' (; ; SS; also stylised with SS runes as ''ᛋᛋ'') was a major paramilitary organisation under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany, and later throughout German-occupied Europe during World War II. It beg ...
'' (SS). Buch participated in the
Beer Hall Putsch The Beer Hall Putsch, also known as the Munich Putsch,Dan Moorhouse, ed schoolshistory.org.uk, accessed 2008-05-31.Known in German as the or was a failed coup d'état by Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler, Erich Ludendorff and other leaders i ...
on 9 November 1923, eluding capture as many other Nazi leaders fled Germany to avoid prosecution. Buch came back to
Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
as early as 13 November, sent by
Hermann Göring Hermann Wilhelm Göring (or Goering; ; 12 January 1893 – 15 October 1946) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician, aviator, military leader, and convicted war criminal. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which gov ...
– who had fled to
Innsbruck Innsbruck (; ) is the capital of Tyrol (federal state), Tyrol and the List of cities and towns in Austria, fifth-largest city in Austria. On the Inn (river), River Inn, at its junction with the Wipptal, Wipp Valley, which provides access to the ...
in
Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
– to ensure that the shaken Party troops' cohesion would not weaken. He built up ties with the now-outlawed SA groups, which could now only operate
undercover A cover in foreign, military or police human intelligence or counterintelligence is the ostensible identity and role or position in an infiltrated organization assumed by a covert agent during a covert operation. Official cover In espionage, a ...
, and briefly was charged with the leadership of the outlawed SA until arrested in February 1924. Buch maintained regular contact between Hitler, who was incarcerated in
Landsberg Prison Landsberg Prison is a prison in the town of Landsberg am Lech in the southwest of the German state of Bavaria, about west-southwest of Munich and south of Augsburg. It is best known as the prison where Adolf Hitler was held in 1924, after the ...
, and the illegal Nazi leadership in Austria. In the time that followed, Göring's fears that the party had broken up appear to be true until Hitler was released from Landsberg in December 1924. Hitler re-established the Nazi Party on 27 February 1925 and Buch rejoined (membership number 7,733), becoming the SA leader in Munich and serving in that capacity until November 1927.


Chairman of the Supreme Party Court

The Investigation and Settlement Committee (''Untersuchungs- und Schlichtungs-Ausschuss'' or ''Uschla'') had been established in December 1925 by Hitler to settle intra-party problems and disputes using a
court A court is an institution, often a government entity, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between Party (law), parties and Administration of justice, administer justice in Civil law (common law), civil, Criminal law, criminal, an ...
headquartered at the Brown House. On 27 November 1927, Hitler named Buch as Acting Chairman of this body, becoming permanent Chairman as of 1 January 1928. In addition to the national organization, there were lower level Uschla components at the Local and '' Gau'' levels of the Nazi Party. Their decisions could be appealed to the national Uschla which specifically had the right to cite “higher Party reasons” as the sole justification for refusing to accept a lower level decision. Hitler used this to wield almost total control over intra-Party disputes. Buch did not have any formal
legal Law is a set of rules that are created and are law enforcement, 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 Socia ...
training and tried to avoid choosing professional
lawyer A lawyer is a person who is qualified to offer advice about the law, draft legal documents, or represent individuals in legal matters. The exact nature of a lawyer's work varies depending on the legal jurisdiction and the legal system, as w ...
s as judges, preferring to rely on '' Alter Kämpfer'' because he trusted them to share his outlook for the party. The two other USCHLA members at the time of Buch's becoming chairman were Hans Frank and Ulrich Graf. Following the
Nazi seizure of power The rise to power of Adolf Hitler, dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945, began in the newly established Weimar Republic in September 1919, when Hitler joined the '' Deutsche Arbeiterpartei'' (DAP; German Workers' Party). He quickly rose t ...
in 1933, the USCHLA was renamed the Supreme Party Court (''Oberste Parteigericht'') on 1 January 1934. Buch was retained as its chairman and also given the title of Supreme Party Judge (''Oberster Parteirichter''). The Court was empowered to conduct investigations, render judgments and take disciplinary actions against Nazi Party members. It could only impose sanctions that affected the accused's relationship with the Party, with punishments ranging from reprimand, to dismissal from Party offices and to the most extreme punishment, expulsion from the Party. If a case involved any criminal activity, the Court would refer the case to the criminal courts for action. Any pronouncements of the Supreme Party Court were non-binding on the criminal courts and needed the concurrence of Hitler to effectuate its decisions, which at times he refused to grant. In 1934, Buch described the importance of Party tribunals thus:
The Party tribunals always have themselves to consider as the iron fasteners that hold together the proud building of the Nazi Party, which political leaders and SA leaders have built up. Saving it from cracks and shocks is the Party tribunals' grandest task. The Party magistrates are bound only to their National Socialist conscience, and are no political leader's subordinates, and they are subject only to the Führer.
Buch supported the
purge In history, religion and political science, a purge is a position removal or execution of people who are considered undesirable by those in power from a government, another, their team leaders, or society as a whole. A group undertaking such an ...
of the SA's leadership following the
Night of the Long Knives The Night of the Long Knives (, ), also called the Röhm purge or Operation Hummingbird (), was a purge that took place in Nazi Germany from 30 June to 2 July 1934. Chancellor Adolf Hitler, urged on by Hermann Göring and Heinrich Himmler, ord ...
in June 1934, and acted in accordance by massing evidence against '' SA-''Stabschef''''
Ernst Röhm Ernst Julius Günther Röhm (; 28 November 1887 – 1 July 1934) was a German military officer, politician and a leading member of the Nazi Party. A close friend and early ally of Adolf Hitler, Röhm was the co-founder and leader of the (SA), t ...
and his colleagues. Buch gathere complaints about
homosexual Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between people of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" exc ...
activities among SA members and, at Hitler's behest, travelled to
Bad Wiessee Bad Wiessee (Central Bavarian: ''Bad Wiessä'') is a Municipalities of Germany, municipality in the Miesbach (district), district of Miesbach in Upper Bavaria in Germany. Since 1922, it has been a spa town and located on the western shore of the ...
where he was present at Röhm's arrest. Buch felt that Röhm and his fellow SA leaders should have faced the Supreme Party Court, and was not informed of their
summary execution In civil and military jurisprudence, summary execution is the putting to death of a person accused of a crime without the benefit of a free and fair trial. The term results from the legal concept of summary justice to punish a summary offense, a ...
s until after the fact. However, Buch's courts at all levels were very active in the subsequent extensive purge of SA personnel throughout
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 ...
. Buch reminded the tribunals that it was their duty to serve the Party, not “
objective truth The distinction between subjectivity and objectivity is a basic idea of philosophy, particularly epistemology Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that examines the nature, origin, and limits of knowledge. Also called "the theory of knowl ...
.” There are no accurate figures on the numbers of those expelled from the Party in the widespread purge, but they included members of the political organization as well as the SA.


Moral prosecutions

Buch believed that
National Socialism Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During Hitler's rise to power, it was frequ ...
should foster a revolution in
morality Morality () is the categorization of intentions, Decision-making, decisions and Social actions, actions into those that are ''proper'', or ''right'', and those that are ''improper'', or ''wrong''. Morality can be a body of standards or principle ...
as well as in politics, and he sought to use his position to spearhead a crusade against
vice A vice is a practice, behaviour, Habit (psychology), habit or item generally considered morally wrong in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character trait, a defect, an infirmity, or a bad or unhe ...
and
corruption Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense that is undertaken by a person or an organization that is entrusted in a position of authority to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's gain. Corruption may involve activities ...
. Buch did not confine himself merely to ruling in internal Party disputes, but also had Party members investigated or sanctioned for personal moral failings. Buch felt that marital fidelity and family stability were cornerstones of National Socialism, often demanding punishment for moral offenses by senior Party leadership which earned him many powerful enemies. In addition, Hitler had no strong reservations about leaders’ private lives so long as they remained personally loyal and avoided open
scandal A scandal can be broadly defined as the strong social reactions of outrage, anger, or surprise, when accusations or rumours circulate or appear for some reason, regarding a person or persons who are perceived to have transgressed in some way a ...
. As a consequence, Buch's influence in the Party began to decline, as can be demonstrated by several high-profile cases against leading Party figures: * In late 1935,
Wilhelm Kube Wilhelm Kube (13 November 1887 – 22 September 1943) was a German Nazi politician and official who served as the '' Generalkommissar'' of '' Generalbezirk Weißruthenien'' in the ''Reichskommissariat Ostland'' from 1941 to 1943. Kube was invol ...
, the ''
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 Kurmark, began an affair with his secretary, impregnated her, and began
divorce Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganising of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the M ...
proceedings against his wife. Buch was outraged by these actions and scolded Kube in writing for his
adultery Adultery is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal consequences, the concept ...
, and for tolerating similar behavior by his subordinates. The Supreme Party Court began an investigation into allegations of corruption, favoritism and
nepotism Nepotism is the act of granting an In-group favoritism, advantage, privilege, or position to Kinship, relatives in an occupation or field. These fields can include business, politics, academia, entertainment, sports, religion or health care. In ...
in Kube's management of the Gau and issued a stern reprimand. However, Hitler was reluctant to remove one of his old comrades and summoned Buch to the
Reich Chancellery The Reich Chancellery () was the traditional name of the office of the Chancellor of Germany (then called ''Reichskanzler'') in the period of the German Reich from 1878 to 1945. The Chancellery's seat, selected and prepared since 1875, was the fo ...
for a personal rebuke on 14 November. Then, in April 1936, an anonymous letter charged that Buch's wife was
half-Jewish "Who is a Jew?" (, ), is a basic question about Jewish identity and considerations of Jewish self-identification. The question pertains to ideas about Jewish personhood, which have cultural, ethnic, religious, political, genealogical, and pe ...
, a very serious allegation. In the course of a
Gestapo The (, ), Syllabic abbreviation, abbreviated Gestapo (), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe. The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of F ...
investigation, it came to light that the letter had been written by Kube in an attempt to get revenge on Buch. The Supreme Party Court issued an official reprimand of Kube in August 1936 and removed from all his posts. Only on Hitler's orders was Kube allowed to retain the rank and uniform of an “honorary” ''Gauleiter''. Buch won a personal victory against Kube, but the whole sordid affair did nothing to restore him to Hitler's good graces. * Buch was also responsible for the whitewashing of Party members' excesses during the nationwide ''
Kristallnacht ( ) or the Night of Broken Glass, also called the November pogrom(s) (, ), was a pogrom against Jews carried out by the Nazi Party's (SA) and (SS) paramilitary forces along with some participation from the Hitler Youth and German civilia ...
''
pogrom A pogrom is a violent riot incited with the aim of Massacre, massacring or expelling an ethnic or religious group, particularly Jews. The term entered the English language from Russian to describe late 19th- and early 20th-century Anti-Jewis ...
of 9 November 1938. Only 30 Party members were charged and most all had their cases dismissed or were given mild punishments. Buch's report, issued in February 1939, declared that the killings that had taken place were "committed on the basis of a vague or presumed order … but motivated by hatred against Jews … rmotivated by a resolution suddenly formed in the excitement of the moment." He refused to hold the defendants responsible for following orders. However, his naming of
Joseph Goebbels Paul Joseph Goebbels (; 29 October 1897 – 1 May 1945) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician and philologist who was the ''Gauleiter'' (district leader) of Berlin, chief Propaganda in Nazi Germany, propagandist for the Nazi Party, and ...
, the ''Reichsminister'' of Propaganda, as the instigator of the "vague order" further alienated Buch from the Nazi leadership. * In early 1940, Buch began proceedings against Julius Streicher, the ''Gauleiter'' of Gau Franconia for behavior viewed as so irresponsible that he was embarrassing the party leadership. He was accused of keeping Jewish property seized after ''Kristallnacht'', of immoral personal behavior including open adultery, and of spreading untrue stories about Hermann Göring – alleging that he was impotent and that his daughter
Edda "Edda" (; Old Norse ''Edda'', plural ''Eddur'') is an Old Norse term that has been applied by modern scholars to the collective of two Medieval Icelandic literary works: what is now known as the ''Prose Edda'' and an older collection of poems ( ...
was conceived by
artificial insemination Artificial insemination is the deliberate introduction of sperm into a female's cervix or uterine cavity for the purpose of achieving a pregnancy through in vivo fertilization by means other than sexual intercourse. It is a fertility treatment ...
. Streicher was brought before the Supreme Party Court and on 16 February 1940 was judged to be "unsuitable for leadership" and stripped of his party offices. Hitler contemplated overturning the verdict and removing “the old fool” Buch, considering Streicher one of his oldest and most loyal comrades. Hitler settled for permitting Streicher to retain the title of ''Gauleiter'' and to continue as the publisher of ''
Der Stürmer ''Der Stürmer'' (; literally, "The Stormer / Stormtrooper / Attacker") was a weekly German tabloid-format newspaper published from 1923 to the end of World War II by Julius Streicher, the '' Gauleiter'' of Franconia, with brief suspension ...
''. This episode further strained Buch's relationship with Hitler. * In November 1941, Hitler dismissed Josef Wagner, the ''Gauleiter'' of Gau Westphalia-South, and ordered that he face the Supreme Party Court. Wagner was charged with "
ideological An ideology is a set of beliefs or values attributed to a person or group of persons, especially those held for reasons that are not purely about belief in certain knowledge, in which "practical elements are as prominent as theoretical ones". Form ...
deviation" by remaining in the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
and sending his children to a convent school. In addition, his wife objected to the marriage of their daughter to an SS member. Wagner defended himself ably and, in February 1942, the Court surprisingly exonerated him in what intended to be little more than a
show trial A show trial is a public trial in which the guilt (law), guilt or innocence of the defendant has already been determined. The purpose of holding a show trial is to present both accusation and verdict to the public, serving as an example and a d ...
. Hitler angrily refused to ratify the Court's decision and, responding to this high level rebuke, the Court was finally compelled to expel Wagner from the Party in October 1942. After this latest episode Hitler resolved to act against Buch and, at the end of November 1942, Buch lost what powers still remained to him. Hitler decreed that the Court could no longer try cases involving "ideological issues". In addition, ''Gauleiters'' were authorized to serve as courts of appeal for Party courts at the Gau level, and Hitler delegated the power of confirming the Supreme Party Court's decisions to
Martin Bormann Martin Ludwig Bormann (17 June 1900 – 2 May 1945) was a German Nazi Party official and head of the Nazi Party Chancellery, private secretary to Adolf Hitler, and a war criminal. Bormann gained immense power by using his position as Hitler ...
, the Chief of the Nazi Party Chancellery. Coincidentally, Bormann was married to Buch's eldest daughter Gerda, but the two were not on good terms. Bormann from then on at times nullified sentences pronounced by the Buch's Court and at other times interfered with its deliberations, indicating what decision he expected of it. Buch tried to maintain his independence of action but eventually refused to preside over Court sessions and effectively withdrew from his position. In post-war interrogations, he claimed to have offered to resign and join the army several times during 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 ...
, but that his offers were never accepted.


Other positions

Apart from his leadership of the Supreme Party Court, Buch held several other high level positions in the Nazi Party and government. On 20 May 1928, Buch was elected from electoral constituency 24 ( Upper Bavaria-Swabia) as one of the first 12 Nazi Party deputies to the '' Reichstag''. He would subsequently be elected four more times from the Nazi Party
electoral list An electoral list is a grouping of candidates for election, usually found in proportional or mixed electoral systems, but also in some plurality electoral systems. An electoral list can be registered by a political party (a party list) or can c ...
through the elections of March 1933. He then represented constituencies 15 ( East Hanover) at the election of November 1933 and 29 (
Leipzig Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...
) at the elections of March 1936 and April 1938. He served continuously until the end of the Nazi regime.Walter Buch entry
in th
''Reichstag'' Members Database
/ref> Buch was also the leader of the Youth Office (''Jugendamt'') in the Party's national leadership (''Reichsleitung'') from June 1930 until 30 October 1931, when he was succeeded by
Baldur von Schirach Baldur Benedikt von Schirach (; 9 May 1907 – 8 August 1974) was a German politician who was the leader of the Hitler Youth from 1931 to 1940. From 1940 to 1945, he was the '' Gauleiter'' (district leader) and '' Reichsstatthalter'' (Reich gov ...
. On 18 December 1931, Buch was promoted to SA-''
Gruppenführer __NOTOC__ ''Gruppenführer'' (, ) was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party (NSDAP), first created in 1925 as a senior rank of the SA. Since then, the term ''Gruppenführer'' is also used for leaders of groups/teams of the police, fire d ...
''. He also served for a time up to 1933 as an
editor Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, organization, a ...
at the Party newspaper '' Völkische Beobachter''. On 2 June 1933, he was appointed by Hitler as a ''
Reichsleiter (, ) was the second-highest political rank in the Nazi Party (NSDAP), subordinate only to the office of . also functioned as a paramilitary rank within the NSDAP and was the highest rank attainable in any Nazi organisation. Each reported d ...
'', the second highest political rank in the Nazi Party. On 1 July 1933, Buch joined the SS and became an honorary leader (''Ehrenführer'') with the rank of SS-''
Gruppenführer __NOTOC__ ''Gruppenführer'' (, ) was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party (NSDAP), first created in 1925 as a senior rank of the SA. Since then, the term ''Gruppenführer'' is also used for leaders of groups/teams of the police, fire d ...
''. On 9 November 1934, he would be promoted to SS-''
Obergruppenführer (, ) was a paramilitary rank in Nazi Germany that was first created in 1932 as a rank of the ''Sturmabteilung'' (SA) and adopted by the ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) one year later. Until April 1942, it was the highest commissioned SS rank after ...
''. On 1 April 1936, he was appointed to the staff of
Heinrich Himmler Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (; 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician and military leader who was the 4th of the (Protection Squadron; SS), a leading member of the Nazi Party, and one of the most powerful p ...
, the ''
Reichsführer-SS (, ) was a special title and rank that existed between the years of 1925 and 1945 for the commander of the (SS). ''Reichsführer-SS'' was a title from 1925 to 1933, and from 1934 to 1945 it was the highest Uniforms and insignia of the Schut ...
''. On 3 October 1934, he was made a member of the
Academy for German Law The Academy for German Law () was an institute for legal research and reform founded on 26 June 1933 in Nazi Germany. After suspending its operations during the Second World War in August 1944, it was abolished after the fall of the Nazi regime on ...
.


Imprisonment and suicide

On 30 April 1945, near the end of the war in Europe, Buch was arrested by American forces and held at
Camp Ashcan Central Continental Prisoner of War Enclosure No. 32, code-named ''Ashcan'', was an Allied prisoner-of-war camp in the ''Palace Hotel'' of Mondorf-les-Bains, Luxembourg during World War II. Operating from May to August 1945, it served as a proce ...
in
Luxembourg Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France on the south. Its capital and most populous city, Luxembour ...
until August. He was subjected to numerous interrogations by the American secret service and also called as a witness at the
Nuremberg trials #REDIRECT Nuremberg trials {{redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from move ...
. He was categorized as a "major offender" by a
denazification Denazification () was an Allied initiative to rid German and Austrian society, culture, press, economy, judiciary, and politics of the Nazi ideology following the Second World War. It was carried out by removing those who had been Nazi Par ...
court on 3 July 1948 and sentenced to five years in a
labor camp A labor camp (or labour camp, see British and American spelling differences, spelling differences) or work camp is a detention facility where inmates are unfree labour, forced to engage in penal labor as a form of punishment. Labor camps have ...
. An appeal on 29 July 1949 reaffirmed his status as a major offender and the confiscation of all his
assets In financial accounting, an asset is any resource owned or controlled by a business or an economic entity. It is anything (tangible or intangible) that can be used to produce positive economic value. Assets represent value of ownership that can b ...
, but reduced his sentence to three and a half years, and he was released on the basis of
time served In typical criminal law, time served is an informal term that describes the duration of pretrial detention (remand), the time period between when a defendant is arrested and when they are convicted. Time served does not include time served ...
. On 12 September 1949, a few weeks after his release from prison, Buch ended his own life by slitting his wrists and throwing himself into the
Ammersee Ammersee (; English: Lake Ammer) is a '' Zungenbecken'' lake in Upper Bavaria, Germany, southwest of Munich between the towns of Herrsching and Dießen am Ammersee. With a surface area of approximately , it is the sixth largest lake in Germany ...
. (''Langener Zeitung'', 16 September 1949)


Decorations and awards

*
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 *
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 ...
1st Class * Nuremberg Party Day Badge, 1929 *
Honour Chevron for the Old Guard The Honour Chevron for the Old Guard () was a Nazi Party decoration worn by members of the SS. The silver chevron, which was worn on the upper sleeve on the right arm, was authorised by Adolf Hitler in February 1934. All members of the SS who h ...
, February 1934 * The Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 with Swords, 1934 *
Coburg Badge The Coburg Badge () was the first badge recognised as a national award of the Nazi Party (NSDAP). Subsequently, it formally was given precedence as the highest Party award. History On 14 October 1922 Adolf Hitler led 800 members of the ''S ...
, 1935 *
Blood Order The Blood Order (), officially known as the Decoration in Memory of 9 November 1923 (), was one of the most prestigious decorations in the Nazi Party (NSDAP). During March 1934, Hitler authorized the Blood Order to commemorate the 9 November 1 ...
(Commemorative Medal of the 9th of November 1923)


References


Bibliography

* * * * * *


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Buch, Walter 1883 births 1949 deaths 1949 suicides Christian fascists German Army personnel of World War I German National People's Party politicians German Nazi propagandists German newspaper editors German prisoners and detainees German Protestants Martin Bormann Members of the Academy for German Law Members of the Reichstag 1928–1930 Members of the Reichstag 1930–1932 Members of the Reichstag 1932 Members of the Reichstag 1932–1933 Members of the Reichstag 1933 Members of the Reichstag 1933–1936 Members of the Reichstag 1936–1938 Members of the Reichstag 1938–1945 Nazis convicted of crimes Nazis who died by suicide in Germany Nazis who participated in the Beer Hall Putsch People from Bruchsal People from the Grand Duchy of Baden Prisoners and detainees of Germany Prisoners and detainees of the United States military Recipients of the Iron Cross (1914), 1st class Recipients of the Iron Cross (1914), 2nd class Reichsleiters SA-Gruppenführer SS-Obergruppenführer Suicides in West Germany