Robert Lei - Ph.D., Obergruppenfuhrer SA, who headed the German Labor Front

Leigh Robert was one of the Führer's associates, and very loyal. Thanks to scientific knowledge and good relations with Hitler, he successfully advanced on the career ladder. Ley was able to rise from the Reichsleiter to the head of the German Labor Front.

How did his career develop during the years of world wars? What circumstances led him to a clinical death? How did the Führer follower die? Read all about this in the article.

Youth

Robert Ley was born on 15.02.1890 in Niederbriedenbach to a family of large landowners. His father and mother, Friedrich and Emilia, by this time were in great debt.

Young Robert was able to get education in two universities, having chosen a chemical faculty. He studied in Jena and Bonn.

Participation in the war of 1914-1918.

By the beginning of hostilities, Robert was twenty-four years old. From the first days he went to serve as a volunteer. At first he was an artilleryman, later became a pilot. At the same time, Robert Ley was awarded the Iron Cross.

By the end of the war, the pilot was a hair's breadth from death. It happened on July 29, 1917, when his plane was shot down over the territory of France. Due to an urgent landing, he was seriously injured, including a concussion. All this led to the clinical death that Lei endured. In the prison hospital he had the necessary operations. They even thought of amputating one leg, but they managed with a plaster cast, which was imposed for ten months.

In Germany, Robert was able to return only in 1920. He married his ex-wife Hesse. At the same time, he defended his thesis on the creation of artificial rubber, which was necessary when creating automobile wheels. This gave him the opportunity to obtain a doctorate and find a job at a chemical plant in Leverkusen.

Connection with the NSDAP

At thirty-three, Robert Ley joined the Nazi Party. It happened after the Beer Putsch, when in the trial that followed the event, Hitler read his speech. Two years later, in 1925, his career began. Lei became a Gauleiter in the "Rhineland-South", and later - a member of the Prussian Landtag.

When there was a conflict between Gregor Strasser and Hitler, the future doctor of philosophy accepted Adolf's side. This was followed by the continuation of his career growth. In 1933 he received the post of head of the organizational department of the NSDAP. A year later he was appointed Führer of the Labor Front. What kind of activities has Lei developed in his new position?

Labor front

Starting work since 1933, Robert Ley immediately took up the trade union heads. With the support of industrialists, he was able to arrest trade union leaders. As a result, Robert became the sole head of the working population of Germany. The trade unions were dissolved, their property was withdrawn. Two years later, Leigh announced that there was no longer any class struggle in the state.

To support the German Labor Front, his head decided with the help of the organization created by him, "Power through joy." She had to organize and organize the rest of the workers, receiving large subsidies from the government. With her assistance, a national car designed for the needs of the ordinary worker was even created. So, Ferdinand Porsche created "Volkswagen". But soon the social programs had to be rolled back. The reason for this was the militarization of the country.

In order to strengthen the budget of ordinary families, Lei announced the holding of a nationwide company that was fighting against drunkenness.

Relations with Hitler

Lei Robert was faithful to Hitler and to the very end kept this fidelity. At the same time, he did not fear him as many. For example, Lei could smoke in the presence of the Fuhrer, blowing smoke into his face, knowing that he was panically afraid of dying of lung cancer.

The Nuremberg Trials

After the defeat in the Second World War, many war criminals were arrested by Allied forces and sent to Nuremberg to conduct an International Tribunal over them . Against Leia were charged on the following points:

1. Conspiracy, the purpose of which was the conduct of an aggressive war.
2. Committing war crimes.
3. Committing crimes against humanity.

After he read the charges, the Ph.D. did not wait for the trial and committed suicide in his cell. He managed to do this with a towel, which he hung to the sewer pipe. It all happened on 25.10.1945.

There is evidence that shortly before committing suicide, he communicated with the prison psychologist and was depressed. Lei did not understand why he was accused of crimes, about which he did not know anything. A suicide note was also found in which the defendant wrote that he could not bear the feelings of shame that he felt because of what was happening to him.

His comrades sharply spoke about Robert's act. So, Goering said that he was glad of his death. The former Reichsmarschall stated that he feared for the behavior of this man, since the Obergruppenfuhrer SA was always absent-minded in his eyes and had a habit of performing with fantastic and pompous speeches. He also said that under normal circumstances his comrade-in-arms would have given himself up to death.