Hans Frank

Hans Frank
Frank in 1939
Governor-General of the General Government
In office
26 October 1939 – 19 January 1945
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byOffice abolished
Reichsminister without portfolio
In office
19 December 1934 – 30 April 1945
ChancellorAdolf Hitler
President of the Academy for German Law
In office
2 October 1933 – 20 August 1942
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byOtto Georg Thierack
Bavarian Minister of Justice
In office
18 April 1933 – 4 December 1934
Preceded byHeinrich Spangenberger
Personal details
Born
Hans Michael Frank

(1900-05-23)23 May 1900
Karlsruhe, German Empire
Died16 October 1946(1946-10-16) (aged 46)
Nuremberg, Germany
Cause of deathExecution by hanging
Political partyNazi Party
Other political
affiliations
German Workers' Party (DAP)
Spouse
Brigitte Herbst
(m. 1925)
Children5, including Niklas
Alma materUniversity of Munich
University of Kiel
ProfessionLawyer
Signature
Military service
AllegianceGerman Empire
Branch/serviceImperial German Army
Battles/warsWorld War I
Criminal conviction
Criminal statusExecuted
Conviction(s)War crimes
Crimes against humanity
TrialNuremberg trials
Criminal penaltyDeath
Details
Span of crimes
8 October 1939 – 19 January 1945
Target(s)Polish civilians
Polish Jews

Hans Michael Frank (23 May 1900 – 16 October 1946) was a German politician, war criminal, and lawyer who served as head of the General Government in German-occupied Poland during the Second World War.

Frank was an early member of the German Workers' Party (DAP), the precursor of the Nazi Party (NSDAP). He took part in the failed Beer Hall Putsch, and later became Adolf Hitler's personal legal adviser as well as the lawyer of the NSDAP. In June 1933, he was named as a Reichsleiter (Reich Leader) of the party. In December 1934, Frank joined the Hitler Cabinet as a Reichsminister without portfolio.

After the German invasion of Poland in 1939, Frank was appointed Governor-General of the occupied Polish territories. During his tenure, he instituted a reign of terror against the civilian population and became directly involved in the mass murder of Jews.[1] He engaged in the use of forced labour and oversaw four of the extermination camps. Frank remained head of the General Government until its collapse in early 1945. During that time, over 4 million people were murdered under his jurisdiction.

After the war, Frank was found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity at the Nuremberg trials. He was sentenced to death and executed by hanging in October 1946.

  1. ^ "Holocaust Encyclopedia: Hans Frank". United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Retrieved 18 April 2016.