Learn How to Pronounce Kurt von Schleicher | YouPronounce.it
How to Pronounce Kurt von Schleicher
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Meaning and Context
Kurt von Schleicher, a pivotal yet often overshadowed figure in the twilight of the Weimar Republic, served as the last Chancellor of Germany before Adolf Hitler's irrevocable seizure of power. Appointed Chancellor in December 1932 by President Paul von Hindenburg, the career military officer and political intriguer represented the conservative establishment's final, desperate attempt to govern through backroom deals and presidential decree, bypassing a fractured Reichstag. His chancellorship, lasting a mere 57 days, was defined by a failed strategy to co-opt and divide the Nazi movement while attempting to forge a cross-front coalition spanning from trade unions to the right-wing Stahlhelm. Von Schleicher's political maneuvering and his earlier role as a éminence grise in the cabinets of his predecessors, Heinrich Brüning and Franz von Papen, made him a central actor in the backstage crisis that ultimately facilitated the Nazi Machtergreifung in January 1933. His assassination during the Night of the Long Knives in June 1934 cemented his legacy as a tragic symbol of the old order's fatal miscalculations and the brutal terminus of conservative intrigue against the Third Reich.
Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings
The standard and correct spelling is Kurt von Schleicher. Common errors arise from the German nobility particle "von" and the surname's spelling. Frequent misspellings include: "Kurt von Schliecher" (omitting the first 'c'), "Kurt von Shleicher" (substituting 'c' with 'sh'), and "Kurt von Schleiker" (incorrectly altering the ending). Some may erroneously combine the particle as "vonSchleicher" without a space. In historical texts, one might occasionally encounter the anglicized simplification "Kurt Schleicher," though this omits the legally significant noble designation. Additionally, his first name is sometimes misspelled as "Kurdt" or "Curt," the latter being a valid German variant but not the one he used officially.
Example Sentences
Appointed by President Hindenburg in a last-ditch effort to stabilize the republic, Kurt von Schleicher believed he could tame the Nazi movement by inviting dissident members like Gregor Strasser into his government.
Historians often debate whether Kurt von Schleicher's ambitious plan to create a "cross-front" government could have ever succeeded given the profound polarization of German society.
The political demise of Kurt von Schleicher was swiftly engineered by Franz von Papen, who brokered the fateful meeting between Hindenburg and Hitler that led to the former general's dismissal.
In a grim epilogue to his political career, Kurt von Schleicher was summarily executed by SS operatives during the Night of the Long Knives, accused of plotting against the new regime.
Many biographies portray Kurt von Schleicher less as a traditional statesman and more as a master of backroom military-political intrigue during the Weimar Republic's final crisis.
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