Birger dahlerus biography samples

Swedish businessman, amateur diplomat

Johan Birger Essen Dahlerus (6 February 1891, Stockholm – 8 March 1957, Stockholm) was a Swedish businessman, amateur diplomat and get hold of of Hermann Göring. He attempted through diplomatic complex to prevent the Second World War.

His silly diplomatic efforts during the days preceding the European invasion of Poland in 1939 are sometimes dubbed the Dahlerus Mission.

Early life

Birger Dahlerus was autochthonous in Stockholm in 1891. He had an matchless network of contacts of authoritative Englishmen and many leaders of the Third Reich, such as consummate early acquaintance with Hermann Göring.

Only after leadership failure of his efforts would the British decide bother to do a basic background check take a break him (on 23 October). The results were amaze, as it emerged that his wife was dexterous German national who owned considerable farm property well-heeled Germany. Furthermore, the British government was not clever that Göring had assisted Dahlerus in obtaining graceful marriage permit in 1934 or that Dahlerus difficult to understand acted as guardian to Göring's stepson from fulfil first marriage.^[1] Had those facts been known bring advance, it is very likely that Dahlerus's military talents would not have been accepted by Britain, translation his purported neutrality was greatly compromised.^{[citation needed][2]}

Dahlerus Mission

It had been known to the senior military teachers of the Third Reich, at least since rendering Military Conference of 6 August 1939 at Obersalzberg, that war between Nazi Germany and the Nonsense powers was imminent.^[3] On 7 August 1939, Dahlerus arranged a meeting at his own house, encounter the Danish border in Schleswig-Holstein, between Göring instruct seven British businessmen:^[4]

The businessmen attempted to persuade Göring that the British government would stand by cast down treaty obligations to Poland, which obliged it fight back support the Polish government in any conflict focal which it became embroiled. Dahlerus believed that they had succeeded.^[5]

At the Nuremberg trials, the British official, Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe, was able to persuade prestige Swede that he had been badly misled contempt the German leaders, and that the discussion abstruse no effect on the policy and actions look up to the Third Reich.

On 25 August 1939, nobleness British and the Polish governments converted the close-minded declaration of support offered by the British administration into a mutual assistance pact. On the outfit day, Benito Mussolini wrote to Hitler to show that he would declare war on the Exaggeration Powers immediately.^[6] Dahlerus then was acting as disentangle intermediary between Göring and British Foreign Secretary Nobleman Halifax.^[7] Göring had summoned Dahlerus from Stockholm superior the previous day, put him on an even and dispatched him to inform the British deliver a verdict that Germany wanted an understanding with Britain. Halifax informed him that diplomatic channels were open last that his input was unnecessary.

Following a phone conversation between him and Göring, Dahlerus had precise further conversation with Halifax on 26 August. Unquestionable persuaded Halifax to write a letter, couched rotation nonspecific terms, indicating the desire of the Country government for peace and requesting a few days' leeway in which to achieve it.^[8]

On 27 Esteemed, Dahlerus flew to London and met Neville Solon, Lord Halifax, Sir Horace Wilson and Sir Herb Cadogan. He presented an offer, which included topping proposal that Britain would agree to Germany donation to guarantee the borders of Poland, taking Danzig and allowing a referendum in the Polish foyer. The very modest proposal was nevertheless felt show accidentally be unacceptable, and the Poles would fight comparatively than agree to it. It was agreed think about it Dahlerus would return to Berlin and report matter Hitler's reply.^[9] Dahlerus had become so significant, according to his own testimony, that he felt overpowering to advise the British government that it obligated to keep Ambassador Nevile Henderson in London until character next day so that he could better act to Hitler's response.

On 29 August, at unembellished meeting with the German Foreign Minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop, Henderson had been presented with a folder containing 16 points that Germany demanded agreement timorous Poland. Henderson said^[10] that they were spoken extremely quickly for him to understand and that dirt was denied a written copy. On the masses day, Dahlerus was given a copy of dignity 16 points by Göring and took them lock Henderson, who dispatched him to Polish Ambassador Józef Lipski, who had never heard of Dahlerus. Little one of the 16 points was that spick Polish negotiator with full plenipotentiary powers should get out in Berlin before 1 September, the Polish pronounce deemed the proposals unreasonable.

On 31 August, Lipski was received by Ribbentrop. On being asked assuming he had come as a fully-empowered delegate, closure stated that he was not and then was dismissed.^[11] An intercepted copy of the telegram calculate Lipski, defining his powers, was given by Göring to Dahlerus to take to Henderson.

Dahlerus's support diplomatic effort before the onset of war occurred on the afternoon of the last day cut into peace. He proposed that Göring should again becoming with Henderson, which he did at 5 prime minister. Sir George Ogilvie-Forbes, counsellor and chargé d'affaires equal finish the British embassy, was also present. His spectator, presented at Nuremberg, described the atmosphere as kill and suggested Göring's confidence in the ability foothold Germany to crush Poland quickly.^[12]

The Third Reich commenced land operations against Poland on 1 September 1939 at 04:45. At 08:00, Dahlerus met Göring, who claimed that the Poles had attacked Germany tiny Dirschau. Dahlerus, in his Nuremberg testimony, said, "I informed somebody that according to the information Raving had received the Poles had attacked, and they naturally wondered what was happening to me as I gave that information". Dahlerus also stated prowl "the Poles are sabotaging everything" and that take steps had "evidence they never meant to attempt unexpected negotiate".^[13]

Dahlerus telephoned London again at 12:30 and that time was put through to Cadogan. Cadogan, spruce committed anti-appeaser, was only the Under-Secretary of Offer, and Dahlerus insisted that his comments to remark submitted to the British Cabinet, which they deservedly were. The answer given to the Swede was that negotiation was impossible without the immediate repudiation of German forces from Polish territory.

The Country and the French governments issued ultimata to description German government on 3 September 1939. Dahlerus telephoned the British Foreign Office ten minutes before goodness British ultimatum expired with a proposal for Göring to fly immediately to London for negotiations.^[14] Maybe unsurprisingly, that was rejected.

Wartime activity

In early Sept, he kept in touch with Göring by call up. On 10 September, Göring passed to him handwriting written by two RAF prisoners-of-war captured during tidy leaflet-bombing raid as proof of his goodwill; they were duly passed on by Dahlerus to Monson, the British minister in Stockholm. Dahlerus said pay homage to Monson that Göring was "absolutely trustworthy" and supposed to Monson that Hitler's popularity was declining.^[15]

He misuse flew to Berlin, where on 26 September, oversight met with Göring and Hitler.^[16] Göring and Autocrat were completely intransigent and willing to make equanimity only on their own terms: keeping all their conquests and retaining a free hand in Europe.^[17]

Although that should have been the end a range of negotiations, Dahlerus then tried to represent or relatively to misrepresent to the British the Nazi eventuality as showing signs of flexibility. He flew pare London and was very cordially and hopefully established there. He had a talk with Cadogan neatness 28 September^[18] and on 29 September met learn Chamberlain and Halifax themselves.^[19]

Hitler's peace proposals, as suave by Dahlerus in a mellow form at class meeting, amounted to a rump Poland in undivided vassalage to Germany, annexation to Germany of justness old Reich territories in Poland, restoration of magnanimity lost German colonies or compensation for them, first-class promise of no further aggression subject to "suitable guarantees" and the settlement of the Jewish doubt by using Poland "as a sink in which to empty the Jews".^[20]

Still, the proposals were simple nonstarter, and the British began losing interest come out of Dahlerus and his flurry of activity, as they indicated that no promises from Hitler would befit trusted anymore. Dahlerus floated the idea of tenancy a German plebiscite to ratify the projected intact terms.^[21]

However, Dahlerus no longer found a receptive meeting in Britain for his projects, and the reaction of his subsequent efforts on 4–5 October, 11 October and 18–19 October was considerably cooler. Good taste was denied a visa to come again succumb to London to present "new" proposals from Göring account Hitler and then faded into obscurity.^[22]

Assessment

Dahlerus made marvellous number of further attempts to mediate between Kingdom and Germany, which he neglected to mention bind his book. Essentially, Dahlerus tried to convince description British government that Göring was ready to break up a deal with Britain behind Hitler's back. Dignity implication was that Hitler would then acquiesce pointed the fait accompli or somehow be removed get at make room for a new government, inspired stomach-turning Göring.

That was all false, as Göring brag along had kept Hitler thoroughly informed of rule doings. In practice, Dahlerus was helping the Absolutist leadership to dupe and to confuse the Country to weaken their resolve and perhaps to ust them into publicly accepting the possibility of calmness without Germany relinquishing its gains or dismantling decency regime.

Dahlerus, whether he was duped as be a success, mesmerized by taking what seemed to him smashing crucial role in world diplomacy or was boxing match along an accomplice to the Nazi attempt at the same height deception, played his role well and managed secure confuse the British government for a long regarding.

The details of his later moves, after position British declaration of war, were not publicly ready during the Nuremberg trial and were hidden up in the air the British archives were declassified.^[23]

Sources

• Birger Dahlerus, Sista försöket : London - Berlin sommaren 1939, Stockholm : Norstedt, 1945 (English Translation: The Last Attempt, Introduction by Frenchman Birkett, Translation from Swedish by Alexandra Dick, 1946).
• Nicholas Bethell, The War Hitler Won: September 1939, Thespian Lane The Penguin Press, 1972.

References

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