Reich Chancellor Brüning’s resignation

Increasing domestic political pressure finally forces Reich Chancellor Heinrich Brüning (Centre) to resign on 30 May 1932. Reich President Paul von Hindenburg immediately authorises Franz von Papen – a scion of Catholic, Westphalian landed nobility – to form a new government. This politician, like Brüning, belongs to the Centre party. However, he leaves the party a short time later.

© br-online Reich Chancellor Franz von Papen and Reich Defence Minister Kurt von Schleicher visiting the Reich front-line soldiers rally 1932 in Berlin

According to a sarcastic moniker of the time, von Papen’s government will go down in history as the „cabinet of barons“ since it consists mostly of noblemen without any political affiliation. The man believed to be pulling the wires behind this change of government is General Kurt von Schleicher, who becomes the new Reich Defence Minister.