32 Facts About Robert Ley

Robert Ley held many other high positions in the German Nazi Party, including, and.

Robert Ley died by suicide in 1945 while awaiting trial at Nuremberg for crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Robert Ley studied chemistry at the universities of Jena, Bonn, and Munster.

Robert Ley volunteered for the army on the outbreak of World War I in 1914 and spent two years in the 10th Foot Artillery Regiment and saw action on both the eastern and western fronts.

Robert Ley earned the Iron Cross, 2nd class and the Wound Badge, in silver.

Robert Ley was employed as a food chemist by a branch of the giant IG Farben company, based in Leverkusen in the Ruhr.

Robert Ley proved unswervingly loyal to Hitler, which led Hitler to ignore complaints about his arrogance, incompetence and drunkenness.

Robert Ley's impoverished upbringing and his experience as head of the largely working-class Rhineland party region meant that he was sympathetic to the Strasserite elements in the party, but he always sided with Hitler in inner party disputes.

Robert Ley rejoined the re-founded Nazi Party in March 1925, shortly after the party's ban was lifted.

At a meeting on 24 January 1926 Robert Ley joined with others in raising objections to Strasser's proposed new draft program and it was shelved.

In March 1928, Robert Ley became the editor and publisher of a virulently anti-Semitic Nazi newspaper, the Westdeutscher Beobachter in Cologne.

Robert Ley was first elected to the Reichstag in September 1930 from electoral constituency 20, Cologne-Aachen.

Robert Ley remained as the Gauleiter of Rhineland until 1 June 1931 when his Gau was divided into two and new leaders named.

On 21 October 1931, Robert Ley was brought to Munich party headquarters as the Deputy to Strasser, then the head of party organization.

Robert Ley was styled Reichsorganisationsinspekteur and conducted inspection visits to the various Gaue.

On 10 June 1932, following a further organizational restructuring by Strasser, Robert Ley was named one of two Reichsinspecteurs with oversight of approximately half the Gaue.

When Hitler became Reich Chancellor in January 1933, Robert Ley accompanied him to Berlin.

On 2 June 1933, Robert Ley was among those raised to Reichsleiter, the second highest political rank in the Nazi Party.

On 3 October 1933, Robert Ley was named to Hans Frank's Academy for German Law and, on 10 November 1934, Hitler finally formally promoted Robert Ley to the position of Reichsorganisationsleiter.

Robert Ley would retain these positions until the fall of the Nazi regime.

Once his power was established, Robert Ley began to abuse it in a way that was conspicuous even by the standards of the Nazi regime.

Robert Ley's subordinates took their lead from him, and the DAF became a notorious centre of corruption, all paid for with the compulsory dues paid by German workers.

Hitler and Robert Ley were aware that the suppression of the trade unions and the prevention of wage increases by the Trustees of Labour system, when coupled with their relentless demands for increased productivity to hasten German rearmament, created a real risk of working-class discontent.

Two of the world's first purpose-built cruise-liners, the Wilhelm Gustloff and the Robert Ley, were built to take KdF members on Mediterranean cruises.

Robert Ley played some role in this program, but was overshadowed by Fritz Sauckel, General Plenipotentiary for the Distribution of Labour since March 1942.

Nevertheless, Robert Ley was deeply implicated in the mistreatment of foreign slave workers.

Robert Ley was aware in general terms of the Nazi regime's programme of extermination of the Jews of Europe.

Robert Ley encouraged it through the virulent anti-Semitism of his publications and speeches.

Robert Ley last saw Hitler on 20 April 1945, Hitler's birthday, in the Fuhrerbunker in central Berlin.

When Hitler refused to leave Berlin, Robert Ley was effectively unemployed.

Robert Ley told them he was "Dr Ernst Distelmeyer," but he was identified by Franz Xaver Schwarz, the treasurer of the Nazi Party and a long-time enemy.

At the Nuremberg Trials, Robert Ley was indicted under Count One, Count Three and Count Four.