Hermann Willibald Fischer

Hermann Willibald Fischer (6 February 1896 in Florence – 17 July 1922 in Saaleck Castle) was a German mechanical engineer. He was a member of extreme right terror group Organisation Consul (OC) and one of the assassins, who murdered on June 24, 1922 minister of foreign affairs Walther Rathenau.

Life

The son of a painter and professor in Dresden was a volunteer in the World War I. At the end of the war, Fischer was company commander in the rank of Lieutenant. After the war he studied mechanical engineering in Chemnitz, he finished successfully in March 1922. He sometimes interrupted his studies to join different Freikorps, first during the Chemnitz food riots. As a member of the Marine-Brigade Ehrhardt he participated in the Kapp-Putsch and fought in summer 1921 with the Upper Silesian Self Protection Organisation. He was a member of different extreme right organisations, among them the Deutschvölkischer Schutz- und Trutzbund.

It is not exactly known when Fischer joined the OC. Ernst von Salomon says Fischer commanded the actions of Organisation Consul in Saxony. He prepared weapon smuggles to the Sudeten Germans in Czechoslovakia. During liberation of war criminal Ludwig Dithmar out of prison Naumburg/Saale he came together with his later co-assassin Erwin Kern. Kern, Salomon and Fischer formed a terror cell of Organisation Consul, a command to kill and blow, which was guided by Karl Tillessen. There was a murder at the Jewish merchant Sina Aronsfrau in Mannheim, who was found shot in May 1922, which could never be enlightened.

During the assassination of Rathenau, Fischer sat in the rear of the car that was controlled by Ernst Werner Techow. The assassins passed the car of foreign minister in Berlin-Grunewald. Kern fired with a machine pistol, Fischer threw a hand-grenade in the open car.

After the attack, Kern and Fischer succeeded to flee and hid themselves in Saaleck Castle. The owner of the car, OC-member Hans Wilhelm Stein, went to Munich, to prepare the further flight. Two travellers from the opposite Rudelsburg discovered on 16 July 1922 light in Saaleck Castle, although the owner had announced that he was not present because of his journey. Two criminal officers found Fischer and Kern in the morning. When Fischer wanted to shoot at the officials, these opened fire immediately. Kern was hit and wounded seriously. Fischer brought him to a bed, then he shot himself.

During the time of Nazism, the Rathenau murderers received hero worship. Der Stahlhelm, Hermann Ehrhardt, members of SA and SS unveiled on July 17, 1933 a plate in the castle. On 29 October 1933 a memorial stone was erected on the cemetery of Saaleck. Ernst Werner Techow, Heinrich Tillessen, Hanns Hustert and Ludwig Dithmar were present. The stone was removed and destroyed in 2000.

Literature

• Martin Sabrow: Der Rathenaumord. Rekonstruktion einer Verschwörung gegen die Republik von Weimar. Oldenbourg, München 1994, ISBN 3-486-64569-2.