Curt Walter Joël (18 January 1865 – 15 April 1945) was a German jurist and civil servant. He was the senior civil servant in the Ministry of Justice for much of the 1920s and early 1930s, during the Weimar Republic era. Joël also served as acting Minister of Justice and in 1931/32 was a member of Heinrich Brüning's second cabinet.
Curt Walter Joël was born on 18 January 1865 at Greiffenberg, Silesia, in what was then the Kingdom of Prussia. His father, Hermann (1827–80), was a lawyer and notary there (later at Bromberg) and came from a family of Jewish merchants from Danzig. Curt Joël's mother was Else (née Pollack, 1843–90), also from a family of Jewish merchants. After her husband's death, she married Theodor Römpler in 1883, founder and head physician at the family-owned Sanatorium Görbersdorf (Waldenburg, Silesia). Curt's siblings included Eugen (1863–1911), Dr. med. and after 1902 head of the Sanatorium Görbersdorf, Arthur (b. 1866), textile merchant and manufacturer at New York, and Walter (1867–1947), president of a Finanzgericht (Fiscal Court). His cousin Otto Joel [de] (1856–1916) was founder and long-serving president of Banca Commerciale Italiana.[1]
Curt Joël married Vally von Dressler (1880-1968) at Breslau in 1899. They had a daughter and a son, Günther Joël [de].[1]
Early careerEdit
He studied law at Jena, Freiburg im Breisgau and Berlin. From 1899, he was a prosecutor at Landgerichte in Hanover and Berlin, 1903–06 at the Kammergericht and 1906-08 judicial aide at the Reichsanwaltschaft [de] at Leipzig. In 1908, he was promoted to Geheimer Regierungsrat and Vortragender Rat at the Reichsjustizamt (Imperial Ministry of Justice).[1]
At the outbreak of World War I, Joël served as Landwehroffizier at the counterintelligence department of the Stellvertretender Generalstab in Berlin. From early 1915 until November 1917, he was a Hauptmann (captain), in charge of a department in occupied Belgium (known as the Generalgouvernement) and head of the Generalgouvernement's Zentralpolizeistelle (police headquarters). He also remained active in counterintelligence. In 1915, he fought determinedly, but unsuccessfully, against the execution of British citizen Edith Cavell, who had been found guilty of treason.[1]
In October 1917, he became a Direktor at the Reichsjustizamt and subsequently was named deputy Bundesratsbevollmächtigter of Prussia (representative in the Bundesrat). In early 1918, Joël resumed work on a reform of criminal law he had previously worked on in 1908 (early draft) and since 1911 as a member of the Große Strafrechtskommission. Together with three co-workers he finished the reform draft in 1919.[1]
Career in the Weimar RepublicEdit
By then, the Empire had been replaced with a republic but Joël continued to work at the Reichsjustizministerium (Ministry of Justice) and in early 1920 became Unterstaatssekretär (under-secretary) and on 1 April 1920 Staatssekretär. During the Kapp-Lüttwitz Putsch of March 1920, Joël organised a conference of the ministerial under-secretaries and then went to Kapp to deliver their unanimous declaration against the putschists and in favour of the legitimate government.[1]
He competently and loyally served a total of eleven ministers and 15 cabinets, from a variety of political backgrounds. Never a member of any party himself, Joël represented the unpolitical, technocratic civil servant. He worked to keep the ministry free of party politics, which contributed to the high esteem in which the ministry was held by other ministries, state governments and the parliament. During this time he served repeatedly as acting minister of justice, first in the cabinet of chancellor Wilhelm Marx. Joël was particularly close to Gustav Radbruch, Kuno von Westarp, Heinrich Brüning and Wilhelm Kahl [de].[1]
However, in October 1931, at that point again acting minister since 1930, Joël acceded to Brüning's request to become Minister of Justice in his second cabinet. The cabinet resigned in June 1932 and Joël then refused the offer by Franz von Papen to join its successor, since he did not want to be a party to the planned lifting of the legal ban on Sturmabteilung and Schutzstaffel, which he had earlier co-signed into law.[1]
curt, joël, curt, walter, joël, january, 1865, april, 1945, german, jurist, civil, servant, senior, civil, servant, ministry, justice, much, 1920s, early, 1930s, during, weimar, republic, joël, also, served, acting, minister, justice, 1931, member, heinrich, b. Curt Walter Joel 18 January 1865 15 April 1945 was a German jurist and civil servant He was the senior civil servant in the Ministry of Justice for much of the 1920s and early 1930s during the Weimar Republic era Joel also served as acting Minister of Justice and in 1931 32 was a member of Heinrich Bruning s second cabinet Curt JoelBorn 1865 01 18 18 January 1865Greiffenberg Kingdom of PrussiaDied15 April 1945 1945 04 15 aged 80 Berlin Nazi GermanyNationalityGermanOccupation s civil servant jurist Contents 1 Early life 2 Early career 3 Career in the Weimar Republic 4 ReferencesEarly life EditCurt Walter Joel was born on 18 January 1865 at Greiffenberg Silesia in what was then the Kingdom of Prussia His father Hermann 1827 80 was a lawyer and notary there later at Bromberg and came from a family of Jewish merchants from Danzig Curt Joel s mother was Else nee Pollack 1843 90 also from a family of Jewish merchants After her husband s death she married Theodor Rompler in 1883 founder and head physician at the family owned Sanatorium Gorbersdorf Waldenburg Silesia Curt s siblings included Eugen 1863 1911 Dr med and after 1902 head of the Sanatorium Gorbersdorf Arthur b 1866 textile merchant and manufacturer at New York and Walter 1867 1947 president of a Finanzgericht Fiscal Court His cousin Otto Joel de 1856 1916 was founder and long serving president of Banca Commerciale Italiana 1 Curt Joel married Vally von Dressler 1880 1968 at Breslau in 1899 They had a daughter and a son Gunther Joel de 1 Early career EditHe studied law at Jena Freiburg im Breisgau and Berlin From 1899 he was a prosecutor at Landgerichte in Hanover and Berlin 1903 06 at the Kammergericht and 1906 08 judicial aide at the Reichsanwaltschaft de at Leipzig In 1908 he was promoted to Geheimer Regierungsrat and Vortragender Rat at the Reichsjustizamt Imperial Ministry of Justice 1 At the outbreak of World War I Joel served as Landwehroffizier at the counterintelligence department of the Stellvertretender Generalstab in Berlin From early 1915 until November 1917 he was a Hauptmann captain in charge of a department in occupied Belgium known as the Generalgouvernement and head of the Generalgouvernement s Zentralpolizeistelle police headquarters He also remained active in counterintelligence In 1915 he fought determinedly but unsuccessfully against the execution of British citizen Edith Cavell who had been found guilty of treason 1 In October 1917 he became a Direktor at the Reichsjustizamt and subsequently was named deputy Bundesratsbevollmachtigter of Prussia representative in the Bundesrat In early 1918 Joel resumed work on a reform of criminal law he had previously worked on in 1908 early draft and since 1911 as a member of the Grosse Strafrechtskommission Together with three co workers he finished the reform draft in 1919 1 Career in the Weimar Republic EditBy then the Empire had been replaced with a republic but Joel continued to work at the Reichsjustizministerium Ministry of Justice and in early 1920 became Unterstaatssekretar under secretary and on 1 April 1920 Staatssekretar During the Kapp Luttwitz Putsch of March 1920 Joel organised a conference of the ministerial under secretaries and then went to Kapp to deliver their unanimous declaration against the putschists and in favour of the legitimate government 1 He competently and loyally served a total of eleven ministers and 15 cabinets from a variety of political backgrounds Never a member of any party himself Joel represented the unpolitical technocratic civil servant He worked to keep the ministry free of party politics which contributed to the high esteem in which the ministry was held by other ministries state governments and the parliament During this time he served repeatedly as acting minister of justice first in the cabinet of chancellor Wilhelm Marx Joel was particularly close to Gustav Radbruch Kuno von Westarp Heinrich Bruning and Wilhelm Kahl de 1 However in October 1931 at that point again acting minister since 1930 Joel acceded to Bruning s request to become Minister of Justice in his second cabinet The cabinet resigned in June 1932 and Joel then refused the offer by Franz von Papen to join its successor since he did not want to be a party to the planned lifting of the legal ban on Sturmabteilung and Schutzstaffel which he had earlier co signed into law 1 Joel died on 15 April 1945 in Berlin 1 References Edit a b c d e f g h i Biografie Curt Joel German Bayerische Nationalbibliothek Retrieved 21 July 2015 Godau Schuttke Klaus Detlev 1981 Rechtsverwalter des Reiches Staatssekretar Dr Curt Joel in German Frankfurt am Main Lang ISBN 3 8204 6415 8 nbsp This article about a German politician is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Curt Joel amp oldid 1173064707, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
