CBS

Franz von Papen was born on October 29, 1879. The son of a wealthy land owner, he joined the German Army and was a general staff officer at the outbreak of World War I. When he was appointed Chancellor of Germany in 1932 by President Paul von Hindenburg, Papen suggested that Hindenburg name Hitler as Papen's Vice Chancellor as a strategy to try and control Hitler, whose Nazi Party had become the most powerful political party in the Reichstag. Papen believed he would be able to prevent Hitler from introducing his more extremist policies. When Hitler refused the position, maintaining that his party's strength in the assembly required him to take Papen's position and be Chancellor, Hindenburg refused. However, the National Socialists, holding an overwhelming majority in the Reichstag, successfully brought the government to a halt. Papen was forced to relinquish his position as Chancellor, and then Hindenburg, with great misgiving, was left no choice but appoint Hitler Chancellor in 1933. Recognizing his humiliation, Hitler befriended Papen who was now Vice Chancellor and leveraged Papen's political capital to help push through the same extremist policies Papen had thought he would be able to prevent.