Alfons Goop
Goop in his later years
Leader of the German National Movement in Liechtenstein
In office
1940 – March 1943
Preceded byTheo Schädler
Succeeded bySepp Ritter
Personal details
Born(1910-10-15)15 October 1910
Schellenberg, Liechtenstein
Died25 September 1993(1993-09-25) (aged 82)
Schaan, Liechtenstein
Political partyGerman National Movement in Liechtenstein
Other political
affiliations		Liechtenstein Homeland Service
Spouse
Germana Wohlwend
​
(m. 1937)​
ProfessionPhysician
Military service
Allegiance Nazi Germany
BranchWaffen-SS
Years of service1940–1943
RankSS-Hauptsturmführer
WarsWorld War II

Alfons Goop (15 October 1910 – 25 September 1993) was a Liechtensteiner politician during World War II. He was the leader of the German National Movement in Liechtenstein, a Nazi Party that aimed to unify with Nazi Germany.

Early life

Goop was born on 15 October 1910 in Schellenberg to the father Carl Magnus Goop and his mother Seraphina Marxer as one of six children. He attended high school in Feldkirch and studied Greek and Latin in Vienna, Basel and Innsbruck, where he received a directorate in philosophy. From 1935 he was a teacher and the high school in Eschen.[1]

Political career

Goop was involved in antisemetic agitation in Liechtenstein throughout the 1930s, inspired by the rise of Nazi Germany in 1933 and the anti-Jewish laws which lead to a large number of Jews taking refuge in the country.[2][3][4] He was previously aligned with the Liechtenstein Homeland Service but had become alienated with the party after they merged with the Christian-Social People's Party in 1936.[5][6] After the Anschluss of Austria in 1938, he was heavily involved in the establishment of the German National Movement in Liechtenstein (VDBL) and headed the party. He was also a regular contributor to the VDBL party newspaper Der Umbruch.[7]

In March 1938 the governing Progressive Citizens' Party and opposition Patriotic Union formed a coalition, assigning a roughly equal number of seats each, in order to prevent the VBDL from acquiring any seats in the Landtag.[6][8]

During a visit to Berlin by Franz Joseph II and Josef Hoop the VBDL staged an amateurish coup attempt, first trying to provoke a intervention from Nazi Germany by burning swastikas, followed by declaring an Anschluß with Germany. The leaders were almost immediately arrested and the hoped-for German invasion failed to materialise.[9][10][11] The party was effectivley defunct until Goop reformed it in 1940.[1]

Until 1943, the party attempted to recruit Liechtensteiners into the Waffen-SS and gain public sympathy for the Nazi cause, which infuriated Switzerland. Due to Liechtenstein's neutrality in the conflict, the Germans became uncomfortable with the local activity towards the war. In 1943, the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs tried to force the VDBL to unite with the Patriotic Union, which greatly annoyed Goop, who resigned as party leader.[12] He was then succeeded by Sepp Ritter.[13]

According to court testimony, Goop was a member of the Waffen-SS until 1943. He reached the rank of SS-Hauptsturmführer. In this position, Goop taught at ethnic German schools in occupied Eastern territories. He was taken prisoner by the French in 1945, and escaped to Liechtenstein in 1946.[1][14]

Later life and death

In 1946, Goop was prosecuted for his collaboration. In 1947, he was convicted of high treason and sentenced to 2.5 years in prison, with credit for the time he served in French custody.[15]

From 1950 to 1971 he was the managing director of the Liechtenstein Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as such he strengthened commercial enterprises and promoted the revision of the trade regulations as well as industrial training and further education.[1]

Goop died on 25 September 1993 in Schaan, aged 82 years old.[1]

Personal life

Goop married Germana Wohlwend (21 January 1911 – 24 October 2005) on 23 September 1937 and they had no children together.[1]

Honours

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Peter Geiger (31 December 2011). "Goop, Alphonse". Historisches Lexikon (in German). Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  2. ↑ TIMES, Wireless to THE NEW YORK (1933-07-03). "Nazi Group Formed in Lichtenstein". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  3. ↑ "Die liechtensteinische Regierung protestiert gegen die deutsche Pressekampagne gegen Liechtenstein". Staatsarchiv des Fürstentum Liechtenstein (in German). 9 April 1933. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  4. ↑ "NAZIS IN CABINET IN LIECHTENSTEIN; Prince Franz Joseph, the New Ruler, Names Them Though Pledging Independence HITLER MOVEMENT GAINS Its Growing Strength Was One Reason for Abdication of Franz 1, Old Sovereign". The New York Times. 1 April 1938. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  5. ↑ Marxer, Wilfried (31 December 2011). "Volksdeutsche Bewegung in Liechtenstein (VDBL)". Historisches Lexikon (in German). Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Parties in Liechtenstein 1921-1943". Prince and People: Liechtenstein Civics (in German). 2007. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  7. ↑ Gerolf Hauser (2002). 100 bewegte Jahre in Liechtenstein von 1900-1999. Liechtensteiner Volksblatt. p. 46.
  8. ↑ Dieter Nohlen; Philip Stöver (2010). Elections in Europe: A data handbook (in German). p. 1179. ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7.
  9. ↑ Büchel, Donat (31 December 2011). "Anschlussputsch". Historisches Lexikon (in German). Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  10. ↑ "Volksdeutsche Bewegung in Liechtenstein". Liechtenstein National Archives (in German). Retrieved 18 February 2014.
  11. ↑ "Liechtenstein Jails Nazi For Attempt at Uprising". The New York Times. 27 April 1939. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  12. ↑ "Volksdeutsche Bewegung in Liechtenstein". e-archiv.li (in German). Liechtenstein National Archives. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
  13. ↑ Alexandre, C. (23 July 2018). "Alfons Goop, o Führer de Liechtenstein". Almanaque dos Conflitos. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  14. ↑ "Goop Alfons, Dr. phil., Politiker, Altphilologe, Lehrer, Sportpionier". www.e-archiv.li. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  15. ↑ "Alfons Goop wird wegen Hochverrat verurteilt". www.e-archiv.li. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
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