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Erhard, Ludwig

(Encyclopedia)Erhard, Ludwig lo͝otˈvĭkh ĕrˈhärt [key], 1897–1977, German political leader and economist. In Nuremberg he rose to be director of the institute for economic research. Dismissed (1942) by the N...

Seyss-Inquart, Arthur

(Encyclopedia)Seyss-Inquart, Arthur ärˈto͝or zīsˈ-ĭngˈkvärt [key], 1892–1946, Austrian National Socialist leader. In Feb., 1938, Chancellor Schuschnigg of Austria was forced by German pressure to appoint ...

Beckenbauer, Franz Anton

(Encyclopedia)Beckenbauer, Franz Anton, 1945–, German soccer player nicknamed der Kaiser. The only person to win the World Cup as both player-captain (1974) and coach (1990), he began his career at 14 on the Baye...

Waitz, Georg

(Encyclopedia)Waitz, Georg gāˈôrk vīts [key], 1813–86, German historian. In the Frankfurt Parliament in 1848 he defended the idea of a unified Germany, including Austria and Prussia. He was professor at Gött...

Waldemar II

(Encyclopedia)Waldemar II, 1170–1241, king of Denmark (1202–41), second son of Waldemar I. In the reign of his brother, Canute VI, he defended Denmark from German aggression and then extended Danish control ove...

Spee, Maximilian, Graf von

(Encyclopedia)Spee, Maximilian, Graf von mäkˌsēmēˈlyän gräf fən shpā [key], 1861–1914, German admiral. At the start of World War I he commanded a squadron in East Asia. In Nov., 1914, he met and defeated...

Steinmeier, Frank-Walter

(Encyclopedia)Steinmeier, Frank-Walter, 1956–, German politician. A member of the center-left Social Democratic party, he worked for the Lower Saxony chancellery when Gerhard Schröder was premier and served as S...

Usedom

(Encyclopedia)Usedom o͞ozˈnäm [key], island, 164 sq mi (425 sq km), in the Baltic Sea. It is divided between Mecklenburg–West Pomerania state, Germany, and Poland. Usedom is separated from the mainland by Stet...

Honecker, Erich

(Encyclopedia)Honecker, Erich āˈrĭkh hônˈĕkər [key], 1912–94, East German political leader. From a Communist family, Honecker was imprisoned by the Nazis for 10 years for party activities. After the war he...

Schacht, Hjalmar Horace Greeley

(Encyclopedia)Schacht, Hjalmar Horace Greeley yälˈmär shäkht [key], 1877–1970, German financier. He held executive positions in several major German banks before becoming (1923) commissioner of currency. Infl...