ANTON GRAF VON ARCO AUF VALLEY Meaning and
Definition
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Anton Graf von Arco auf Valley was a German nobleman and assassin born on September 17, 1897, and died on July 29, 1945. He gained notoriety for his role in the assassination of German politician Kurt Eisner in February 1919.
Arco auf Valley was a member of a Bavarian noble family with ancestry tracing back to the 12th century. Despite his privileged background, he became involved in political extremism during the tumultuous period following World War I in Germany. Arco auf Valley was a member of the right-wing political organization called the Thule Society, which held anti-Semitic and anti-democratic beliefs.
On February 21, 1919, Arco auf Valley shot and killed Kurt Eisner, the first prime minister of the Free State of Bavaria and leader of the Independent Social Democratic Party. This act marked the first assassination of a German political figure after World War I and had significant political implications.
Arco auf Valley was captured and stood trial for his actions. Found guilty of the murder, he was sentenced initially to death, but this was later commuted to nine years in prison. However, he was released from prison in 1924 due to mental health reasons.
Arco auf Valley's assassination of Kurt Eisner remains an important event in German history, marking the beginning of political violence and instability during the Weimar Republic era.
