Biography

1930 - 1932

1. March 1930

Front page of the first edition of the "gerade Weg"

Promotion to Staatsarchivrat I. Klasse (State Archive Counsel 1st Class) .

1930

On advice of Therese Neumann, Prince Erich Waldburg-Zeil, Father Ingbert Naab und Fritz Gerlich plan a newspaper to promote a Christian natural-law world view, as a counter weight to Communism and National Socialism.

16. September 1930

The Naturverlag GmbH (Nature Editors Ltd) buys the weekly paper „Illustrierter Sonntag“ (Illustrated Sunday) in Munich. The project is financed by Prince Waldburg-Zeil, Gerlich becomes 50 % partner, publisher and editor in chief.

Beginning of 1931

First articles by Gerlich in the „Illustrierter Sonntag“. The readership of the publication, which before had a general entertainment profile, are introduced step by step to political topics.

12. July 1931

With a leading articel titled “Hitler and Wilhelm II.“ the newspaper begins the open confrontation with National Socialism.

3. January 1932

Title change to “Der gerade Weg. Deutsche Zeitung für Wahrheit und Recht“ (Straight Path, German Paper for Truth and Justice).

February 1932

Fr. Ingbert Naab

Because of contracts entered into by the previous owners, the paper is printed by „Buchgewerbehaus Adolph Müller“. The same company also prints Hitler’s “Völkischer Beobachter" (Populist/folkish observer). Hitler forces Müller to cancel the contracts. The „gerade Weg“ is from then on printed at the “Verlagsanstalt Manz“.

6. March 1932

The 10th edition contains an open letter by the capuchin Fr. Ingbert Naab “Herr Hitler, wer hat Sie gewählt?“ (Mr Hitler, who voted for you?), which is re-printed several million times.

24. July 1932

In an article Gerlich asks for the removal from office of Hindenburg’s because of a constitutional breach – Hindenburg had established a Reich Commissioner for Prussia. The „Gerade Weg“ is banned for four weeks.