When Arthur Seyss-Inquart eagerly enlisted into the fledgling Nazi party in 1931, he was eligible as a practising lawyer to promote the political aims of Hitler's warped vision of a Germany liberated from Jews, Freemasons, Socialists and other fierce opponents.

Like his hero Hitler, he to was born in Austria, baptised a Catholic and became a decorated War hero of World War I. Much of this early influence would remain with him throughout his life.

Yet it was the "Anschluss" or Political Union imposed upon Austria by Hitler and his intention for that country to become part of the German Reich-and something it seems many Austrians had dreamed of for a thousand years, that allowed Seyss-Inquart to step into the political limelight-and it seems with relish!

As appointed "Reichsstatthalter" for Austria he would welcome Hitler to Vienna in open triumph. Closely followed of course by the secretive Gestapo. Now we've all seen the pictures of bearded Jews scrubbing the streets of the capital with toothbrushes haven't we? So some years ago I had the opportunity to ask an elderly Austrian lady who was there at the time-and a proud Nazi, if this was indeed true and had she seen it? She fixed me with cold eyes and stated: "I no talk about it." I wonder why?

Much of the enthusiasm for a desired yes votes in the called for plebiscite came from the Austrian Catholic church under Cardinal Innitzer (a future article is planned on him.) He was very much pro the Nazi agenda for his country in spite of warnings from the Vatican!

Later at a Nazi gala reception it was reported that Dr Seyss-Inquart, speaking personally to Cardinal Innitzer and his guests, including an American bishop, would claim, with a wide flourish and beaming smile on his face that:

"Today I received a telephone call from the fuehrer in which he said, 'All Austria must be at your command, my dear Seyss-Inquart-except Cardinal Innitzer. Remember you have your authority from me-his is from God.'"

Apparently the Cardinal beamed in appreciation of such a complimentary comment. None more so than towards the then Nazi Ambassador to Austria, Papal Knight and Hitler toady, Franz Von Papen.

Later during the War as Reich Commissioner of the Netherlands, Seyss-Inqaurt would in 1940 introduce harsh new citizen laws dealing with all known opponents of the Nazis.

Indeed Over 3,000+ loyal Dutch citizens were murdered because of this illegal gesture. Many others would be sent to Concentration Camps to die of starvation, disease and torture.

Later the Doctor would repeat this sadistic treatment towards the long-suffering Poland during his time as Hitler's henchman in that country. This was above all state-terror that the so-called "Warsaw Ghetto" would experience under the Nazis and compliant Polish police officials.

Yet the Doctors appointed time was running out and at the Wars end he was detained whilst trying to escape from Holland by Canadian troops. Later he was dispatched to Nuremberg to stand trial by the Allies.

There he was found guilty of crimes against peace and assorted war crimes.

After the sentence was pronounced, he seemed to recognize no remorse for his sins except to admit a "fearful excess of the Nazi regime." How feeble. But it would make no difference to the presiding judges. And at the age of 54 years, he was hung from the prison gallows. His last recorded words were: "I believe in Germany."

The Doctor had spoken his final unrepentant utterance it seems.