RK of KVK winner [SS-Gruf./St.Sek. Dr. Franz Hayler]

[JoeW]

C8976360-D61F-4F3B-A173-7030168ED2D4.jpeg

Who is the SS officer being decorated by Reichsminister Funk?

[Michael Miller]

Franz Hayler.

Best wishes,
~ Mike


Dr. rer. pol.
Franz Josef Ferdinand Hayler
SS-Gruppenführer


Born: 29.08.1900 in Schwarzenfeld/Kreis Schwandorf/Regierungsbezirk Oberpfalz/Bayern.
Died: 11.09.1972 in Aschau im Chiemgau/Kreis Rosenheim/Regierungsbezirk Oberbayern/Bayern.

NSDAP-Nr.: 754.133 (First joined, 00.00.1923; Party banned, 09.11.1923-16.02.1925; Reenrolled, 01.12.1931)
SS-Nr.: 64.697 (Joined 23.03.1934)

Promotions:
26.11.1917 kriegsfreiwilliger Rekrut
27.05.1918 überzähliger Gefreiter
00.00.1919 Wachtmeister d. R.
04.04.1934 SS-Sturmführer
30.04.1935 SS-Obersturmführer (mit Wirkung vom 20.04.1935)
29.01.1936 SS-Hauptsturmführer (mit Wirkung vom 30.01.1936)
13.09.1936 SS-Sturmbannführer
30.01.1938 SS-Obersturmbannführer
19.05.1938 SS-Standartenführer (mit Wirkung vom 01.05.1938)
00.00.1939 Leutnant d. R.
10.09.1939 SS-Oberführer
00.00.1942 Oberleutnant d. R.
21.06.1942 SS-Brigadeführer
16.11.1943-30.04.1945 Staatssekretär (m.d.W.d.G.b. until 30.01.1944, then permanent)
23.12.1943 SS-Gruppenführer (mit Wirkung vom 01.12.1943)

Career:
00.00.1907-ca. 1911 Attended Volksschule.
ca. 1911-00.00.1918 Attended a humanistic Gymnasium (passed his Abitur, 00.00.1917).
26.11.1917-00.00.1918 Entered service as Kriegsfreiwilliger, assigned to Rekrutendepot I. Ersatz-Bataillon/3. Kgl. Bayerisches Fußartillerie-Regiment.
09.04.1918-12.06.1918 Participated in “Vorbereitungskurs III für Einjähriger-Freiwilliger“.
28.10.1918-17.12.1918 Deployed to the Western Front with 5. Batterie/3. Kgl. Bayerisches Fußartillerie-Regiment (05.11.1918-11.11.1918: Engaged in defensive fighting in the Champagne region and on the Meuse.
19.04.1919-01.10.1919 Service with Freikorps Epp. Participated in the suppression of the “Räteregierung” (the short-lived Communist government of Bayern) in München.
00.00.1920-00.00.1924 Studied political science at the Universities of München and Würzburg.
00.00.1920-00.00.1920 Assigned as a Zeitfreiwilliger to Bataillon Godin
00.06.1920-18.05.1921 (?) Assigned to the Führungsabteilung/41. bayerisches Schützen-Regiment.
18.05.1921-26.06.1921 Assigned to 2. Kompanie/1. Bataillon/Freikorps Oberland (Oberschlesien).
00.00.1923-00.11.1923 Member of 6. Kompanie/II. Bataillon/Bund Oberland with which he participated in the München-Putsch of 08./ 09.11.1923.
00.00.1923 Joined the NSDAP.
00.00.1924-00.00.1924 Participated in fighting against French occupation forces in the Ruhrgebiet and against Rheinland separatists.
00.00.1924-00.00.1925 Active in commercial enterprises and banking.
00.00.1925-00.00.1926 Employed by a Treuhandgesellschaft (trust company).
00.00.1926-00.00.1927 Employed as a clerk with the Finanzbehörde (Finance Authority) in München.
ca. 1926 Received his doctorate (Dr. rer. pol.) at the University of Würzburg, based on a dissertation entitled “Die deutsche Film-Industrie und ihre Bedeutung für Deutschlands Handel” (The German Film Industry and its Meaning for Germany’s Trade).
00.00.1927-00.00.19__ Self-employed salesman and owner of the household wares firm of “Florian Silberbauer” in München.
01.12.1931 Reenrolled in the NSDAP.
00.06.1933-00.05.1945 Führer of the Reichsverband Deutscher Kaufleute des Kolonialwaren-, Feinkost- und Lebensmittel- Einzelhandels e.V. (Rekofei, Reich Association of Sellers of Colonial Wares, Delicatessen, and Foodstuff Retail Merchandise Registered Society) and the Arbeitsgemeinschaft des Bayerischen Einzelhandels.
00.00.1933-00.05.1945 Vorsitzender of the Einzelhandelsausschuss (Retail Trade Committee) in the Industrie- und Handelskammer (Chamber of Industry and Commerce), München.
23.03.1934 Joined the SS.
04.04.1934-20.04.1935 Attached to SS-Sturm 4/1. SS-Standarte (München).
00.00.1934-00.00.1944 Member of the Freundeskreis des Reichsführers-SS Heinrich Himmler.
05.05.1934-00.05.1938 Reichsbeauftragter für den Deutschen Einzelhandel (Reich Representative for German Retail Trade) and 2. Vizepräsident of the Hauptgemeinschaft des Deutschen Einzelhandels.
00.05.1934-00.11.1943 Honorary Leiter of the Wirtschaftsgruppe Einzelhandel (Economic Group Retail Trade).
00.00.1935 Appointed as Vorsitzender of the Einzelhandelsausschuss (Retail Trade Committee) of the Industrie- und Handelskammer, München.
20.04.1935-30.06.1936 Attached as an SS-Ehrenführer to 4. Sturm/1. SS-Standarte.
05.12.1935 Appointed as a member of the advisory council of the Reichsgruppe Handel.
29.03.1936 Unsuccessful candidate for election to the Reichstag.
30.06.1936-30.01.1937 Attached to the Stab SS-Abschnitt I (HQ: München).
30.01.1937-08.05.1945 Assigned to the SD-Hauptamt (redesignated Reichssicherheitshauptamt, 01.10.1939).
03.05.1937-31.05.1937 Reserve training with Artillerie-Regiment 43.
21.06.1937-04.08.1937 Reserve training with 6. Batterie/Artillerie-Regiment 63.
30.01.1938 Appointed as a Wehrwirtschaftsführer.
10.04.1938 Unsuccessfully proposed for the „Liste des Führers zur Wahl des Grossdeutschen Reichstages am 10. April 1938” (List of the Führer for election to the Greater German Reichstag on 10. April 1938).
03.05.1938-00.05.1945 Leiter of the Reichsgruppe Handel in the Organisation der gewerblichen Wirtschaft (confirmed in this post, 02.05.1938). In November 1939, he appointed Otto Ohlendorf as Hauptgeschäftsführer (head business manager) of the Reichsgruppe Handel.
00.00.1938 Appointed as a Reichswirtschaftsrichter (Reich Economic Judge).
00.00.1938-00.05.1945 Ehrenamtlicher Richter (honorary judge) attached to the Obersten Ehren- und Disziplinarhof der DAF (Supreme Honor and Disciplinary Court of the German Labor Front).
00.00.1938-00.05.1945 Member of the Engeren Beirat [limited advisory council] der Deutschen Reichsbank and of the Engeren Beirat der Reichswirtschaftskammer.
01.09.1938 Appointed as vorläufiger Leiter (provisional director) of the Wirtschaftsgruppe Gemeinschaftseinkauf (Community Purchasing), Berlin.
ca. 1938 Appointed as a member of the Board of Directors of the Lebensversicherungs-Gesellschaft (Life Insurance Society), Berlin and the Industriebank of Berlin.
ca. 1938 Appointed as Leiter of the Fachgruppe Nahrungs- und Genussmittel der Wirtschaftsgruppe Einzelhandel (Professional Group- Food Items and Luxury Food Items in the Economic Group Retail Trade), Berlin.
ca. 1938 Appointed as Leiter of the Reichsverbandes der gewerblichen Berufsgenossenschaften, Berlin.
ca. 1938 Appointed as Leiter of the Wirtschaftsgruppe Einzelhandel, Berlin.
ca. 1938 Appointed as a member of the Advisory Council of the German Group of the International Chamber of Trade, Berlin
ca. 1938 Appointed as a member of the Board of the Reichsinstitut für Berufsausbildung (Reich Institute for Occupational Training).
ca. 1938 Appointed as 2. Stellvertreter Vorsitzender (2nd Deputy Chairman) of the Gemeinschaftswerk der DAF.
ca. 1938 Appointed as a member of the Landesausschusses (provinicial committee) for Bayern of the Dresdner Bank, München.
ca. 1938 Appointed as a member of the Werberat der Deutschen Wirtschaft, Berlin.
ca. 1938 Appointed as a member of the Zulassungsstelle für Wertpapiere an der Bayerischen Börse (Registration Office for Stocks and Shares at the Bavarian Stock Exchange), München.
30.05.1939-10.07.1939 Reserve training with 6.Batterie/Artillerie-Regiment 63.
31.07.1939-00.00.1939 (?) Member of the Organizational Committee for the [planned] Vth Winter Olympic Games.
00.00.194_ Appointed as a member of the Aufsichtsrat (Board of Directors) of Berlinische Lebensversicherungs-Gesellschaft AG, Berlin; the Deutsche Industriebank, Berlin; and the Zentraltextilgesellschaft, Berlin.
00.00.194_ Appointed as a member of the Verwaltungsrat, Grosshandelsgesellschaft Salzgitter mbH, Burgdorf.
00.02.1940-00.05.1945 Member of the Präsidium (Management Committee) of the Südosteuropa Gesellschaft (Southeast Europe Society) in Wien.
00.05.1940-00.06.1940 Army service in the French campain.
00.04.1941-00.00.1941 Army service in the Greek campaign.
00.00.1941-00.05.1945 Vorsitzender of the Förderungsdienst GmbH.
03.03.1941-00.00.194_ 2. Stellvertreter Vorsitzender of the Reichsvereinigung Kohle.
27.03.1941-00.00.194_ Member of the Aufsichtsrat, Kontinentale Oel AG.
00.00.1942-00.00.1942 Army service in Russia.
11.09.1942-08.05.1945 Member of the Reichstag (Wahlkreis 17, Westfalen-Nord). Succeeded the late Dr. Dr. Springorum.
16.11.1943-00.05.1945 Entered the Reichswirtschaftsministerium, assigned as Vertreter (deputy) to Reichswirtschaftsminister Dr. Walther Funk.
16.11.1943-30.04.1945 Staatssekretär in the Reichswirtschaftsministerium (m.d.W.d.G.b. until 30.01.1944, then permanent). Succeeded Friedrich Landfried. He worked closely with Otto Ohlendorf (commander of Einsatzgruppe D from June 1941 to July 1942), who served, from 16.11.1943 to the end of the war, as Hayler’s “ständier Vertreter” (permanent deputy). “It must be admitted,” writes Albert Speer, “that Himmler had made a good choice in sending Hayler and Ohlendorf into the Ministry of Economy. Both men belonged to the intelligentsia, which was better represented among the top SS leaders than in the Party.” (Speer, Infiltration: How Heinrich Himmler Schemed to Build an SS Industrial Empire, p. 70). The former Reich Armaments Minister continues:

Predictably, the situation [of SS incursion into matters of economics and armaments] grew worse. This is also obvious from a note to the chronicle [of Speer’s Ministry] of 19 September 1944. On that day State Secretary Hayler, Mayor Liebel, the head of my central office, and Dr. Gerhard Fränk, the head of the administrative division of my ministry, came to see me. The chronicle says: "The new men of the Reich Ministry of Economy and, above all, Ohlendorf, who was taken over with Hayler, have put an end to the division in the Reich Ministry of Economy. The remaining portion is being rigidly defended, and in the issue of the intermediate authority, the Reich Ministry of Economy is trying to regain lost territory. In so doing, it can rely on the Reich Minister of the Interior [Himmler]. Despite the discrepancy, there is still an excellent rapport between the Minister [Speer] and the gentlemen of the Reich Ministry of Economy."
Hayler was, during this meeting, optimistic about the overall situation. However, now that the Western Allies were on German soil and their air forces had been absolute rulers of the skies for a long time, the military facts could no longer be overlooked. I therefore seem to have made fun of Hayler’s optimism. The chronicle goes on with a certain irony: "State Secretary Hayler received a green tie as recognition from the minister. This honor is a new custom, which owes its origin to a conversation of the minister about the many colors of ties and the need to reward optimism and to express it. Hence, the green tie from the box that was supplied by the Production Office is being awarded by the Minister for unswerving optimism. This decoration ranks shortly before or after the Knight’s Cross, according to the decorations already received by the man so honored.” (ibid, p. 72)

Postwar Activities:
00.05.1945-00.00.194_ Arrested and interned by Allied authorities. He later founded and became Managing Director of the München-based import/export firm Hayler G.m.b.H.
07.05.1946 Appeared as a defense witness for his former superior Reichsminister Dr. Walter Funk before the International Military Tribunal, Nürnberg, 07.05.1946. Under examination by Dr. Fritz Sauter, defense counsel for Funk, Hayler gave the following testimony:

HAYLER: I was an independent business man and merchant and as such first became the head of the "Economic Group Retail Trade" within the organization of industrial economy. Id this capacity I had very close contact with the Ministry of Economics. After Minister Funk had been appointed Minister for Economics I reported to him regarding the scope of my work, and on that occasion I made his acquaintance. When I was then put in charge of the "Reich Group Trade," the working relations between the organization directed by me and the Ministry, especially between the then State Secretary Landfried and the Minister himself, became very friendly.
After the separation of the ministries in the [October] 1943, the main task of the Ministry of Economics was to provide for the German people, that is, the civilian population. As head of the trade organization I was the person responsible for the sale of merchandise, that is, for the procurement of supplies, and during a conference with Minister Funk regarding the co-operation between trade' and the Ministry, Herr Landfried, who was then State Secretary, made the suggestion that Minister Funk call me into his Ministry and make me his deputy. Herr Landfried believed that under the existing conditions he himself was not strong enough to carry out this difficult task since the Ministry had been deprived of its influence on production. Then, when Minister Funk told him in reply to his suggestion that he, Landfried, was the deputy of the Minister, Landiried replied that he could not continue to carry out these tasks and that he asked to be permitted to retire and proposed that I be his successor. About two or three weeks later I was put in charge of the affairs of the State Secretary….
DR. SAUTER: In this position you were one of the closest collaborators of Dr. Funk?
HAYLER: I was his deputy.
DR. SAUTER: Dr. Hayler, during a conference that we had on the day before yesterday, I discussed with you the question of whether the Defendant Dr. Funk was a particularly radical man or whether, on the contrary, he acted with moderation and consideration toward others. What do you have to say to this question which may have certain importance in forming an opinion on the personality of the Defendant Funk?
HAYLER: Funk is above all very human, and always has been. Radicalism is quite foreign to his entire character and being. He is more of an artist, a man of very fine artistic feeling and scholarly ideas. I believe one can say that at no time was he a doctrinaire or dogmatic. On the contrary, he was conciliatory and anxious to settle disputes. For this reason, in Party circles in particular, he was considered too soft, too indulgent, in fact he was accused many times of being too weak. He tried to protect domestic economy from political encroachment and from unnecessary severity; and because of his respect and his regard for enterprising endeavor and out of his own responsibility to economy and to the people, he fought against unnecessary intervention in various enterprises even during the war. He protected industry against mergers end closures. This finally led to his being deprived of the responsibility for production in the decisive phase of the war.
I recall from the time of my collaboration with him, when I was still in charge of the trade organization, that Funk on various occasions interceded for men in the industrial world who were in political difficulties. I believe, however, that because of these individual cases, such as his intervention on behalf of Consul General Hollaender or of Herr Pietsch, and because of his attempts to promote peace, he at that time had to expect grave consequences; also because of his intervention in the case of Richard Strauss, as is surely known, and in similar cases. I do not think these individual cases are of such importance as perhaps the following: After the catastrophe of 9 November 1938 the process of Aryanization was to be intensified in the Ministry of Economics; and at that time a few political men were forced upon the Ministry, especially Herr Schmeer. I remember distinctly that at that time Landfried in particular, as well as Funk, slowed down considerably this radicalization of the Ministry; and Funk and the Ministry were blamed for doing so.
After 8 and 9 November I once had a conference regarding the events of that date with Himmler, in which I voiced my complaints. Himmler on that occasion finally reproached both Funk and myself by saying, among other things: ‘Finally, you people on the economic side and connected with the economic management are also to blame that things have gone too far. People like Herr Schacht cannot be expected to do anything except go slow ail the time and oppose the will of the Party; but if you and Funk and all you people on the economic side had not slowed things down so much, these excesses would not have happened.’
DR. SAUTER: Yes, Dr. Hayler; another question. You also worked with Dr. Funk in matters concerning the economy of the occupied territories. Dr. Funk is accused of having played a criminal part in despoiling the occupied territories as well as in destroying their currency and economic systems. Could you enlighten the Court as briefly as possible on the Defendant Funk's attitude and activities? As briefly as possible.
HAYLER: I believe two facts must be stated first of all: First, the influence of the Ministry of Economy on the occupied territories was relatively limited. Secondly, during the year in which I was in the Ministry these questions were no longer particularly important.
Generally speaking, the position was as follows: Funk was constantly accused of thinking more of peace than of war. The opinions he proclaimed both in his speeches and in print referred to a European economic policy; and I assume that these talks and publications or articles are before the Court…. Funk looked at the occupied territories from exactly the same point of view. He raised repeated objections to the overexploitation of the occupied territories and expressed the view that war-time co-operation should form the basis of later co-operation in peace. His view was that confidence and willingness to co-operate should be fostered in the occupied territories during the war. He expressed the view that the black market cannot be combated by the black market and that, since we were responsible for the occupied territories, we must avoid anything likely to disturb the currency and economic system of these territories.
I think I remember that he also discussed the question with the Reich Marshal and defended his own point of view. He also repeatedly opposed unduly heavy occupation expenses, and always favored the reduction of our own expenditure, that is, of German expenditure in the occupied territories. In other words, he regarded the occupied territories in exactly the same way as other European countries; and this attitude is best illustrated by the speech he made in Vienna, I believe, in which he publicly acknowledged as genuine debts the clearing debts, the high totals of which were due mainly to differences in price, that is, inflationist tendencies, in the countries which delivered the goods.
DR. SAUTER: Dr. Hayler, the Defendant Funk is furthermore accused of playing a criminal part in the enslavement of foreign workers. This accusation applies particularly to the period during which you were a co-worker of Dr. Funk. Can you tell us briefly how Funk thought and acted in regard to this point?
HAYLER: There can be no question of Funk's co-operation in questions regarding the employment of foreign labor at this time, but only within the scope of his responsibility in the Central Planning Board. But it remains to be seen whether the Central Planning Board was at all responsible for the employment of workers or whether the Central Planning Board did nothing more than ascertain the manpower needs of the various production spheres.
However, regardless of what the tasks of the Central Planning Board may have been, Funk's position in the Central Planning Board was the following:
Funk, as Minister of Economy, was responsible for the supplies for the civilian population and for export. In the period following the separation of the ministries, no additional foreign worker I believe was employed in the production of supplies for civilians or for export. On the contrary, Funk was constantly confronted with the fact that during that time German and foreign workers were continually being removed from the production of consumer goods and put into armament production. Consequently, I cannot imagine that an accusation of this sort can be made against Funk with reference to this period of time.
On this occasion I should like to emphasize another point which seems important to me. Provisioning the foreign workers was a very serious question. I believe that even Herr Sauckel will corroborate the fact that, when this question came up, Funk was at once ready-even though there- was already a great scarcity of provisions for the German people due to many air raids and destructions to release large quantities of supplies and put them at the disposal of the foreign workers.
DR. SAUTER: If I understand you correctly, he tried to see to it that the foreign workers who had to work in Germany were supplied as well as was possible with consumer articles: food, shoes, clothes, and so on.
HAYLER: Particularly shoes and clothing; Funk was not the competent authority for food.
DR. SAUTER: Shoes and clothing?
HAYLER: Yes, I have specific knowledge of this. And as a result Funk had considerable difficulty; for the Gauleiter, in view of the great scarcity of goods, did their best to secure supplies for the inhabitants of their own Gaue for whom they were responsible, and in so doing used every means which came to hand. Funk constantly had to oppose the arbitrary acts of the Gauleiter, who broke into the supply stores in their Gaue and appropriated stocks intended for the general use.
DR. SAUTER: Dr. Hayler, do you know whether Dr. Funk- I am still referring to the time when you worked with him-represented the viewpoint that the foreign worker should not be brought to Germany to work here but that rather the work itself should be taken from Germany into the foreign countries so that the foreign worker could perform his work in his home country and remain at home? Please answer that.
HAYLER: I know very well that Funk represented that viewpoint and it is in accordance with his general attitude, for the political disquiet and dissatisfaction which accompany the displacement of such large masses of human beings temporarily uprooted was in opposition to the policy of appeasement and reconstruction which was definitely Funk's goal.
DR. SAUTER: I now come to the last question which I wish to put to you, Dr. Hayler. When the German armies retreated and when German territories were occupied by enemy armies, difficulties arose regarding the supplying of these territories with money. At that time Hitler is supposed to have planned a law according to which the acceptance and passing on of foreign occupation money was to be punished even by death. I am not interested now, Dr. Hayler, in finding out why Hitler planned to do this; but I am interested in finding out, if you can tell me, how the Defendant Funk reacted to this demand by Hitler and what success he had.
HAYLER: Two facts can be established in regard to this point, which should be of interest to the Tribunal. I have rarely seen Funk as depressed as at that time, after he had received information about the so-called "scorched earth decree." I believe he was the first minister to issue at that time two very clear decrees, one from the Ministry of Economics, in which he gave definite instructions that wherever German people were an administration of economy in some sort of form must remain; where it is necessary that people be provided for, the State must continue to provide for these people.
The second decree was issued at the same time by the President of the Reichsbank, in which he decreed that the money market had to be cared for by the remaining offices of the Reichsbank in the same way that economy was to be cared for.
Regarding your question itself, I recall very distinctly that the Fuehrer himself, it was said, had demanded of the Ministry of Economics the issuing of a legal regulation according to which the acceptance of occupation money was forbidden to every German on pain of death. Herr Funk opposed this demand very energetically, I believe with the help of Herr Lammers. He himself telephoned headquarters repeatedly and finally succeeded in having the Fuehrer's directive withdrawn…” (Trial of the Major War Criminals Before the International Military Tribunal, Nuremberg, Volume XIII)

Published Work:
“Die deutsche Film-Industrie und ihre Bedeutung für Deutschlands Handel” (doctoral dissertation, 1926)
“Der Einzelhandel im nationalsozialistischen Staat: Vortr., geh. auf d. Hauptvers. des Reichsverbandes des Büromaschinen- und Organisationsmittel-Handels e. V. (R. d. B.) am 6. Sept. 1934 in Berlin” (1934)
“Mensch und Arbeit im Vierjahresplan” (Speech at the “Tagung ‘Arbeitsschutz und Vierjahresplan’” in Berlin, 07.02.1939)
Die Reichsgruppe Handel. Aufgaben und Aufbau (1940)

Decorations & Awards:
16.08.1944 Ritterkreuz des Kriegsverdienstkreuzes ohne Schwerter as Staatssekretär in the Reichswirtschaftsministerium.
Presented by Reichsminister Dr. Funk for his role in providing essential goods to the people of German cities which had been impacted by Allied “terror bombing”.
01.05.1941 1939 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
00.00.194_ Kriegsverdienstkreuz I. Klasse ohne Schwerter
02.10.1940 Kriegsverdienstkreuz II. Klasse ohne Schwerter
ca. 1939 Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
ca. 1938 Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938
07.01.1935 Ehrenkreuz des Weltkrieges 1914-1918 mit Schwertern
21.05.1921 Schlesischer Adler 1. Stufe
00.00.1921 Schlesischer Adler 2. Stufe
00.00.192_ Hessischer Adlerorden I. & II. Klasse
00.00.192_ Tiroler Adler
00.00.1921 (?) St. Annaberg Kreuz
00.00.192_ Oberlandbewährabzeichen
00.00.1934 Blutorden (Nr. 310, with effect from 09.11.1933)
00.00.194_ Dienstauszeichnung der NSDAP in Silber
00.00.194_ Dienstauszeichnung der NSDAP in Bronze
26.07.1944 Ehrenzeichen für deutsche Volkspflege I. Stufe
00.00.19__ Abzeichen für Wehrwirtschaftsführer
[01.12.1937] Deutsches Reichssportabzeichen in Silber
[01.12.1936] Deutsches Reichssportabzeichen in Bronze
[01.12.1938] Ehrendegen des Reichsführers-SS
00.08.1937 Totenkopfring der SS
00.00.1934 Ehrenwinkel für alte Kämpfer
00.00.193_ Ehrendolch der SS
16.12.1935 Julleuchter der SS
24.04.1941 Grand Officer Cross of the Order of the Crown of Italy

Notes:
* Religion: Catholic until 00.00.1941, then declared himself “gottgläubig”.
* Married on 12.06.1928 to Agathe “Agi” Pfeifer (born 12.11.1905 in Köln). Two sons (born 15.08.1933 [died 07.03.1936] and 04.01.1939) and two daughters (born 03.06.1931 and 09.05.1941).

Sources:
Miller, Michael D. & Schulz, Andreas: Leaders of the SS & German Police, Volume 2. R. James Bender Publishing, 2015.
National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Maryland: SS-Personalakte of Franz Hayler. Microfilm document collection A3343SS.
Nix, Philip: Biographical Notes from the archives of Mr. Nix, Birmingham, England.
SS-Personalkanzlei and SS-Personalhauptamt: Dienstaltersliste der Schutzstaffel der NSDAP, Stand vom 1. Oktober 1934.
- Dienstaltersliste der Schutzstaffel der NSDAP, Stand vom 1. Juli 1935.
- Dienstaltersliste der Schutzstaffel der NSDAP, Stand vom 1. Dezember 1936.
- Dienstaltersliste der Schutzstaffel der NSDAP, Stand vom 1. Dezember 1937.
- Dienstaltersliste der Schutzstaffel der NSDAP, Stand vom 1. Dezember 1938.
- Dienstaltersliste der Schutzstaffel der NSDAP, Stand vom 30. Januar 1942.
- Dienstaltersliste der Schutzstaffel der NSDAP, Stand vom 20. April 1942.
- Dienstaltersliste der Schutzstaffel der NSDAP, Stand vom 9. November 1944.

[JoeW]

Mike. Wow. Thank you for the identification and the excellent exposition of Hayler's life and career.

[Michael Miller]

My pleasure, Joe.

Have a great day.

~ Mike

[Michael Miller]

Just found something new- well, if 1960 can be considered new- which provides his full name.

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/co ... 6297-02440
(viewable with an Ancestry.com membership).

~ Mike

[JoeW]

The Waldorf-Astoria in 1960 was very high end. It would seem his import-export business appeared successful. With his early party membership, Blood Order and importance in the German economy, I am surprised that Funk did not propose Hayler to receive an honorary Gold Party pin.

[Michael Miller]

Good point. Considering those credentials, one would expect him to be a natural contender for such an award.
Now you've got me wondering if there was a reason he did not receive it. It seems like a possible deliberate snub.

~ Mike