The "Long Arm" of the Nazi Regime in Madeira, 1933–1939. The Case of the German Consul Emil Gesche

Abstract

During the Hitler regime, Emil Gesche represented the German Reich in Madeira as an honorary consul. Together with Gilbert Schnitzer, his Jewish partner, he ran a company, importing commodities mainly from Germany. The dual role of merchant and consul allowed him privileged access to business contacts in Germany, giving rise to complaints from German merchants in Madeira.
From 1933 onwards, some of these competitors became affiliated to the NSDAP’s Organisation Abroad and hid the economic conflict behind ideological issues, accusing Gesche of defending positions incompatible with the policy of the Nazi regime in Germany. Although the consul endeavoured to disprove his opponents, he was stigmatised because of his business partnership with a Jew. After prolonged controversies, Gesche managed to maintain his position as consul, but ultimately failed as a businessman due to the economic pressure exerted by the state authorities and the NSDAP on his German business partners to cut relations with him. He therefore lacked the available capital to dissolve the company Gesche & Schnitzer, so that he finally had to consent to the forced liquidation.

Keywords:

Germans in Madeira; Nazi Organisations; Antisemitism; Portuguese-German Trade; Honorary Consulate.