Karl Blessing
| Karl Blessing | |
|---|---|
 The German representative in the Transfer Commission, 1934, from left: Hjalmar Schacht, Blessing, Emil Puhl , von Wedel | |
| President of the Deutsche Bundesbank | |
|
In office 1958–1969 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
5 February 1900 Enzweihingen |
| Died | 25 April 1971 (aged 71) |
| Alma mater | Handelshochschule Berlin |
Karl Blessing (5 February 1900 – 25 April 1971) was a German banker. It was proposed that he would have been the Minister of Economics or President of the Reichsbank if the 20 July plot to kill Adolf Hitler had succeeded. He was also President of the Deutsche Bundesbank from 1958 to 1969.
He was born in Württemberg, joined the Reichsbank in 1920 and graduated in Business Administration in 1925. In 1929 he became an assistant to Reichsbank president Hjalmar Schacht and in 1934 he was seconded to the Reich Ministry of Economics. He became a member of the executive board of the Reichsbank in 1937 but was dismissed in February 1939 along with other board members for criticising Nazi economic policy. He was not arrested by the Gestapo after the 20 July plot failed. They were unaware that he would have been named Minister of Economics.
Shortly after retiring as President of the Deutsche Bundesbank Blessing died in Rasteau, France aged 71. His grandson, Martin Blessing, is CEO of the German Commerzbank.
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* indicates acting president | ||