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Questions about Nevile Henderson

Short answers, pulled from the story.

When and where was Sir Nevile Meyrick Henderson born?

Sir Nevile Meyrick Henderson was born at Sedgwick Park near Horsham in Sussex on the 10th of June 1882. He grew up as the third child of Robert Henderson and Emma Caroline Hargreaves.

What role did Neville Chamberlain play in appointing Nevile Henderson to Berlin?

Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden appointed Henderson ambassador to Berlin on the 28th of May 1937 because he wanted an envoy who could get along with dictators. Henderson believed Providence had selected him for this mission while Harold Macmillan later noted Eden sought someone compatible with autocratic leaders.

How did Nevile Henderson view the treatment of minorities in Czechoslovakia before 1939?

Henderson argued that British interests required granting full equality to the Sudeten minority of Czechoslovakia by the 16th of March 1938. He initially advocated turning Czechoslovakia into a federation rather than maintaining its unitary state structure which caused problems among various ethnic groups.

Why did Nevile Henderson resign from his post in Berlin during August 1939?

Germany declared war after failing to respond to the ultimatum so Henderson was briefly interned by the Gestapo before returning to Britain on the 7th of September 1939. He felt unable to effectively represent Britain and requested another ambassadorship but was denied due to concerns about his indiscretions.

What were the final years and death circumstances of Sir Nevile Henderson?

Sir Nevile Henderson died at the Dorchester Hotel in London on the 30th of December 1942 after being diagnosed with cancer in October 1938. Doctors informed him he had approximately six months to live while he wrote his memoir Water Under Bridges which was published posthumously in 1945.