Biographical Summary:

• Born into East Prussian merchant family
• studied law, economics and philosophy at University of Berlin and University of Leipzig
• 1914-1916 military service until discharged as unfit
• journalist and editor of right-wing financial newspaper
• 1931 joins Nazi Party
• 1933 Propaganda Ministry Official -- Press Chief
• 1938 Chief Plenipotentiary for Economics
• 1938 Minister of Economics
• 1939 President of the national Reichsbank
• 1939-1945 Board of Directors -- Bank of International Settlement (BIS) - Zurich Switzerland
• Through the Reichsbank and his connections in neutral Switzerland as board member of the BIS, Funk "laundered" cash, jewelry, precious gems, and smelted dental gold seized by the SS from murdered victims
• One of the few defendants not sentenced to death
• scores 17th down in defendant IQ tests: 124