List of Gaue of Nazi Germany

This is a list of the "Gaue" of Germany during the period of Nazi rule.

The "Gaue" (Singular:"Gau") were the "de facto" administrative sub-divisions of the country following the suppression of the individual "Länder" (states) in 1934. However, the "Gaue" were originally formed already in 1926 [ [http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/nazi/innenpolitik/gaue/ Die NS-Gaue] (in German) Deutsches Historisches Museum website, accessed: 25 June 2008] . Each "Gau" had an administrative leader, the "Gauleiter" (English:"Gau Leader"). In total, Germany consisited of 42 "Gaue" at its collapse in 1945 [ [http://www.nizkor.org/hweb/imt/nca/nca-01/nca-01-06-organization.html The Organization of the Nazi Party & State] "The Nizkor Project", accessed: 25 June 2008] .

The regions occupied in 1938 or conquered during the Second World War were organised in so-called Reichsgaue, similar to the "Gaue" in all but name. In the "Reichsgaue", the "Gauleiter" also carried the position of "Reichsstatthalter" [ [http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/nazi/innenpolitik/gaue/ Die NS-Gaue] (in German) Deutsches Historisches Museum website, accessed: 25 June 2008] .

List of Gaue and Reichsgaue

Gaue established in 1934

Releationship of Gaue and Länder

The "Gaue" existed parallel to the German states, the "Länder", throughout the Nazi period. The plan to abolish the "Länder" was ultimately given up because Hitler shrank away from structural reforms, a so-called "Reichsreform", fearing it would upset local party leaders. For the same reason, the borders of the "Gaue" remained unchanged withing Germany throughout this time. The "Gaue" were only enlarged through the adding of occupied territories after 1938 [ [http://www.historisches-lexikon-bayerns.de/artikel/artikel_44497 Gau (NSDAP) - Kontinuität der Gaugliederung nach 1933] (in German) Historisches Lexikon Bayerns, accessed: 25 June 2008] . While the "Länder" continued to exist, the real power on local level did lay with the "Gauleiters", not the "Minister Presidents" of the German states. The "Gauleiter" were directly appointed by Hitler and only answerable to him. In practice, interference from above was rare and their power almost absolute [ [http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/nazi/innenpolitik/gaue/ Die NS-Gaue] (in German) Deutsches Historisches Museum website, accessed: 25 June 2008] .

Notes

* There was also an extra-territorial "Gau" named "Auslandsorganisation" for party members overseas. Its headquarters were in Berlin. This "Auslandsgau" was considered to be the 43rd "Gau" of Nazi Germany.

ee also

* List of Gauleiters
* Reichsgau
* Gauliga "regional football leagues within the Gaue"
* Gau Schwaben

External links

* [http://www.shoa.de/content/view/544/41/ Shoa.de - List of Gaue and Gauleiter] (in German)

ources

* "Der große Atlas der Weltgeschichte" (in German), Historical map book, published: 1990, publisher: Orbis Verlag - Munich, ISBN 3572047552

References