Reichsgau Oberdonau

Last updated
Reichsgau Upper Danube
Reichsgau of Nazi Germany
1938–1945
Flag of German Reich (1935-1945).svg
Flag
Reichsadler.svg
Coat of arms
NS administrative Gliederung 1944.png
Map of Nazi Germany showing its administrative
subdivisions ( Gaue and Reichsgaue )
Capital Linz
Population 
 1939
1,032,115
Government
Gauleiter  
 19381945
August Eigruber
History 
  Anschluss
12 March 1938
8 May 1945
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Oberosterreich Dienstflagge.svg Upper Austria
Flag of Steiermark (state).svg Styria
Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg Czechoslovakia
Upper Austria Oberosterreich Dienstflagge.svg
Czechoslovakia Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg
Today part of Austria
Czech Republic

The Reichsgau Upper Danube (German: Reichsgau Oberdonau) was an administrative division of Nazi Germany, created after the Anschluss (annexation of Austria) in 1938 and dissolved in 1945. It consisted of what is today Upper Austria, parts of Southern Bohemia, and a small part of the Salzkammergut which was annexed from Styria.

Contents

The Gau had the honorary title of "Home Gau of the Führer" (German : Heimatgau des Führers), [1] since Adolf Hitler was born in Braunau am Inn and spent much of his early life in Linz. His home Berghof was located in neighboring Gau Munich-Upper Bavaria.

History

The Nazi Gau (plural Gaue) system was originally established in a party conference on 22 May 1926, in order to improve administration of the party structure. From 1933 onwards, after the Nazi seizure of power, the Gaue increasingly replaced the German states as administrative subdivisions in Germany. On 12 March 1938 Nazi Germany annexed Austria and on 24 May the Austrian provinces were reorganized and replaced by seven Nazi party Gaue. [2] Under the Ostmarkgesetz law of 14 April 1939 with effect of 1 May, the Austrian Gaue were raised to the status of Reichsgaue and their Gauleiters were subsequently also named Reichsstatthalters . [3] [4]

At the head of each Gau stood a Gauleiter, a position which became increasingly more powerful, especially after the outbreak of the Second World War. Local Gauleiters were in charge of propaganda and surveillance and, from September 1944 onwards, the Volkssturm and the defence of the Gau. [3] [5]

The position of Gauleiter in Upper Danube was held by August Eigruber for the duration of the existence of the Reichsgau. [6] [7]

The Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp was located in the Reichsgau Oberdonau. Of the 199,404 prisoners that were sent to the camp 119,000 died in the harsh conditions of the camp through overwork, malnourishment and exhaustion. [8] After the war, Eigruber was put on trial by the U.S. military for his role in atrocities at Mauthausen. He was sentenced to death and executed in 1947.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gau Bayreuth</span> Administrative division of Nazi Germany

Gau Bayreuth was an administrative division of Nazi Germany formed by the 19 January 1933 merger of Gaue in Lower Bavaria, Upper Palatinate and Upper Franconia, Bavaria. It was in existence from 1933 to 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gau Franconia</span> Nazi subdivision

Gau Franconia was an administrative division of Nazi Germany in Middle Franconia, Bavaria, from 1933 to 1945. Before that, from 1929 to 1933, it was the regional subdivision of the Nazi Party in that area. Originally formed as Middle Franconia in 1929, it was renamed Franconia in 1936.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gau Main Franconia</span> Administrative division of Nazi Germany

The Gau Main Franconia, formed as Gau Lower Franconia on 1 March 1929 and renamed Gau Main Franconia on 30 July 1935, was an administrative division of Nazi Germany in Lower Franconia, Bavaria, from 1933 to 1945. Before that, from 1929 to 1933, it was the regional subdivision of the Nazi Party in that area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gau East Prussia</span> Administrative division of Nazi Germany

Gau East Prussia was an administrative division of Nazi Germany encompassing the province of East Prussia in the Free State of Prussia from 1933 to 1945. Before that, from 1925 to 1933, it was the regional subdivision of the Nazi Party in that area, having been established at a conference in Königsberg on 6 December 1925. In 1939, Gau East Prussia expanded following the annexation of the Klaipėda Region from Lithuania and the occupation of Poland, while a sliver of territory from the gau was transferred to Reichsgau Danzig-West Prussia. After Germany's attack on the USSR, the Belarusian city of Hrodna also became part of the Gau.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gau Southern Hanover-Brunswick</span>

Gau Southern Hanover–Brunswick was a de facto administrative division of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945 in the Free State of Brunswick and part of the Free State of Prussia. Before that, from its formation on 1 October 1928 to 1933, it was the regional subdivision of the Nazi Party in that area. Gau Southern Hanover-Brunswick was abolished after Germany's defeat in 1945. The territory after the war became part of Lower Saxony in West Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reichsgau Steiermark</span>

The Reichsgau Styria was an administrative division of Nazi Germany consisting of areas in Styria, Lower Styria and southern parts of Burgenland. It existed from 1938 to 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reichsgau Kärnten</span>

The Reichsgau Carinthia was an administrative division of Nazi Germany in Carinthia and East Tyrol and Upper Carniola in Slovenia. It existed from 1938 to 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reichsgau Wien</span>

The Reichsgau Vienna was an administrative division of Nazi Germany based in Vienna, Austria. It existed between 1938 and 1945. Parts of Lower Austria were annexed to establish Greater Vienna, which then became the biggest city of Nazi Germany by area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reichsgau Niederdonau</span> Administrative division of Nazi Germany in annexed Austria

The Reichsgau Lower Danube was an administrative division of Nazi Germany consisting of areas in Lower Austria, Burgenland, southeastern parts of Bohemia, southern parts of Moravia, later expanded with Devín and Petržalka. It existed between 1938 and 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reichsgau Tirol-Vorarlberg</span> Administrative division of Nazi Germany

The Reichsgau Tyrol-Vorarlberg was an administrative division of Nazi Germany consisting of Vorarlberg and North Tyrol. It existed from 1938 to 1945. It did not include East Tyrol (Lienz), which was instead part of Reichsgau Carinthia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reichsgau Salzburg</span>

The Reichsgau Salzburg was an administrative division of Nazi Germany in Salzburg, Austria. It existed between 1938 and 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reichsgau Sudetenland</span> Subdivision of Nazi Germany, 1939 to 1945

The Reichsgau Sudetenland was an administrative division of Nazi Germany from 1939 to 1945. It comprised the northern part of the Sudetenland territory, which was annexed from Czechoslovakia according to the 30 September 1938 Munich Agreement. The Reichsgau was headed by the former Sudeten German Party leader, now Nazi Party functionary Konrad Henlein as Gauleiter and Reichsstatthalter. From October 1938 to May 1939, it was the regional subdivision of the Nazi Party in that area, also under Henlein's leadership. The administrative capital was Reichenberg (Liberec).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gau Württemberg-Hohenzollern</span> Administrative division of Nazi Germany

The Gau Württemberg-Hohenzollern, formed on 8 July 1925, was an administrative division of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945 in the German state of Württemberg and the Prussian province of Hohenzollern. Before that, from 1925 to 1933, it was the regional subdivision of the Nazi Party in that area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gau Hesse-Nassau</span>

The Gau Hesse-Nassau was an administrative division of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. It was formed by the merger of two separate Gaue comprising the People's State of Hesse and the southern parts of the Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau that were, from 1927 to 1933, the regional subdivisions of the Nazi Party in those areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gau Moselland</span> Administrative division or Nazi Germany

The Gau Moselland, formed as Gau Koblenz-Trier in June 1931, was an administrative division of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945 in the Prussian Rhine Province. Before that, from 1931 to 1933, it was the regional subdivision of the Nazi Party in that area. On 24 January 1941, the Gau was renamed Gau Moselland, Mosel being the German name of the river Moselle. Following the 1940 German conquest of Luxembourg, the country was subsequently annexed on 30 August 1942 and made part of Gau Moselland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gau Mecklenburg</span> Administrative division of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945

The Gau Mecklenburg, was formed as Gau Mecklenburg-Lübeck on 22 March 1925 and renamed Gau Mecklenburg on 31 March 1937 when Lübeck was transferred to Gau Schleswig-Holstein. It was an administrative division of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945 in the Free State of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and the Free State of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Before that, from 1925 to 1933, it was the regional subdivision of the Nazi Party in that area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gau Upper Silesia</span> Administrative division of Nazi Germany

The Gau Upper Silesia was an administrative division of Nazi Germany from 1941 to 1945 in the Upper Silesia part of the Prussian Province of Silesia. The Gau was created when the Gau Silesia was split into Upper Silesia and Lower Silesia on 27 January 1941. The Gau included territory annexed by Nazi Germany after the German invasion of Poland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gau Lower Silesia</span>

The Gau Lower Silesia was an administrative division of Nazi Germany from 1941 to 1945 in the Lower Silesia part of the Prussian Province of Silesia. The Gau was created when the Gau Silesia was split into Lower Silesia and Upper Silesia in 1941. The majority of the former Gau became part of Poland after the Second World War, with small parts in the far west becoming part of the future East Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gau Silesia</span>

The Gau Silesia formed on 15 March 1925, was an administrative division of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1941 in the Prussian Province of Silesia. From 1925 to 1933, it was the regional subdivision of the Nazi Party for this area. The Gau was split into Lower Silesia and Upper Silesia on 27 January 1941. The majority of the former Gau became part of Poland after the Second World War, with small parts in the far west becoming part of the future East Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gau Berlin</span> Administrative division of Nazi Germany

The Gau Berlin was an administrative division of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945 in the German capital Berlin. Before that, from 1928 to 1933, it was the regional subdivision of the Nazi Party in that area. From 1926 to 1928 Berlin was part of the Gau Berlin-Brandenburg which was split into two separate Gaue on 1 October 1928.

References

  1. Kriechbaumer, R. 1998, Geschichte der österreichischen Bundesländer seit 1945, p. 117
  2. "Administration of Austria," The Times (London) 25 May 1938, page 15.
  3. 1 2 "Die NS-Gaue" [The Nazi Gaue]. dhm.de (in German). Deutsches Historisches Museum . Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  4. "Der "Anschluss" Österreichs 1938" [The annexation of Austria 1938]. dhm.de (in German). Deutsches Historisches Museum . Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  5. "The Organization of the Nazi Party & State". nizkor.org. The Nizkor Project. Archived from the original on 9 November 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  6. "Übersicht der NSDAP-Gaue, der Gauleiter und der Stellvertretenden Gauleiter zwischen 1933 und 1945" [Overview of Nazi Gaue, the Gauleiter and assistant Gauleiter from 1933 to 1945]. zukunft-braucht-erinnerung.de (in German). Zukunft braucht Erinnerung . Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  7. "Reichsgau Oberdonau". verwaltungsgeschichte.de (in German). Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  8. "Mauthausen" (PDF). yadvashem.org. Yad Vashem . Retrieved 31 March 2016.