Reichsgau

A Reichsgau was a province within the Greater Germany of 1938 to 1945 (from the start of territorial annexation to the fall of the Third Reich). It was formed from the words "Reich", meaning "realm" or "empire" and "gau", a deliberately medieval-sounding word meaning "shire" or "region". There were several Reichsgaue, namely the annexes of Austria, Sudetenland, Wartheland and Danzig-Westpreussen. These regions were each governed by a NSDAP (more generally known as the Nazi Party) official, known as a Gauleiter or "region leader". It is perhaps significant that only 5 of the Gauleiter ever graduated from either a university or a technical school. The rest of Germany, i.e. Germany pre-1938, de jure continued to be divided into Länder, although de facto the "Gaue" of the Nazi Party organization were more important as local units in these areas as well.

Related Topics:
Reichsgau - Greater Germany - Third Reich - Reich - Gau - Austria - Sudetenland - Wartheland - Danzig-Westpreussen - NSDAP - Nazi Party - Gauleiter - 1938

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