Jump to content

Gau Westphalia-North: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 51°57′43″N 7°38′08″E / 51.96194°N 7.63556°E / 51.96194; 7.63556
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
m →External links: Restore prior category. West Germany was not established until May 1949.
 
(8 intermediate revisions by 7 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Territorial administrative unit of the NSDAP}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Gau'' Westphalia-North}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Gau'' Westphalia-North}}
{{Infobox Former Subdivision
{{Infobox Former Subdivision
Line 27: Line 28:
|pol_subdiv =
|pol_subdiv =
|title_leader = ''[[Gauleiter]]''
|title_leader = ''[[Gauleiter]]''
|leader1 = Alfred Meyer
|leader1 = [[Alfred Meyer]]
|year_leader1 = 1931–1945
|year_leader1 = 1931–1945
|stat_year1 =
|stat_year1 =
Line 38: Line 39:
The Nazi ''Gau'' (plural ''Gaue'') system was originally established in a [[Nazi Party|party]] conference on 22 May 1926, in order to improve administration of the party structure. From 1933 onward, after the [[Nazi seizure of power]], the ''Gaue'' increasingly replaced the German states as administrative subdivisions in Germany.<ref name="Lemo">{{cite web |url=https://www.dhm.de/lemo/kapitel/ns-regime/innenpolitik/gaue/ |title= Die NS-Gaue |website=dhm.de |publisher=[[Deutsches Historisches Museum]]|access-date= 24 March 2016|language=de|trans-title=The Nazi Gaue }}</ref>
The Nazi ''Gau'' (plural ''Gaue'') system was originally established in a [[Nazi Party|party]] conference on 22 May 1926, in order to improve administration of the party structure. From 1933 onward, after the [[Nazi seizure of power]], the ''Gaue'' increasingly replaced the German states as administrative subdivisions in Germany.<ref name="Lemo">{{cite web |url=https://www.dhm.de/lemo/kapitel/ns-regime/innenpolitik/gaue/ |title= Die NS-Gaue |website=dhm.de |publisher=[[Deutsches Historisches Museum]]|access-date= 24 March 2016|language=de|trans-title=The Nazi Gaue }}</ref>


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]], with little interference from above. Local ''Gauleiter'' often held government positions as well as party ones and were in charge of, among other things, propaganda and surveillance and, from September 1944 onward, the ''[[Volkssturm]]'' and the defense of the ''Gau''.<ref name="Lemo" /><ref name="Nizkor">{{cite web |url=http://www.nizkor.org/hweb/imt/nca/nca-01/nca-01-06-organization.html |title= The Organization of the Nazi Party & State |website=nizkor.org |publisher=[[The Nizkor Project]]|access-date= 26 March 2016}}</ref>
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]], with little interference from above. Local ''Gauleiter'' often held government positions as well as party ones and were in charge of, among other things, propaganda and surveillance and, from September 1944 onward, the ''[[Volkssturm]]'' and the defense of the ''Gau''.<ref name="Lemo" /><ref name="Nizkor">{{cite web |url=http://www.nizkor.org/hweb/imt/nca/nca-01/nca-01-06-organization.html |title=The Organization of the Nazi Party & State |website=nizkor.org |publisher=[[The Nizkor Project]] |access-date=26 March 2016 |archive-date=9 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161109221505/http://www.nizkor.org/hweb/imt/nca/nca-01/nca-01-06-organization.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>


The position of ''Gauleiter'' in Westphalia-North was held by [[Alfred Meyer]] from its formation until his suicide on 11 April 1945.<ref name="Zukunft">{{cite web |url=http://www.zukunft-braucht-erinnerung.de/uebersicht-der-nsdap-gaue-der-gauleiter-und-der-stellvertretenden-gauleiter-zwischen-1933-und-1945/ |title= Übersicht der NSDAP-Gaue, der Gauleiter und der Stellvertretenden Gauleiter zwischen 1933 und 1945 |website=zukunft-braucht-erinnerung.de |publisher=[[Zukunft braucht Erinnerung]]|access-date= 24 March 2016|language=de|trans-title=Overview of Nazi Gaue, the Gauleiter and assistant Gauleiter from 1933 to 1945 }}</ref><ref name="Verw">{{cite web |url=http://www.verwaltungsgeschichte.de/gau_wnord.html |title= Gau Westfalen-Nord|website=verwaltungsgeschichte.de |access-date= 24 March 2016|language=de}}</ref> nine days after the Gau's capital, [[Münster]], was captured.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Münster 1945 – 75 Jahre Ende Zweiter Weltkrieg |url=https://magazin.stadtmuseum-muenster.de/ausstellungen/muenster-1945 |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=magazin.stadtmuseum-muenster.de |language=de-de}}</ref>Meyer's Deputy ''Gauleiter'' was [[Peter Stangier]], the sole holder of this post, who was appointed in August 1931 and remained in office until the collapse of the regime in May 1945.<ref>{{cite book |last1= Miller |first1= Michael D. |last2= Schulz |first2= Andreas |title= Gauleiter: The Regional Leaders of the Nazi Party and Their Deputies, 1925–1945 |volume=1 (Herbert Albrecht - H. Wilhelm Hüttmann) |publisher= R. James Bender Publishing |year= 2012 |page= 38 |isbn= 978-1-932-97021-0}}</ref>
The position of ''Gauleiter'' in Westphalia-North was held by [[Alfred Meyer]] from its formation until his suicide on 11 April 1945.<ref name="Zukunft">{{cite web |url=http://www.zukunft-braucht-erinnerung.de/uebersicht-der-nsdap-gaue-der-gauleiter-und-der-stellvertretenden-gauleiter-zwischen-1933-und-1945/ |title= Übersicht der NSDAP-Gaue, der Gauleiter und der Stellvertretenden Gauleiter zwischen 1933 und 1945 |website=zukunft-braucht-erinnerung.de |publisher=[[Zukunft braucht Erinnerung]]|access-date= 24 March 2016|language=de|trans-title=Overview of Nazi Gaue, the Gauleiter and assistant Gauleiter from 1933 to 1945 }}</ref><ref name="Verw">{{cite web |url=http://www.verwaltungsgeschichte.de/gau_wnord.html |title= Gau Westfalen-Nord|website=verwaltungsgeschichte.de |access-date= 24 March 2016|language=de}}</ref> nine days after the Gau's capital, [[Münster]], was captured.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Münster 1945 – 75 Jahre Ende Zweiter Weltkrieg |url=https://magazin.stadtmuseum-muenster.de/ausstellungen/muenster-1945 |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=magazin.stadtmuseum-muenster.de |language=de-de}}</ref> Meyer's Deputy ''Gauleiter'' was [[Peter Stangier]], the sole holder of this post, who was appointed in August 1931 and remained in office until the collapse of the regime in May 1945.<ref>{{cite book |last1= Miller |first1= Michael D. |last2= Schulz |first2= Andreas |title= Gauleiter: The Regional Leaders of the Nazi Party and Their Deputies, 1925–1945 |volume=1 (Herbert Albrecht - H. Wilhelm Hüttmann) |publisher= R. James Bender Publishing |year= 2012 |page= 38 |isbn= 978-1-932-97021-0}}</ref>


=== Allied invasion and occupation ===
=== Allied invasion and occupation ===
Line 52: Line 53:
|28 March 1945
|28 March 1945
|[[Raesfeld]]
|[[Raesfeld]]
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=„Die Ereignisse überschlugen sich“ |url=https://www.borkenerzeitung.de/lokales/raesfeld/Die-Ereignisse-ueberschlugen-sich-273630.html |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=BZ |language=de}}</ref>
|<ref>{{Cite web |title="Die Ereignisse überschlugen sich" |url=https://www.borkenerzeitung.de/lokales/raesfeld/Die-Ereignisse-ueberschlugen-sich-273630.html |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=BZ |language=de}}</ref>
|-
|-
|28 March 1945
|28 March 1945
Line 80: Line 81:
|30 March 1945
|30 March 1945
|[[Coesfeld]]
|[[Coesfeld]]
|<ref>{{Internetquelle|autor=Hendrik M. Lange|url=http://stadtarchiv.coesfeld.de/fileadmin/stadtarchiv/bilder/wk2/Kriegsende/1945__kriegsende_mS.pdf|titel=1945–2015: 70 Jahre Ende des Zweiten Weltkrieges|werk=stadtarchiv.coesfeld.de|hrsg=Stadtarchiv Coesfeld|datum=2015|offline=|zugriff=2015-04-17|format=PDF}}</ref>
|<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2015-04-17|author=Hendrik M. Lange|date=2015|publisher=Stadtarchiv Coesfeld|title=1945–2015: 70 Jahre Ende des Zweiten Weltkrieges|url=http://stadtarchiv.coesfeld.de/fileadmin/stadtarchiv/bilder/wk2/Kriegsende/1945__kriegsende_mS.pdf|website=stadtarchiv.coesfeld.de}}<!-- auto-translated by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>
|-
|-
|30 March 1945
|30 March 1945
Line 92: Line 93:
|31 March 1945
|31 March 1945
|[[Vreden]]
|[[Vreden]]
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Geschichte der Stadt Vreden |url=https://www.vreden.de/publish/viewfull.cfm?objectid=78377395_2230_11d5_ab090050baca5110 |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=Stadt Vreden |language=de}}</ref>
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Geschichte der Stadt Vreden |url=https://www.vreden.de/publish/viewfull.cfm?objectid=78377395_2230_11d5_ab090050baca5110 |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=Stadt Vreden |language=de |archive-date=2022-10-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004171812/https://www.vreden.de/publish/viewfull.cfm?objectid=78377395_2230_11d5_ab090050baca5110 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|31 March 1945
|[[Burgsteinfurt]]
|
|-
|-
|1-3 April 1945
|1-3 April 1945
Line 104: Line 109:
|2 April 1945
|2 April 1945
|[[Gronau, North Rhine-Westphalia|Gronau]]
|[[Gronau, North Rhine-Westphalia|Gronau]]
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=wn |title=„Plötzlich wurde alles stockdunkel“ |url=https://www.dzonline.de/muensterland/plotzlich-wurde-alles-stockdunkel-861573 |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=www.dzonline.de |language=de}}</ref>
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=wn |title="Plötzlich wurde alles stockdunkel" |url=https://www.dzonline.de/muensterland/plotzlich-wurde-alles-stockdunkel-861573 |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=www.dzonline.de |language=de}}</ref>
|-
|-
|2 April 1945
|2 April 1945

Latest revision as of 22:15, 5 October 2024

Gau Westphalia-North
Gau of Nazi Germany
1931–1945
Flag of Gau Westfalen-Nord
Flag
Coat of arms of Gau Westfalen-Nord
Coat of arms

Map of Nazi Germany showing its administrative
subdivisions (Gaue and Reichsgaue)
CapitalMünster
Government
Gauleiter 
• 1931–1945
Alfred Meyer
History 
1 January 1931
8 May 1945
Preceded by		 Succeeded by
Free State of Prussia (1933–1935)
Free State of Schaumburg-Lippe
Free State of Lippe
North Rhine-Westphalia

The Gau Westphalia-North (German: Gau Westfalen-Nord) was an administrative division of Nazi Germany encompassing the Free State of Lippe, the Free State of Schaumburg-Lippe and the northern half of the Prussian province of Westphalia between 1933 and 1945. From 1931 to 1933, it was the regional subdivision of the Nazi Party for these areas.

History

[edit]

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 onward, after the Nazi seizure of power, the Gaue increasingly replaced the German states as administrative subdivisions in Germany.[1]

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, with little interference from above. Local Gauleiter often held government positions as well as party ones and were in charge of, among other things, propaganda and surveillance and, from September 1944 onward, the Volkssturm and the defense of the Gau.[1][2]

The position of Gauleiter in Westphalia-North was held by Alfred Meyer from its formation until his suicide on 11 April 1945.[3][4] nine days after the Gau's capital, Münster, was captured.[5] Meyer's Deputy Gauleiter was Peter Stangier, the sole holder of this post, who was appointed in August 1931 and remained in office until the collapse of the regime in May 1945.[6]

Allied invasion and occupation

[edit]

Near the end of World War II, the Gau was invaded by the western allies, who would gradually capture its territory until the end of the war. The timeline of the allied advance is detailed in the table below.

Date of capture Location Ref
28 March 1945 Raesfeld [7]
28 March 1945 Borken [8]
28 March 1945 Haltern am See [9]
30 March 1945 Bocholt [10]
30 March 1945 Ahaus [11]
30 March 1945 Gescher
30 March 1945 Rhede
30 March 1945 Coesfeld [12]
30 March 1945 Lager Herbstwald [de]
30 March 1945 Buldern [13]
31 March 1945 Vreden [14]
31 March 1945 Burgsteinfurt
1-3 April 1945 Ochtrup [15]
1 April 1945 Lüdinghausen [16]
2 April 1945 Gronau [17]
2 April 1945 Datteln [18]
2 April 1945 Münster [5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Die NS-Gaue" [The Nazi Gaue]. dhm.de (in German). Deutsches Historisches Museum. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  2. ^ "The Organization of the Nazi Party & State". nizkor.org. The Nizkor Project. Archived from the original on 9 November 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ "Gau Westfalen-Nord". verwaltungsgeschichte.de (in German). Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Münster 1945 – 75 Jahre Ende Zweiter Weltkrieg". magazin.stadtmuseum-muenster.de (in German). Retrieved 2023-09-10.
  6. ^ Miller, Michael D.; Schulz, Andreas (2012). Gauleiter: The Regional Leaders of the Nazi Party and Their Deputies, 1925–1945. Vol. 1 (Herbert Albrecht - H. Wilhelm Hüttmann). R. James Bender Publishing. p. 38. ISBN 978-1-932-97021-0.
  7. ^ ""Die Ereignisse überschlugen sich"". BZ (in German). Retrieved 2023-09-10.
  8. ^ "Gedenken an das Kriegsende im Frühjahr 1945". BZ (in German). Retrieved 2023-09-10.
  9. ^ "17. Stausee Insel – Stadtrundgang – Haltern am See" (in German). 2023-07-10. Retrieved 2023-09-10.
  10. ^ "Vor 70 Jahren: Britische Besatzer in Bocholt". BBV (in German). Retrieved 2023-09-10.
  11. ^ Ahaus, Stadt. "Heute vor 75 Jahren in Ahaus". Stadt Ahaus (in German). Retrieved 2023-09-10.
  12. ^ Hendrik M. Lange (2015). "1945–2015: 70 Jahre Ende des Zweiten Weltkrieges" (PDF). stadtarchiv.coesfeld.de. Stadtarchiv Coesfeld. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  13. ^ "verwehte-spuren - Dülmen-Buldern". verwehte-spuren.de.tl. Retrieved 2023-09-10.
  14. ^ "Geschichte der Stadt Vreden". Stadt Vreden (in German). Archived from the original on 2022-10-04. Retrieved 2023-09-10.
  15. ^ wn. "Was der Krieg in Ochtrup anrichtete". www.wn.de (in German). Retrieved 2023-09-10.
  16. ^ Werth, Peter. "Ein Toter unter der Holzbrücke". www.wn.de (in German). Retrieved 2023-09-10.
  17. ^ wn. ""Plötzlich wurde alles stockdunkel"". www.dzonline.de (in German). Retrieved 2023-09-10.
  18. ^ "Dattelner Morgenpost: Ein Tag der Befreiung". www.heimatverein-datteln.de. Retrieved 2023-09-10.
[edit]

51°57′43″N 7°38′08″E / 51.96194°N 7.63556°E / 51.96194; 7.63556

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Gau_Westphalia-North&oldid=1249619028"