Gau Westmark

Gau Westmark
Gau of Nazi Germany
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Flag Coat of arms
Error creating thumbnail: File with dimensions greater than 25 MP Map of Nazi Germany showing its administrative subdivisions (Gaue and Reichsgaue).
Capital		Neustadt an der Weinstraße (1933–1935) Saarbrücken (1935–1945)
Gauleiter
•	1933–1944	Josef Bürckel
•	1944–1945	Willi Stöhr
History
•	Establishment	30 January 1933
•	Disestablishment	8 May 1945

The Gau Westmark (English: Western March) was an administrative division of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. From 1926 to 1933, it was a regional subdivision of the Nazi Party.

History

The Gau was originally established in the parts of Bavaria left of the river Rhine, the Palatinate (German:Pfalz). As such, it carried the name Gau Rheinpfalz (English:Rhenish Palatinate). The territory of Oldenburgs Birkenfeld was also annexed to the Gau in 1934. With the return of the Saar Basin to Germany in 1935, the two regions were merged and formed the new Gau Pfalz-Saar. This Gau was renamed Gau Saarpfalz (English:Saar-Palatinate) in 1937.

After the outbreak of the Second World War and the defeat of France in 1940, the French département of Moselle, renamed "CdZ-Gebiet Lothringen", was added to the Gau on 30 November 1940. On 7 December 1940, it was again renamed, now Gau Westmark. Gauleiter Bürckel hoped that Westmark would be extended as far as Germany's future western border, especially keeping in mind the ore region of Briey-Longwy in the département of Meurthe-et-Moselle. Bürckel further laid claims to parts of Alsace and even Baden. The Gau, however, remained as such until the defeat of Germany in 1945.

Gauleiter

• Josef Bürckel: 24 March 1926 to 28 September 1944
• Willi Stöhr: 28 September 1944 to March 1945

See also

• List of Gaue of Nazi Germany

Sources

• (German) Shoa.de - List of Gaue and Gauleiter
• (German) Die NS Gaue at the Deutsches Historisches Museum website.
• (German) Die Gaue der NSDAP