Gauleiter: The Regional Leaders of the Nazi Party and their Deputies, 1925-1945, by Michael D. Miller and Andreas Schulz.
This is the first of the planned 3-volume series on the Gauleiters and deputy Gauleiters, and covers Herbert Albrecht though H. Wilhelm Hüttmann (a total of 44 biographies). As Mark Costa states in the book’s foreword, “This publication marks a much needed milestone in the research of Hitler’s regional paladins”.
The authors of this great book have compiled details from many German primary source references of the period, to include Goebbels’ diaries and original SA and SS personnel files.
The book begins with a breakdown of the different Gaue (regional subdivisions of the NSDAP), including data such as date of establishment, population, area in square miles, lists of subordinate Kreise (districts), etc. The information on each Gauleiter includes their personal information such as date and place of birth and death, education, World War I service (when applicable), details of their Party careers, information on their postwar lives (de-Nazification, war crimes trials, etc.), decorations & awards with dates received, family data, excerpts from speeches and letters, and a wealth of excellent photos.
Each Gauleiter’s life as detailed in this book is a short story unto itself. I found it very interesting to learn details of their lives after the Third Reich and/or the circumstances of their death.
I can’t recommend this book highly enough. My congratulations to Mike Miller and Andreas Schulz for a superb book. I look forward to the next 2 volumes !
