Home > Administration of Danzig-West Prussia 1939-1945

1 Political Leaders

1.1 Danzig district / Regierungsbezirk Danzig

In 1939 the Free City of Danzig was annexed to Germany. After a brief transitional period, its territory became part of the restored Regierungsbezirk Danzig in the Reichsgau Danzig-Westpreussen (= the restored Prussian Province of West Prussia) and was divided over nine counties (Kreise):

• Berent County
• Danzig-Land (Rural) County
• Danzig-Stadt City County
• Dirschau County
• Elbing-Land (Rural) County
• Grosses Werder County
• Karthaus County
• Neustadt County
• Zoppot City County (detached from Neustadt County)

Governing Presidents/Regierungspräsidenten:

• 1940-1943 - Fritz Hermann
• 1943-1945 - Albert Forster

As NSDAP party leader of Danzig, Albert Forster became leader of Civil Administration in Danzig in 1939 and remained the most powerful politician of this area until 1945.

1.1.1 Berent County

Supervisors/Landräte:

• 19..-1941 - ...
• 1941 - ... Witte*
• 1941-1943 - Heinz Hesemann
• 1943-1945 - ...

1.1.2 Danzig(-Stadt) City County

Lord Mayor/Oberbürgermeister:

• 1939-1945 - Georg Lippke

1.1.3 Danzig-Land (Rural) County

formed by the merger of Danziger-Höhe and part of Danziger Niederung

Supervisors/Landräte:

• 1939-1943 - Erwin Johst
• 1943-1945 - ...

1.1.4 Dirschau County

Supervisors/Landräte:

• 1940-1943 - Reinhold Isendick
• 1943-1945 - ...

1.1.5 Elbing-Land (Rural) County

Supervisors/Landräte:

• 1926-1945 - Karl Cichorius

1.1.6 Grosses Werder County

formed by the merger of Marienburg and part of Danziger Niederung

Supervisors/Landräte:

• 19..-1941 ...
• 1941-1942 ... Jansson*
• 1942-1944 Ernst Wallhöfer
• 1944-1945 ...

1.1.7 Karthaus County

Supervisors/Landräte:

• 1940-1945 - Herbert Busch

1.1.8 Neustadt County

Supervisors/Landräte:

• 1939-1945 - Heinz Lorenz

1.1.9 Zoppot City County

Lord Mayors/Oberbürgermeister:

• 1939-1941 - Erich Temp
• 1942-1942 - ... Koss*
• 1942-1943 - ... Schröder
• 1943-1945 - ...

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2 NSDAP Party Leaders

A Danziger Gau of the of the German N.S.D.A.P. - with Albert Forster (s.a.) as Gauleiter since 1930 - was established in 1926. The party came into power after the elections of 1933, becoming the only legal party in 1937. After the annexation of the territory to Germany the Gau also incorporated annexed Polish territories and was renamed Danzig-Westpreussen. The territory of the former Free City was divided into (Party) Kreise, which were - with a few exceptions - nearly the same as the administrative Kreise.

Kreisleiter of Berent

19.. - 194. Johannes Affeld

Kreisleiter of Danzig-Land

19.. - 194. Erwin Johst

Kreisleiter of Dirschau

19.. - 194. Reinhold Isendick

Kreisleiter of Elbing

(incorporated both Elbing-Land and Elbing-Stadt, a Kreis not within the territory of the former Free City)

1939 - 1941 Ernst Wagner 1941 - 194. Kurt Bietau

Kreisleiter of Gross Danzig

19.. - 1941 ... 1941 - 1943 Werner Kampe 1943 - 1945 ...

Kreisleiter of Karthaus

19.. - 194. Herbert Busch

Kreisleiter of Neustadt

19.. - 194. Heinz Lorenz

Kreisleiter of Werder

19.. - 194. ... Neufeld

Kreisleiter of Zoppot-Gotenhafen

(incorporated both Zoppot and Gotenhafen, a Kreis outside the territory of the former Free City)

19.. - 194. Erich Temp