This article is about the World War II occupied territory that was governed by the German military regime operating out of Brussels. The territory comprised the country of Belgium and the two French departments Nord and Pas-de-Calais. This military regime is not to be confused with the separate military regime operating out of Paris that administered most of the remainder of German-occupied France, nor the Zone occupée.
Belgium and Northern France (Belgien und Nordfrankreich) was an Axis-occupied territory that included present-day Belgium and the French departments of Nord and Pas-de-Calais.[1] It was initially governed by an interim occupation authority known as the Military Administration in Belgium and Northern France (Militärverwaltung in Belgien und Nordfrankreich), which was established by Nazi Germany. It remained in existence until July 1944. Plans to transfer Belgium from the military administration to a civilian administration were promoted by the SS, and Hitler had been ready to do so until Autumn 1942, when he put off the plans for the time being.[2] The SS had suggested either Josef Terboven or Ernst Kaltenbrunner as the Reich Commissioner of the civilian administration.[3] On 18 July 1944 Gauleiter Josef Grohé was named the Realm Commissar of the Realm Commissariat of Belgium and Northern France (Reichskommissariat Belgien und Nordfrankreich or Reichskommissariat für die besetzten Gebiete von Belgien und Nordfrankreich).[4][1]
The Nazi administration was assisted by fascist Flemish, Walloon, and French collaborationists. In binational Belgian territory, the predominantly French region of Wallonia, the collaborationist Rexists provided aide to the Nazis while in Flemish-populated Flanders, the Flemish National Union supported the Nazis. In Northern France, Flemish separatist tendencies were stirred by the pro-Nazi Vlaamsch Verbond van Frankrijk led by priest Jean-Marie Gantois.[5]
The attachment of the departments Nord and Pas-de-Calais to the military administration in Brussels was initially made on military considerations, and was supposedly done in preparation for the planned invasion of Britain.[6] Ultimately, the attachment was based on Hitler's intention to move the Reich's border westward, and was also used to maintain pressure on the Vichy regime - which protested the curtailment of its authority in what was still de jure national French territory - to ensure its good behavior.[7]
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[edit] References
- ^ a b http://territorial.de/belgnord/reikobel.htm
- ^ Kroener, Müller & Umbreit (2003) Germany and the Second World War V/II, p. 26
- ^ Kroener, Müller & Umbreit (2003) Germany and the Second World War V/II, p. 27
- ^ Kroener, Müller & Umbreit (2003) Germany and the Second World War V/II, p. 29
- ^ Kroener, Bernhard R.; Müller, Rolf-Dieter; Umbreit, Hans (2000). Germany and the Second World War:Organization and mobilization of the German sphere of power. Wartime administration, economy, and manpower resources 1939-1941. Oxford University Press. p. 84. ISBN 0198228872.
- ^ Jackson, Julian (2003). France: the dark years, 1940-1944. Oxford University Press. pp. 169. ISBN 0199254575.
- ^ Kroener et al. (2000), p. 84
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