German-occupied Europe

Europe at the height of German control in 1942

German–occupied Europe or Nazi Europe refers to the sovereign countries of Europe which were occupied by the military forces of Nazi Germany at various times between 1939 and 1945 and administered by the Nazi regime.

Background

Several German occupied countries entered World War II as Allies of the United Kingdom or the Soviet Union. Some were forced to surrender such as Czechoslovakia; others like Poland (invaded on 1 September 1939) were conquered in battle and then occupied. In some cases, the legitimate governments went into exile, in other cases the governments-in-exile were formed by their citizens in other Allied countries. Selected countries occupied by Nazi Germany were officially neutral. Others were former members of the Axis powers that were occupied by German forces at a later stage of the war.

Occupied countries

The countries occupied included all, or most of the following:

Country of occupation	Timeline of occupation	See for further details
Albanian Kingdom (German occupation of Albania)	September 8, 1943 – 1944	Puppet government of Nazi Germany: Albanian Kingdom
Bailiwick of Guernsey Bailiwick of Jersey (German occupation of the Channel Islands)	June 30, 1940 – May 9, 1945
Commissioner Government Government of National Salvation (German occupation of Serbia)	April 30, 1941 – 1941/1942/1943/1944	Occupied territory of Nazi Germany: Territory of the Military Commander in Serbia
Czechoslovak Republic Czecho-Slovak Republic Czechoslovak Republic (German occupation of Czechoslovakia)	October 1, 1938 – 1945 (Sudetenland) March 15, 1939 – 1945 (Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia) 1939–1945 (German Zone of Protection in Slovakia) March 12, 1944 – 1944/1945 (Government of National Unity) August 29, 1944 – 1944/1945 (Slovak Republic)	Annexed territories of Nazi Germany: Gau Bayreuth Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia Reichsgau Niederdonau Reichsgau Oberdonau Reichsgau Sudetenland Occupied territory of Nazi Germany: Kingdom of Hungary Slovak Republic Puppet government of Nazi Germany: Slovak Republic
Federal State of Austria (German occupation of Austria)	March 12, 1938 – 1945	Annexed territories of Nazi Germany: Reichsgau Kärnten Reichsgau Niederdonau Reichsgau Oberdonau Reichsgau Salzburg Reichsgau Steiermark Reichsgau Tirol-Vorarlberg Reichsgau Wien
Free City of Danzig (German occupation of Danzig)	September 1, 1939 – 1945	Annexed territories of Nazi Germany: Reichsgau Danzig-West Prussia
France Free France Provisional Government of the French Republic (German occupation of France)	May 10, 1940 – 1944/1945 (Zone interdite) November 10, 1942 – 1943/1944/1945 (Zone sud) September 8, 1943 – 1943/1944/1945 (Zone sud)	Annexed territories of Nazi Germany: Gau Baden Gau Westmark Occupied territories of Nazi Germany: Military Administration in Belgium and Northern France Reichskommissariat of Belgium and Northern France Military Administration in France Puppet government of Nazi Germany: French State
Governorate of Montenegro (German occupation of Montenegro)	September 8, 1943 – 1943/1944	Occupied territory of Nazi Germany: German occupied territory of Montenegro
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (German occupation of Luxembourg)	May 10, 1940 – 1944/1945	Annexed territories of Nazi Germany: Gau Koblenz-Trier (renamed in 1942 Gau Moselland)
Independent State of Macedonia (German occupation of Macedonia)	September 8, 1944 – 1944
Independent State of Croatia (German occupation of Croatia)	April 10, 1941 – 1941/1942/1943/1944/1945 September 8, 1943 – 1943/1944/1945
Italian Islands of the Aegean (German occupation of the Dodecanese)	September 8, 1943 – 1945	Puppet government of Nazi Germany: Italian Social Republic
Kingdom of Belgium (German occupation of Belgium)	May 10, 1940 – 1944/1945	Annexed territories of Nazi Germany: Eupen-Malmedy Occupied territories of Nazi Germany: Military Administration in Belgium and Northern France Reichskommissariat of Belgium and Northern France
Kingdom of Denmark (German occupation of Denmark)	April 9, 1940 – May 5, 1945
Kingdom of Greece (German occupation of Greece)	April 6, 1941 – 1943/1944/1945	Puppet government of Nazi Germany: Hellenic State
Kingdom of Hungary (German occupation of Hungary)	March 19, 1944 – 1944/1945	Puppet government of Nazi Germany: Government of National Unity
Kingdom of Italy (German occupation of Italy)	September 8, 1943 – 1943/1944/1945	Puppet government of Nazi Germany: Italian Social Republic Occupied territories of Nazi Germany: Operational Zone of the Adriatic Littoral Operational Zone of the Alpine Foothills
Kingdom of Norway (German occupation of Norway)	April 9, 1940 – May 8, 1945	Occupied territories of Nazi Germany: Reichskommissariat für die besetzten norwegischen Gebiete Puppet government of Nazi Germany: National Government
Kingdom of the Netherlands (German occupation of the Netherlands)	May 10, 1940 – 1944/1945	Occupied territories of Nazi Germany: Reich Commissariat for the Occupied Dutch Territories
Kingdom of Yugoslavia Republic of Užice Bihać Republic Democratic Federal Yugoslavia (German occupation of Yugoslavia)	April 6, 1941 – 1941/1942/1943/1944/1945 September 8, 1943 – 1943/1944/1945	Annexed territories of Nazi Germany: Operational Zone of the Adriatic Littoral Reichsgau Kärnten Reichsgau Steiermark Occupied territories of Nazi Germany: German occupied territory of Montenegro Kingdom of Hungary Territory of the Military Commander in Serbia Puppet government of Nazi Germany: Commissioner Government Albanian Kingdom Government of National Salvation Independent State of Croatia Independent Macedonia
Principality of Monaco (German occupation of Monaco)	September 8, 1943 – 1945
Republic of Finland (German occupation of Finland)	September 15, 1944 – 1944/1945
Republic of Poland Republic of Poland (German occupation of Poland) (German annexed territories of Poland)	September 1, 1939 – 1944/1945	Annexed territories of Nazi Germany: Bezirk Bialystok Gau East Prussia Gau Niederschlesien General Government Reichsgau Danzig-West Prussia Reichsgau Wartheland Occupied territories of Nazi Germany: Military Administration in Poland Reichskommissariat Ostland Reichskommissariat Ukraine
Republic of San Marino (German occupation of San Marino)	September 17, 1944 – September 20, 1944
Provisional Government of Lithuania (German occupation of Lithuania)	June 23, 1941 – August 5, 1941	Occupied territory of Nazi Germany: Reichskommissariat Ostland
Slovak Republic (German occupation of Slovakia)	1939–1945 (German Zone of Protection in Slovakia) August 29, 1944 – 1944/1945 (Slovak Republic)	Occupied territories of Nazi Germany: German Zone of Protection in Slovakia Puppet government of Nazi Germany: Slovak Republic
Territory of the Saar Basin	March 1, 1935 – 1939 1939–1945	Annexed territories of Nazi Germany: Gau Westmark
Ukrainian National Government (German occupation of Ukraine)	June 30, 1941–September 1941	Annexed territories of Nazi Germany: General Government Occupied territories of Nazi Germany: Reichskommissariat Ukraine
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (German occupation of the Soviet Union) Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (German occupation of Belarus) Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic (German occupation of Estonia) Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (German occupation of Latvia) Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (German occupation of Lithuania) Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (German occupation of Moldova) Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (German occupation of Russia) Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (German occupation of Ukraine)	June 22, 1941 – 1941/1942/1943/1944/1945	Annexed territories of Nazi Germany: Bezirk Bialystok General Government Occupied territories of Nazi Germany: Reichskommissariat Ostland Reichskommissariat Ukraine

Governments in exile

Allied governments in exile

Government in exile	Capital in exile	Timeline of exile	Occupier(s)	International recognition
Austrian Democratic Union	London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	1941 – 1945	German Reich/Greater German Reich
Free France	London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1940 – 1941) Algiers, Algeria (1942 – August 31, 1944)	1940 – August 31, 1944	French State German Reich/Greater German Reich Military Administration in Belgium and Northern France Reichskommissariat of Belgium and Northern France
Government of the Republic of Poland in exile	Paris, French Republic (September 29/30, 1939 – 1940) Angers, French Republic (1940 – June 12, 1940) London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (June 12, 1940 – 1990)	September 29/30, 1939 – December 22, 1990	German Reich/Greater German Reich Reichskommissariat Ostland Reichskommissariat Ukraine Slovak Republic Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Kingdom of Belgium	London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (October 22, 1940 – September 8, 1944)	October 22, 1940 – September 8, 1944	German Reich/Greater German Reich Military Administration in Belgium and Northern France Reichskommissariat of Belgium and Northern France
Kingdom of Denmark		1943 – 1945	German Reich/Greater German Reich
Kingdom of Luxembourg	London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	1940 – 1944	German Reich/Greater German Reich
Kingdom of Greece	Cairo, Kingdom of Egypt	April 29, 1941 – January 3, 1945	Hellenic State Kingdom of Bulgaria
Kingdom of Norway	London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	June 7, 1940 – May 31, 1945	Reichskommissariat für die besetzten norwegischen Gebiete
Kingdom of Yugoslavia	London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	June 7, 1941 – March 7, 1945	Albanian Kingdom Commissioner Government German occupied territory of Montenegro German Reich/Greater German Reich Government of National Salvation Independent State of Croatia Independent Macedonia Kingdom of Bulgaria Kingdom of Hungary Territory of the Military Commander in Serbia
Kingdom of the Netherlands	London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	1940 – 1945	Reich Commissariat for the Occupied Dutch Territories
Provisional Government of Czechoslovakia	Paris, French Republic (October 2, 1939 – 1940) London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1940 – 1941) Aston Abbotts, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1941 – 1945)	October 2, 1939 – May 8, 1945	German Reich/Greater German Reich Kingdom of Hungary Slovak Republic

Axis governments in exile

Government in exile	Capital in exile	Timeline of exile	Occupier(s)	International recognition
Bulgarian government-in-exile	Vienna, Greater German Reich	September 16, 1944 – May 10, 1945	Kingdom of Bulgaria
French State	Sigmaringen, Greater German Reich	1944 – April 22, 1945	Provisional Government of the French Republic

Neutral governments in exile

Government in exile	Capital in exile	Timeline of exile	Occupier(s)	International recognition
Belarusian Democratic Republic	Prague, Czechoslovak Republic (1923 – 1938) Prague, Czecho-Slovak Republic (1938 – 1939) Prague, German Reich/Greater German Reich (1939 – 1945)	1919 – present	German Reich/Greater German Reich Reichskommissariat Ostland Reichskommissariat Ukraine Republic of Poland Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Free City of Danzig		1939 – present	German Reich/Greater German Reich
Republic of Estonia	Stockholm, Kingdom of Sweden (1944 – August 20, 1991)	June 17, 1940 – August 20, 1991	Reichskommissariat Ostland Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Ukrainian People's Republic	Warsaw, Republic of Poland (1920 – 1939) Prague, German Reich/Greater German Reich (1939 – 1944)	1920 – August 22, 1992	German Reich/Greater German Reich Kingdom of Hungary Kingdom of Romania Reichskommissariat Ukraine Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

See also

• Drang nach Osten ("The Drive Eastward")
• Lebensraum ("Living Space")
• Neuordnung ("New Order")
• Areas annexed by Nazi Germany
• Pan-Germanism
• Greater Germanic Reich
• Reorganization of occupied dioceses during World War II
• Atlantic Wall
• European Theatre of World War II
• List of Nazi-German concentration camps
• Wehrbauer

References

• Map of Europe in 1942
• http://www.worldwar2history.info/war/Allies.html
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/events/germany_advances_through_europe
• http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/nazioccupation/