German-occupied Europe

Map of Europe at the height of German control in 1942

German–occupied 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.^[1]

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)^[1] 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 and Bailiwick of Jersey (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
French Republic 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 Reichsgau Flandern 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: Gau Cologne-Aix-la-Chapelle Reichsgau Flandern Reichsgau Wallonien 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 12, 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 Romania (German occupation of Romania)	August 23, 1944 – 1944
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)	German never occupied Finland. Stalin tried that but failed.
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

References

1 2 Encyclopædia Britannica, German occupied Europe. World War II. Retrieved 1 September 2015 from the Internet Archive.

History of World War II by region and country

Africa	Belgian Congo Egypt French West Africa French Somaliland Gold Coast Kenya Liberia Nyasaland South Africa Southern Rhodesia

North America	Canada Cuba El Salvador Greenland Mexico Newfoundland Panama United States Arizona Nevada New Mexico Puerto Rico

South America	Argentina Brazil British Guiana Colombia Latin America Uruguay Venezuela

Asia	Burma Ceylon China Dutch East Indies Hong Kong India Indochina Iran Iraq Japan Manchukuo Malaya Mongolia Nepal Philippines Sarawak, Brunei, Labuan, and British North Borneo Singapore Thailand

Europe	Albania Austria Belgium Bulgaria Czechoslovakia Denmark Estonia Finland France Basque Country Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Netherlands Nordic states Norway Poland Portugal Romania Slovakia Slovenia Soviet Union Azerbaijan Belarus Ukraine Spain Galicia Sweden Switzerland Turkey United Kingdom British Empire Channel Islands Gibraltar Vatican City Yugoslavia

Oceania	Australia Nauru New Zealand

Countries occupied by Germany during World War II

Albania Austria (Anschluss) Belarus Belgium Channel Islands Czechoslovakia Denmark Estonia France Greece Hungary Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Monaco Netherlands Norway Poland San Marino Ukraine Yugoslavia Serbia

See also: Areas annexed by Nazi Germany • Reichskommissariat • Military administrations •

German administrative territories 1939–1945

Subdivisions of the Third Reich

Military Administrations

Reichskommissariat

Founded	Norwegen (1940–1945) Niederlande (1940–1945) Ostland (1941–1945) Ukraine (1941–1944) Belgien-Nordfrankreich (1944)

Planned	Burgund Don-Wolga Moskowien Kaukasus Turkestan Ural

Administrations within or including Soviet territory shown in italics.

World War II

Participants

Allies (leaders)	Australia Belgium Brazil Canada China Cuba Czechoslovakia Denmark Ethiopia France Free France (from June 1940) Greece India Italy (from September 1943) Luxembourg Mexico Netherlands New Zealand Norway Philippines (Commonwealth) Poland South Africa Southern Rhodesia Soviet Union United Kingdom United States Puerto Rico Yugoslavia

Axis and Axis-aligned (leaders)	Albania Bulgaria Reorganized National Government of the Republic of China Independent State of Croatia Finland Germany Hungary Free India Iraq Italy (until September 1943) Italian Social Republic Japan Manchukuo Philippines (Second Republic) Romania Slovakia Thailand Vichy France Armed neutrality

Resistance	Albania Austria Belgium Bulgaria Czech lands Denmark Estonia Ethiopia France Germany Greece Hong Kong Italy Japan Jewish Korea Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Netherlands Norway Philippines Poland Anti-communist Romania Thailand Soviet Union Slovakia Western Ukraine Vietnam Yugoslavia Monarchists

Timeline

Prelude	Africa Asia Europe

1939	Poland Phoney War Winter War Atlantic Changsha China

1940	Weserübung Netherlands Belgium France Second Armistice at Compiegne Britain North Africa West Africa British Somaliland Baltic States Moldova Indochina Greece Compass

1941	East Africa Yugoslavia Greece Crete Iraq Soviet Union (Barbarossa) Finland Lithuania Syria and Lebanon Kiev Iran Leningrad Moscow Sevastopol Pearl Harbor The outbreak of the Pacific War Hong Kong Philippines Changsha Malaya Borneo (1941–42)

1942	Burma Changsha Java Sea Coral Sea Gazala Midway Rzhev Blue Stalingrad Dieppe El Alamein Guadalcanal Torch

1943	Tunisia Kursk Smolensk Solomon Islands Sicily Lower Dnieper Italy Armistice of Cassibile Gilbert and Marshall Islands Changde

1944	Monte Cassino / Shingle Narva Korsun–Cherkassy Tempest Ichi-Go Overlord Neptune Normandy Mariana and Palau Bagration Western Ukraine Tannenberg Line Warsaw Eastern Romania Belgrade Paris Dragoon Gothic Line Market Garden Estonia Crossbow Pointblank Lapland Hungary Leyte Ardennes Bodenplatte Philippines (1944–45) Burma (1944–45)

1945	Vistula–Oder Iwo Jima Western invasion of Germany Okinawa Italy (Spring 1945) Syrmian Front Berlin Czechoslovakia Budapest West Hunan Surrender of Germany Project Hula Manchuria Manila Borneo Taipei Atomic bombings Debate Kuril Islands Shumshu Surrender of Japan End of World War II in Asia

Aspects

General	Air warfare of World War II Blitzkrieg Comparative military ranks Cryptography Diplomacy Home front United States Australian United Kingdom Lend-Lease Manhattan Project Military awards Military equipment Military production Nazi plunder Opposition Technology Allied cooperation Total war Strategic bombing Bengal famine of 1943 Chinese famine of 1942–43 Puppet states Women Art and World War II

Aftermath	Expulsion of Germans Operation Paperclip Operation Osoaviakhim Operation Keelhaul Occupation of Germany Territorial changes of Germany Soviet occupations Romania Poland Hungary Baltic States Occupation of Japan First Indochina War Indonesian National Revolution Cold War Decolonization Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany Popular culture

War crimes	Allied war crimes Soviet war crimes British war crimes United States war crimes German (Forced labour) / Wehrmacht war crimes Holocaust Aftermath Response Prosecution Italian war crimes Japanese war crimes Unit 731 Prosecution Croatian war crimes against the Serbs against the Jews Serbian war crimes

Wartime sexual violence	German military brothels Camp brothels Rape during the occupation of Japan Comfort women Rape of Nanking Rape during the occupation of Germany Rape during the liberation of France Rape during the liberation of Poland

Prisoners	Finnish prisoners of war in the Soviet Union German prisoners of war in the Soviet Union German prisoners of war in the United States Italian prisoners of war in the Soviet Union Japanese prisoners of war in the Soviet Union Japanese prisoners of war in World War II German mistreatment of Soviet prisoners of war Polish prisoners of war in the Soviet Union Romanian prisoners of war in the Soviet Union

Bibliography
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German-occupied Europe

Background

Occupied countries

See also

References