Gauleiter Questions and Answers

[Phil Nix]

His name was Fridolin Glass not Friedrich
Phil Nix

[Max Williams]

His name was Fridolin Glass not Friedrich
Phil Nix

Actually, Phil, Fridolin is a short form to the male name Friedrich, which is popularly used in the upper-German areas (Southern Germany and Alpine countries).
Although not mentioned in his SS files under his own or his cover name of Kurt Merkmann, Glass is shown as Gauleiter in Vienna in the North German edition of "Völkischen Beobachter" 27 July 1940, page 8. In this article he is referrred to as Friedrich Glass.
Max.

[Pitino]

His name was Fridolin Glass not Friedrich
Phil Nix

Actually, Phil, Fridolin is a short form to the male name Friedrich, which is popularly used in the upper-German areas (Southern Germany and Alpine countries).
Although not mentioned in his SS files under his own or his cover name of Kurt Merkmann, Glass is shown as Gauleiter in Vienna in the North German edition of "Völkischen Beobachter" 27 July 1940, page 8. In this article he is referrred to as Friedrich Glass.
Max.

Max,
That info confirms my info, but was he just a Kommissarischer Gauleiter or an Official Gauleiter?
Thanks,
Pitino

[Max Williams]

I am not certain, but I believe he was appointed temporary Gauleiter until the permanent Gauleiter (von Schirach) could take up his appointment. As the article refers to him as 'Gauleiter' and not any other title, one can assume that he held all the powers of the Gauleiter position and must therefore be considered among any list of Gauleiter, no matter how short his tenure.
Max.

[Michael Miller]

I would like it to be so- that Glass held temporary leadership of the Gauleitung- but if the "V.B." is the only source... that wouldn't be entirely reliable.

~ Mike

[Max Williams]

I would like it to be so- that Glass held temporary leadership of the Gauleitung- but if the "V.B." is the only source... that wouldn't be entirely reliable.

~ Mike

I agree, Mike, but it cannot be discounted. Thinking about it logically, why on earth would a Party newspaper refer to an SS leader as a Gauleiter if there wasn't any substance to it? There's no smoke without fire and it would be a pity to omit him just because we can't find any other reliable source for what appears to be his week in office, wouldn't you agree? And if the VB is the only surviving source, then so be it. There are other less reliable sources that have been accepted by today's historians in various scenarios. This is an ideal example of where incomplete files fail to provide answers.
Max.

[Michael Miller]

I agree, it is quite possible that he may have been temporarily tasked with the burden of running the Gau, and the scenario of his doing so in the interim between Buerckel and von Schirach is plausible (although I thought the turnover was pretty rapid- I've seen a newspaper photo of Buerckel and von Schirach walking together, reportedly on the same day as the transfer of power- 10. August 1940). Höffkes includes a brief blurb on Glass maybe holding the reins of Gau Wien, and if memory serves, he references this same V.B. article. So I will probably include him as a possibility in the Gauleiter book. But any number of errors are possible, as I'm sure you know, even in an official Party publication. It could be that there were murmurings of Glass's possible appointment to the post, and a rumor was printed as fact. That's why I'd like to see something a little more solid- a letter from Hess's office, for example.

~ Mike

[Pitino]

I would like it to be so- that Glass held temporary leadership of the Gauleitung- but if the "V.B." is the only source... that wouldn't be entirely reliable.

~ Mike

Mike,
The "V.B. is not the only source. In the book "Hitler's Political Generals:The Gauleiters(including the Reichsleiters) by David Lyne-Gordon it has Glass being appointed Gauleiter of Vienna and being promoted to SS-Standartenfuhrer on July 27,1940.

Pitino

[Michael Miller]

Thank you, Pitino.

I believe Lyne-Gordon relied on Karl Höffkes' Hitlers Politische Generale for that information- I've not seen L.-G.'s book, but it seems it may be an English translation of Höffkes, the title "Hitler's Political Generals" being a direct translation of the earlier title. And yes, Höffkes mentions Glass as a possible temp. GL of Wien.

~ Mike

[Pitino]

-Does anyone know why Karl Gerland served as the Temporary Gauleiter of Niederdonau for Hugo Jury from(October 1943-November 1943) ?

Pitino

[Pitino]

-Can anyone verify the validity of this Vienna Gauleiter list ?


Gauleiter for Vienna (Wien)
-(June 1,1921-September 21,1928)- Walther Rentmeister - (Unofficial Illegal Gauleiter)
-(1928-1929)- Robert Derda - (Unofficial Gauleiter)
-(October 1928-November 1929)- Eugen Werkowitsch - (Unofficial Gauleiter)
-(January 1,1930-1933)- Alfred Frauenfeld - (Unofficial Gauleiter)
-(1933-January 1938)- No one ? - (NSDAP Outlawed in Austria I think)
-(January 1938-March 1938)- Leopold Tavs - (Unofficial Gauleiter)
-(March 3,1938-May 1938)- Josef Burckel - (Gauleiter)
-(May 22,1938-January 30,1939)- Odilo Globocnik - (Gauleiter)
-(January 30,1939-1940)- Josef Burckel - (Gauleiter)
-(July 27,1940- August 1940)- Friedrich Glass - (Unsure if he was an Acting Gauleiter or an Official Gauleiter)
-(August 7,1940-May 1945)- Baldur von Schirach -(Gauleiter and Reichsstatthalter)

Pitino

[Phil Nix]

Here is my list for Vienna
Phil Nix

[Max Williams]

Again, source please Phil? It's interesting to note you have Glass shown as an illegal Gauleiter. You are not the first to mention this to me, but my other informant could not remember the source.
Max.

[Pitino]

Here is my list for Vienna
Phil Nix

Phil,
My source only has Richter being appointed to the rank of Deputy Gauleiter and that was on March 10,1937.Also,my source has Frauenfeld being arrested along with Josef Leopold on December 4,1933. I am really interested in where you have put Glass on the list. Is it correct? I could not find anyone being Gauleiter of Vienna during that period. I had thought that the NSDAP was outlawed during that period. Appreciate the info!!
Your Friend,
Pitino

Most of my info on this comes from "Hitler's Political Generals", volume 1 and "Hitler's Political Generals" ,volume 2
both by David Lyne-Gordon.

[Pitino]

-Can anyone fill in the question marks and gaps on this Salzburg Gauleiter list ?


Gauleiter for Salzburg
-(1926-?)- Sepp Koller - (Unofficial Gauleiter)
-(September 1,1926-September 25,1926)- Josef Weber - (Unofficial Gauleiter)
-(September 26,1926-?)- Leopold Malina - (Unofficial Gaufuhrer)
-(May 1932-August 1934)- Karl Scharizer -(Unofficial Illegal Gauleiter)
-(August 1934-November 16,1934)- ?
-(November 16,1934-March 11,1938)- Anton Wintersteiger -(Unofficial Gauleiter)
-(March 11,1938-May 22,1938)- ?
-(May 22,1938-November 17,1941)- Friedrich Rainer - (Gauleiter)
-(November 18,1941-May 8,1945)- Gustav-Adolf Scheel -(Gauleiter and appointed to Reichsstathalter on Nov. 27,1941)

Pitino