There were many areas annexed by Nazi Germany both immediately before and throughout the course of World War II. Territories that were part of Germany before the annexations were known as the "Altreich" (Old Reich).[1]
According to the Treaty of Versailles, the Territory of the Saar Basin was split from Germany for at least 15 years. In 1935, the Saarland rejoined Germany in a lawful way after a plebiscite.
The territories listed below are those that were fully annexed into Germany proper.
The territories listed below are those that were partially incorporated into the Greater German Reich.
| +Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia | |||
| Date of establishment | Preceded by | Succeeded by | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia[2] |
| +General Government for the Occupied Polish Territories / General Government | ||
| Date of establishment | Preceded by | Succeeded by |
|---|---|---|
| General Government for the Occupied Polish Territories | ||
| District of Galicia, General Government | ||
| Kraków District, General Government | ||
| +Operational zones | ||
| Date of establishment | Preceded by | Succeeded by |
|---|---|---|
| Operational Zone of the Adriatic Littoral | ||
| Province of Ljubljana, Kingdom of Italy | ||
| Province of Pola, Kingdom of Italy | ||
| Province of Fiume, Kingdom of Italy | ||
| Province of Trieste, Kingdom of Italy | ||
| Province of Udine, Kingdom of Italy | ||
| Province of Belluno, Kingdom of Italy | Operational Zone of the Alpine Foothills | |
| Province of Bolzano, Kingdom of Italy | ||
| Province of Trento, Kingdom of Italy | ||
| +Areas announced for annexation to Germany | ||
| Date of announcement of annexation | Area planned to be annexed | Planned succession |
|---|---|---|
| Never. The areas were to be established from the Reichskommissariat of Belgium and Northern France (established 12 July 1944), but this never happened. | Kingdom of Belgium (occupied by the Reichskommissariat of Belgium and Northern France) | District of Brussels |
| Reichsgau Flanders | ||
| Reichsgau Wallonia |
In the coming Nazi New Order, other lands were considered for annexation sooner or later, for instance North Schleswig, German-speaking Switzerland, and the zone of intended German settlement in north-eastern France, where a Gau or a Reichskommissariat centred on Burgundy was intended for creation, and which Heinrich Himmler wanted to turn into the SS's very own fiefdom. The goal was to unite all or as many as possible ethnic Germans and Germanic peoples, including non-Germanic speaking ones considered "Aryans", in a Greater Germanic Reich.
The eastern Reichskommissariats in the vast stretches of Ukraine and Russia were also intended for future integration into that Reich, with plans for them stretching to the Volga or even beyond the Urals, where the potential westernmost reaches of Imperial Japanese influence would have existed, following an Axis victory in World War II. They were deemed of vital interest for the survival of the German nation, as it was a core tenet of Nazism that Germany needed "living space" (Lebensraum), creating a "pull towards the East" (Drang nach Osten) where that could be found and colonized.
North-East Italy was also eventually to be annexed, including both the Operational Zone of the Adriatic Littoral and the Operational Zone of the Alpine Foothills, but also the Venice region.[3] [4] Goebbels went as far as to suggest taking control of Lombardy as well:
The annexation of the entire North Italy was also suggested in the long run.[5]