Model Nazi: Arthur Greiser and the Occupation of Western Poland

468 Pages·2011·3.09 MB·English

by  Catherine Epstein

MODEL NAZI
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MODEL NAZI
ARTHUR GREISER AND
THE OCCUPATION OF
WESTERN POLAND
CATHERINE EPSTEIN
1
1
GreatClarendonStreet,Oxfordox26dp
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For Daniel and our children,
Nathan, Dora, and Stella
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Contents
List of Illustrations ix
List of Maps and Tables xi
List of Abbreviations xiii
Note on Place Namesand Terminology xv
Introduction 1
1. ‘Child of the East:’ Posen Province, World War I, Danzig 15
2. ‘Little Maria:’ Striving for Strength and Power in Danzig 49
3. ‘The Nicest Time of My Life:’ Senate President 85
4. The ‘Model Gau:’ The Warthegau 124
5. ‘A Blonde Province:’ Resettlement, Deportation, Murder 160
6. ‘The German is the Master:’ Segregation in the Warthegau 193
7. ‘The Most Modern Streets:’ Exploiting Poles and Jews to Make
the Gau German 231
8. ‘Feudal Duke:’ Rule and Loss 268
9. ‘Two Souls in My Breast:’ Trial and Execution 305
Afterword 342
Notes 345
Selected Bibliography 430
Acknowledgments 439
Index 443
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List of Illustrations
1 IdaGreiser,Arthur’smother(undated)(AntjeCordier)
2 GustavGreiser(seated),withhisthreesons,Wilhelm,Otto,andArthur,
1917(RotrautFu¨lleborn)
3 RuthTriplerandArthurGreiser,1918(RotrautFu¨lleborn)
4 Ruth and Arthur Greiser, with children Erhardt, Rotraut (baby), and
Ingrid,1931(RotrautFu¨lleborn)
5 MariaandArthurGreiserontheirweddingday,9April1935.Heinrich
HimmlerspeakstoGreiser(Bundesarchiv,Bild183-2009-0804-500)
6 ArthurandMariaGreiser,1936(Bundesarchiv,Bild183-S19543)
7 Arthur Greiser (left) with Ignacy Mo´scicki in Spała, 8 January 1935
(Su¨ddeutscheZeitungPhoto)
8 ArthurGreiser(left)andAlbertForster,10August1939(Bundesarchiv,
Bild183-E09706)
9 ArthurGreiser,1October1939(Bundesarchiv,Bild183-E11711)
10 WalterPetzel,WilhelmFrick,andArthurGreiserinspectarmyandpolice
unitsinthecourtyardofPosenCastle,3November1939(Bundesarchiv,
Bild183-E12078)
11 Wilhelm Koppe (left), Arthur Greiser, and Adolf Hu¨hnlein (leader
of the National Socialist Motor Corps) in Posen, 21 October 1939
(Bundesarchiv,Bild183-E11714)
12 Arthur Greiser (far left) with Adolf Hitler (far right) in Rastenburg on
18 July 1941. Martin Bormann stands to the left of Greiser. This is one
of only two known pictures showing Greiser with Hitler (Bayerische
StaatsbibliothekMu¨nchen/Hoffmann)
13 Arthur Greiser shakes hands with the farmer designated the millionth
German in the Warthegau, Litzmannstadt, 17 March 1944. Heinz
Reinefarth stands between the two men (Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-
J09397/Fotograf:Hoffmann)