Reich Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories

The Reich Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories (German: Reichsministerium für die besetzten Ostgebiete (RMfdbO) or Ostministerium, pronounced [ˈɔstminɪsˌteːʁiʊm] ^ⓘ) was created by Adolf Hitler on 17 July 1941 and headed by the Nazi theoretical expert, the Baltic German Alfred Rosenberg. Alfred Meyer served as Rosenberg's deputy. The German government formed the ministry to control the vast areas captured and projected for capture by the Wehrmacht in Eastern Europe and Russia. The ministry also played a part in supporting anti-Soviet groups in Central Asia.

Reich Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories

Reichsministerium für die besetzten Ostgebiete
Agency overview
Formed	17 July 1941; 83 years ago (1941-07-17)
Dissolved	1945; 79 years ago (1945)
Jurisdiction	Government of Nazi Germany
Headquarters	Berlin, Germany[a] 52°31′12″N 13°24′18″E
Ministers responsible	Alfred Rosenberg, Reichsminister Alfred Meyer, Deputy

In February 1942, under Rosenberg's plans, the Ministry tried to promulgate a program of land reform in the occupied territories in the Soviet Union that included promises of decollectivization through the abolition of kolkhozes and the re-distribution of land to peasants for individual farming.

Germany established two Reichskommissariats, for Ostland and Ukraine, and planned for two more, for Muscovy and for the Caucasus. The Wehrmacht never established firm possession of the areas designated for the last two Reichskommissariats and so German civilian control never developed there.

In practice, the appointment of Erich Koch to administer the Reichskommissariat Ukraine substantially undermined Rosenberg's authority. Hitler ordered Koch to take a hard and brutal approach, which helped to push potential Ukrainian allies back to the Allied camp. Rosenberg wished to portray the Germans as liberators of Ukraine from Soviet domination. Furthermore, Rosenberg's ministry was denied authority over army and other security formations within the occupied territories. The other Reich Commissar, Hinrich Lohse (Ostland), was widely disregarded. The SS filled the resulting power vacuum by acting as it wished.^[1]

Rank insignia

Collar insignia	RMBO Rank	Translation
	Reichsminister	Reich minister
	Vertreter des Reichsministers	Representative of the Reichsminister
	Reichskommissar	Reich commissioner
	Hauptabteilungsleiter im Ministerium	Head of department in the ministry
	Generalkommissar, Landesverwaltung Präsident	Commissioner-general, Regional administration president
	Ministerialdirigent	Ministerial director
	Vertreter des Generalkommissars	Representative of the commissioner general
	Ministerialrat, Landesdirektor, Bezirksdirektor, Gebietshauptkommissar	Councilor, Country director, District director, Area chief commissioner
	Dirigent, Landesdirigent, Bezirksdirigent, Gebietskommissar	Conductor, Country conductor, District conductor, Area commissioner
	Oberregierungsrat, Landesoberrat, Bezirksoberrat, Gebietsoberrat	Senior government councilor, Senior country councilor, Senior district councilor, Senior area councilor
	Regierungsrat, Landesrat, Bezirksrat, Gebietsrat	Government councilor, Country councilor, District councilor, Area councilor
	Regierungsassessor, Landesassessor, Bezirksassessor	Government Assessor, State Assessor, District Assessor
	Inspektorenanwärter und a.p. Inspektor	Inspector candidate and a.p. inspector
	Regierungsobersekretar, Landesobersekretar, Bezirksobersekretar, Gebietsobersekretar	Senior Government Secretary, State Secretary, District Secretary, Area Secretary
	Regierungssekretar, Landessekretar, Bezirkssekretar, Gebietssekretar	Government Secretary, State Secretary, District Secretary, Area Secretary
	Verwaltungassisstent, Landesassistent, Bezirksassistent, Gebietsassistent	Administrative Assistant, State Assistant, District Assistant, Territory Assistant
	Assistentenanwärter	Assistant candidate
	Betriebsassistent, Landesbetriebsassistent, Bezirksbetriebsassistent, Gebietsbetriebsassistent	Operations assistant, state operations assistant, district operations assistant, area operations assistant
	Betriebsassistent a. Pr.	Probationary Operations Assistant

References

Notes

1. Rauchstraße 17/18, Berlin (until June 1942)
   Unter den Linden 63, Berlin (until May 1945)

Citations

1. Evans, Richard J (2008). The Third Reich at War. London: Penguin Books. p. 188. ISBN 978-0-14-101548-4.

Bibliography

See also

• "Decollectivization" under German occupation
• Foreign Armies East (Nazi intelligence service focusing on territory to the East)
• Gerhard von Mende