Gauleiter

Germany was divided into 35 Nazi Party regions, called Gaue, each with a regional leader, or Gauleiter. Local organisation made it possible to recruit members and spread the party’s message across the country. It also created powerful regional figures, including Gregor Strasser in northern Germany and Joseph Goebbels in the Rhineland.

The Nazis developed a national network of regional organisations, each led by a Gauleiter. This allowed campaigning to extend beyond Hitler’s base in Munich. Local leaders could organise supporters and spread the party’s message in different parts of Germany.