Reichskommissariat Ostland

The Reichskommissariat Ostland (RKO) was created by Nazi Germany in 1941 during World War II. It became the civilian occupation regime in the Baltic states and the western part of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic.[1]

Reichskommissariat Ostland
1941–1945
Flag of Reichskommissariat Ostland
Anthem: 
Reichskommissariat Ostland in 1942
Reichskommissariat Ostland in 1942
StatusReichskommissariat of Germany
CapitalRiga
Common languagesGerman (official)
Religion
GovernmentColony of Nazi Germany
Reichskommissar 
• 1941–1944
Hinrich Lohse
• 1944–1945
Erich Koch
Historical eraWorld War II
22 June 1941
• 
25 July 1941
1 September 1941
5 December 1941
1 April 1944
• Soviet retake
July–Nov. 1944
• 
21 January 1945
• Surrender of Courland Pocket
10 May 1945
Currency Reichskreditkassenscheine
(de facto)
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Byelorussian SSR
File:Flag of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (1918–1925).svg Russian SFSR
20px Poland
File:Flag of Estonia.svg Estonia
Latvia
20px Lithuania
Russian SFSR File:Flag of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (1918–1925).svg
Today part of Belarus
 Estonia
File:Flag of Latvia.svg Latvia
23x15px Lithuania

Reichskommissariat Ostland Media

References

  1. Alex J. Kay (2006). Guidelines for Special Fields (13 March 1941). Exploitation, Resettlement, Mass Murder: Political And Economic Planning for German Occupation Policy in the Soviet Union, 1940-1941. Berghahn Books. p. 129. ISBN 1845451864. Retrieved 2013-06-25. In the week following [...] 2 May [1941], Alfred Rosenberg produced three papers relating to his preparations for the future administration in the occupied East. The first, dated 7 May, was entitled 'Instruction for a Reich Commissar in the Ukraine'. [...] The second, produced a day later, was its equivalent for the area of 'Baltenland', as the Baltic States and Belarus were at this stage being collectively referred to. In his drafting of the paper, Rosenberg crossed through 'Balten' and replaced it with 'Ost'. [...] The designation 'Ostland' would stick.