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General Government facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The General Government (also called GG) was a special area in central Poland during World War II. After Nazi Germany took over parts of Poland in 1939, this region was set up as a separate area. It had its own German leaders and military control. It was not a fully independent country, but it was also not a puppet state like some other occupied lands. The people in charge were Germans who strongly supported the Nazi party.

How the General Government Was Created

Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. This event marked the start of World War II. Germany quickly defeated Poland in just 18 days. On September 18, the Soviet Union also invaded Poland. This happened because of a secret agreement between Germany and the Soviet Union called the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact.

Because of these invasions, Poland was divided into three main parts:

  • The western part was directly added to Nazi Germany. This area was called Wartheland.
  • The eastern part was taken by the Soviet Union. Much of this land stayed with the Soviet Union even after the war.
  • The central part remained under German control. On October 12, 1939, Adolf Hitler issued a special order. This order officially created the General Government in this central area.

At first, the General Government included four important Polish regions: Warsaw, Radom, Lublin, and Kraków. In August 1941, the General Government grew even larger. It took in the region of Galicia, which had been taken from the Soviet Union. The city of Kraków became the capital of the General Government.

Images for kids

  • Generalgouvernement fur die besetzten polnischen gebiete

    Administrative map of the General Government (1941)

  • Bundesarchiv Bild 121-0270, Polen, Krakau, Polizeiparade, Hans Frank

    Hans Frank, the main leader of the General Government, at a police parade in Kraków during the German occupation of Poland

  • Mapa 2 paktu Ribbentrop-Mołotow

    The border between Germany and the Soviet Union after their invasion of Poland. This border was agreed upon in Moscow by Joseph Stalin and Joachim von Ribbentrop in September 1939.

  • Generalgouvernement with 2nd Polish Republic, "Lebensraum im Osten", and current borders

    Map showing the General Government (yellow) compared to the Second Polish Republic (dark grey), today's borders (white), the 1918 German-Polish border (black), and areas taken by Nazi Germany (blue)

  • Partitions of Poland

    The orange and yellow areas, which were once part of Austria after the Third Partition of Poland in 1795, roughly match the General Government area.

  • General Government Poster 1939 - 1 (de+pl)

    An official announcement from Germany about the creation of the General Government in Poland, October 1939.

  • Kundt, Fischer, Frank, Wächter, Zörner, Wendler

    Hans Frank with district administrators in 1942. From left: Ernst Kundt, Ludwig Fischer, Hans Frank, Otto Wächter, Ernst Zörner, Richard Wendler.

  • Hans Frank’s ordinance on counteracting the acts of violence in Generalgouvernement 01

    Part of Hans Frank's order from October 31, 1939, about "stopping acts of violence in the General Government." This shows the strict rules imposed by the German authorities.

  • German antisemitic poster, 1942

    Nazi anti-Jewish propaganda poster from 1942.

  • Tablica Tchorka Al. Ujazdowskie 21 Warszawa

    A memorial plaque on Ujazdów Avenue in Warsaw, marking a site of public executions.

  • GeneralGovernment1940Map

    An administrative map of the General Government in July 1940, before Operation Barbarossa.

  • General Government for the occupied Polish territories (1941)

    An administrative map of the General Government from July 1941 to January 1944, after Operation Barbarossa.

  • 500 zł 1940 awers

    A 500 złoty banknote, sometimes called "Góral," used in the General Government territories.

  • German announcement General Government Poland 1941

    A German announcement from November 25, 1941, about the execution of nine Polish farmers. They were executed for not providing their required quotas of goods. This was signed by the governor of the Lublin district.

  • The Wall of ghetto in Warsaw - Building on Nazi-German order August 1940

    The wall of the Warsaw Ghetto being built in August 1940, under orders from Dr. Ludwig.

  • Bundesarchiv N 1576 Bild-003, Warschau, Bettelnde Kinder

    Children begging in the Warsaw Ghetto between 1940 and 1943.

  • Afisz-kara śmierci za pomoc Żydom

    An announcement from September 5, 1942, by the Chief of the SS and Police. It stated that Poles helping Jewish people would face the death penalty.

  • Stroop Report - Warsaw Ghetto Uprising 06b

    During the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in April 1943, Jewish people are held at gunpoint by SS troops. This image is from a report written by Jürgen Stroop.

  • Powstanie warszawskie patrol

    Polish soldiers in action during the Warsaw Uprising on August 1, 1944.

  • Destroyed Warsaw, capital of Poland, January 1945 - version 2

    An aerial view of the city of Warsaw in January 1945, showing widespread destruction.

  • Raphael missing

    The painting Portrait of a Young Man by Raphael. It was stolen by Hans Frank's orders in 1939 and was never returned. This was one of over 40,000 artworks taken from Polish collections.

  • Warsaw Uprising 12345

    Another image from the Warsaw Uprising in 1944.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Gobierno General para niños

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