Albert Forster: Nazi Gauleiter Who Turned Danzig–West Prussia Into a Killing Ground

Albert Forster was the Nazi Gauleiter of Danzig–West Prussia and one of the most ruthless officials responsible for mass murder, ethnic cleansing, deportations, and forced Germanisation in occupied Poland.Forster rose rapidly through the Nazi Party and became a loyal supporter of Adolf Hitler long before the Second World War. Following the German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939, he gained enormous power over the newly created Reichsgau Danzig–West Prussia and helped transform the region through terror and racial persecution.Under his rule, Jews, Poles, members of the clergy, intellectuals, and other perceived enemies were targeted. SS units, Selbstschutz formations, and the Gestapo carried out mass executions, deportations, expulsions, and systematic persecution. Among the most horrific atrocities committed in the region was the Piaśnica massacre, in which thousands of civilians were murdered.Forster openly advocated the removal of Jews and Poles from his territory and soon boasted that his Gau had become Judenfrei—“free of Jews.” At the same time, he pursued an unusually broad policy of Germanisation, classifying large numbers of Poles as suitable for incorporation into the German population. This approach brought him into conflict with Heinrich Himmler and other Nazi officials, but Forster continued to enjoy Hitler’s support.By the end of the war, tens of thousands of people in territories under his authority had been murdered, expelled, imprisoned, or deported to concentration camps.Captured by British forces in 1945, Forster was eventually extradited to Poland and prosecuted before the Supreme National Tribunal. He was convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity and sentenced to death.This documentary examines Albert Forster’s rise through the Nazi hierarchy, his rule over Danzig–West Prussia, and the devastating consequences of Nazi occupation and racial policy for the people of Poland.This episode is part of the series High-Ranking Officials of the Third Reich.Watch the full documentary and explore hundreds of historical films at:WorldHistory.tv