# NSDAP Office of Colonial Policy > Nazi Party office that was formed in 1934 to plan re-taking of the former German colonies **Wikidata**: [Q1475624](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1475624) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NSDAP_Office_of_Colonial_Policy) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/nsdap-office-of-colonial-policy ## Summary The NSDAP Office of Colonial Policy was a specific government agency within the Nazi Party established in 1934 with the primary objective of planning the re-taking of former German colonies. Operating under the Reichsleitung and headquartered in Berlin, the entity functioned as the central organizational part of the government responsible for colonial affairs until its dissolution in 1943 and final abolition in 1945. ## Key Facts * **Inception:** The office was founded in 1934 to plan the recovery of former German territories. * **Dissolution:** It was initially dissolved on February 17, 1943, and formally abolished on October 10, 1945, following Control Council Act #2. * **Jurisdiction:** The entity operated under the authority of the Nazi Party and the German Reich. * **Parent Organization:** It functioned as a subordinate unit of the Reichsleitung. * **Location:** The headquarters and operational base were located in Berlin. * **Classification:** It is classified as a government agency responsible for specific public services related to foreign affairs and colonial policy. * **Archival Holdings:** Records are preserved at the German Federal Archives under the fonds identifier BArch, NS 52. * **Digital Access:** Archives are accessible via the Invenio link: https://invenio.bundesarchiv.de/basys2-invenio/direktlink/1bd76815-8946-48a3-96ce-29ad6814989a/. * **Authority Identifiers:** The entity is assigned GND ID 511704-5, VIAF ID 163184947, and Library of Congress Authority ID no2001047126. * **Online Presence:** It has Wikipedia articles in nine languages (Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, English, German, Hebrew, Spanish, Turkish) and a Commons category titled "Kolonialpolitisches Amt der NSDAP". * **External IDs:** The entity is indexed with Freebase ID /m/0ch58t5, Yale LUX ID group/9ac0e5e1-8b3d-47b1-8f1b-1c07917e8f72, and FactGrid item ID Royal College of Physicians, London. * **National Library Records:** It is cataloged in the National Library of Israel with J9U ID 987007454328705171 and in the Kalliope Verbund system. ## FAQs **What was the primary mission of the NSDAP Office of Colonial Policy?** The office was created specifically to formulate strategies and plans for the re-acquisition of German colonies that had been lost prior to the Nazi era. It served as the dedicated planning body within the party structure for these territorial ambitions. **When did this organization cease to exist?** The agency was first dissolved on February 17, 1943, marking the end of its active operations. Its legal existence was formally terminated later on October 10, 1945, as a direct result of Control Council Act #2 issued by the Allied powers. **Where can historical records of this office be found?** Original documents and archives are held by the German Federal Archives. Researchers can access the specific fonds under the reference code BArch, NS 52 or view the collection through the provided Invenio digital link. **Which higher authorities oversaw this agency?** The office operated directly under the Reichsleitung, which was the central leadership of the Nazi Party. It functioned as a government agency within the jurisdiction of the German Reich. ## Why It Matters The NSDAP Office of Colonial Policy represents a critical component of the Nazi regime's ideological and geopolitical strategy, illustrating the party's intent to reverse the post-World War I territorial settlement. Its existence highlights the systematic planning behind the regime's expansionist goals, moving beyond mere rhetoric to organized bureaucratic preparation for colonial restoration. Understanding this entity is essential for historians analyzing the administrative machinery of the Third Reich and the specific mechanisms used to pursue imperial ambitions in Africa and the Pacific. The office's archival records provide primary source material for studying the intersection of Nazi ideology and colonial policy, offering insights into how the regime conceptualized its global role. ## Notable For * **Specific Mandate:** It was uniquely tasked with the singular goal of reclaiming former German colonies, distinguishing it from general foreign policy offices. * **Bureaucratic Timeline:** The entity is notable for its two-stage termination, first ceasing operations in 1943 and later being legally abolished in 1945 under Allied directives. * **Comprehensive Archival Record:** It maintains a distinct and accessible fonds (BArch, NS 52) within the German Federal Archives, ensuring the preservation of its specific colonial planning documents. * **International Digital Footprint:** The office is documented across nine different language editions of Wikipedia and maintains a dedicated category on Wikimedia Commons. * **Authority Cross-Referencing:** It is one of the few historical entities linked to a wide array of international authority identifiers, including GND, VIAF, LOC, and J9U. ## Body ### Organizational Structure and Jurisdiction The NSDAP Office of Colonial Policy functioned as a specialized government agency within the broader framework of the Nazi Party. It was an organizational part of the government responsible for specific public services, falling under the domain of foreign affairs and colonial administration. The entity was directly subordinate to the Reichsleitung, the central leadership body of the party. Its jurisdiction was strictly limited to the Nazi Party's internal planning and the German Reich's external colonial ambitions. As a government agency, it held a formal status within the state apparatus, responsible for executing the party's vision regarding former territories. ### Historical Timeline and Operations The agency was established in 1934, marking the beginning of its operational life dedicated to colonial planning. For nearly a decade, it operated from its headquarters in Berlin, coordinating efforts to prepare for the re-taking of lost colonies. The organization's active phase concluded on February 17, 1943, when it was dissolved. However, its legal existence persisted until the end of the war. The final abolition occurred on October 10, 1945, pursuant to Control Council Act #2, which dismantled Nazi Party structures. This timeline reflects the entity's lifespan from its inception during the consolidation of power to its destruction by the Allied occupation forces. ### Archival Preservation and Access Preservation of the office's history is managed by the German Federal Archives. The specific collection is identified as fonds BArch, NS 52. This archive contains the official records generated during the office's existence. Digital access to these materials is facilitated through the Invenio system, with a direct link provided for researchers: https://invenio.bundesarchiv.de/basys2-invenio/direktlink/1bd76815-8946-48a3-96ce-29ad6814989a/. The source data for these archival references is derived from the open data portal of the Bundesarchiv. This ensures that the historical record of the office's planning activities remains accessible for academic and historical inquiry. ### Identification and Metadata The entity is cataloged with a comprehensive set of unique identifiers across various international and national systems. The German National Library assigns it the GND ID 511704-5, which is also used in the Kalliope Verbund system. The Virtual International Authority File (VIAF) lists it under ID 163184947. In the United States, the Library of Congress Authority ID is no2001047126. The National Library of Israel catalogs it with J9U ID 987007454328705171. Additionally, the entity is indexed in the Yale LUX database as group/9ac0e5e1-8b3d-47b1-8f1b-1c07917e8f72 and in Freebase as /m/0ch58t5. A FactGrid item is also associated with the entity, though the specific ID listed is "Royal College of Physicians, London". ### Digital Presence and Languages The NSDAP Office of Colonial Policy has a significant digital footprint across multiple languages and platforms. Wikipedia articles exist in Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, English, German, Hebrew, Spanish, Turkish, and a dedicated Commons category. The English Wikipedia title is "NSDAP Office of Colonial Policy," while the German title is "Kolonialpolitisches Amt der NSDAP." The Spanish Wikipedia entry is linked via a specific revision ID (119238598). The entity has a sitelink count of 9, indicating its presence on nine different language versions of Wikipedia. This multilingual documentation underscores the international interest in the historical role of this specific Nazi office. ## References 1. [Source](https://open-data.bundesarchiv.de/)