Gau, Volk and Reich

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Friedrich Rainer’s political career exemplifies the journey of a young, ambitious man who contributed to the National Socialist regime. Professor Maurice Williams reconstructs Rainer's ascent from provincial origins to a key figure in Hitler's Germany. Following the failed 1934 Nazi putsch in Austria, Rainer quickly became prominent in the indigenous illegal movement, initially aiming for an independent National Socialist Austria. However, when Germany annexed Austria, the lawyer from Carinthia aligned himself with an ideology that endorsed German superiority, leading to horrific outcomes. As a principal organizer of Austria's annexation, Rainer was rewarded by Hitler, becoming Gauleiter of Salzburg, then Carinthia, and later the Supreme Commander of the Operation Zone Adriatic Coastland. Williams details Rainer's efforts to implement Third Reich policies in Southeastern Europe and his later reinterpretation of his actions while imprisoned by Western Allies and Tito’s Yugoslavia, often employing a grotesque justification strategy. The study also provides insights into Rainer’s political analyses of the post-war era, shedding light on the early Cold War tensions. Notably, Rainer was not executed after his 1947 trial, instead offering his knowledge to the communist state, a fact that gains relevance with recent archival revelations regarding CIA cooperation with former National Socialists. Through extensive documentation, Willia