Die Besatzungsungssysteme der Achsenmächte. Versuch einer komparativen Analyse [The occupation systems of the Axis powers. An attempt at a comparative analysis]

Abstract

This study presents a comparative analysis of the occupation systems implemented by the Axis powers – Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan – during World War II. It focuses on the structure, methods, and goals of occupation administrations in the territories controlled by these states. The central premise is that occupation policy was a fundamental tool of fascist domination and had profound effects on the subjugated societies. The aim of the analysis is to identify similarities and differences among the occupation models, with particular emphasis on the German system, which was characterized by extreme ideological and repressive measures. The study analyzes how various forms of occupation – from integration to total annihilation – were applied and how they impacted the occupied populations. The author draws on his own earlier research, a wide array of archival materials from national and international sources, and relevant comparative literature. The findings show that the German occupation system was marked by rigidity, racial objectives, and institutionalized violence. The creation of overlapping power structures – among the Wehrmacht, SS, Party apparatus, and civil administration – resulted in an apparent “chaos of competences” that was deliberately encouraged by the Nazi leadership. The Italian and Japanese models followed different logics: Italy leaned more toward formal political integration, while Japan prioritized economic exploitation. The study emphasizes that occupation was not merely a by-product of war but a central feature of fascist rule. It left deep social, economic, and political consequences in the affected regions.