Around 1933, Germany (with the Nazi leadership) made a decision to create districts (more or less states). Lander (states) were with replaced by Gaue (plural word, with a singular state being a Gau).
The Nazi apparatus out of Berlin would then appoint the Gau 'leader'.....usually a guy who was faithful to the party, and seen on his way up in life. It's safe to say that in that Gau (region)....this guy was a mini-Hitler of sorts, and his view of things was all that mattered.
In 1934, there were a total of 32 Gaue. Now, for this to work in your mind....you need to pull up a 1934 map and gaze upon a unified Germany, with about 25-percent of Poland attached it, and Konigsberg at the far eastern end.
Did it stay as 32 Gaue? No.
By the late 1930s....Austria, the Sudetenland, and Memelland were added....totaling out at 42 Gaue.
The end of the Gaue period? The 8th of May, 1945....the end of the war.
Some odd factors about the Gaue business? Well....each single one had a major German city as the 'capital'. There was also a 43rd Gaue....which usually doesn't come up. This was to be the Ausland Gaue (the outside of Germany Gaue).....was basically a 'boss' who would take over 'grabbed territory'. This 'capital' for the Ausland Gaue was in Berlin.
Would there have been more Gaue added if the Germans had been more successful? More than likely. If the war hadn't gone badly, you might have seen well over 200 Gaue existing.
Finally, it should be noted that Gaue is a pretty old German word, and it has some meaning going back to the British term of a shire, with a Lord running the region, for the King or Emperor.
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