The pre-war Dutch system of government was continued under this German civilian regime. After Queen Wilhelmina and the Dutch government fled to England, the national government was left in the hands of the secretaries general as the highest-ranking officials at the ministries. Under the occupation, Reichskommissar Arthur Seyss-Inquart was appointed to represent Hitler. He performed all administrative duties that were attributed to the head of state and the government under the constitution. The system of government remained intact, and only a few incumbent senior officials were replaced with Nazi sympathizers. Over three hundred mayors and officials with other essential duties were replaced as well, such as police commissioners and public prosecutors.
In other occupied countries the military ran the government.
Term
Civil administration
Form of government in which the highest authority was the Nazi ’civilian‘ administration instead of a military administration.
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