Possible "Croatias" in Nazi-occupied USSR?

Let's assume that one way or another, the Wehrmacht manages to win in Operation Barbarossa or further Eastern Front campaigns (like Case Blue). The Soviet Union is defeated and forced to peace out and abandon it's western half - whether to the Arkhangelsk-Astrakhan line or the Ural, your pick.

Now, the Russian heartland, the Baltics and Ukraine are obviously going to be annexed directly for German colonization, but what about border regions which aren't as useful for occupation?

Basically, would the Nazis form some Croatia or Slovakia style fascist collaborant states in the occupied USSR, and if so, what (or where) would be the most likely options?
 
The various Caucasus republics are your best bet, I think, followed by the western bits of the central Asian republics if they got that far. Everything else would be annexed by Germany or its allies.
 
I'd agree that the most likely candidates are in the Caucasus (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan). Other than that...Cossack states in the Don, Kuban or Terek? Tatarstan?

I imagine the Nazis will initially go for colonization and genocide all over - no Croatias except maybe in the Caucasus. Then, as time goes on, the occupation keeps bleeding due to guerilla warfare, and the regime realizes they don't have nearly as many available colonists as they once hoped. At this point, they may relent and allow the formation of puppet states in central Russia, and maybe Ukraine.
 
think they would create Independent State of Famine, their only reliable ally in former USSR.

about only plausible, acceptable one Tatarstan but they wanted to retain Crimea for themselves? probably have to relent and allow Ukraine, but it would have some very unhappy rulers.
 

Deleted member 94680

Cossack statelets across the Caucasus (Don, Kuban, Terek, etc) are a possibility - gives them somewhere to put the Russian National Liberation Army veterans after the War.

Can't see the Lokot Autonomy surviving in a Nazi-Russia after a victory. Basically, some form of 'Military Frontier' against the Soviets East of the Urals - but Hitler wasn't a fan of the Hapsburgs, so maybe not after all.
 
The title is a bit misleading. I was expecting a discussion on nazi sponsored Croatian colonies in the USSR (which is ridiculous, but I was intrigued anyway). Shouldn't you change it to "puppet states" instead of "Croatias". Some Croats might take offense.

Regarding the original subject, I think only the Caucuses seem like a possible area for puppet states. The Nazis are definitely keeping Crimea and Ukraine for themselves.
 

Deleted member 1487

Let's assume that one way or another, the Wehrmacht manages to win in Operation Barbarossa or further Eastern Front campaigns (like Case Blue). The Soviet Union is defeated and forced to peace out and abandon it's western half - whether to the Arkhangelsk-Astrakhan line or the Ural, your pick.

Now, the Russian heartland, the Baltics and Ukraine are obviously going to be annexed directly for German colonization, but what about border regions which aren't as useful for occupation?

Basically, would the Nazis form some Croatia or Slovakia style fascist collaborant states in the occupied USSR, and if so, what (or where) would be the most likely options?
Maybe Belarus?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belarusian_Central_Council
There were some enclaves in Belarus of gangs that were made into warlords by the Germans if they fought partisans and could control their own turf, which would sort of be like an allied state, but I'm trying to find info online about them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byelorussian_Home_Defence
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belarusian_Black_Cats
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michał_Vituška
 
As other members said, MAYBE in say Georgia or Armenia ( not Azerbaijan- too much oil there ). Independent State of Croatia was formed because Germans were not interested for Balkans ( at least not in sence of Lebensraum ) so they ( and Hungarians, Slovaks, Serbians, Bulgarians, etc. ) were not in the way...
 

Deleted member 94680

As other members said, MAYBE in say Georgia or Armenia ( not Azerbaijan- too much oil there ). Independent State of Croatia was formed because Germans were not interested for Balkans ( at least not in sence of Lebensraum ) so they ( and Hungarians, Slovaks, Serbians, Bulgarians, etc. ) were not in the way...

There was, however, an 'Azerbaijani Legion' of volunteers in the Wehrmacht from December '41. Maybe these volunteer units would be the 'face' of German control, giving the veneer of independence to outside powers (the Americans, British (if they survive), etc) akin to the Princely States of British India or something?
 
There was, however, an 'Azerbaijani Legion' of volunteers in the Wehrmacht from December '41. Maybe these volunteer units would be the 'face' of German control, giving the veneer of independence to outside powers (the Americans, British (if they survive), etc) akin to the Princely States of British India or something?


Don't think so. The maximum of diplomatic suptility that Nazy Germany managed was Protectorate of Bohemia-Moravia or General Gouverment in Poland. So, maybe something like that, but I doubt it- most likely result is Reichkommesariat Baku or something like that.
 
The Nazis maintained so-called "Liberation Committees" for Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and forced the three to negotiate a solution to their territorial disputes (Georgia gets Sochi and Zakatala, Armenia gets Nakhichevan and Karabakh, Azerbaijan gets all of Dagestan as compensation). I don't think they would have bothered if there wasn't at least a vague idea of Azerbaijan as an "independent" state.
 

Deleted member 94680

Don't think so. The maximum of diplomatic suptility that Nazy Germany managed was Protectorate of Bohemia-Moravia or General Gouverment in Poland. So, maybe something like that, but I doubt it- most likely result is Reichkommesariat Baku or something like that.

That would indicate you think a Princely State is more independent than the Protectorate Of B-M? I would say they're more or less analogous; internal policy left to local leaders, overseen by a "Protector's" representative and Foreign Policy and Defence being the responsibility of the "Protector".
 
Don't think so. The maximum of diplomatic suptility that Nazy Germany managed was Protectorate of Bohemia-Moravia or General Gouverment in Poland. So, maybe something like that, but I doubt it- most likely result is Reichkommesariat Baku or something like that.

IIRC from Hitler's War Aims by Norman Rich (great, great source for Nazi annexation plans; I'd love to see someone write a follow up with whatever new documents etc have surfaced since the 70s), there was going to be an RK Kaukasus based in Tbilisi. It never got established for obvious reasons, so who knows what would have happened to the area if the Germans won?
 
IIRC from Hitler's War Aims by Norman Rich (great, great source for Nazi annexation plans; I'd love to see someone write a follow up with whatever new documents etc have surfaced since the 70s), there was going to be an RK Kaukasus based in Tbilisi. It never got established for obvious reasons, so who knows what would have happened to the area if the Germans won?

They really do need to make an updated version of that book.
 
The Nazis maintained so-called "Liberation Committees" for Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and forced the three to negotiate a solution to their territorial disputes (Georgia gets Sochi and Zakatala, Armenia gets Nakhichevan and Karabakh, Azerbaijan gets all of Dagestan as compensation). I don't think they would have bothered if there wasn't at least a vague idea of Azerbaijan as an "independent" state.


Well, maybe they would make it as "independent" state.
 
Well, maybe they would make it as "independent" state.

It certainly can't hope for real, total independence - but it's not like Croatia or Slovakia had much real independence, either. (Even though Croatia was officially named "The Independent State of Croatia" - The lady doth protest too much, methinks...) They nevertheless had formal independence, and a certain level of cultural, political and administrative autonomy which a 'kommissariat didn't have.
 
It certainly can't hope for real, total independence - but it's not like Croatia or Slovakia had much real independence, either. (Even though Croatia was officially named "The Independent State of Croatia" - The lady doth protest too much, methinks...) They nevertheless had formal independence, and a certain level of cultural, political and administrative autonomy which a 'kommissariat didn't have.


Slovakia and Croatia were typical vasal countries, something like the level of independence of former Warsaw Pact countries. Reichkommesariats would be typical colonies, like British Kenya or French Cameroon.
 
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