Known as the “Lion of Crete,” a veteran of airborne operations and a hardline figure within the Heer. Berlin selected him for his reputation as a strict commander and for his ability to manage populations considered “unstable” by German administrators.

He governs from the former British High Commissioner’s headquarters on Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, now transformed into his command center and official residence. He maintains a militarized structure across the territory and directly oversees all security, transport, and German settlement operations.

Arab Collaborator Leader – Hajj Amin al-Husseini

The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, returned from Berlin in May 1943 with German backing, leads the Higher Islamic Council. He holds the symbolic title of “Arab Protector of the Reichskommissariat,” with no real voting power, but with influence over the semi-autonomous Arab zones.

His primary role is maintaining Arab support for the regime and coordinating recruitment for auxiliary units.

Administrative Division (1946)

Zone A – Mediterranean Coast and Galilee

Under direct German military administration. Former Jewish settlements have been destroyed or turned into model farms run by SS agencies.

Zone B – Judea and Samaria

Assigned to the Higher Islamic Council, with limited autonomy in religious affairs, local policing, and basic civil administration. Germany retains control of roads, resources, courts, and strategic security.

Zone C – Negev Desert and Sinai

Area dedicated to labor camps, mining exploitation, and logistical routes toward Egypt. Operated by the Organisation Todt and penal units such as the 999th Brigade.

Estimated Demographics (1946)

• Muslim Arabs: ≈ 1,100,000
• Christian Arabs: ≈ 90,000 (many migrating to Lebanon or Egypt)
• Jewish survivors: < 35,000 (concentrated in ghetto-camps in Haifa and East Jerusalem, or deported to Madagascar 1943–45)
• German personnel (Wehrmacht, SS, administration): ≈ 28,000
• Arab auxiliaries (Arabische Schutzmannschaft, Free Arab Legion): ≈ 18,000

Security Forces

• Ordnungspolizei, Feldgendarmerie, and Heer garrisons.
• Arabische Schutzmannschaft: Arab auxiliary police wearing red fez, green-gray uniforms, and the armband “Im Dienst des Reiches.”
• SS-Sonderkommando Palästina (under Walter Rauff): responsible for repression against Jewish clandestine groups and anti-German Arab dissidents.

Regime Projects and Infrastructure

Great Mosque of Victory

A German-financed project on the Temple Mount. The Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa remain, but are surrounded by fortified perimeters.

Museum of the “Semitic People”

Located in the former Rockefeller Museum. Functions as a propaganda center designed to justify the Reich’s military presence and promote its racial doctrines.

Strategic Jerusalem–Baghdad Highway

Under construction using forced labor, crucial for connecting Palestine to Axis-controlled oil regions.

“Deutscher Orden Palästina” Settlement Program

Model farms along the coast and in Galilee, administered by German veterans of the Afrika Korps and the Waffen-SS.

Internal Tensions (1946)

Despite propaganda, the Reichskommissariat remains deeply unstable:

• Ramcke distrusts Arab leaders and reinforces military presence in every major city.
• Al-Husseini demands greater autonomy and the full removal of remaining Jewish presence.
• Arab officers in the Free Legion frequently clash with German commanders over discrimination and mistreatment.
• Remnants of Irgun, Lehi, and anti-German Arab nationalists conduct weekly sabotage operations.

Because of these tensions, Ramcke keeps three major shock forces permanently stationed in Palestine:

• The renewed 999th Leichte Afrika-Division
• The 1st Fallschirmjäger Division
• A Bosnian SS volunteer brigade

Any uprising could escalate into a major regional conflict — and Berlin knows it.