In the early stages, the borders and leaders of these Gaue fluctuated frequently, mainly due to internal power struggles.

Until 1930, Bavaria, as the heartland of the Nazi movement in the 1920s, was seen by Hitler as his personal realm, the local Gaue commonly being called Untergaue (English: 'Sub-Gaue'), to show their dependence on the head of the party.

The reason for this being, that Munich was the birthplace of "the movement" (German: Hauptstadt der Bewegung, a title it officially carried).

In reality, Hitler was afraid of such a move, fearing it would upset local party leaders and could possibly result in an inner-party power struggle.

[7] Gradually, the Gauleiters (English: 'Gau Leaders') took control over their territories, reducing the local Minister Presidents — nominally the highest office in the German states — to figureheads.

[2] The process termed Gleichschaltung took care of all political opposition and the "Law on the Reconstruction of the Reich" of 30 January 1934 can possibly be seen as the final date for the transfer of power from the states to the Gaue.

As a third authority in the still existing state,[8] Franz Ritter von Epp held the office of Reichsstatthalter but wielded no real power.

Paul Giesler, last Gauleiter of Munich-Upper Bavaria, attempted to commit suicide with his wife, fearing capture by the Allied forces but failed and was shot by one of his adjudants near Berchtesgaden on 8 May 1945.