Province of Upper Silesia
When Silesia was split into two Gaue, Upper Silesia and Lower Silesia on 27 January 1941, Bracht succeeded Wagner as the "Gauleiter" of the new Upper Silesia. He also succeeded to the position of "Oberpräsident" (High President) of the new Province of Upper Silesia, thus uniting under his control the highest party and governmental offices in the province. On 16 November 1942 he was named Reich Defense Commissioner in his Gau. On 20 April 1944, he was promoted to the rank of SA-"Obergruppenführer". Within Bracht's jurisdiction was the concentration camp Auschwitz.