Wahl became Gauleiter of Swabia on 1 October 1928 and held this position until the end of the Second World War in May 1945, when the Gaue were abolished. Originally, the office of Gauleiter was purely a party office, but with the Nazi Machtergreifung in January 1933, the position became much more an administrative one and by 1934, the Gauleiters had supplanted the still existing office of Minister President of Bavaria as the leading administrative authority in Bavaria.[3] Additionally, Wahl also held the office of Regierungspräsident (Head of Government) of Swabia from 1 July 1934, a state office, therefore combining civilian and party administration, like so many other Gauleiter.