this setback, Hitler apparently remained on good terms with Wagner, one of the Alter Kämpfer and holder of the Golden Party Badge. Confident of his close ties with Hitler, Wagner openly boasted that he often ignored directives from Reichsministers, and that if they wanted to consult with him on issues, they would have to schedule a visit to Munich. At other times, Hitler made his airplane available to Wagner for trips to Berlin. Wagner generally had access to Hitler, and could appeal directly to him for support when conflicts arose with other officials, as he was often among the circle of intimates invited to Hitler's residence on the Obersalzberg. Rare 8 mm colour film of Wagner appears in home movies (c. 1938) filmed by Hitler's companion, Eva Braun. He can be seen talking with Hitler on the terrace of Hitler's Bavarian residence the Berghof, near Berchtesgaden. War years, illness and death At the outbreak of the Second World War on 1 September 1939, Wagner was named Reich Defense Commissioner for Wehrkreise (Military Districts) VII and XIII. He was the only Commissioner named to head two districts. His jurisdiction included his Gau and four other Bavarian Gaue (Bayreuth, Franconia, Mainfranken and Swabia) as well as the northwestern section of Reichsgau Sudetenland. In this position, Wagner assumed responsibility for civil defense, air defense and evacuation activities, as well as for managing the local war economy by administering wartime rationing and suppressing black market activities. On 15 November 1940, he became the Housing Commissioner for his Gau and, on 6 April 1942, he was named the Representative in Gau Munich-Upper Bavaria for Fritz Sauckel in his capacity as General Plenipotentiary for Labor Deployment. In this role, Wagner assisted in procuring forced civilian labor for Germany's wartime industries. Wagner for many years suffered from the effects of chronic alcoholism, and his condition worsened in November 1941 after follow-up operations for his WWI leg injury. In June 1942 Wagner was still recuperating and was replaced in his official duties by Paul Giesler in an acting capacity on 23 June. Then at a Party rally in Traunstein on 15 July 1942, Wagner suffered a stroke that very seriously incapacitated him with impaired speech and mobility. Wagner nominally remained in his posts until a second stroke resulted in his death on 12 April 1944, at which time Giesler was named his permanent successor. The increasingly reclusive Führer