ORDNUNGSPOLIZEI vol 1

ORDNUNGSPOLIZEI vol 1

1

This work is dedicated to the beloved memory of Francesco Fatutta (1947 – 2006) Born in Fiume. Journalist. Writer.

Friend.

2­

Massimo Arico

ORDNUNGSPOLIZEI vol 1 Encyclopedia Of the German Police Battalions September 1939/July 1942 Translation: Maria Lombardo Editor: Chris Meadows

3 Leandoer & Ekholm Publishing, Stockholm 2011

Massimo Arico: I was born in Genoa, Italy, in 1965, where I live. My family is from Istria (now Croatia) and was a mixed Italian-Croatian family.

My great-grandfather was NCO in the KuK (Imperial Austria) Army and disappeared in Galicia (Russian front) in 1914 or 15. My grandfather worked for the Italian civil administration of the city of Pola (Istria) until 1943, then emigrated to Italy in 1946. My father served with the Italian Armed forces for some years. I have also served in the Italian Army. I have a graduation in accountancy and now work as a trader. History and military matters are my hobbies.

I begun the study of the German police about 20 years ago, when nothing existed about this subject, apart from a couple of books.

I'm interested in the so-called "human sciences", especially human behaviour related to the role played by the German police battalions in the Jewish Genocide.

With an apparent paradox (if compared with the above mentioned "human interests"), I define mysef a "lone wolf" and I consider the various tragedies that afflict humanity, nothing more that the unavoidable (and obvious) product of the human tendencies, in spite of culture, moral and social education.

Massimo Arico is now working on two follow ups to this book: “Ordnungspolizei vol 2, 1942 – 1945” and “The Ordnungspolizei and the Genocide” Both will be published by us.

Acknowledments This is an individual work in all of its steps: planning, research and typing. However it would not exist without the actual support of some people who helped in its final realisation.

First of all I would like to thank Dr. Maria Lombardo who in accepting the translation of the first 79 chapters, coped with a long and hard job.

Dr. Victor Hannay has been invaluable with help of a first review and linguistic advice, removing many doubts which would have remained unsolved otherwise.

A heartfelt thanks to Dr. Enrica Quadrelli for her assistance too.

Furthermore, a particular memory to Mr. Franco Fatutta who supported the author since the beginning of this work but an adverse fate prevented him from seeing the final version.

The author wishes to thank all these people and takes the responsibility for any possible mistakes, omissions and inconsistencies.

Author: Massio Arico Translation: Maria Lombardo Editor: Chris Meadows Graphic Design : Daniel Åberg/Åbergs stilus et forma Cover: Martin Wilhelmsson Copyright: © Leandoer & Ekholm Förlag, Stockholm 2011 First edition Print: Spaustuve Spindylus, Kaunas, Lithuania ISBN: 978-91-85657-99-5 Coverphoto: Hitlers birthday: 20 April 1941. Hoist the Flag!

4­ 2/72 Polizei Bataillon All photocredits are the writers except where noted otherwise.

According to European law the author retains the right of copyright to the information contained in this title. The publisher asserts that any form of reproduction or copying of the text or pictures is strictly forbidden under the copyright laws. A breach of the law in this regard may result in the issuance of criminal charges by the office of the public prosecutor and sentencing through fines or a prison term in addition to a legal requirement to pay compensation to the author/copyright holder.

CONTENTS Index of the Tables

8

Maps

10

PREFACE

12

INTRODUCTORY NOTES

17

PART TWO: THE BATTALIONS OF THE ORDINARY SERIES – AUTUMN 1939 – JULY 1942 POLIZEI-BATAILLON 1

59

PART ONE: BATTALIONS IN POLAND IN SEPTEMBER 1939

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 2

61

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 3

65

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 4

79

POLIZEI-BATAILLON I/1

19

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 5

81

POLIZEI-BATAILLON II/1

21

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 6

83

POLIZEI-BATAILLON III/1

27

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 7

87

POLIZEI-BATAILLON IV/1

29

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 8

90

POLIZEI-BATAILLON V/1

31

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 9

93

POLIZEI-BATAILLON I/2

33

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 10

116

POLIZEI-BATAILLON II/2

35

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 11

118

POLIZEI-BATAILLON III/2

37

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 12

127

POLIZEI-BATAILLON IV/2

39

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 13

128

POLIZEI-BATAILLON V/2

41

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 14

136

POLIZEI-BATAILLON I/3

43

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 21

137

POLIZEI-BATAILLON I/41

45

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 22

139

POLIZEI-BATAILLON I/5

47

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 23

144

POLIZEI-BATAILLON I/6

49

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 25

145

POLIZEI-BATAILLON II/6

51

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 26

146

POLIZEI-BATAILLON III/6

53

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 31

147

POLIZEI-BATAILLON IV/6 1 - 2

55

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 32

149

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 33

152

5

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 41

155

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 911-2

266

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 42

158

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 92

271

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 43

160

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 93

272

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 44

162

Photos

283

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 45

165

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 101

288

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 51

171

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 102

293

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 52

174

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 103

296

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 53

175

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 1041

299

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 54

178

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 105

303

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 55

179

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 106

309

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 56

180

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 111

312

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 611

182

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 112

316

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 62

188

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 121

318

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 631

191

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 122

320

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 64

195

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 123

324

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 65

203

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 124

326

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 66

208

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 131

329

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 67

213

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 132

334

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 681

215

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 133

338

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 69

219

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 134

341

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 71

224

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 171

342

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 721

225

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 172

348

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 731

245

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 181

349

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 74

248

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 201

354

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 81

251

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 2021

356

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 82

253

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 203

358

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 83

260

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 204

361

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 84

262

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 205

363

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 85

265

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 206

365

6足

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 207

367

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 320

473

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 208

368

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 321

477

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 209

370

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 322

482

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 210

371

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 323

491

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 251

373

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 324

495

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 252

375

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 325

497

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 253

377

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 254

379

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 255

382

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 256

384

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 301

386

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 302

389

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 303

392

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 304

397

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 305

401

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 306

404

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 307

408

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 308

416

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 309

421

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 310

429

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 311

435

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 312

439

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 313

441

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 314

445

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 315

452

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 316

456

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 317

461

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 318

466

POLIZEI-BATAILLON 319

469

PART THREE: THE PRESIDIARY BATTALIONS IN THE PROTECTORATE – AUTUMN 1939–JULY 1942 POLIZEI-BATAILLON “PRAG”

500

POLIZEI-BATAILLON “KLATTAU”

504

POLIZEI-BATAILLON “JUNG-BUNZLAU” 507 POLIZEI-BATAILLON “PARDUBITZ”

509

RESERVE-POLIZEI-BATAILLON “KOLIN” 511 POLIZEI-BATAILLON “TABOR”

513

POLIZEI-BATAILLON “IGLAU”

515

POLIZEI-BATAILLON “BRÜNN”

517

POLIZEI-BATAILLON “HOLLESCHAU”

519

APPENDICES

522

POLIZEI-BATAILLON “OSTLAND”

523

RESERVE-POLIZEI-BATAILLON “LEIPZIG” 525 ABBREVIATIONS

527

BIBLIOGRAPHY

529

Web sites and resources

538

Index of the localities

539

7

Index of the Tables

Table 1: Genocide actions perpetrated by 1/ Polizei-Bataillon 3 (December 1941-Summer 1942) Table 2: Genocide actions perpetrated by 2/ Polizei-Bataillon 3 (December 1941-Summer 1942) Table 3: Genocide actions perpetrated by 3/Polizei-Bataillon 3 (December 1941-February 1942) Table 4: Genocide actions perpetrated by 4/ Polizei-Bataillon 3 (December 1941-end 1942) Table 5: District of Radom – Situation of the battalions (February 1940-October 1941) Table 6: District of Warsaw – Situation of the battalions (December 1939-June 1941) Table 7: Genocide actions perpetrated by 1/ Polizei-Bataillon 9 (July 1941-December 1941) Table 8: Genocide actions perpetrated by 2/ Polizei-Bataillon 9 (July 1941-December 1941) Table 9: Genocide actions perpetrated by 3/ Polizei-Bataillon 9 (July 1941-December 1941) Table 10: Genocide actions perpetrated by 4/ Polizei-Bataillon 9 (July 1941-December 1941)

8­

Table 11: Genocide actions perpetrated by Polizei-Bataillon 13 (April-June 1940) Table 12: Police Battalions in Russia – Heeresgruppe “Nord” (December 1941-March 1942) Table 13: Police Battalions displaced beyond the metropolitan Reich (Situation on 20 August 1940) Table 14: Polizei-Bataillon 64 in Serbia (Summer 1941-Summer 1942) Table 15: Police Battalions in the Netherlands (May 1940-December 1942) Table 16: Polizei-Bataillon 69 – locations of the companies Table 17: District of Radom – Situation of the battalions (September 1939-January 1940) Table 18: Slovenians expelled from Untersteiermark (June-September 1941) Table 20: Polizei-Bataillon 82 – Locations, June 1941 – January 1942 Table 21: Police Battalions in the Warthegau (January 1940-June 1941) Table 22: Police Battalions in Norway (May 1940-July 1942) Table 23: Polizei-Ausbuildungs-Bataillon – Locations and regular derived battalions

Table 24: Polizei-Bataillon 305 – Locations (February-August 1942)

Table 33: German Security Divisions – stationing area and subordinated police battalions

Table 25: Polizei-Bataillon 307 – Locations (July – December 1941)

Table 34: Police Battalions in the District of Bialystok (Summer 1941-Summer 1942)

Table 26: Anwärter and Wachtmeister battalions – Location and commanders

Table 35: Polizei-Bataillon “Prag” – PolizeiRegiment (KdO) “Böhmen”

Table 27: Polizei-Bataillon 309 – Locations (February-May 1942)

Table 36: Polizei-Bataillon “Klattau” – PolizeiRegiment (KdO) “Böhmen”

Table 28: Polizei-Bataillon 310 – Locations and activities (October 1940-February 1942)

Table 37: Polizei-Bataillon “Jung-Bunzlau” – Polizei-Regiment (KdO) “Böhmen”

Table 29: District of Krakow – Situation of the battalions (December 1939-December 1941)

Table 38: Polizei-Bataillon “Pardubitz” – Polizei -Regiment (KdO) “Böhmen”

Table 30: Police Battalions in Russia – Heeresgruppe “Mitte” (December 1941-March 1942) Table 31: District of Lublin – Situation of the battalions (December 1939-December 1941) Table 32: Police Battalions in Russia – Heeresgruppe “Süd” (December 1941-March 1942)

Table 39: Polizei-Bataillon “Tabor” – PolizeiRegiment (KdO) “Böhmen” Table 40: Polizei-Bataillon “Iglau” – PolizeiRegiment (KdO) “Mähren” Table 41: Polizei-Bataillon “Brünn” – PolizeiRegiment (KdO) “Mähren” Table 42: Polizei-Bataillon “Holleschau” – Polizei -Regiment (KdO) “Mähren”

9

Maps

Oberschlesien, Ostoberschlesien and Oststreifen in autumn 1939.

1 0足 General Government, autumn 1939.

Bezirk Bialystok, autumn 1941

The Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.

11 Poland, General Government and annexed areas.

9.

POLIZEI-BATAILLON IV/2

T

he battalion was formed in Dresden – HStOrt Dresden1 – in the first days of September 1939, with four companies created from the two local companies, probably reinforced with sufficient contingents of VPS (around two-thirds)2 and policemen on active service at the 26 urban Reviere.

The battalion was sent to Poland as part of the Polizeigruppe 2 – Gen.Maj. Wilhelm Roettig – and had its own companies numbered 13÷163, each of them receiving an individual Fpn: Stab/IV/2, 31338; 13/ IV/2, 31530; 14/IV/2, 31967; 15/IV/2, 32014; 16/ IV/2, 324034.

For tactical reasons, it was assigned to the Korück 540 (Gen.Maj. Erich Ukeiser) of the 10th German Army, together with the rest of the Polizeigruppe 2, which, as a result, assumed the functions of BdO in the operation area of the Army to which it was assigned5.

Unfortunately, details on the activities of the battalion during the Polish campaign are not available. It may be possible to assume the general context by following the line of march of the 10th Army and the Corps under its command and comparing it with the information concerning the other battalions of the Polizeigruppe 2 and Einsatzgruppe II. Therefore, with a possible starting point in the area of Oppeln6, the battalion would have had operated in the areas near Czestochowa, Radomsko, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Konskie and Tomaszow Mazowiecki7. In particular, it seems that the second company of the battalion (14/IV/2) was moved to Opoczno, northwest of Konskie, together with a platoon of the Gendarmerie and a SchPDA consisting of 50 men, coming from Lodz/Litzmannstadt on 29 November 1939. The garrison was justified because until 15 May 1940, Opoczno maintained the role of chief town of the district, which later passed to Tomaszow Mazowiecki8.

In general, at least until late September, the battalion would mainly have kept guard over the high

1 2­

number of Polish POWs in the area under the authority of the Polizeigruppe 29.

Following the end of the active military operations, a general re-organisation of the Ordnungspolizei units was necessary in Poland and this caused the disbanding of the Polizeigruppe 2. In addition, the formation of a BdO Grenzabschnitt Mitte bei Militärbezirk “Lodsch” (21 September) which gave a new name to the above mentioned BdO für den Bereich des AOK 10, with authority for the area including Lodz, Kielce, Lublin and the border with the Soviet Union10.

The Polizei-Bataillon IV/2 fell under its authority, and was re-named →POLIZEI-BATAILLON 42, on or around 26 September 193911.

(Endnotes) 1 2

3 4 5

6

7

Klemp Ermittelt, page 422, Seidel, page 75.

Seidel, page 76, quotes general information, related to the whole five police battalions working in the 10th Army sector (I/2, II/2, III/2, IV/2 and V/2).

Tessin, page 559.

Kannapin, pages 699-700.

BdO für den Bereich des AOK 10. Tessin, page 559, Seidel, pages 75 and 181. In the Korück 540, the Einsatzgruppe II of Emanuel Schäfer also operated. It should be noted that in Poland in 1939, the plan that was later applied on a larger scale during the Russian Campaign in 1941 already existed: i.e., the Ordnungspolizei units subordinate to a BdO and the Einsatzgruppen evolving in the BdS/KdS. Previously, any BdO reported directly to its Army Command Office. Westermann Friend, page 645.

It is likely that the battalion received an order from Daluege dated 5 September, concerning the repression of Polish bands of Czestochowa. The repression was carried out - with 99 Poles shot by a Wehrmacht unit - before the battalion arrived.

See Mallmann Missgeburten, pages 73 and 84, Westermann Friend, pages 648-649. Actually, it is not clear which unit of the Polizeigruppe 1 received Daluege’s order. It might have been the IV/2, or one of the other battalions, as almost all of them passed through the area of Czestochowa. About the reprisal at Czestochowa, see Rossino Poland, pages 144-152. See also § 6.

We have information about the transit of the 46 ID (IV AK) and EG II through Czestochowa on 3 – 4 September; of the 1 PD (XVI AK) to Radomsko and Piotrkow Trybunalski on 4 – 5

September; of the EG II to Lubliniec between 8 and 12 September; of the 19 ID (XI AK) to Rawa Mazowiecka on 9 September; of the Polizei-Bataillon I/2 to Kielce; of the Polizei-Bataillon II/2 to Czestochowa, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Belchatow and Tomaszow Mazowiecki; of the Polizei-Bataillon III/2 to Konskie and Kielce. See Rossino Poland, pages 83, 138-140, 144, 170, 172, Klemp Ermittelt, pages 215 and 248, Kopitzsch, pages 147-148. All the above mentioned units belonged to the 10th Army and, especially for the Wehrmacht formations and the EG II; the different towns have been mentioned because they were the scenes of violence against the population.

8 Ziebicki, parte I. 9 Report of Gen.Maj. Herbert Becker – Command Officer of the Polizeigruppe 2 – to Himmler, dated 19 September 1939, where we can read that the subduing operations of the rear areas had not begun yet because of the numerous Polish prisoners to be guarded and transferred. Westermann Friend, page 648. Becker replaced Gen.Maj. Roettig in the command of the Polizeigruppe 2, after the latter died during a gunfight that occurred on 10 September.

10 Nix/Jerome, page 298. For a general view of the region under this authority on 3 October 1939, see Schenk, page 141.

11 Tessin, pages 559 and 630, Klemp Ermittelt, page 422. Actually, the change of the name was only recorded in the FpÜ in December 1939. Kannapin, pages 699-700.

Polizeioberwachtmeister Becker with the service dog called Crino.

13

10.

POLIZEI-BATAILLON V/2

T

he battalion was formed in Munich – HStOrt München1 – in the first days of September 1939, with four companies drawn from the two local Hundertschaften. The battalion was probably reinforced with sufficient contingents of VPS and policeman on active service in the 31 urban Reviere perhaps in a ratio of 2 to 3 respectively2. It is possible that in addition to the high numbers of Bavarian policemen, personnel from neighbouring areas such as Baden, and other territories of the IdOs joined the battalion3.

Sent to Poland as part of the Polizeigruppe 2 – Gen.Maj. Wilhelm Roettig – it had its own companies numbered 17÷204, each of them assigned a different Fpn: Stab/V/2, 20020; 17/V/2, 22536; 18/V/2, 23121; 19/V/2, 24410; 20/V/2, 265015.

From the tactical point of view, it was assigned to the Korück 540 (Gen.Maj. Erich Ukeiser) of the 10th German Army together with the rest of the Polizeigruppe 2, that took the role of BdO in the operational area of the Army to which it belonged6. Unfortunately, details on the activities of the battalion during the Polish campaign are not available. It may be possible to assume the general context by following the line of march of the 10th Army and the Corps under its orders, and comparing it with the information concerning the other battalions of the Polizeigruppe 2 and Einsatzgruppe II. Therefore, with a possible starting point in the area of Oppeln, the battalion would have had occasion to operate in the areas of Czestochowa7, Radomsko, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Konskie and Tomaszow Mazowiecki8.

In general, at least until late September, the battalion would mainly have kept guard over the high number of Polish POWs in the area under the authority of the Polizeigruppe 29.

At the end of the active military operations a general re-organisation of the Ordnungspolizei units in

1 4­

Poland was necessary and this caused the disbanding of the Polizeigruppe 2, as well as the formation of a BdO Grenzabschnitt Mitte bei Militärbezirk “Lodsch” (21 September), which gave a new name to the above mentioned BdO für den Bereich des AOK 10, with authority over an area covering Lodz, Kielce, Lublin and the border with the Soviet Union10. The Polizei-Bataillon V/2 fell under its authority, and was re-named →POLIZEI-BATAILLON 71, on or around 26 September 193911.

(Endnotes) 1 2

3

4 5 6

7

Klemp Ermittelt, page 426, Seidel, page 75.

Seidel, page 76 quotes general information, related to all five police battalions working in the 10th Army sector (I/2, II/2, III/2, IV/2 and V/2).

For instance, on 4 January 1940, a member of the battalion – in the meanwhile re-named Polizei-Bataillon 71 – sent a private letter to his address in Lahr, Baden. SS-Feldpostkarte – 4/ Polizei-Bataillon 71, Radom 4.1.1940. Fpn 26501. Authors archives. Obviously this case cannot only be considered statistically relevant, however, the fact that that correspondence survived decades after the event - from all the correspondence sent to their families by any member of the battalion - makes the possibility real that a relevant unit of policemen on duty in the battalion were not Bavarian.

Tessin, page 559.

Kannapin, pages 687, 690-691, 693-694.

BdO für den Bereich des AOK 10. Tessin, page 559, Seidel, pages 75 and 181. The Einsatzgruppe II of Emanuel Schäfer operated in the same Korück 540 together with the Einsatzkommando 1/II (SS-Stubaf. Otto Sens) and 2/II (SS-Stubaf. Karl-Heinz Rux). See Rossino Poland, pages 39-40. Officially, every BdO reported directly to the Army Command Office to which it belonged. Westermann Friend, page 645.

It is likely that the battalion received Daluege’s order dated 5 September, concerning the repression of Polish bands of Czestochowa. The repression was carried out - with 99 Poles shot by a Wehrmacht unit - before the battalion arrived. See Mallmann Missgeburten, pages 73 and 84, Westermann Friend, pages 648-649. Actually, it is not clear which unit of the Polizeigruppe 1 received Daluege’s order. It might have been the V/2, or one of the other battalions, as almost all of them passed through the area of Czestochowa. About the reprisal at Czestochowa, see Rossino Poland, pages 144-152. See also § 6.

8

For example, we have evidence of the transit of 46 ID (IV AK) and EG II through Czestochowa on 3 – 4 September; of the 1 PD (XVI AK) through Radomsko and Piotrkow Trybunalski on 4 – 5 September; of the EG II to Lubliniec between 8 and 12 September; of the 19 ID (XI AK) to Rawa Mazowiecka on 9 September; of the Polizei-Bataillon I/2 to Kielce; of the Polizei-Bataillon II/2 to Czestochowa, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Belchatow and Tomaszow Mazowiecki; of the Polizei-Bataillon III/2 to Konskie and Kielce. See Rossino Poland, pages 83, 138-140, 144, 170, 172, Klemp Ermittelt, pages 215 and 248, Kopitzsch, pages 147-148. All the mentioned units belonged to the 10th Army and especially for the Wehrmacht formations and the EG II; the different towns have been mentioned because they were the scenes of violence against the population.

9 Report to Himmler from Gen.Maj. Herbert Becker, Commanding Officer of the Polizeigruppe 2, dated 19 September 1939, where it is written that the subduing operations of the rear areas had not begun yet because of the numerous Polish prisoners to be guarded and transferred. Westermann Friend, page 648.

10 Nix/Jerome, page 298. For a general view of the region under this authority on 3 October 1939, see Schenk, page 141.

11 Tessin, pages 559 and 631, Klemp Ermittelt, page 423. Actually, the change of the name in the FpÜ was only recorded in December 1939. Kannapin, pages 687, 690-691, 693-694.

Der Chef der Ordnungspolizei: Kurt Daluenge in 1940.

15

1 6足

Photos

17

A police office introduces himself to the F端hrer..

Service in Norway. (Source ebay).

A police battalion in Norway.

(Source ebay).

1 8足 Service in Norway. (Source ebay).

Police checkpoint at Hornbach (Pfalz).

Near the border with Sweden.

(Source ebay).

Member of the Polizei-GebirgsjaegerRegimente 18 taking a break. (Source ebay).

German police escorting a column of civilians - possibly to forced labour - in Warsaw. Unknown date. (Source ebay).

Police parade in Oslo in front of Reichkommissar Terboven.

(Source ebay).

19

German police parade in Metz.

2 0足

A German message decoded at Bletchley Park (UK), announcing - among other things - the massace of 294 Jews at Kovel, Ukraine, by the PolizeiBataillon 313. (Source Mr Steven Campbell).

A German radiomessage from HSSPF Russla-sved to Berlin, announcing the "Sonderaktion" in Kamenec Podolsky, carried out by part of the Polizei-Bataillon 320. (Source Mr Steven Campbell).

Member of the Polizei-Gebirgsjaeger-Regimente 18. Notice the Edelweiss on the cap and the mountain shoes. (Source ebay).

Policemen with an old MG08, during a shooting drill. (Source ebay).

Member of a Polizei-Nachrichten unit. (Source ebay).

On the docks at Stettin.

(Source ebay).

21

144.

POLIZEI-BATAILLON “BRÜNN”

A

s regards the Polizei-Bataillon “Brünn ”, the same remarks stated in the previous chapters may be applied. Also in this case, we are talking about a district battalion in whose ambit and for undefined periods, a few regular battalions operated, as well as some autonomous mobile companies The operation area of the “Brünn”, was obviously different, having been enlarged to include the Oberlandsbezirke of Brünn and Olmütz and the several kreisen into which both districts had been split: “Brünn”, “Wischau”, “Boskowitz” and “Tischnowitz” under the former; “Mährisch-Weißkirchen”, “Olmütz-Land”, “Olmütz-Stadt”, “Prerau”, “Littau”, “Prossnitz” and “Kremsier” under the latter. Within this territorial ambit, the →POLIZEI-BATAILLON 210 would have probably acted as Standort-Bataillon at Brünn/Brno, whereas in the areas of Olomuc/Olmütz and Leipnik/ Lipnik/, two companies of the →POLIZEI-BATAILLON 209 would have been located1. On a higher level, the Polizei-Bataillon “Brünn” was included within the administrative structure of the Polizei-Regiment (KdO) “Mähren”.

This situation remained unchanged until the beginning of 1941, at least. In this period in fact, the →POLIZEI-BATAILLON 315 coming from Germany (Halle), arrived in Brünn. Their stay in the Protectorate was relatively short, ending in April, when was it was deployed in Slovenia2. In the meantime, both the Polizei-Bataillon 209 (of Olmütz and Holleschau) and 210 (of Brünn), were subjected to reorganising and probably disbanded: the former towards April; and possibly August or September for the latter.

Towards summer 1941, after the transfer to Russia of almost all the regular police battalions that had garrisoned the Protectorate until that moment3, the District of Brünn received from Olmütz a company of the newly arrived (from Silesia) →POLIZEI-BATAILLON 81 as reinforcements. This unit however was

2 2­

soon in turn disbanded. In autumn 1941, in fact – after the moving to Poland of the Polizei-BATAILLON 84 – the 81 had to enlarge its jurisdiction and relocate its companies independently, including in the District of Iglau4. In the meantime, the other two Moravian districts – that is, Zlin (Holleschau) and MährischOstrau5 – would have received possibly two residual companies of the disbanded →POLIZEI-BATAILLON 208.

Consequently, in order to spare personnel and rationalise these meagre forces, towards the beginning of 1942 it was decided to abolish the Polizei-Bataillon “Brünn”, as well as the other two (almost useless and emptied), district battalions in Moravia (the “Holleschau” and the “Iglau”). All these structures were disbanded and replaced by a brand new reserve battalion, called →RESERVE-POLIZEI-BATAILLON “HOLLESCHAU”6. Subsequently, on 23 May 1942, the new Polizeidirektion “Brünn” was formed7 and charged with the administrative tasks, until that moment accomplished by the no longer existing district battalion of Brünn.

As far as the new Reserve-Polizei-Bataillon “Holleschau” is concerned, it remained subordinate to the Polizei-Regiment (KdO) “Mähren” and absorbed the three companies of Brünn/Brno, Iglau and Olmütz, from the former Polizei-Bataillon 81, as well as the two companies located at Zlin (Holleschau) and MährischOstrau (former Polizei-Bataillon 208). In fact, on 30 April 1942, the Reserve-Polizei-Bataillon “Holleschau” is confirmed as having a manpower strength of fivecompanies8.

It is worth noting that from spring 1942, the District of Brünn became the temporary rest point for some of the police battalions in transit to and from the Russian front. These included the →POLIZEI-BATAILLON 131 coming from Würzburg and on the way to Belorussia, the →POLIZEI-BATAILLON 134,

almost destroyed in the area of Smolensk and subsequently disbanded and the →POLIZEI-BATAILLON 32, called back from the eastern front and reorganised as I/Polizei-Regiment 21 on 9 July 19429. These battalions cannot be considered subordinate to the presiding command of the area in which they stayed (in this

case the Reserve-Polizei-Bataillon “Holleschau”), because they were located in the district of Brünn, only temporarily awaiting further orders.

In order to better explain the evolution of the Polizei-Bataillon “Brünn” in the period September 1939/ July 1942, the following chart is shown.

Table 41: Polizei-Bataillon “Brünn” – Polizei-Regiment (KdO) “Mähren” In April [.?.] 1942 absorbed by the Reserve-Polizei-Bataillon “Holleschau” March/October 1939

November 1939/January 1941

PB IV/2 [BM] in October became PB 210 (Brünn ) PB III/2 [BM] in October became PB 209 (Olmütz and Leipnik)

PB 210 (Brünn)

January/April 1941

May/July 1941

PB 209 two companies only (Olmütz and Leipnik)

PB 210 (Brünn ) PB 209 (Olmütz and Leipnik). Disbanded and assigned to the PB 84

PB 210 (Brünn)

PB 84 (Olmütz and Leipnik). In Moravia from April 1941

PB 315 from Slovenia. At the KStRFSS’ disposal

PB 84 transferred to Iglau around July

PB 315 (Brünn). In Slovenia from April July/September 1941 PB 210 (Brünn). Disbanded, probably in September PB 81 (Olmütz). A company in Brünn in September.

Later disbanded April 1942 Disbanded and absorbed by the Reserve-PolizeiBataillon “Holleschau”

Autumn 1941/Beginning of 1942 A company of the disbanded PB 81 at Olmütz A company of the disbanded PB 81 at Brünn In transit from/to East– April/July 1942 PB 131 from May to June. Then, to Russia PB134 from Russia in June 1942. Then disbanded PB 32 from Russia in July. Reorganised as I/21

(Endnotes) 1

2

3

The other two battalion companies were located in Holleschau/ Holešov and Zlin, subordinate to the Polizei-Bataillon “Holleschau”. Tessin, page 536.

The Polizei-Bataillon 315 remained in Slovenia from April until May 1941, following which it was called back to the Protectorate and put at the disposal of the Kommandostab “Reichsführer-SS”, in order to prepare for its planned engagement on the Russian front. Consequently, it cannot be considered part of the Polizei-Bataillon “Brünn”, aside from possible logistical necessities.

That is, the Polizei-Bataillon 84, 315 and 318 from Moravia and the Polizei-Bataillon 316, 317, 319 and 320 from Bohemia.

4 5 6 7 8 9

Under authority of the Polizei-Bataillon “Iglau”.

Under authority of the Polizei-Bataillon “Holleschau”.

Tessin, page 554.

Nix/Jerome, pages 171 and 181. A Polizeidirektion was also established in the city of Olmütz/Olomuc.

Tessin, page 554.

As regards the Polizei-Bataillon 131 and 134, see the respective chapters. See also that of the Polizei-Bataillon 32, whose stay in Moravia was prolonged until spring 1943. Tessin, page 630, Klemp Ermittelt, page 453.

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