Feldjägerkorps
Encyclopedia
For the modern German Military Police see: Feldjaeger
The Feldjägerkorps was a military police
organization in the German
Wehrmacht
during World War II
. It was formed on 27 November 1943 from distinguished veterans and Patrol Service personnel. This corps was formed into three Feldjäger Commands (I, II and III), which reported directly to Field Marshal Keitel
, and was senior to all other military police organizations.
This was divided into 30 (Streifen) Patrols, which were based 12 miles behind the front lines. These patrols were very rough in their justice, which included summary execution
s. They were supported by a Streifkorps (Patrol Corps), organized into sections of a senior non-commissioned officer and 9 enlisted personnel.
amongst the front line troops was dropping. Until this time, the Feldgendarmerie
and Geheime Feldpolizei
had been relied upon to try to curb desertion and maintain discipline, however these men had other duties as well and the situation was getting out of hand. In November 1943, a new formation was created - the Feldjägerkorps. In order to be eligible for service, soldiers had to have a minimum 3 years frontline combat experience and have earned the Iron Cross 2nd class
.
Feldjägerkommando I and II saw action on the Eastern front
, whilst Feldjägerkommando III saw action on the western front
.
Each Feldjägerkommandeur originally controlled an Feldjägerabteilungen (battalion), and from 24 April 1944, a regiment
). The Fj battalion consisted of five motorized companies, each of 30 officers and 90 non-commissioned officers. The Feldjägerregiment contained five Feldjägerabteilungen each of which contained three Kompanies, of about 50 men.
The basic unit was the Streife (patrol) which was made up of anywhere between 1 Feldjäger and 3 Feldjäger and an officer.
The Feldjägerkorps operated parallel to the front line and approximately 12–15 miles behind it. Their basic duties were to:
They could also be employed in the same capacity as the Feldgendarmerie
.
After the surrender of Germany, Feldjägerkommando III remained armed and at the disposal of the US Army in order to maintain discipline amongst the German PoWs. Feldjägerkommando III finally and formally surrendered its arms to the Allies on 23 June 1946.
. The only items which identified him were the gorget
and red armband
worn on the lower left cuff, bearing bold black lettering reading; Oberkommando der Wehrmacht - Feldjäger -
members and volunteers recruited from existing Sturmabteilung
(SA) and Schutzstaffel
(SS) units. At this point in their history, leaders of the Nazi Party intended to use police brigades for protection as well as for gaining power over other political groups. Much of the intent of organizing these police units was to band together groups of men who had military training and knowledge stemming from their First World War experience. Designated the SA Field Police (SA-Feldjägerkorps), this formation was organized into eight battalions of approximately 195 men each with each battalion being assigned to a specific city or district with its headquarters in Berlin. Members of the SA-Feldjägerkorps were allowed to rejoin or transfer into the SS following completion of their service with the unit. On 1 April 1935 the SA-Feldjägerkorps was incorporated into the larger Prussian “Schutzpolizei” and was no longer under the control of the SA or related authorities. Over time, many smaller police units were organized or cluster together for the purpose of expanding control.
The Feldjägerkorps was a military police
Military police
Military police are police organisations connected with, or part of, the military of a state. The word can have different meanings in different countries, and may refer to:...
organization in the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was formed on 27 November 1943 from distinguished veterans and Patrol Service personnel. This corps was formed into three Feldjäger Commands (I, II and III), which reported directly to Field Marshal Keitel
Wilhelm Keitel
Wilhelm Bodewin Gustav Keitel was a German field marshal . As head of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht and de facto war minister, he was one of Germany's most senior military leaders during World War II...
, and was senior to all other military police organizations.
This was divided into 30 (Streifen) Patrols, which were based 12 miles behind the front lines. These patrols were very rough in their justice, which included summary execution
Summary execution
A summary execution is a variety of execution in which a person is killed on the spot without trial or after a show trial. Summary executions have been practiced by the police, military, and paramilitary organizations and are associated with guerrilla warfare, counter-insurgency, terrorism, and...
s. They were supported by a Streifkorps (Patrol Corps), organized into sections of a senior non-commissioned officer and 9 enlisted personnel.
History
By 1943, World War II was turning against Germany and moraleMorale
Morale, also known as esprit de corps when discussing the morale of a group, is an intangible term used to describe the capacity of people to maintain belief in an institution or a goal, or even in oneself and others...
amongst the front line troops was dropping. Until this time, the Feldgendarmerie
Feldgendarmerie
The Feldgendarmerie were the uniformed military police units of the armies of the German Empire from the mid 19th Century until the conclusion of World War II.- Early history :...
and Geheime Feldpolizei
Geheime Feldpolizei
The ' or GFP, was the secret military police of the German Wehrmacht until the end of Second World War. These units were used to carry out plain-clothed security work in the field such as counter-espionage, counter sabotage, detection of treasonable activities, counter-propaganda and to provide...
had been relied upon to try to curb desertion and maintain discipline, however these men had other duties as well and the situation was getting out of hand. In November 1943, a new formation was created - the Feldjägerkorps. In order to be eligible for service, soldiers had to have a minimum 3 years frontline combat experience and have earned the Iron Cross 2nd class
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
.
Organization
The Feldjägerkorps consisted of 3 Feldjägerkommando:- Feldjägerkommando I was formed in KönigsbergKönigsbergKönigsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
. It was commanded by General der Flieger Ernst Müller. - Feldjägerkommando II was formed in Breslau. Its commanders were General der Panzertruppe Werner KempfWerner KempfGeneral Werner Kempf was a Panzer General in the German army during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves ....
, General der Infantrie Karl von OvenKarl von OvenKarl von Oven was a highly decorated General der Infanterie in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several corps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
and General der Artillerie Willi MoserWilli MoserWilli Albin Moser was a highly decorated General der Artillerie in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the LXXI. Armeekorps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or...
. - Feldjägerkommando III was formed in ViennaViennaVienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. It commanders were General der Infantrie Hans-Karl von ScheeleHans-Karl von ScheeleHans-Karl von Scheele was a General der Infanterie in the Wehrmacht during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
, General der Infantrie Martin GraseMartin GraseMartin Grase was a German general who commanded the 1. Infanterie Division during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
and General der Flieger Hans SpeidelHans SpeidelHans Speidel: Born in Metzingen, was a German general during World War II and the first German NATO Commander during the Cold War.- 1914–1945 :...
.
Feldjägerkommando I and II saw action on the Eastern front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
, whilst Feldjägerkommando III saw action on the western front
Western Front (World War II)
The Western Front of the European Theatre of World War II encompassed, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and West Germany. The Western Front was marked by two phases of large-scale ground combat operations...
.
Each Feldjägerkommandeur originally controlled an Feldjägerabteilungen (battalion), and from 24 April 1944, a regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
). The Fj battalion consisted of five motorized companies, each of 30 officers and 90 non-commissioned officers. The Feldjägerregiment contained five Feldjägerabteilungen each of which contained three Kompanies, of about 50 men.
The basic unit was the Streife (patrol) which was made up of anywhere between 1 Feldjäger and 3 Feldjäger and an officer.
Mission
The authority of the Feldjägerkorps came directly from the German Army High Command, and as such even the lowest ranking soldier theoretically carried more power than army officers. The commanding officer of a Feldjägerkommando had the same level of authority as an Armee commander with the authority to punish any soldier of any branch of service (the Waffen SS included).The Feldjägerkorps operated parallel to the front line and approximately 12–15 miles behind it. Their basic duties were to:
- maintain order and discipline
- prevent panic retreats
- gather stragglers and assemble them at collection points, where they could be assembled into ad hoc units
- check soldiers travel and/or leave permits at embarkation points
- round up deserters and either return to their units, hand them over to the Feldgendarmerie or Geheime Feld Polizei or issue punishment themselves.
- Gather Prisoners of War (PoWs) and hand them over to the appropriate authorities.
They could also be employed in the same capacity as the Feldgendarmerie
Feldgendarmerie
The Feldgendarmerie were the uniformed military police units of the armies of the German Empire from the mid 19th Century until the conclusion of World War II.- Early history :...
.
After the surrender of Germany, Feldjägerkommando III remained armed and at the disposal of the US Army in order to maintain discipline amongst the German PoWs. Feldjägerkommando III finally and formally surrendered its arms to the Allies on 23 June 1946.
Reputation
Although the image of the Feldjäger was one of a tough, brutal soldier who shot on sight; this was often not the case. Veterans have stated that if they were caught by the Feldjäger, as long as they had a valid reason and the necessary paperwork to be behind the lines they were left alone. In only a very few cases on the Western front were summary executions used. More was to be feared from roaming groups of deserters or SS officers who took it upon themselves to "police" the rear line areas - in some cases fire fights between these groups and the Feldjägerkorps occurred.Uniform
The Feldjäger wore a normal German Army infantryman's uniform with white waffenfarbeWaffenfarbe
Waffenfarbe is a means the German military uses to distinguish between different corps or troop functions in its armed services...
. The only items which identified him were the gorget
Gorget
A gorget originally was a steel or leather collar designed to protect the throat. It was a feature of older types of armour and intended to protect against swords and other non-projectile weapons...
and red armband
Armband
An armband is a piece of material worn around the arm over the sleeve of other clothing if present. they may be worn for pure ornamentation to mark the wearer as belonging to group, having a certain rank or role, or being in a particular state or condition...
worn on the lower left cuff, bearing bold black lettering reading; Oberkommando der Wehrmacht - Feldjäger -
Other Feldjager units
The SA-Feldjägerkorps - In October 1933 Hermann Göring established a supplementary police group for use within the State of Prussia. This group was also intended to have responsibilities in selected cities within Greater Germany. The unit consisted of former polizeiPolizei
Polizei is the German word for police. It might refer to:-National agencies:*Bundespolizei - Federal Police of Germany*Bundespolizei - Federal Police of Austria*Bundeskriminalamt - Federal Criminal Office of Germany, comparable to the FBI...
members and volunteers recruited from existing Sturmabteilung
Sturmabteilung
The Sturmabteilung functioned as a paramilitary organization of the National Socialist German Workers' Party . It played a key role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s...
(SA) and Schutzstaffel
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
(SS) units. At this point in their history, leaders of the Nazi Party intended to use police brigades for protection as well as for gaining power over other political groups. Much of the intent of organizing these police units was to band together groups of men who had military training and knowledge stemming from their First World War experience. Designated the SA Field Police (SA-Feldjägerkorps), this formation was organized into eight battalions of approximately 195 men each with each battalion being assigned to a specific city or district with its headquarters in Berlin. Members of the SA-Feldjägerkorps were allowed to rejoin or transfer into the SS following completion of their service with the unit. On 1 April 1935 the SA-Feldjägerkorps was incorporated into the larger Prussian “Schutzpolizei” and was no longer under the control of the SA or related authorities. Over time, many smaller police units were organized or cluster together for the purpose of expanding control.