Polnisches Schutzmannschaftsbataillon 202
Encyclopedia
Polnisches Schutzmannschaftsbataillon 202 was a collaborationist
police battalion
, one of a number of Schutzmannschaften auxiliary battalions composed of Ukrainians (5,000 – 12,000) and Poles
(2,000 – 2,200) drafted by Germans from inhabitants of General Government
, as a support for the Nazi
Sicherheitspolizei
(security police).
Created in May-June 1942, the battalion which operated mostly in Volhynia
and Podolia
between 19431944, was subordinate to the German Schutzpolizei
. The initial volunteer recruitment yielded only 2 members. Afterward, the German authorities resorted to forceful draft among members of Blue Police
. Due to attempts to dodge the draft, another method included false advertisements for paid work in "Polish Police".
German major Walery Sauermann was made the commander of the unit, and Germans made up all of the officers. In November 1943 more than half of the battalion deserted
. At least 700 Poles joined the 27th Volhynian Division of the Armia Krajowa
, additional 60 Poles were executed for mutiny in Jarmolińce. One of the most widely quoted reason among the Poles for joining the unit was a desire to offer protection for civilians against the OUN-UPA wave of massacres of Poles in Volhynia
. The unit was practically destroyed in combat with the Red Army
at the beginning of 1944. The remains of the unit were transferred to Lwow (Lviv). Officially the battalion was disbanded on May 8, 1944.
The battalion was armed with Mauser Mk 98k
rifles and MP38 and MP41 machine gun
s.
It is believed that some of its former members subsequently joined the Blue Police
in the General Government
.
Collaborationism
Collaborationism is cooperation with enemy forces against one's country. Legally, it may be considered as a form of treason. Collaborationism may be associated with criminal deeds in the service of the occupying power, which may include complicity with the occupying power in murder, persecutions,...
police battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
, one of a number of Schutzmannschaften auxiliary battalions composed of Ukrainians (5,000 – 12,000) and Poles
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
(2,000 – 2,200) drafted by Germans from inhabitants of General Government
General Government
The General Government was an area of Second Republic of Poland under Nazi German rule during World War II; designated as a separate region of the Third Reich between 1939–1945...
, as a support for the Nazi
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
Sicherheitspolizei
Sicherheitspolizei
The Sicherheitspolizei , often abbreviated as SiPo, was a term used in Nazi Germany to describe the state political and criminal investigation security agencies. It was made up by the combined forces of the Gestapo and the Kripo between 1936 and 1939...
(security police).
Created in May-June 1942, the battalion which operated mostly in Volhynia
Volhynia
Volhynia, Volynia, or Volyn is a historic region in western Ukraine located between the rivers Prypiat and Southern Bug River, to the north of Galicia and Podolia; the region is named for the former city of Volyn or Velyn, said to have been located on the Southern Bug River, whose name may come...
and Podolia
Podolia
The region of Podolia is an historical region in the west-central and south-west portions of present-day Ukraine, corresponding to Khmelnytskyi Oblast and Vinnytsia Oblast. Northern Transnistria, in Moldova, is also a part of Podolia...
between 19431944, was subordinate to the German Schutzpolizei
Schutzpolizei
The Schutzpolizei , or Schupo for short, is a branch of the Landespolizei, the state level police of the German states. Schutzpolizei literally means security or protection police but is best translated as Uniformed Police....
. The initial volunteer recruitment yielded only 2 members. Afterward, the German authorities resorted to forceful draft among members of Blue Police
Blue Police
The Blue Police, more correctly translated as The Navy-Blue Police was the popular name of the collaborationist police in the German occupied area of the Second Polish Republic, known as General Government during the Second World War...
. Due to attempts to dodge the draft, another method included false advertisements for paid work in "Polish Police".
German major Walery Sauermann was made the commander of the unit, and Germans made up all of the officers. In November 1943 more than half of the battalion deserted
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
. At least 700 Poles joined the 27th Volhynian Division of the Armia Krajowa
Armia Krajowa
The Armia Krajowa , or Home Army, was the dominant Polish resistance movement in World War II German-occupied Poland. It was formed in February 1942 from the Związek Walki Zbrojnej . Over the next two years, it absorbed most other Polish underground forces...
, additional 60 Poles were executed for mutiny in Jarmolińce. One of the most widely quoted reason among the Poles for joining the unit was a desire to offer protection for civilians against the OUN-UPA wave of massacres of Poles in Volhynia
Massacres of Poles in Volhynia
The Massacres of Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia were part of an ethnic cleansing operation carried out by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army West in the Nazi occupied regions of the Eastern Galicia , and UPA North in Volhynia , beginning in March 1943 and lasting until the end of...
. The unit was practically destroyed in combat with the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
at the beginning of 1944. The remains of the unit were transferred to Lwow (Lviv). Officially the battalion was disbanded on May 8, 1944.
The battalion was armed with Mauser Mk 98k
Karabiner 98k
The Karabiner 98 Kurz was a bolt action rifle chambered for the 8x57mm IS/7.92×57mm IS cartridge that was adopted as the standard service rifle in 1935 by the German Wehrmacht. It was one of the final developments in the long line of Mauser military rifles...
rifles and MP38 and MP41 machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s.
It is believed that some of its former members subsequently joined the Blue Police
Blue Police
The Blue Police, more correctly translated as The Navy-Blue Police was the popular name of the collaborationist police in the German occupied area of the Second Polish Republic, known as General Government during the Second World War...
in the General Government
General Government
The General Government was an area of Second Republic of Poland under Nazi German rule during World War II; designated as a separate region of the Third Reich between 1939–1945...
.