German Security and Police Soldier 1939–45

Basic Bibliographic Info

Title: German Security and Police Soldier 1939–45
Author: Gordon Williamson
Illustrator: Velimir Vuksic
Series: Osprey Warrior 61
Publisher: Osprey Publishing (Bloomsbury USA imprint)
Publication year: 2002
ISBN: 9781841764160
Type of book: Illustrated reference; organizational / uniform / service-history overview (not a memoir, biography, or campaign history)



Main Nations / Sides

Germany
Nazi Germany
Third Reich
Axis (German forces)



Forces, Branches and Organizations Covered

Wehrmacht security troops
Heer (German Army)
Feldgendarmerie (Army military police)
Feldjäger (Army field police)
Geheime Feldpolizei (GFP – Secret Field Police)
Miscellaneous Wehrmacht security units
Sicherungs-Divisionen (Army security divisions)
Ordnungspolizei (Order Police)
Uniformed Police (Schutzpolizei, Gendarmerie)
Allgemeine-SS
Waffen-SS
Reichssicherheitshauptamt (RSHA – Reich Security Main Office)
Einsatzgruppen
Kriminalpolizei (Kripo – Criminal Police)
Geheime Staatspolizei (Gestapo)
SD (Sicherheitsdienst – Security Service)
Auxiliary police units



Specific Formations / Units Mentioned

13. Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS "Handschar" (1. kroatische)
24. Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS "Karstjäger"
8. SS-Kavallerie-Division "Florian Geyer"
22. SS-Kavallerie-Division "Maria Theresia"
37. SS-Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-Division "Lützow"
Kaminski Brigade (RONA)
Sonderkommando Dirlewanger
Feldgendarmerie of "Hermann Göring" Division (Luftwaffe field / Fallschirm-Panzer-Division Hermann Göring) – referenced via photo caption



Themes and Subject Focus

German military police (Feldgendarmerie) recruitment and training
German military police active service duties
Traffic control and movement control
Maintenance of order and discipline within the Wehrmacht
Escorting prisoners of war
Redirection of stragglers
Prevention of looting
Supervision and control of civilian population in occupied areas
Disarming civilians
Searching captured enemy soldiers
Investigating traffic accidents in war zones
Checking identity and movement papers of soldiers
Removal of enemy propaganda leaflets
Searching for downed enemy aircrew
Street patrols in occupied territories
Prevention of sabotage
Co‑operation between Feldgendarmerie and Geheime Feldpolizei
Arresting deserters
Anti-partisan operations
Security and policing duties in combat zones
Morale, discipline and "moral authority" of military police in front-line areas
Dangerous service and exposure of security troops on front lines and in rear areas
Contrast between "honourable" traditions and criminal / repressive roles within the same security apparatus
Complex structure of the Third Reich security apparatus
Integration of police and SS under Himmler as Reichsführer‑SS and Chef der Deutschen Polizei
Comparison to Soviet NKVD security troops (mentioned in introduction)



Geography / Theaters (as explicitly indicated)

Eastern Front – winter service; anti-partisan dangers; traffic duty at remote crossroads in Russia (photo caption: "Russia, October 1943")
France – campaign in France; inspection of French refugee’s vehicle ("campaign in France" photo caption)
Sicily – Feldgendarmerie of Hermann Göring unit in Sicily, 1943 (photo caption)
Occupied territories / occupied areas (general)
Garrison towns in Germany (home-front policing context)



Time Period

Second World War (World War II)
1939–1945
Mobilisation in 1939
Eastern Front, 1943 (specific caption date)
Sicily campaign, 1943 (specific caption date)



Weapons, Vehicles, Equipment (explicitly shown or described)

Karabiner 98k (Kar98k) rifle – ammunition pouches described in caption
9mm pistol (sidearm carried by Feldgendarmerie NCO in Russia, 1943 – holstered, mentioned in caption)
Wehrmacht Marine (W.M.)-registered naval staff car (vehicle inspected by Feldgendarmerie; "W.M." license plate prefix explained)
Feldgendarmerie gorget (military police gorget plate)
Hermann Göring Division’s "unique version" of Feldgendarmerie gorget (noted as distinctive)
Army-issue torch (flashlight) carried on greatcoat button
Traffic direction wand (used by Feldgendarmerie on traffic control duty)
Armband for temporarily assigned personnel to Feldgendarmerie duties



Uniforms and Insignia

Feldgendarmerie uniforms
Feldgendarmerie senior NCO (Stabsfeldwebel) uniform details
Polizei-pattern eagle worn on left sleeve in early war Feldgendarmerie (noted as later omitted)
Greatcoat wear and field equipment
Rank distinctions (Unteroffizier, Gefreiter, Feldwebel, Stabsfeldwebel, Oberfeldwebel, NCO vs officer roles)
Use of armbands for temporary police duties
Differences between police-origin and Wehrmacht-origin NCOs within Feldgendarmerie



Structure, Recruitment and Training

Recruitment of Feldgendarmerie from civilian police (Ordnungspolizei)
Transfer of Gendarmerie and Schutzpolizei personnel into Feldgendarmerie
Requirement for NCO status or NCO suitability for transfer from regular army
Feldgendarmerie Vorschrift (regulations) on filling officer and NCO posts from Ordnungspolizei
Use of existing civilian police training and small-arms skills
Feldgendarmerie training schools at Prague and Litzmannstadt‑Gornau
Temporary assignment of soldiers to Feldgendarmerie for specific tasks
Convalescent front-line soldiers serving temporarily with divisional Feldgendarmerie Trupp
Role of combat decorations in lending authority to military police



Repression, War Crimes and Moral Issues (as explicitly addressed)

Involvement of some German police and SS security units in atrocities and "dreadful events" (general)
Description of some formations as among "the most repugnant military formations ever to have borne arms"
Inclusion of feared security organs such as Gestapo and SD
Anti-partisan operations associated with Waffen‑SS and security units
Note that not all branches and individuals within the security apparatus were directly involved in atrocities



Comparative / Contextual Points

Scale and complexity of Third Reich security apparatus
Subdivisions of German police into multiple specialized branches
Integration of police and SS leadership under Heinrich Himmler
Comparison with Soviet Union’s NKVD Security Troops (whole divisions of security forces)
Role of security and police troops in totalitarian regimes
Contrast between field security units and home-front garrison duties



Visual and Reference Features

Extensive photographic content (period photos of Feldgendarmerie and other security troops)
Color uniform plates / artwork (colour plate commentary listed in contents)
Illustrated by Velimir Vuksic – detailed color drawings of uniforms and equipment
Organizational and structural overview of German security and police forces
Bibliography
Index
Section on museums and collections (for further study and surviving artefacts)



Useful Catalog Tags (Derived from Content)

World War II – German security forces
World War II – German military police
World War II – German police
World War II – Waffen‑SS security units
World War II – SS and police
World War II – occupation and security duties
World War II – anti-partisan operations
World War II – Eastern Front security
World War II – France 1940 campaign (security aspects)
World War II – Sicily campaign (security aspects)
Third Reich – Gestapo and SD
Third Reich – RSHA
Third Reich – Ordnungspolizei
Third Reich – Feldgendarmerie
Third Reich – Einsatzgruppen and special units
Third Reich – Waffen‑SS mountain divisions
Third Reich – Waffen‑SS cavalry divisions
Dirlewanger unit
Kaminski Brigade
Handschar Division
Karstjäger Division
Florian Geyer Division
Maria Theresia Division
Lützow Division
Military police – organization and duties
Uniforms – German World War II security and police
Insignia – German police and SS, 1939–45
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