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The Reichwehr after World War I disbanded military police units. This was primarily because of the limitations established by the Versailles Treaty. Reichwehr commanders did not want to expend limited resources on police units. Thus the Wehrmacht did not at have military police units.
Garrisons were patrolled by regular soldiers rather than military police units. When the War began, however, the Wehrmacht began forming specialized police units. This was in part a function of the basic military need for dedicated police units. Other factors pushed the NAZIs to organize a range of police units, including 1) the NAZI's exploitation of occupied countries, 2) NAZI racial policies, and 3) the resistance that developed to German occupation, especually in the Balkans and in the East. As a result, the Germans formed a range of police units, somewithin the Wehrmacht structure, others within the SS.
The Reichwehr after World War I disbanded military police units. This was primarily because of the limitations established by the Versailles Treaty. Reichwehr commanders did not want to expend limited resources on police units. Thus the Wehrmacht did not at have military police units.
Garrisons were patrolled by regular soldiers rather than military police units.
Hitler launched World War II with the invasion of Poland (1939). The Wehrmacht began forming specialized police units. This was in part a function of the basic military need for dedicated police units. Other factors pushed the NAZIs to organize a range of police units. In fact, the Whrmachtv found that they needed military police more than a normal army. In part this was because the Whrmacht occupied so many countries. Hitler at the beginning of the War conquered more territory than any leader since Napoleon. And even with its allies (Bulgaria, Hungary, Itay, and Romania), the relation over time shifted from an alliance to an occupation. Occupying these countries necesitated units with police more than military skills. The police units were needed to: 1) effectively exploit occupied countries, 2) pursue NAZI racial policies (here the Holocaust was just the first step), and 3) supress the resistance that developed to German occupation, especially in the Balkans and in the East. As a result, the Germans formed a range of police units, somewithin the Wehrmacht structure, others within the SS.
The Wehrmacht as it did not have military police units at the start of the War, mobilized civilian police units to create its first military police units--the Fallschirmtruppen. The SS did the same. Some Waffen SS divisions were formed around civilian police units. This was the path to war for two major German commanders--Sepp Dietrich and Kurt Meyer of the 12th SS. Both were policemen when the War began.
The Feldgendarmerie was the principal Whrmacht military police units. Feldgendarmerie meanns "field police". The Germans called them "Kettenhunde" (chain dogs). The Feldgendarmerie received full infantry training and thus werecfully capable of military operations. They were also given extensive police powers. The Feldgendarmerie were assigned to army divisions and larger formations.
The Feldgendarmerie organized many different detachments. Many of these were self-contained units within an army division. They cooperated closely with the Geheime Feldpolizei (Secret Field Police). They also worked with district commanders and NAZI civilian officials.
The Wehrmacht set up a military police school at Potsdam, a suburb of Berlin. It was to train officers for the new military police units. The curriculum was interesting. There were both military subjects as well as a range of topics that seemed more related to long term occupation than short term ecploitation. The curriclum included: German criminal code, police powers, forestry codes, fishery and waterway codes, traffic codes, industrial codes, reporting duties, passport and identification duties, folk culture, first aid, weapons drill and instruction, shooting, defence techniques, criminal police methodology, identification service and general correspondence training. Other course included air defence, animal protection, and typewriter/stenography work. After the first term, successful candidates were assigned to a police station for on-the-job experience. The full course was 1 year and it appears to have been a rather demanding program.
In one class, less than half the candidates passed their examinations.
The Sturmabteilungen formed the Feldjagerkorps als Ordnungspolizei (June 30, 1933). The SS supressed the SA leadership during the Night of the Long Knives (1934). As part of the provcess of reducing the SA, the unit was transferred to the civilian police (1936). The unit was reconstituted with a military function as the German position in the East began to collapse. The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht" (OKW) took a number of drastic steps. Feldjager" units were established to help maintain discpline in hard hit Wehrmacht units (January 9, 1944). OKW set up three Feldjager regiments each made up of five detachments.
The Feldjager units were placed directly under OKW control. Their primary function was to find and arrest
deserters. Other tasks were to deal with insubordinate soldiers, looters and general malingerers. They also carried out sweeps in rear areas for soldiers who could be reassigned to front line duties. Hitler was asking the Wwhrmacht to stahd and fight to the death in the East. The Feldjager was OKW's instrument to make sure they did just that. OKW manned the Feldjager units with battle-hardened officers, NCOs and soldiers. They had the authority to arrest anyone who did not have the documentation for they were not with their units.
Feldjager commanders had the authority to conduct drum-head court martial and execute those found guilty immediately. Feldjager men wore a special "Feldjager" duty gorget just like the Feldgendarmerie gorget
They also wore a red armband on the lower left cufwhich set them apart from regular Wehrmacht or Waffen-SS troops.
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