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| Latvian Auxiliary Police | |
|---|---|
 Members of the 21st Latvian Police Battalion assemble a group of Jewish women for execution on a beach near Liepaja, December 15, 1941. |
|
| Active | from July 1941 |
| Country |  Nazi Germany |
| Engagements | Holocaust in Latvia, Anti-partisan operations in Belarus |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Viktors Arājs Roberts Bluzmanis |
Latvian Auxiliary Police was a paramilitary force created from Latvian volunteers by the Nazi German authorities who occupied the country in June 1941. Composed of local fascists, rightist members of the former military and police, and nationalist students, the organization participated in the Holocaust, looting and killing the local Jewish population. One of its units, the Arajs Kommando, was notorious for killing 26,000 civilians during the war, mostly Jews, but also Communists and Romas.[1]
Contents |
Formation of units
The first Latvian Schutzmannschaft (Police) Battalions were formed, most to serve as combat units, some to carry out raids against partisans and to discharge ghetto guard duties. [2] One of the earliest units formed was in Daugavpils, which German forces reached on June 28, 1941, six days after launching Operation Barbarossa. Roberts Bluzmanis was appointed chief of the Latvian Auxiliary Police in Nazi-occupied Daugavpils.[3] An auxiliary police force was in Riga under Nazi ausipces on July 3, 1941, headed by Latvian captain, Petersons. The auxiliary police force consisted primarily individuals of police, army, and militia organizations which had been disbanded upon the prior Soviet occupation.
Organization
Owing to the initiative of the EK (Einsatzkommando), the auxiliary police force consisted of 240 men and had been strictly organized. New men were currently being enlisted. They helped the EK as auxiliary police and were on duty in the 6 police districts established so far. Some members had been assigned to Kriminalpolizei and Sicherheitspolizei work. By July 7 the Latvians arrested 1125 Jews, 32 political prisoners, 85 Russian workers, and 2 women criminals, the greater part during the last days. This is due to the EK backing the Latvians. Actions against the Jews were going on in an ever-increasing number. Conforming to a suggestion of the EK, the Jews were being evacuated by the auxiliary police force from all houses still standing. The apartments were being allocated to non-Jewish inhabitants. The food supply was inadequate as nearly all stocks were destroyed by fire. The arrested Jewish men were shot without ceremony and interred in previously prepared mass graves. 400 Jews were killed during pogroms in Riga, since the arrival of EK 2; 300 by the Latvian auxiliary police. By 1944, the occupation power, with the collaboration of the Self-Administration, had formed a total of 33 auxiliary police battalions. [4]
The Arajs Kommando (also: Sonderkommando Arajs), led by SS-Sturmbannführer Viktors Arājs, was a unit of Latvian Auxiliary Police (German: Lettische Hilfspolizei) subordinated to the SD. It is one of the more well-known and notorious killing units during the Holocaust. The central part of Andrew Ezergailis' work details the activities of the Arajs Kommando, the Latvian unit that Brigadeführer Franz Walter Stahlecker organized for the killing of the Jews of Latvia. Numerous Latvian auxiliary police units played a major role in the murdering the Jews. [5]
Police Battalions and Regiments
- Polizei z. b. V. Bataillon 1 Meiers, October 1944
- Polizei z. b. V. Bataillon 2, October 1944
- Schutzmannschaft Front Bataillon 16 Zemgale, 22 October 1941 - 8 February 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Ost Bataillon 16, 21 March 1942 - 18 May 1942
- Schutzmannschaft Front Bataillon 17 Vidzeme, 21 December 1941 - May 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Ost Bataillon 17 Rezekne, 18 March 1942 - 18 May 1942
- Schutzmannschaft Front Bataillon 18 Kurzeme, 13 January 1942 - May 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Ost Bataillon 18 Ergli, 18 March 1942 - 18 May 1942
- Schutzmannschaft Front Bataillon 19 Latgale, 16 December 1941 - 30 January 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Ost Bataillon 19, 18 March 1942 - 18 May 1942
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Wacht Bataillon 20 Riga, April 1942 - January 1944
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Ost Bataillon 20 Abrene, 9 May 1942 - 18 May 1942
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 21 Liepaja, 25 February 1942 - 30 January 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 22 Daugava, 25 February 1942 - 7 February 1944
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 23 Gauja, 25 February 1942 - 8 May 1945
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 24 Talsi, 1 March 1942 - 18 April 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Ost Bataillon 24 Venta, June 1942 - 1942
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 25 Abava, 6 March 1942 - 7 February 1944
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Ost Bataillon 25, June 1942 - July 1942
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 26 Tukums, 6 March 1942 - 23 April 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 27 Burtnieki, 14 March 1942 - April 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 28 Barta, 9 March 1942 - 13 July 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Ost Bataillon 266, 18 May 1942 - November 1944
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 267 Rezekne, 18 May 1942 - 1 June 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Ost Bataillon 268 Ergli, 18 May 1942 - 3 February 1944
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Wacht Bataillon 269, 18 May 1942 - June 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 270, 18 May 1942 - 18 February 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 271 Valmiera, 15 January 1943 - October 1944
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 272 Daugavgriva, 1 July 1942 - April 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 273 Ludza, 1 July 1942 - 15 July 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 274, 1 October 1942 - 30 September 1944
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 275, 16 October 1942 - June 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 276 Kuldiga, 17 December 1942 - 11 August 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 277 Sigulda, 17 December 1942 - 11 August 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 278 Dobele, 17 December 1942 - 11 August 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 279 Cesu, 4 January 1943 - 15 July 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 280 Bolderaja, 23 January 1943 - 9 April 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 281 Abrene, 23 January 1943 - 9 April 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 282 Venta, 1942 - 15 July 1943
- Schutzmannschaft/Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 283, July 1942 - May 1944
- Lettische Polizei Bataillon 283, May 1944 - December 1944
- Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 311 Valmiera, 12 May 1943 - 2 July 1943
- Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 312, 15 May 1943 - 11 August 1943
- Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 313, 2 August 1943 - 7 February 1944
- Lettische Polizei Bataillon 314, May 1944 - July 1944
- Lettische Polizei Bataillon 315, January 1944 - April 1945
- Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 316, 2 August 1943 - 7 February 1944
- Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 317, 18 October 1943 - 14 February 1944
- Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 318, 25 October 1943 - 14 February 1944
- Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 319, 25 October 1943 - 8 May 1945
- Lettische Polizei Wacht Bataillon 320, 21 December 1943 - 20 September 1944
- Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 321, 22 December 1943 - 14 February 1944
- Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 322, 23 July 1944 - 8 May 1945
- Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 325, March 1944 - December 1944
- Lettische Polizei Front Bataillon 326, March 1944 - May 1944
- Lettische Polizei Bataillon 327, March 1944 - April 1944
- Lettische Polizei Bataillon 328, March 1944 - July 1944
- Lettisches Freiwilligen Polizei Regiment 1 Riga, 1 August 1943 - 19 November 1944
- Lettisches Freiwilligen Polizei Regiment 2 Liepaja, February 1944 - 26 October 1944
- Lettisches Freiwilligen Polizei Regiment 3 Cesis , February 1944 - August 1944
- Lettisches Grenzschutz Regiment 1 Riga, February 1944 - March 1944
- Lettisches Grenzschutz Regiment 2 Riga, February 1944 - October 1944
- Lettisches Grenzschutz Regiment 3 Riga, February 1944 - July 1944
- Lettisches Grenzschutz Regiment 4 Tukums, February 1944 - August 1944
- Lettisches Grenzschutz Regiment 5 Aizpute, February 1944 - October 1944
- Lettisches Grenzschutz Regiment 6 Kuldiga, February 1944 - August 1944
See also
References
- ^ Michael Mann, The dark side of democracy: explaining ethnic cleansing. Cambridge University Press, 2005. ISBN 0521538548. p. 283
- ^ Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression Volume 1. Chapter XII - The Persecution of the Jews
- ^ Jacob Gorfinkel, Daugavpils (Dvinsk) Ghetto List – 05-December-1941
- ^ Latvians in the Armed Forces of Germany in World War II
- ^ Andrew Ezergailis, The Holocaust in Latvia
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