Polnisches Schutzmannschaftsbataillon 202

Polish Protective Team Battalion 202 ( _de. 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) [ [http://cristeros1.w.interia.pl/crist/militaria/zbrodnia_w_malinie1.htm Zbrodnia w Malinie] "Głos Kresowian" nr 20] drafted by Germans from inhabitants of General Government, supporting the Nazi Sicherheitspolizei (security police).

Created in May-June 1942,G. Motyka, "Polski policjant na Wołyniu", p. 127] the battalion, which operated mostly in Volhynia and Podolia, was subordinated to the German Schutzpolizei. The initial volunteer recruitment gave only 2 members. Afterwards 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. The unit was practically destroyed in combat with the Red Army at the beginning of 1944. The remains of the unit were transferred to Lviv. Officially the battalion was disbanded on May 8, 1944.

The battalion was armed with Mauser Mk 98k rifles and MP38 and MP41 machine guns.

It is believed that some of its former members subsequently joined the Blue Police in the General Government.

While the major target of the unit was fighting the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and Soviet NKVD partisans, it committed a number of crimes against the civilian population, including Jews, Czechs, Ukrainians and Old Believers. It also murdered members of the Polish Home Army ("Armia Krajowa").Fact|date=June 2007

Notes

Bibliography

* G. Motyka, M. Wierzbicki; "Polski policjant na Wołyniu" in Kwartalnik Historyczny KARTA 24, 1998, pp.126-140, ISSN 0867-3764