TRANSLATION OF EXCERPTS FROM DOCUMENT NOKW-706
OFFICE OF CHIEF OF COUNSEL FOR WAR CRIMES
Group 717 Secret Field Police Command Post, 14 March 1943
Diary No. A/111/93, secret,
(Rubber Stamp) secret
Subject: Operation "Kugelblitz" in the area of Witebsk - Newel - Surash.
Reference: None.
Enclosures: 2
By order of Pz. AOK 3, an operation against bandits took place in the
area of Witebsk - Newel - Surash, from 22 February to 8 March 1943. Groups
710, 717, and 703 of the Secret Field Police, as well as a detachment of
Einsatzkommando 9 of the Security Police and the S.D., were assigned to
assault Group Jacobi (201st Sec. Div.) according to enclosed order (Encl. 1).
The Assault Group was detailed to mop up the area starting approximately with
the Witebsk-Gorodok-Gurki-Senniza Lake line towards the east, respectively
in a southeastern direction, and to destroy the bands and their operational
and supply bases. The bandits were to be encircled and destroyed in the
forest area northwest of Surash with the help of other units operating in
the South and East. According to the final report of Operation
"Kugelblitz", dated 9 March 1943, a copy of which is attached as enclosure (2),
this task has been completed.
(Page 3 of the original)
Cooperation with the troops was generally good. In some instances
minor difficulties arose, because the work of the Secret Field Police vas
not always properly appreciated in my opinion, and in some cases, the
official concerned may have been at fault. In one case, the leader of
the Secret Field Police Detachment was given the order, to stay with his
men in the front line, with the Jagdkommando, Or without being given a
reason, a secretary was requested by his battalion commander to accompany
the latter to the various companies after the days' goal had been reached,
The auxiliary officials assigned to the companies were used for all sorts
of tasks but not for those connected with Secret Field Police work. The
auxiliary policemen, on the other hand did their job well; their
devotion was highly praised by the company commanders. In none of these cases,
were the duties of the Secret Field Police seriously impeded, as must be
expressly stressed; all differences which occurred were always to be cleared
up, eventually.
The Secret Field Police detachments, during the operation, investigated
approximately:
169 villages
Screened - approximately - 3,583 persons.
Transferred to the collective camps as suspects-804 persons
Shot = 227 bandits and - 406 bandit supporters
The E.K. 9 Kommandos of the Security Police and SD (Jaegerregiment),
Shot - 823 bandits and bandit supporters
Including: 129 Flintenweiber (Female bandits)
33 Wolgatataren (Volga Tartars) and
4 Jews.
Two Secret Field Police men were wounded:
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TRANSLATION OF EXCERPTS FROM DOCUMENT NOKW-706 CONT'D
(Page 4 of the original)
IV.
The Secret Field Police adhered strictly to the regulations
pertaining to the treatment of bandits and civilians, as issued by PZ. AOK 3
The only Russians shot were those who were evidently engaged as bandits,
or bandit supporters.
As for the burning down of villages, orders were generally observed.
It is a fact, however, that in the first days quite a number of houses
and settlements were burnt down by the 1st Batl. of the 601st Security
Regiment, among others, the village of Krasny Dwor. Not until a teletype
message from the divisional combat post was received on 2 March
1943 which again mentioned that this was prohibited, was this practice
stopped. In the operational area of the Jagerregiment more fires were
seen than in the other sectors. In this connection it should be mentioned
however, that in many cases the bandits, while retreating, set
fire to the villages themselves.
(Page 5 of the original)
(signed) Fischer
Field Police Commissar
and Unit Commander
Distribution:
Field Police Director in charge
Army Group Centre
Pz. AOK 3 - Ic
201st Sec. Div. Ic
Secret Field Police Group 710
Secret Field Police Group 717
CERTIFICATE OF TRANSLAION
I, Idy Sieber, ETO No. 20104, hereby certify that I am thoroughly
conversant with the English and German languages and that the above is
a true and correct translation of excerpts of Document NOKW-706.
/s/ Idy Sieber
ETO No. 20104
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