the soviet partisan movement 1941-1944 by edgar m. howell

140 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT
Such was the organization, on paper at least. How well it was ever
actually established throughout the whole German rear is impossible
to say. In the Ukraine, for instance, where no really serious partisan
resistance ever developed, it must have remained rather embryonic.
In portions of the central and northern sectors, however, to judge by
subsequent events, it must have reached a fairly high stage of
development.
Leadership and Personnel
Despite the predomininantly political control of the movement, by
the spring of 1943 the actual leadership of a good proportion of the
bands was in the hands of the Red Army officers, a number of whom had
been trained in partisan schools. The political functionaries who in
many cases had formed or taken command of bands in the earlier stages
of the war became the commissars of the units, and, although retaining
their positions as "cocommanders," primarily concerned themselves
with political security within their particular unit and with Communist
propaganda in their areas of operation. In addition, they often served
dually as secretaries of illegal district party committees. 5
Manpower for the bands continued to be drawn from a variety of
sources. Escaped prisoners of war still drifted into the partisan ranks,
but in no such numbers as formerly. German occupation policies caused
many civilians to volunteer. But by and large, as the movement expanded,
the larger proportion of the personnel was drafted from the
native populace, forcibly when necessary, although during this period
fear of the German forced labor draft and overbearing economic requisitions
coupled with the general military situation and widespread Soviet
propaganda generally made the use of pressure unnecessary. The Central
Staff constantly advised the lower echelons to foster the best possible
relations with the natives as a means of facilitating such recruiting. 6
In some areas recruits were taken systematically by age groups, and at
times even women were drafted. 7 Special attention was paid to recruiting
members of the Komsomolsk, the communist youth organization.
These young Bolsheviks were highly desirable as combat men or political
activists because of their fanaticism. 8
In partisan-dominated areas recruits were put through a training
course. Generally they spent several weeks on probation to prevent
5
"Nachrichten ueber Bandenkrieg, Nr. 6," OKH/Gen.St.d.H./Abt. Frde. H. Ost.
H 3/738.
6
"Nachrichten ueber Bandenkrieg, Nr. 3," OKH/Gen.St.d.H./Abt.Frde. H. Ost
(I/Bd),Nr. 5632/43 g. Kdos., 28.VII.43. H 3/748.
7 Korueck 532, Ic. BY. Tgb. Nr. 442/43 geh., 30.I.43., Feindlage im Korueckgebiet,
Stand: 36.I.43., in Anlagenheft 2 zuKTB Korueck 559, Ia, Unternehmen "Klette 2,"
5.I.-19.I.43. 44404/3.
8
Nachrichten ueber Bandenkrieg, Nr. 3," OKH/Gen.St.d.H./Abt. Frde, H. Ost
(I/Bd),Nr. 5632/43 g. Kdos., 28.VII.43. H 3/748.