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

14 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT
substandard. In the 281st Security Division, for instance, all rifles,
carbines, and pistols were from stocks captured from the French, Belgian,
Dutch, and Czechoslovakian Armies. All vehicles were of foreign make
with no spare parts. Some had no tires. Division headquarters had no
vehicles of any sort.19 Of the units of the 9 security divisions, 3 infantry
regiments and 9 Landesschuetzen battalions were equipped with bicycles,
while 15 police battalions and 1 Wachbataillon (guard battalion) were
motorized. The bicycle troops were considered suitable for local commitment
only. 20
Training: The specific operational missions given the rear area commands
and the training of the security and police units allotted them
closely mirrored the Army's occupation role as outlined by OKW. The
Koruecke and army group rear areas had as their primary tasks the security
of supply installations, supply routes and lateral routes, supply
transports (by convoy if necessary), airfields, and depots of captured
materiel; the guarding and evacuation of prisoners of war; and traffic
regulation. The heaviest emphasis was placed on the security of supply
points. 21
The field and local administrative headquarters, which were to be
permanently set up at key points along supply routes and lateral roads,
were to work with the security and police units in establishing a series of
strong points to protect the supply lines and insure control of the populace.
They were to immediately suppress any active or passive resistance
on the part of the Russian civilians by severe punitive measures.
In addition they were to watch the population carefully in order to determine
which elements were anti-Soviet and thus possibly useful to
German interests. 22
The training of the troop units reflected these tasks, and at the same
time took into consideration the military capabilities of each. The
Landesschuetzen units and the Wachbataillone were specifically trained
in the security and defense of supply installations, troop billets, and airfields;
in reconnaissance and patrol duty along communication axes; for
attacks on objectives of limited scope such as clearing villages and small
wooded areas of stragglers; in convoy duty; and in working in close cooperation
with the Feldgendarmerie and Ordnungspolizei. The police
units were schooled in traffic regulation on the supply routes and in the
general maintenance of order. In addition they were given enough small
unit infantry training to enable them to assist other units in attacks on
19
Gericht, Zb, 281 Sich. Div. 1 .V.41., KTB 281 Sich. Div. 15954/6.
20
Anl2 z. KTB 1, H Geb Mitte, 1.IX.41. 14684/3; KTB, H Geb Nord, 22.IV.-
7.VIII.41. 14768/2 ;Anl z.OKH 160.00 Kriegsgliederung Is Feldheeres, 15.V.41.
H 1/93b.
21
OKH/Gen.St.d.H/Ausb. Abt. (Ia), Nr. 700/41 g., 21.III.41., Anl. Bd. 2, z.
KTB 1, Hefter 1,286 Sich. Div., Ia, 31.III.-7.VIII.41. 16182/2.
22 Ibid.