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

16 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT
be moved progressively eastward with the fighting and the area so
formed given a civilian political administration. At first it was to be
divided into three administrative divisions or Reichskommissariate corresponding
roughly to the Baltic States, White Russia, and the Ukraine
on the basis of ethnic differences and the boundaries between army
groups. Here the administration was to be in the hands of Reich commissioners
or Reichskomrnissare who were to take their orders from the
Fuehrer. Military tasks in the Reichskommissariate were to be handled
by armed forces commanders (Wehrmachtbefehlshaber) subordinate to
OKW. They were to provide military protection for the area and
maintain close liaison with the Reichskommissare in order to support
them in their political tasks.
Since this war was to be far more than a mere passage of arms, or as
Hitler said, a fight to a finish between "two opposite political systems,"
the invaded territory was to be "prepared" for the political occupation
to follow. This task of "preparation" was given to Heinrich Himmler,
leader of the SS troops (Reichsfuehrer SS)and chief of the German
Police, to carry out independently of all other agencies and on his own
respsonsibility. 28
For the mission Himmler formed special task groups called Einsatzgruppen
from the personnel of the SS, SD, and Gestapo 29 which he
made generally responsible for all political security tasks within the
operational area of the Army and the rear areas so far as the latter did
not fall under the civil administration. Specifically they were to clear
the operations zone of both Jews and Communist officials and agents
by liquidating all racially and politically undesirable elements seized
The armies were to supply the Einsatzgruppen with quarters, food, gasoline,
and the like, but were to have no control over them whatever. A
Himmler representative was assigned to each army group with an
Einsatzgruppe at his disposal. When the attack was launched, these
groups followed directly behind the troops as they moved into Russia. 30
The detailed planning for the political administration took form under
the direction of Alfred Rosenberg, Hitler's deputy for ideological matters
28
"Directive For Special Areas (Operation BARBAROSSA)" in OK W/WFSt/Abt.
L (I ), Nr. 33408/40 g. K. Chefs., 18.XII.40 in "Fuehrer Directives," I, pp. 127-30.
29
SS-Schutzstaffeln, the elite guard of the Nazi Party (combat units of the SS
were known as the Waffen SS) ;SD--Sicherheitsdienst, SS security and intelligence
service; Gestapo--Geheime Staatspolizei, secret state or political police.
30
N.M.T. op. cit., IV, U.S. vs Otto Ohlendorf, et al (Case 9), I, pp. 75-77;
Ohlendorf affidavit, doc. 2890 in ibid; "Regulation for Assignment of Security
Police and SD in the Army Organization," OKH, 26.III.41. (doc. 256), prosecution
document book in ibid.; I.M.T., op. cit., IV, pp. 31 2-1 8.