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

70 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT
In an attempt to penetrate any radio net the partisans might have
established, an order was passed that all signal data and signal equipment
captured from the partisans was to be forwarded to the chief signal
officer of the army and any signal personnel captured was not to be
be shot but sent to army headquarters with the equipment. 46
Convoy regulations were revamped in many units. The XXXXIV
Panzer Corps ordered that vehicles and personnel be kept close together
on the road with more guards and no advance reconnaissance riders.
One empty truck was to be included in each convoy to pick up all persons
found wandering through the countryside. 47 Many line units had antipartisan
duty added to their combat roles. 48
In both the northern and central sectors local officials were made
responsible for the good order of their districts, and reprisals wereordered
in retaliation for partisan-inflicted casualties in an attempt to curb popular
support of the bands. The mayors or elders of towns and villages,
after a security check by the SD, were armed and given responsibility
for the security of their areas, but their offices were moved to the nearest
German headquarters in order that they might be closely watched.
They also were made accountable for quiet not only in their community
itself but for the area halfway to the next settlement. For added support,
local civilians were drafted for static guard duty. As reprisal for
positive partisan activity, in the Fourth Army Area two inhabitants were
ordered shot for every German killed. In the case of an attack on an
important installation three persons were to be executed. Any native
who harbored strangers was to suffer a like penalty. 49 Persons found
wandering in the streets after dark or found near rail or highway bridges
at any time were to be shot on sight. 50
The German units in the operations zone, seeing that much of the
last-ditch resistance of some of the Red Army divisions as well as the
determined opposition of a number of the partisan bands centered around
the fanatical leadership of the political commissars, repeatedly requested
the "Commissar Order" be rescinded. As long as the commissars saw
themselves faced with certain death, the XXXIX Corps wrote the Sixteenth
Army, they would fight to the last because of the threats against
them. Yet if the individual commissar knew that he could save his life
by deserting, the inner unity of the political leadership would dissolve. 51
46
Befehl, AOK 9, la, Ic/AO, Nr. 284/41 geh., 25.IX.41. 14162/7.
47 Befehl, XXXXIV Pz. Corps, 29.1X.41. in KTB, 112 Inf Div. 19643/24.
48 See: Bericht, Nr. 264/41 geh., 3/IX.41., Geheime Feldpolizei Gruppe 580, KTB,
AOK 9. 14162/7.
49
Befehl Nr. 52, 21.IX.41., 286 Sich. Div., Anl. 102 z. KTB 1, 286 Sich. Div.
16182/3 ; Anl. 2 z. Befehl Nr. 25,403d Sich. Div., 10.X.41. 15701/3.
50 Order of commandant of the Fourth Army Rear Area to 137 Inf Div in Lagebericht,
18.X.41., Korueck 559. 135 12/2.
51
Memo, XXXIX Corps to Sixteenth Army, 17 Sep 41, "Possibilities of Disrupting
Bolshevik Resistance from Within. Anl. z. KTB, XXXIX Corps. 23584/8