Osprey Men-at-Arms 213 : German Military Police Units 1939-1945

The military policeman must be one of the least appreciated [certainly by his fellow soldiers] yet most indispensable military figures in modern history. In the mobile warfare of the 20th century no army could keep its vital supply routes open without the military policeman. If his fellow soldiers' opinion of him is usually expressed in expletives, then those in higher command with a good overall view certainly valued his service. 'You cannot have a good army without a police force within.' [Napoleon Bonaparte]. 'The Battle of Normandy and subsequent battles would never have been won but for the work and cooperation of provost on the traffic routes.' [Field Marshal B. L. Montgomery]. The British Corps of Royal Military Police can tenuously trace its roots back as far as the Earl Marshals of Norman times; and Germany's Feldjägerkorps likewise has a long and distinguished tradition stretching back to the 'Profoss' of the 16th century. Amongst many others, their duties during the Second World War included: traffic control; maintaining military order and discipline; collection and escorting prisoners of war; prevention of looting; disarming civilians; checking captured enemy soldiers for documents; collection of fallen enemy propaganda leaflets and providing street patrols in occupied areas. Gordon Williamson investigates the organisation, uniforms and insignia of the German military police units of the Second World War, complemented by numerous photographs and eight full page colour plates by Ron Volstad.

Contents

• Introduction
• Feldgendarmerie des Heeres
• Feldjagerkorps
• Geheime Feldpolizei
• Other Army Police Services
• Waffen-SS Feldgendarmerie
• Luftwaffe Police
• Marine Kustenpolizei
• Police Combat Units
• The Plates