German Forces

Polizei march-past.

Getty Images (collection)

Schutzpolizei, compete with traditional shako headgear, march past Hitler, prewar. The SIPO were, essentially, the urban police force of Germany following the Nazi unification of police forces, the other main division of the Ordnungspolizei, the Gendarmerie, policed smaller urban concentrations and rural areas and performed other related functions. In addition, the Ordunugspolizei had a wide range of specialist divisions, dealing with such matters as factory policing, marine policing, motorway policing and fire protection. At the outset of the war, much of the more military capable cadre of the Orpo was reapplied to military purposes - in the SS "Polizei" Division, or in other police combat units. Special Police batallions of the Schupo - often consisting of second-line conscripts deemed to be below frontline military capacity - provided much of the "muscle" for security operations in occupied territories and behind the military front line. Other police units, organised within the Gendermarie, performed a more limited range of military functions - for example, as mountain police. Best regards, JR.