Belarusian Home Defence
Belarusian Home Defence | |
---|---|
Беларуская краёвая абарона Bielaruskaja krajovaja abarona | |
Active | February 23, 1944 – April 28, 1945 |
Country | Reichskommissariat Ostland |
Allegiance | Belarusian Central Council Nazi Germany |
Size | 28,000 troops[1] |
Patron | Radasłaŭ Astroŭski |
Anniversaries | February 23 |
Engagements | World War II |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Barys Rahula Francišak Kušal Ivan Yermachenka |
The Belarusian Home Defence,[2] or Belarusian Home Guard (Belarusian: Беларуская краёвая абарона, romanized: Biełaruskaja krajovaja abarona, BKA; German: Weißruthenische Heimwehr)[3] were collaborationist volunteer battalions formed by the Belarusian Central Council (1943–1944), a pro-Nazi Belarusian self-government within Reichskommissariat Ostland during World War II.[4] The BKA operated from February 23, 1944 to April 28, 1945. The 20,000 strong Belarusian Home Defence Force was formed under the leadership of Commissioner-General
Creation
After the Wehrmacht suffered two major strategic defeats at Stalingrad (in February 1943) and at Kursk (in August 1943) the Germans made some concessions to the Belarusian collaborators by proposing a Belarusian quasi-state.[5] Assistance was offered by the local administrative governments from the Soviet era, and former members of public organizations including the Soviet Belarusian Youth.[6]
On March 6, 1944 the general mobilization of all healthy men born between 1908 and 1924 into the BKA started. Some 40,000 individuals reported to recruitment bureaus set up in seven cities; although 30% of them were sent back home on German orders for overcrowding.[1] From each region (Uezd) about 500 to 600 men were recruited,[6] for the total of 28,000 soldiers ready for training.[1]
On March 26, all men already enlisted to the BKA gave their oath at Freedom Square in
On March 31, 1944, the BKA battalions received their individual designations. In total, there were 45 battalions formed, mostly infantry. However, to prevent possible staged desertions to "forest people" weapons were handed out only during training exercises with nothing to spare.[1] The German SS didn't have enough officers to train all of them, therefore a few thousand members of the Belarusian Auxiliary Police,[8] not older than 57 years and Unteroffiziers not older than 55 years of age (except those protecting the collaborationist government), were brought into the fold of BKA. Organization was controlled by the German Police and SD commandants.[6]
In mid-June 1944 an officer school for BKA volunteers was started by the German SS in Minsk, but the city was overrun by the Soviets only two weeks later.
Dissolving
The BKA ceased to exist after Red Army regained control in the Byelorussian SSR. Some BKA units retreated to the West and became the base for the creation of the Schutzmannschaft-Brigade Siegling.[6] Many conscripts quietly went back home to their Belarusian villages.[1]
The BCR existed till late 1980s in the
See also
- Byelorussia in World War II
- Byelorussian collaboration with Nazi Germany
- German occupation of Byelorussia during World War II
- Schutzmannschaft
- The Holocaust in Belarus
- Waffen-SS foreign volunteers and conscripts
- Wehrmacht foreign volunteers and conscripts
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f Eugeniusz Mironowicz (2014). "Okupacja niemiecka na Białorusi" [German occupation of Belarus]. Historia Białorusi od połowy XVIII do XX w. [History of Belarus, mid 18th century until the 20th century] (in Polish and Belarusian). Związek Białoruski w RP, Katedra Kultury Białoruskiej Uniwersytetu w Białymstoku (Internet Archive). Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
- ^ Wilson 2011, also: Home Defence Force.
- ^ Abbott 1983, p. 16.
- ^ a b c Wilson 2011, p. 113.
- ^ Andrew Wilson (2011). "The Traumatic Twentieth Century" (PDF). Belarus: the last European dictatorship. Yale University Press. pp. 109–110. Archived from the original (PDF file, direct download) on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f Axis Freiwillige (2000) [1999]. "Belarusian State-Defense Army 23.II.1944-28.IV.1945". National Volunteer formations in Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS. Вторая Мировая Война. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
Национальные Добровольческие формирования в Вермахте и Ваффен-СС.
- ^ Wilson 2011, p. 109.
- ISBN 0786403713. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
References
- ISBN 978-0300134353. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
- ISBN 0850455138. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
- Biełaruskaja Krajovaja Abarona. Uniforms and Insignia.
- Nichtangriffsvertrag. "100(0) Schlüsseldokumente" (facsimile). DE. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
- Lance Ackerfeld (20 Sep 2007). "From materials of the Extraordinary Commission (Ch.G.K. USSR)". Yizkor Book Project. Holocaust in Belorussia. JewishGen. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
External links
Media related to Belarusian Home Defense at Wikimedia Commons