The Role of the German Military Police (Feldgendarmerie) in Occupied Europe: Structure, Duties, and Legacy

During World War II, the German Feldgendarmerie acted as the Wehrmacht’s military police force throughout occupied Europe. They held broad powers, way beyond what you might expect from typical law enforcement.

These units controlled traffic, enforced military discipline, and kept a close eye on civilian populations in areas under German rule. The Feldgendarmerie played a central part in carrying out Nazi occupation policies, from hunting partisans and deserters to joining SS units in war crimes.

The organization grew out of older Prussian gendarmerie traditions, but after 1933, Nazi rule twisted it into something much darker. German soldiers called them “Kettenhunde” or “chain dogs” because of the metal gorgets they wore.

That nickname really says a lot—fear and resentment ran deep, since these military police became notorious for harshly enforcing military law and treating both soldiers and civilians brutally.

Their story shows how military police became a core part of Nazi occupation across Europe. Whether at traffic control points in France or chasing partisans in Yugoslavia, the Feldgendarmerie left a legacy that historians still argue about.

If you want to understand how the German military kept millions under control and how ordinary soldiers ended up part of the machinery of oppression, looking at the Feldgendarmerie is a good place to start.

Origins and Historical Development of the Feldgendarmerie

The Feldgendarmerie came out of early 19th-century police reforms across German states. Over time, they evolved through imperial expansion and the First World War, but pretty much disappeared during the interwar years.

These military police units started as rural gendarmerie forces, taking cues from French systems. They slowly became essential for German military operations.

Roots in the Prussian and Saxon Gendarmerie

The Kingdom of Saxony set up the first Feldgendarmerie units in 1810. That kicked off the era of organized military police in German lands.

Between 1810 and 1812, four major German states jumped on the bandwagon. Saxony, Württemberg, Prussia, and Bavaria all built their own gendarmerie systems.

They followed the Napoleonic French Gendarmerie model, since French military success had shown the value of organized military police.

The Prussian Gendarmerie ended up particularly well-developed. Prussian staff picked up a lot of experience in police work and military discipline.

Each state tweaked the gendarmerie idea to fit its own needs. Local conditions and traditions shaped how these forces worked.

Early gendarmerie units mainly focused on rural areas. They kept order where regular civilian police just weren’t present.

Role During the German Empire and First World War

When the German Empire formed in 1871, it brought gendarmerie units under unified command. Military standardization changed how these forces operated across all German territories.

During the First World War, Feldgendarmerie units took on way more responsibilities. They managed prisoner transport, controlled traffic, and enforced discipline behind the lines.

The war really proved how much modern armies needed organized military police. Big armies needed systematic approaches to keep order.

Feldgendarmerie units worked right alongside combat divisions. They handled desertion cases, managed supply routes, and controlled civilians in occupied areas.

Their duties included checking IDs and making sure military regulations stuck. These responsibilities would only grow in later wars.

The First World War pretty much set the procedures Feldgendarmerie units would use down the road.

Interwar Period and the Disbandment of Military Police

The Treaty of Versailles slashed German military capabilities after 1918. Military police units got hit hard by the new treaty rules.

Germany’s army shrank to just 100,000 men. That didn’t leave much room for specialized military police.

Many Feldgendarmerie veterans moved into civilian police jobs. Their military experience proved useful there.

The Weimar Republic kept some police functions alive in other organizations. Regular army units handled limited military police work when needed.

Training and know-how stuck with the veterans. Former Feldgendarmerie members kept their expertise alive for later.

By the mid-1920s, formal Feldgendarmerie units had vanished. Still, the organizational framework and experience survived the interwar years.

Re-establishment and Organization Under Nazi Germany

After 1935, the Nazi regime rebuilt Germany’s military police system from the ground up. They created new command structures and expanded the Feldgendarmerie’s role far beyond what it used to be.

This reorganization tied military police with SS and civilian police forces under one centralized authority.

The Reintroduction of the Feldgendarmerie in the Wehrmacht

The Wehrmacht officially brought back the Feldgendarmerie in 1935 as part of Germany’s military build-up. It was the first time Germany had formal military police since World War I ended.

The new organization looked nothing like the old one. Hitler’s government designed the Feldgendarmerie for both traditional military police work and political control.

Every Wehrmacht division got a Feldgendarmerie company of about 120 men. Army corps and higher commands had larger units with even more duties.

The Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH) set strict recruitment rules for Feldgendarmerie. Candidates had to show loyalty to the Nazi Party and meet tough physical standards.

Key Requirements for Feldgendarmerie Service:

• At least 25 years old
• Previous military experience
• Political reliability screening
• Height of at least 5’8″

Command Structure and Chain of Authority

The Wehrmacht set up a clear hierarchy for military police. The Oberkommando des Heeres kept overall control through special staff sections.

Feldgendarmerie units answered directly to their parent military formations. Division commanders controlled company-level units, while corps and army commanders oversaw bigger detachments.

The OKH picked a General der Feldgendarmerie to handle policy and training. This officer coordinated between military police and other security agencies.

Regional commanders held a lot of sway over Feldgendarmerie operations in occupied territories. They could move units around and change missions as needed.

The command chain allowed for fast deployment and flexible moves. Units could shift between formations as situations changed.

Military Police School at Potsdam

The Wehrmacht set up its main military police training school at Potsdam in 1936. Officers and senior enlisted men learned the ropes there.

Training lasted six months and covered military law, investigations, and crowd control. Students learned to operate in both combat and occupation settings.

The Potsdam school pushed political education alongside technical stuff. Instructors drilled Nazi ideology and racial policies into the students.

Advanced courses trained specialists in counterintelligence and partisan warfare. These programs got Feldgendarmerie ready for expanded duties in occupied Europe.

The school turned out over 3,000 military police from 1936 to 1945. Many of them later led units in Poland, France, and the Soviet Union.

Collaboration with SS, Ordnungspolizei, and Geheime Feldpolizei

Heinrich Himmler’s SS and Police system worked hand-in-hand with Wehrmacht military police in occupied areas. This cooperation created overlapping security networks all over Nazi-controlled Europe.

The Ordnungspolizei (Order Police) took care of civilian law enforcement, while Feldgendarmerie focused on military personnel. Both groups shared intelligence and ran joint operations.

Division of Responsibilities:

Organization	Primary Role	Area of Operation
Feldgendarmerie	Military personnel control	Wehrmacht units and facilities
Ordnungspolizei	Civilian police duties	Towns and administrative areas
Geheime Feldpolizei	Military counterintelligence	Security investigations

The Geheime Feldpolizei (Secret Field Police) hunted security threats inside military units. They worked with Feldgendarmerie to find deserters and political enemies.

SS and Police Leaders coordinated these agencies in occupied territories. This system made sure security policies stayed consistent across the board.

Joint operations happened often during anti-partisan campaigns. Feldgendarmerie brought military know-how, while SS units handled political prisoners and racial policies.

Deployment and Key Roles in Occupied Europe

The Feldgendarmerie operated in every German-occupied territory from 1939 to 1945. They served as the Wehrmacht’s main military police force.

These units managed traffic, kept order among troops and civilians, and secured rear areas behind advancing German forces.

Occupation Duties and Maintaining Order

Feldgendarmerie units teamed up with local police and the Ordnungspolizei to keep control in occupied lands. They enforced military law among German troops and supervised civilians in conquered areas.

Primary responsibilities included:

• Enforcing curfews and movement restrictions
• Running ID checks at checkpoints
• Supervising prisoner of war camps
• Managing displaced people and refugees

The military police coordinated with Waffen-SS units for partisan activity. They set up military courts and handled discipline cases with German soldiers.

In Eastern Europe, Feldgendarmerie battalions often worked with local collaborators to keep order.

Their gorget plates made them stand out to everyone. This visibility helped them keep authority over occupied zones.

The units usually worked from buildings in town centers that they’d requisitioned.

Traffic and Population Control

Traffic control was a core part of Feldgendarmerie work. Military police directed vehicles on roads and managed supply convoys headed to the front.

They set up checkpoints at key intersections and border crossings. These spots let them monitor both military and civilian movement.

The units checked travel documents and searched vehicles for contraband or resistance materials.

Control measures included:

• Route management for military convoys
• Bridge and tunnel security
• Fuel depot protection
• Railroad junction monitoring

Population control meant registering civilians and handing out ID papers. The military police tracked workers assigned to German labor programs.

They also managed evacuations when military operations forced civilian displacement.

On the Eastern Front, these duties grew to include anti-partisan sweeps. Feldgendarmerie units worked with Wehrmacht combat troops during these operations.

Frontline Policing and Rear-Area Security

Feldgendarmerie battalions handled security right behind combat zones. They stopped desertion by catching soldiers trying to flee the front.

These “chain dog” operations happened more and more as the war dragged on.

The units set up security cordons around military installations. They guarded supply depots, communications centers, and command posts.

In rear areas, they ran patrols to prevent sabotage and gather intelligence about resistance.

Military police worked with Wehrmacht intelligence to spot threats. They interrogated captured partisans and suspicious civilians.

The Feldgendarmerie coordinated with local German Army commands to plan security operations.

Their mobile units used motorcycles and armored cars for quick response. These teams could rush to threatened spots or chase fleeing suspects.

Military police kept radio contact with higher command throughout their areas.

Suppression of Partisans and Anti-Partisan Warfare

The Feldgendarmerie played a big part in German anti-partisan operations all over occupied Europe. They ran security sweeps and executed captured resistance fighters.

They worked closely with SS units and Einsatzgruppen in brutal campaigns that targeted not just armed partisans, but also civilians suspected of helping them.

Anti-Partisan Campaigns and Security Operations

The Feldgendarmerie ran daily patrols in occupied lands to spot and eliminate partisan threats. They set up checkpoints on major roads and searched villages for weapons and resistance members.

Primary Duties:

• Road and rail security operations
• Village searches and population screening
• Catching enemy stragglers and deserters
• Protecting supply lines and communication routes

German military police units took part in big operations like Operation München and Operation Bamberg in 1942. These campaigns meant surrounding suspected partisan areas and clearing them out.

The Feldgendarmerie worked with local auxiliary police called Schutzmannschaft. These locals brought language skills and knowledge that German forces just didn’t have.

Security operations ramped up after 1942 as partisan activity grew. The Germans came up with “cauldron operations” to trap partisan units in certain areas.

Military police blocked escape routes while regular army units moved in.

By 1943, the Feldgendarmerie had fortified posts all over occupied territories. These bases became centers for anti-partisan intelligence and operations.

Collaboration with SS, SD, and Einsatzgruppen

The Feldgendarmerie worked closely with SS and SD units in occupied territories. This partnership blurred the line between military policing and ideological warfare.

Key Partnerships:

• SS-Feldgendarmerie: These were specialized SS military police units.
• Geheime Feldpolizei: Secret field police focused on intelligence work.
• Einsatzgruppen: Mobile killing squads that targeted perceived enemies.

SS and Police Leaders took charge of regional anti-partisan campaigns. They directed Feldgendarmerie and SS units together in operations against resistance groups.

This collaboration reached into prisoner interrogation and execution. Feldgendarmerie units often captured suspects and handed them over to the SD for questioning. Many prisoners didn’t survive these interrogations.

In the Soviet Union, this cooperation led to mass killings of civilians. German authorities labeled entire populations as “partisan supporters” to justify ethnic cleansing.

Intelligence sharing between these units made German efforts against partisan networks more effective. The Geheime Feldpolizei provided surveillance data that helped Feldgendarmerie target individuals and groups.

Discipline Enforcement, Flying Court Martials, and Reprisals

The Feldgendarmerie ran Fliegendes Standgericht (flying court martials) to deliver quick justice in occupied areas. These mobile courts handled cases in hours, not weeks.

Flying court martials had sweeping authority to impose death sentences. They tried both German soldiers and civilians for offenses like desertion, sabotage, and resistance.

Common Sentences:

• Death by firing squad
• Assignment to Strafbattalion (penal battalions)
• Imprisonment in military jails
• Transfer to concentration camps

Reprisal policies hit civilian populations after partisan attacks. German forces executed several civilians for each German soldier killed by partisans. The ratio often reached 10:1 or even higher.

The Feldgendarmerie carried out collective punishment against entire communities. They burned villages and executed residents suspected of helping partisans. These harsh actions usually fueled more resistance, not less.

Military police also cracked down on German soldiers who hesitated to join anti-partisan operations. Soldiers who questioned orders faced court martial.

Actions in the Eastern Front and the Balkans

On the Eastern Front, Feldgendarmerie anti-partisan operations became especially brutal. German forces treated nearly all civilians as potential enemies.

Feldgendarmerie units took part in Operation Zigeunerbaron in 1943. This operation targeted partisan strongholds in Belarus and left thousands of civilians dead.

Eastern Front Operations:

• Mass executions of suspected partisan supporters
• Burning villages labeled “bandit-friendly”
• Forcing whole populations to relocate
• Creating fortified settlements (Wehrdoerfer)

In Yugoslavia, Feldgendarmerie faced organized partisan armies. The communist-led Partisans controlled large areas and fought as regular military units.

Balkan operations needed different tactics because of the mountains. Military police set up observation posts on key routes and worked with local collaborators.

The Feldjägerkorps, elite military police, handled the riskiest assignments in both regions. They hunted high-value partisan leaders and went on deep reconnaissance missions.

By 1944, German anti-partisan efforts had failed on the Eastern Front. The Red Army’s advance gave direct support to partisans, making German control impossible.

Equipment, Uniforms, and Distinguishing Features

The Feldgendarmerie carried standard Wehrmacht weapons and used military vehicles for patrols. Their uniforms followed army rules but featured distinctive insignia that made them instantly recognizable to both troops and civilians.

Weapons and Vehicles Employed

Feldgendarmerie units used the same weapons as regular Wehrmacht forces. Officers and NCOs usually carried the Walther P38 or Luger P08 pistols. Some preferred the smaller Walther PP or Walther PPK for undercover work.

Squad automatic weapons included the MG34 and later the MG42 machine guns. Soldiers carried the standard Mauser Karabiner 98k rifle on patrols and at checkpoints.

Vehicle fleets depended on unit size and mission. The Kübelwagen served as the main patrol car for small teams. Larger groups used the Horch 4×4 for command and rough terrain.

The Opel Blitz truck moved personnel and gear over longer distances. These vehicles carried radio equipment and acted as mobile command posts during big operations.

Uniforms, Insignia, and ‘Kettenhunde’ Gorgets

Feldgendarmerie personnel wore standard Wehrmacht field gray uniforms in most areas. Afrika Korps units switched to tropical olive cotton uniforms in North Africa and southern Italy.

Officers wore the classic Schirmmütze peaked cap with silver cord and eagle insignia. The diamond Polizei-eagle insignia appeared on the right sleeve of all Feldgendarmerie uniforms.

The metal gorget around the neck stood out the most. Troops called Feldgendarmerie “Kettenhunde” (chained dogs) because of this gear. The gorget showed the German eagle and signaled the wearer’s authority.

Early in the war, some uniforms kept police elements from the original force. By 1940, standard army cuffbands marked “Feldgendarmerie” replaced these features.

Communication and Field Equipment

Radio equipment formed the core of Feldgendarmerie operations. Portable radios let patrols coordinate with command. Vehicle radios allowed for longer-range communication.

Standard gear included maps, ID materials, and traffic control signs. Checkpoints needed barriers, document stamps, and detention materials for suspects.

Specialized teams brought extra equipment for their missions. Investigation units used cameras and evidence kits. Traffic control teams managed road signs and vehicle checks.

Medical supplies and emergency gear supported long patrols. In winter, they added cold weather clothing and special vehicle equipment.

Interactions with Other Nazi Security and Police Agencies

The Feldgendarmerie worked inside a tangled web of Nazi security groups, each with its own tasks but often overlapping. These agencies sometimes cooperated, sometimes competed for control and resources across occupied areas.

Relations with Gestapo, Orpo, and SD

The Feldgendarmerie set up formal cooperation with the Gestapo, Ordnungspolizei (Orpo), and Sicherheitsdienst (SD). The Gestapo focused on political crimes and resistance. When Feldgendarmerie units found suspected resistance members, they sent these cases to local Gestapo offices.

Orpo units managed civilian policing in occupied regions. The Feldgendarmerie teamed up with Orpo during large security sweeps and anti-partisan operations. Both groups shared info about suspicious civilians.

The SD acted as the Nazi Party’s intelligence service. Feldgendarmerie officers often reported intelligence from patrols to SD representatives. This included details about civilian morale, black market activity, and security threats.

Key collaboration areas:

• Joint roadblocks
• Sharing info about deserters
• Coordinated searches for resistance members
• Combined anti-partisan sweeps

Division of Responsibilities among Police Units

Different police agencies had set boundaries, but overlap led to frequent disputes. The Feldgendarmerie took primary authority over military personnel and military crimes. They processed deserters, ran courts-martial, and kept discipline among troops.

Orpo handled civilian law enforcement in occupied areas. They investigated civilian crimes, kept order, and enforced Nazi racial policies. Police battalions under Orpo command carried out mass deportations and executions.

The Gestapo investigated political crimes and espionage. They interrogated suspected resistance members and managed informant networks. When cases involved both military and civilian elements, agencies negotiated jurisdiction as needed.

Responsibility divisions:

• Feldgendarmerie: Military crimes, desertion, troop discipline
• Orpo: Civilian policing, public order, deportations
• Gestapo: Political crimes, resistance, espionage
• SD: Intelligence, Nazi Party security

SS-Feldgendarmerie and Feldjägerkorps

The SS had its own military police called SS-Feldgendarmerie. These units policed Waffen-SS troops and operated on their own, separate from Wehrmacht Feldgendarmerie. Wehrmacht and SS-Feldgendarmerie coordinated during joint operations, but rivalry often got in the way.

The Feldjägerkorps formed in 1943 as an elite military police force. This group had authority over both Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS troops. Feldjägerkorps units could overrule local Feldgendarmerie and carried out summary executions of deserters.

SS-Feldgendarmerie wore their own SS uniforms and reported through SS channels. They joined anti-partisan operations and helped carry out the Holocaust in occupied regions. Regular Feldgendarmerie sometimes supported them but stayed under Wehrmacht command.

The Feldjägerkorps recruited decorated combat veterans. These units had broader authority than standard Feldgendarmerie and answered directly to high command.

War Crimes, Postwar Fate, and Historical Legacy

The Feldgendarmerie took part directly in Holocaust operations and partisan suppression across occupied Europe. Their brutal enforcement methods earned them the nickname “Kettenhunde” (chain dogs). Most units disbanded in 1945-1946 with few prosecutions, but their legacy influenced the formation of modern German military police under the Bundeswehr.

Involvement in Atrocities and the Holocaust

Feldgendarmerie units played an active role in Holocaust operations throughout occupied Europe. In August 1942, they rounded up Jews in occupied France for mass deportation to concentration camps. These weren’t just isolated incidents but part of systematic persecution.

The military police worked closely with SS units and Einsatzgruppen in Eastern Europe. They carried out “Jew hunting operations” in both Eastern and Western territories. Their tasks included identifying, capturing, and transporting Jewish civilians to ghettos and deportation centers.

In occupied territories, Feldgendarmerie units crushed partisan resistance with extreme force. They executed civilians suspected of supporting resistance. Local populations faced arbitrary arrests and collective punishment.

By 1943, German soldiers started calling them “Heldenklauer” (hero-snatchers) because of their harsh treatment. They screened refugees and hospital transports for deserters. Suspected malingerers faced summary execution.

The units ran Strafbataillone (penal battalions) for convicted soldiers. Many regular Wehrmacht soldiers accused of desertion were executed by Feldgendarmerie firing squads in the war’s final years.

Surrender, Disbandment, and Accountability

German forces surrendered in May 1945, but some Feldgendarmerie units kept operating under Allied supervision. British forces in Schleswig-Holstein used a whole regiment of Feldgendarmerie volunteers to guard prisoner camps. These units got extra rations and wore “Wehrmachtordnungstruppe” armbands.

The Feldgendarmerie became the last German military units to surrender their weapons in June 1946, more than a year after the official end of the war. Most personnel simply returned to civilian life and avoided prosecution.

War crimes trials mainly targeted high-ranking Nazi officials and SS commanders. Few Feldgendarmerie members faced justice, even with clear evidence of their involvement in atrocities. The Oxford Handbook of Holocaust Studies pointed out in 2010 that their wartime role needs more research.

Allied prosecutors focused on major war criminals, not military police units. Many Feldgendarmerie records disappeared or were destroyed during Germany’s collapse. This lack of evidence made postwar accountability even harder.

Postwar Perceptions and Influence on Bundeswehr

When West Germany set up the Bundeswehr in 1955, military planners avoided using the Feldgendarmerie name on purpose.

They first suggested calling the new military police “Militärpolizei,” but state governments pushed back. German states really wanted to keep police powers under the new constitution.

The Defense Ministry went with “Feldjäger” instead, drawing on old Prussian units that had military police roles. By switching the name, they tried to separate the new force from the Wehrmacht’s reputation.

Feldjäger troops got different training and worked under democratic oversight, which felt like a fresh start.

After the war, German communities usually described Nazism as something foreign, almost like it just landed on them. This attitude made it tough to honestly look at what the Feldgendarmerie actually did in occupied territories.

A lot of former members blended back into regular life, and most folks never really talked about what they did during the war.

Historians still haven’t fully documented Feldgendarmerie war crimes, especially compared to other Nazi groups. Their role in Holocaust operations and crushing partisans is a big, often overlooked part of Zweiter Weltkrieg (World War II) history.