The Feldgendarmerie (a French term roughly translating to "Field Police") were the military police units of the armies of the German Empire (including the Wehrmacht) from post-Napoleonic times through its dissolution at the conclusion of World War II. It has been suggested that Gendarmerie be merged into this article or section. ... Motto: Gott mit Uns (German: God with us”) Anthem: Heil dir im Siegerkranz (unofficial) Territory of the German Empire in 1914, prior to World War I   Capital Berlin Language(s) German (official) Polish (Posen, Upper Silesia, Masuria) French (Alsace-Lorraine) Government Constitutional monarchy Emperor  - 1871-1888 William I  - 1888 Frederick... Wehrmacht troops of the Heer (military land forces) marching at a military parade in honour of the 50th birthday of Adolf Hitler, on April 20th, 1939. ... Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Nazi Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead...

History

Early incarnations of the Feldgendarmerie came into being on a ad-hoc basis through mobilizations of the Germany army as a whole, most notably in the wars of 1866 and 1870. At the outset of hostilities in 1914 the Feldgendarmerie comprised 33 units; this number was expanded to 100 by war's end.

World War II

The Feldgendarmerie (pejoratively Kettenhunde, or "chained dogs", for the gorget they wore) had an especially significant role towards the end of World War II as they became responsible for the fate of tens of thousands of deserters (known as Fahnenflüchtiger, or "runners from the flag"); according to Hitler's motto, "the solder may die, but the deserter must die" many were summarily executed. Towards the end of the war (as public support for anything but non-defensive actions by the Wehrmacht was rapidly evaporating) they also became known as the Heldenklau (or "hero-snatchers") because they were assigned the unpopular tasks of searching streams of returning refugees for possible deserters and for promoting rear-echelon personnel to the front. Sir Philip Sidney wears a gorget for a portrait A gorget is a type of armor designed to protect the neck. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945, standard German pronunciation in the IPA) was the Führer (leader) of the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party) and of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. ... Wehrmacht troops of the Heer (military land forces) marching at a military parade in honour of the 50th birthday of Adolf Hitler, on April 20th, 1939. ...

Additionally, certain units of the Feldgendarmerie were charged with occupation duties in the territories that came under the operational control of the Wehrmacht. This ranged from straightforward traffic control and civilian policing to suppression and execution of partisans and enemy stragglers. Wehrmacht troops of the Heer (military land forces) marching at a military parade in honour of the 50th birthday of Adolf Hitler, on April 20th, 1939. ...

As combat units moved out of a region, control was transferred to the SS and Police Leaders occupation authority under the Nazi Party and Heinrich Himmler, and the Feldgendarmerie's role would formally end. The SS and Police Leaders are known to have committed numerous war crimes including mass arrests and deportation to concentration camps and even mass murder of entire villages, especially of Jews and other distrusted populations. The extent to which the Feldgendarmerie participated in such activities is not well documented. Overall, the history of the Feldgendarmerie is one of the least explored chapters of Wehrmacht history during the Second World War. Higher SS and Police Leaders were senior Nazi Party officials that commanded large units of the SS during and prior to the Second World War. ...   (October 7, 1900 – May 23, 1945) was the commander of the German Schutzstaffel (SS) and one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany. ... In the context of war, a war crime is a punishable offense under International Law, for violations of the laws of war by any person or persons, military or civilian. ... It has been suggested that Internment be merged into this article or section. ... Wehrmacht troops of the Heer (military land forces) marching at a military parade in honour of the 50th birthday of Adolf Hitler, on April 20th, 1939. ...

Postwar reorganization

Main article: Feldjäger

With the creation of the Bundeswehr, many of its units were given names that would at least nominally distinguish them from their logical Wehrmacht equivalents; accordingly, military police units in the modern Bundeswehr were incorporated as the Feldjäger (which happens to have been the traditional Prussian designation for its Feldgendarmerie). Feldjäger patrol vehicle The Feldjäger are the military police of the German Bundeswehr, Germanys armed forces. ... The Bundeswehr (Federal Defense Force,  ) is the organization that controls and administers the armed forces of Germany. ... Wehrmacht troops of the Heer (military land forces) marching at a military parade in honour of the 50th birthday of Adolf Hitler, on April 20th, 1939. ... The Bundeswehr (Federal Defense Force,  ) is the organization that controls and administers the armed forces of Germany. ... Feldjäger patrol vehicle The Feldjäger are the military police of the German Bundeswehr, Germanys armed forces. ... Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Prussia, 1701-1918 Prussia (German: ; Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Lithuanian: ; Polish: ; Old Prussian: PrÅ«sa) was, most recently, a historic state originating in East Prussia, an area which for centuries had substantial influence on German and European history. ...

External links

• [1] - an independent historian's page on the history of the German Feldgendarmerie and Feldjäger