Schutzmannschaft Battalion 204 Explained

Unit Name:204st Schutzmannschafts Battalion
Dates:Spring 1943 – July 1944
Branch:SD
Type:battalion
Size:500 – 800 (July 1943)

The 204th Schutzmannschafts Battalion was a police guard unit composed from the ethnic Ukrainians personnel drafted at the Lemberg area of the Distrikt Galizien at January – February 1943. Members of the unit committed atrocities against Jews and Communist party members during early German occupation[1] The unit provided guards for concentration camp Pustków.[2] In July 1943 it was reinforced to 800 strength by the volunteers signed for the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Ukrainian).In late July 1944 battalion personnel was transferred into reserve regiment of the 14 SS Freiwilligen Division "Galizien”.[3]

Activity

The Pustkow Concentration Camps was created to support the production and the tests of the German V-1 and V-2 missiles – so due to the secrecy there no clear information about specific unit activities.

Notes and References

  1. Unauthorized Entry: The Truth about Nazi War Criminals in Canada 1946-1956 Howard Margolian University of Toronto Press 2000 page 134"Furthermore, a significant number of the division’s recruits, particularly those who served in Schutzmannschaft battalion nos. 204 and 206, appear to have perpetrated atrocities against Jews and communists during the early days of the German occupation"Web site: From Immigration to Integration - Chapter Six . 2005-05-03 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20050503204814/http://www.bnaibrith.ca/institute/millennium/millennium06.html . 2005-05-03 .
  2. The Shoah in Ukraine: History, Testimony, Memorialization Ray Brandon, Wendy LowerIndiana University Press 2008 page 140
  3. Боляновський А.В. Дивізія «Галичина»: історія — Львів: - Andriy Bolyanovs`kyi, The Division "Galicia". Its History Lviv 2000.