“Political Police” and German Occupational Forces in Romania, Fall 1918

References

• 1986 . Geheime Feldpolizei—Zur Funktion und Organisation des geheimpolizeilichen Exekutivorgans der faschistischen Wehrmacht Berlin : Militärverlag der DDR . For an overview of sources see Klaus Gessner, introduction
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• 1866 . (Großes Hauptquartier) A “Political Police” had already been created in the Great Headquarters during the Prussian-Austrian War See “Dienstinstruktion,” 12 June 1866, and Kabinettsordre, 23 June 1866, PH 1/21, Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv (thereafter BA-MA), Freiburg i.Br
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• Landwehr The occupational army included the General Command 63 with the 89th, 218th, 226th, and 303rd infantry division, and the K.u.K. General Command 16 with the 62nd infantry division and the 143rd and 216th Honved-Brigade. On 4 November 1918, the 7th Bavarian cavalry and the 16th-divisions were added
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• 1930 . Landwehrpflichtige Minden-BerlinLeipzig : Verlag Wilhelm Köhler . During peacetime, the term referred to trained but aged soldiers who were no longer considered fit for a battle field. Landsturmpflichtige, in contrast, were older people who had never received any army drill or whose health did not permit full armed service. They were only to be brought into action on German territory; however, the lack of personnel during World War I resulted in their being sent to Romania as members of the occupational army. See G. Weilburg, Rumänische Etappe-Der Weltkrieg wie ich ihn sah
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• 1938 . Mackensen-Briefe und Aufzeichnungen des Generalfeldmarschalls aus Krieg und Frieden Leipzig : Bibliographisches Institut AG . S.W. Förster, ed. 353–54
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• 5 November 1918 . The “Political Police” in Focsani included one officer, 16 civil servants, sergeants and soldiers, seven horses and three wagons. Focsani also housed the headquarters of the 89th infantry division (ID). Letter, Ic [intelligence officer] of the 89th ID to “Politische Polizei Focsani,” PH 3/410, BA-MA
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• 1926 . Ehren-Rangliste des ehemaligen Deutschen Heeres auf Grund der Ranglisten von 1914 Berlin : E.S. Mittler & Sohn . This is probably Captain Hartenstein from the 7th Thuringian Infantry-Regiment number 96 who would later move on to the HQs of the 82nd reserve division. See Deutscher Offizier-Bund, ed., 281
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• 1926 . Die König-Albert-Husaren im Weltkrieg—Abschluß der Geschichte des 1. Kgl. Sächsischen-Husarenregiments “König Albert” Nr. 18 Dresden : Wilhelm und Bertha v. Baensch Stiftung . See Verein ehemaliger Offiziere Kgl. Sächsischen-Husarenregiments “König Albert” Nr. 18, eds., 201–206 and 234–36
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• 1931 . Kämpfer an vergessenen Fronten-Feldzugsbriefe, Kriegstagebücher und Berichte Berlin : Deutsche Buchvertriebsstelle . Oberstleutnant (OSL, lieutenant colonel) a.D. Hans Witte, „Von der Geheimen Feldpolizei,” in, ed. W. Förster 466 and 469
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• From the regulations of the Secret Field Police, ibid., 467–68
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• 23 September 1918 . (Feldpolizeikommissar) See the report by inspector Elsner from PH 3/410, BA-MA. Elsner seems to have been a rather successful inspector. Already in September 1917, he was decorated with an “Iron Cross.” See his letter of gratitude to Hartenstein, who had supported the decoration, from 20 September 1917, ibid
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• Mackensen See Förster, 358–62
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• 6 November 1918 . See footnote 6. Also: telegram, from the director of the Field Police in Bukarest to the inspectors of the “Political Police” in Braila, Focsani, Rimnical-Sarat, Buzau, Ploesti, Campina, Predeal, PH 3/410, BA-MA
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