Border Guard (Poland)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Border Guard (Polish Straż Graniczna, SG) is a Polish state security agency tasked with patrol of the Polish border. It existed in the Second Polish Republic from 1928 to 1939 and was recreated in Third Polish Republic in 1990.

Contents 1 1928-1939 2 1945 - 1989 3 1990 - present 4 Border Guard commanders 5 External links

[edit] 1928-1939

Straż Graniczna was founded in 1928.

During the times of the Second Polish Republic, Straż Graniczna was responsible for northern, western and southern border of Poland (with Germany, Free City of Danzig, sea border, Czechoslovakia and Romania). Eastern border, often raided by military bands supported from Soviet Union was under the jurisdiction of a separate, military formation (Border Defence Corps, Korpus Ochrony Pogranicza - KOP).

Responsibilities of Straż Graniczna included:

• to prevent illegal crossing of the land and sea border by people and goods (smuggling)
• ensuring safety and public order in the border area
• combat any threats to national security in the border area

Straż Graniczna organisational structure was made of regional and border inspection houses, stations and border check points. It carried out its actions through patrols, manning border checkpoints, tracking, rouses and intelligence work. It had its own river and sea flotilla and intelligence academy.

Members of Straż Graniczna participated in the Second World War, fighting in the Polish Army during the Invasion of Poland.

[edit] 1945 - 1989

During the times of the People's Republic of Poland, role of the border guards was carried out by the military formation of Border Defence Army (Wojska Ochrony Pogranicza), being a part of the Army.

[edit] 1990 - present

Straż Graniczna has been reestablished in the Third Polish Republic as a civil, police-type service, with the act of 12 October of 1990 and begun operations on 16 May 1991. It considers itself the successor to the Second Polish Republic formations of Straż Graniczna and Korpus Ochrony Pogranicza.

From 1 May 2004, the day Poland became a member of the European Union, Straż Graniczna is guarding both the Polish and EU's borders.

[edit] Border Guard commanders

• Walerian Czuma (1939 March-September)

[edit] External links

• Straż Graniczna Homepage in Polish