Polnisches Schutzmannschaftsbataillon 202 was a collaborationist police battalion, one of a number of Schutzmannschaften auxiliary battalions composed of Ukrainians (5,000 – 12,000) and Poles (2,000 – 2,200)[1] drafted by Germans from inhabitants of General Government, as a support for the Nazi Sicherheitspolizei (security police).
Created in May-June 1942,[2] the battalion which operated mostly in Volhynia and Podolia between 1943 – 1944, was subordinate to the German Schutzpolizei. The initial volunteer recruitment yielded only 2 members. Afterward, the German authorities resorted to forceful draft among members of Blue Police. Due to attempts to dodge the draft, another method included false advertisements for paid work in "Polish Police".
German major Walery Sauermann was made the commander of the unit, and Germans made up all of the officers. In November 1943 more than half of the battalion deserted. At least 700 Poles joined the 27th Volhynian Division of the Armia Krajowa, additional 60 Poles were executed for mutiny in Jarmolińce. One of the most widely quoted reason among the Poles for joining the unit was a desire to offer protection for civilians against the OUN-UPA wave of massacres of Poles in Volhynia.[3] The unit was practically destroyed in combat with the Red Army at the beginning of 1944.[2] The remains of the unit were transferred to Lwow (Lviv). Officially the battalion was disbanded on May 8, 1944.
The battalion was armed with Mauser Mk 98k rifles and MP38 and MP41 machine guns.
It is believed that some of its former members subsequently joined the Blue Police in the General Government.