4th SS Police Regiment

For information on the Waffen-SS command, see 4th SS Polizei Panzergrenadier Division

The 4th SS Police Regiment (SS-Polizei-Regiment 4) was a security formation of the SS which was formed in France during the Second World War. The unit was a garrison security force stationed in Paris and was under the operational command of the Higher SS and Police Leader "Frankreich".

Formation and early history

The 4th regiment was first created in July 1942 and consisted of three battalions of German police recruited from the ranks of the Ordnungspolizei. A small percentage of the regiment also consisted of transferred members from Battalion 62 of Organization Todt. The first commander of the regiment was Oberstleutnant der Schutzpolizei Bolko von Schweinichen. From 1942 to 1943, the regiment performed security functions in Paris as part of German policies implemented during the occupation of France.

Anti-partisan and invasion duties

Sometime in 1943, approximately one third of the regiment was transferred to Poland where the unit was engaged in anti-partisan duties against the Polish Underground. During this time, the regiment was under the command of Oberstleutnant der Schutzpolizei Erich Skowronnek. The unit was involved in suppressing resistance to German rule and records indicate a small number of the Anti-Partisan Guerrilla Warfare Badge were presented to regiment members. In May of that year, the regiment also received designation as an armored formation when it absorbed units from the 2nd Polizei-Panzer Company.

In July 1944, following the invasion of Normandy, the 4th regiment was placed under the command of SS-Obersturmbannführer Walter Danzfolded and ordered to assist regular combat units of the Waffen-SS in repelling allied advances into France. Following the German retreat from Paris and the liberation of France, the 4th regiment was disbanded with its remaining members transferred into the Waffen-SS.

Command Hierarchy

References

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