About Role of Political Police on Overhead Silesia in Interwar Period

Abstract

In the framework of Police structures in the interwar period existed so-called defensive. The structure was engaged in dismantling of socio-political life of the country and, above all, in fighting with so-called subversive organizations. The defensive was set up immediately after the entry into force of the State Police Act (24 July 1919). In the State Police General Headquarters a separate department called "Division IV – D which was under the direct authority of the Commander has been set up. In district / county headquarters the branches of IV-D department which were subjected to agencies operating in a district headquarters, were created. In the Silesian Police (autonomous formations created in Silesia on the 17.06.1922) police officers of the political Police sections were focused on the fight against the three categories of political offenses: undercurrent leftist movement, nationalist and natio-revindicative. This was associated with the specific features of the region in which there was agglomeration of man-power, whether employed or seeking employment in the great silesian industry. Since the creation of political defensive, police authorities have sought to establish its leading status in terms of skills in the security service. In order to do that uniformed and investigation police officers, who stand out in terms of professional, moral and intellectual standard were recuited to serve in defensive. Since the creation of political Police there were frequent conflicts between officers and representatives of state administration. In this case, the central authorities were forced to accede to the demands of political Police opponents and by virtue of the Ministry of the Interior circular number 32 dated 17 March 1926 from 1 April 1926, all political police agencies were closed down. However by virtue of the silesian governor rescript from 9 May 1927 organization of political service in Silesian Voivodeship Police has been thoroughly rebuilt. After resolving political Police the totality of issues related to dismantling of political life of the country was intercepted by investigation departments created in dictrict head-quarters, in which separate cells were formed in order to deal with this issue.