Schutzmannschaft Bataillon 202 Kraków (Sygn.GK 658)

The Schutzmannschaft Battalion 202 was a failed collaborationist auxiliary police battalion in the General Government during World War II. It was made up of 360 conscripts with Nazi German leadership. The unit was created in Kraków officially on March 27, 1942 with recruitment beginning in May. Only two Polish men volunteered. As a result, the Germans resorted to conscription from the regular Polish city-police called Einheimische Polizei. Once in Volhynia, the battalion stationed in Łuck originally. Soon later, in around Kostopol, half the members deserted to Polish anti-Nazi 27th Home Army Infantry Division, in defense of the ethnic Polish population against the UPA massacres. Additional 60 Poles were rounded up and executed by the Nazi-Germans for mutiny. During formation, the battalion stationed in Kraków at Michałowskiego Street (renamed Luxemburgstrasse). Basic training took place in Dębica. Its first commandant was Captain Tschnadel. Members wore green uniforms of Orpo and received Mauser 98 rifles before transfer to occupied Eastern Poland with the intention of fighting Soviet partisans behind the front-line of Operation Barbarossa. All Schutzmannschaften auxiliary police battalions were formed by the Germans from inhabitants of occupied territories i.e. in the General Government; as support for the Nazi Sicherheitspolizei (security police) which was understaffed. At one point, the number of conscripted policemen in occupied eastern Poland included 5,000-12,000 Ukrainians and 2,000-2,200 Poles, mostly pitted against each other.