Jewish Ghetto Police

World War II Other Military Units
#1

Hi all,

I have a new topic that I would like to discuss with you all…

I have been reading up on the Judische Ordnungsdienst or Jewish Order Service, the police force of the Jewish ghettos in Europe.

I would be very interested in any websites or books that can be recommended, or any photos that members may have.

Also, I would like to know your opinions (or those of any survivors you may know) on the police, i.e. were they simply trying to make life in the ghetto more ordered and safe, or had they sold out to the Nazis.

Also, if anybody has any light to shed on how these men were chosen/recruited and what their day to day tasks were that would be great. Does anyone know of any particular crimes/cases that they investigated.

I’m pretty early on in my research, so anything you can give me will be gratefully received…just assume I know nothing!!

Thanks everyone :slight_smile:

#2

This book may help some.

Judenrat: the Jewish councils in Eastern Europe under Nazi occupation By Isaiah Trunk

Chapter 18 is about the Ghetto Police (only a small part is available on that link though.

#3

What I know, they were planned to be used as a simple police force in the Ghetto. They were even lightly armed, some having pistols.

They were not very popular among the other Ghetto inamtes, it is said that their brutality could surpass those of the Germans, Ukrainians, Lithuanians and others who were sometimes found to be guards.

#4

When push comes to shove, there are no limits to what a man is capable of in terms of his own survival.

For every hero or noble resistor, their are hundreds who simply want as much time as they can get-kind of basic, actually.