Cooperation of German and Lithuanian security police in the Reichskommisariat Ostland 1941–1944 (an outline)

Abstract

Lithuanian security police (Sauguma) was transformed from the Department of Security after the staff of the State Security Department was released by Germans from prisons. Lithuanian Sauguma was strictly subordinated to the head of SD Sicherheitspolizei und Litauen. The main task it was commended to was fighting the Communist and the Polish underground in Lithuania. From June 1942 Sauguma was obliged by the German security police to provide information on Christian religious sects, activity of Masons, mixed marriages between Jews, Christians and Gypsies. The questions of German and Jewish citizens were left in the competence of German security police. Lithuanian security police consisted of a central department in Kaunas, and six district offices in Vilnius, Kaunas, Šiauliai, Panevėžys, Mariampolė and Ukmergė. Regional Office in Vilnius consisted of 10 districts, the city itself consisted of 7 districts. Strong assignment of Vilnius and the Vilnius District was a result of large concentration of Poles living in the area. After the invasion of the Red Army to Vilnius most officers of Sauguma left the city and took refuge in Germany.