Order Police

Order Police
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Agency name	Order Police
Native name	Ordnungspolizei
Country	Nazi Germany
Abbreviation	Orpo
Formed	1936
Dissolved	1945
Employees	244,500 (1940)
Headquarters	Berlin
Parent agency	Schutzstaffel (SS)

Order Police. The Ordnungspolizei (Orpo) was a major Nazi German law enforcement organization, established in 1936 by Heinrich Himmler, the head of the Schutzstaffel (SS), to consolidate and centralize the various police forces in Germany. The Order Police was responsible for maintaining law and order in Nazi Germany, and its members were involved in various World War II-related activities, including the Holocaust, alongside the Gestapo and the Waffen-SS. The Order Police worked closely with other Nazi German organizations, such as the Sturmabteilung (SA) and the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP).

● Introduction

The Order Police was created to replace the traditional police forces in Germany, which were seen as inefficient and disorganized by the Nazi Party. The new organization was designed to be a centralized and militarized police force, with a strong emphasis on ideology and loyalty to the Nazi regime. The Order Police was led by Kurt Daluege, a high-ranking SS officer, and was divided into several branches, including the Verwaltungspolizei (Administrative Police) and the Schutzpolizei (Protection Police). The Order Police worked closely with other Nazi German organizations, such as the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA) and the Wehrmacht, to maintain law and order in Nazi Germany and to implement Nazi policies, including those related to the Nuremberg Laws and the Kristallnacht.

● History

The Order Police was established in 1936, after the Nazi Party came to power in Germany in 1933. The new organization was created by merging the various police forces in Germany, including the Prussian Secret Police and the Bavarian State Police. The Order Police was initially responsible for maintaining law and order in Nazi Germany, but its role expanded during World War II to include participation in military operations and the implementation of Nazi policies in occupied territories, such as Poland and the Soviet Union. The Order Police worked closely with other Nazi German organizations, such as the Einsatzgruppen and the Waffen-SS, to carry out mass killings and other atrocities during the Holocaust, including the Babi Yar massacre and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. The Order Police also played a key role in the deportation of Jews to concentration camps, such as Auschwitz and Treblinka.

● Organization

The Order Police was a large and complex organization, with a total of 244,500 members in 1940. The organization was divided into several branches, including the Verwaltungspolizei (Administrative Police) and the Schutzpolizei (Protection Police). The Order Police was led by Kurt Daluege, a high-ranking SS officer, and was headquartered in Berlin. The organization was responsible for maintaining law and order in Nazi Germany, as well as implementing Nazi policies in occupied territories. The Order Police worked closely with other Nazi German organizations, such as the Gestapo and the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA), to carry out its responsibilities, including the surveillance of dissidents and the persecution of minorities, such as Jews, Roma, and homosexuals. The Order Police also collaborated with the Wehrmacht and the Waffen-SS to carry out military operations, including the invasion of Poland and the Battle of Stalingrad.

● Responsibilities

The Order Police was responsible for a wide range of activities, including maintaining law and order in Nazi Germany, implementing Nazi policies in occupied territories, and participating in military operations. The organization was also responsible for carrying out mass killings and other atrocities during the Holocaust, including the massacre of Jews in Babi Yar and the deportation of Jews to concentration camps, such as Auschwitz and Treblinka. The Order Police worked closely with other Nazi German organizations, such as the Einsatzgruppen and the Waffen-SS, to carry out its responsibilities, including the surveillance of dissidents and the persecution of minorities, such as Jews, Roma, and homosexuals. The Order Police also played a key role in the implementation of Nazi policies, including the Nuremberg Laws and the Kristallnacht, and collaborated with the Wehrmacht and the Waffen-SS to carry out military operations, including the invasion of Poland and the Battle of Stalingrad.

● Notable Actions

The Order Police was involved in several notable actions during World War II, including the invasion of Poland and the Battle of France. The organization also played a key role in the Holocaust, including the massacre of Jews in Babi Yar and the deportation of Jews to concentration camps, such as Auschwitz and Treblinka. The Order Police worked closely with other Nazi German organizations, such as the Einsatzgruppen and the Waffen-SS, to carry out its responsibilities, including the surveillance of dissidents and the persecution of minorities, such as Jews, Roma, and homosexuals. The Order Police also collaborated with the Wehrmacht and the Waffen-SS to carry out military operations, including the invasion of the Soviet Union and the Battle of Berlin. Notable individuals, such as Adolf Hitler, Heinrich Himmler, and Joseph Goebbels, played important roles in shaping the Order Police's actions and policies, including the Wannsee Conference and the Potsdam Conference.

● Legacy

The Order Police played a significant role in the Nazi regime and was involved in numerous atrocities during World War II. The organization's legacy is still felt today, with many of its former members being held accountable for their actions during the Nuremberg Trials and other war crimes trials. The Order Police's involvement in the Holocaust and other atrocities has also had a lasting impact on Germany and the world, with many memorials and museums being established to commemorate the victims of the Nazi regime, including the Yad Vashem and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The Order Police's history and legacy continue to be studied by historians and scholars, including Ian Kershaw and Richard J. Evans, and its impact on modern society remains a topic of discussion and debate, including the European Union's efforts to combat antisemitism and xenophobia. Category:Law enforcement agencies of Nazi Germany