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54-530: The MO was established on 7 October 1944 by the Polish Committee of National Liberation under Chief Commander Franciszek Jóźwiak to police Red Army controlled areas of Poland during World War II . It became the official police force with the founding of the Polish People's Republic in 1947, effectively replacing the pre-war Policja as the main uniformed civilian police of Poland during

108-1299: A Service Dog Training Center in Ostróda with 82 military positions. The organizational order of the BPT Department of September 29, 1945, divided the state borders into sections of branches, commands and watchtowers. This order also specified the deployment of troops. According to preliminary assumptions, 1st branch was to be located in Żagań , 2nd in Rzepin, 3rd in Stargard, 4th in Gdańsk, 5th in Węgorzewo , 6th in Sokółka , 7th in Włodawa , 8th in Przemyśl , 9th in Nowy Sącz , 10th in Koźle and 11th in Bolkowice . On average, there were 321.6 km per unit, 66.7 km per command, and 14.4 km per border station. Sections 4 and 9 received

162-702: A battalion and further divided to 8–15 km (5.0–9.3 mi) of border guarded by a company. Border protection by linear units was treated as a transient condition. This problem was resolved by order of the Supreme Commander of the Polish Army No.0245 of September 13, 1945, which created the Border Protection Forces. On September 27, 1945, the Department Border Protection Forces spectorate

216-518: A tradition shared with the other Warsaw Pact police forces. Due to increasing terrorist threats, the MO created the Wydział Zabezpieczenia (Security Department) on February 22, 1976. This consist of 47 officers assigned to five sections. When the MO was first organized in 1945, it comprised the following: Until 1950, Poland was divided to 16 provinces. It was only from 1950-1975 when the country

270-759: A younger brother of Wincenty Witos , a notable pre-war politician. Andrzej Witos was later replaced by Stanisław Janusz. The fifteen members included those from the KRN and the ZPP. Officially, three were from the Polish Socialist Workers' Party (RPPS, a left-wing PPS faction), four represented the agrarian People's Party (SL), one the Democratic Party (SD), five the Polish Workers' Party (PPR) and two were unaffiliated. Stanisław Radkiewicz

324-690: The Allies to be incorporated into the Soviet Union (see Tehran Conference , Yalta Conference ). Among the members of the PKWN were politicians of various communist and leftist parties accepted by Stalin. Its chairman was Edward Osóbka-Morawski of the Polish Socialist Party (PPS). His deputies were Wanda Wasilewska and Andrzej Witos of the Union of Polish Patriots (ZPP); Witos was

378-763: The Lublin Committee , was an executive governing authority established by the Soviet -backed communists in Poland at the later stage of World War II . It was officially proclaimed on 22 July 1944 in Chełm , installed on 26 July in Lublin and placed formally under the direction of the State National Council ( Krajowa Rada Narodowa , KRN). The PKWN was a provisional entity functioning in opposition to

432-708: The Ministry of National Defense through the Ministry of Public Security to the Ministry of the Interior, and vice versa, to remain under the Ministry of Interior since 1972. Border Protection Forces soldiers were subject to the same rules and regulations as those of other soldiers of the Polish People's Republic . As a result of political transformation and the setup of the Third Polish Republic ,

486-622: The Union of Polish Patriots (ZPP) and the Polish Workers' Party (PPR). The Polish communist movement had been decimated during the Soviet purges in the 1930s, but revived under Stalin's auspices beginning in 1940. The PPR was a new party organized in occupied Poland , the ZPP originated during the war in the Soviet Union. The PPR had already established in Warsaw a conspiratorial State National Council (KRN), which they declared to be

540-463: The cognate term militsiya used in the Soviet Union, itself derived from militia with its etymology from the concept of a military force composed of ordinary citizens. The MO was used to establish the authority of the PKWN in areas of Poland that came under control of the Red Army as it pushed through the country into Nazi Germany . The first generation officers and agents were drawn from

594-539: The communist era. The MO was headquartered in Warsaw while training for the force was conducted in the town of Legionowo . The MO was supported by two paramilitary formations: the elite Motorized Reserves of the Citizens' Militia (ZOMO) and the reservist Volunteer Reserve of the Citizens' Militia (ORMO). In most cases it represented a state-controlled force used to exert political repression , especially with its elite ZOMO squads. The MO continued to exist after

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648-569: The fall of communism in Poland in 1989 until it was transformed back into Policja on 10 May 1990. The Citizens' Militia (MO) was created on the basis of provisions of the July Manifesto of the Soviet -backed Polish National Liberation Committee (PKWN), State National Council. It was formally established by decree on 7 October 1944 during the later stages of the Eastern Front of World War II . Milicja had been adapted from

702-400: The 1960s through the 1980s, ORMO forces, which at one time numbered as many as 600,000 civilian volunteers, were used to augment regular police personnel at key trouble spots. In the early 1980s, ORMO harassed Solidarity members and prevented independent groups from organizing. Largely staffed by industrial workers who gained substantial privileges by monitoring their peers in the workplace, ORMO

756-727: The 4th Division three section commands - in Lębork , Sopot and Elbląg . The 3rd Division of the OP in Szczecin gave the 4th Division the command of the section in Międzyzdroje , keeping for itself the regions of the Baltic Sea in the vicinity of Świnoujście and the Szczecin Lagoon . On the southeastern border, the 8th Division in Przemyśl took over the command of the section from

810-510: The 5th Branch from Olsztyn to Kętrzyn . The newly formed 12 Division, residing in Sopot until autumn 1946, was moved to Gdańsk. The Border Protection Inspectorate department and border protection units were reorganized in September 1946. BPT departments in military districts and communication companies for servicing departments were dissolved, subordinating border protection units directly to

864-785: The 9th Division 38 and 39. New names have been established for former and reformed BPT branches, mainly originating from their headquarters. In 1948 the Chief Inspectorate of Border Protection was formed on the basis of the Border Protection Forces Department. It was subordinated to the Second Deputy Minister of National Defense, General Stanisław Popławski . It consisted of a staff with departments: operational, combat training, organizational and record keeping, border traffic and border conflicts, special communications. In addition,

918-624: The BPT Department. Border protection departments were given regional names. The Department formed the Political and Educational Department, the Communications Node and support services. The full-time status of the BPT Department after the reorganization was 96 military and 17 contract employees. On October 1, 1946, the BPT Department assumed the command of protection border units. Supplies remained within military districts. A new 12 BPT branches were established. This branch took over from

972-510: The BPT. By November 10, 1948, the last border section was filled in the pressure headland. BPT watchtowers were built in Wetlina , Ustrzyki Górne , Stuposiany , Dwernik and Hulsk . On January 1, 1949, there were 2,673 officer positions at the BPT. 2070 of them were planted. Deficiencies reached about 23%. Officers of peasant (40.6%) and workers (37.5%) were the largest group of soldiers. 79% of

1026-694: The Border Protection Forces Training Center and GPK in Okęcie. The supplies of the inspectorate and BPT units were still under the control of the 3rd Deputy Minister of National Defense and military districts. By order of the Minister of National Defense No.205 of December 4, 1948, on January 1, 1949, the Border Protection Forces was subordinated to the Ministry of Public Security . BPT supplies were taken over by Ministry of Defense voivodeship headquarters. This coincided with

1080-618: The Border Protection Forces were disbanded on May 16, 1991, and the Border Guard was created in their place as a preventive-type police formation established to protect Poland's borders . On May 17, 1945, the commander of the 2nd Army of the Polish People's Army received the order of the Supreme Commander of the Polish Army No.00264, ordering them to populate the eastern bank of the Odra and Bystrzyca with five infantry divisions: 5, 7, 8, 10 and 12. Parallel to this, another decision of

1134-750: The London-based Polish government-in-exile , which was recognized by the Western allies. The PKWN exercised control over Polish territory retaken from Nazi Germany by the Soviet Red Army and the Polish People's Army . It was sponsored and controlled by the Soviet Union and dominated by Polish communists . At the time of the formation of the PKWN, the principal Polish authority in German-occupied Poland

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1188-493: The OP brigades were corrected and corresponded to the borders of Voivodeships, and sections of independent OP battalions to the borders of the powiats. This was to improve cooperation between the Home Army troops and powiat and voivodeship party organs, Public Security Service and public administration. To give border protection a greater prestige and rank, emphasizing the military nature of this formation, from January 1, 1950,

1242-477: The Polish Committee of National Liberation" - August 16 1944 was provided with: We are creating the Citizens' Militia. The name is not accidental. The militia must be truly a civic militia and all its efforts to ensure public safety will find support from the public. Given the fact that the first generation officers and men of the MO were drawn partly from the armed force the MO sported military ranks,

1296-807: The Polish officer corps present in the east was eliminated in the Katyn massacre or left the Soviet Union with Anders' Army ), kept the appearance of a national army and participated in the Soviet offensive all the way to Berlin . At the end of December 1944, the PKWN was reconstituted as the Provisional Government of the Republic of Poland (RTRP), which was formally recognized by the Soviet Union in January 1945. The government-in-exile retained for

1350-652: The Polish population, enjoyed the full material support of the Red Army and of the Soviet security forces in the creation of structures of government behind the Soviet front line." Border Protection Troops Border Protection Forces ( Polish : Wojska Ochrony Pogranicza , WOP ), also known under its English abbreviation BPT, was the border guard service of the People's Republic of Poland from 1945 to 1989. During its 46 years of existence, it has repeatedly changed its structural and service subordination, passing from

1404-474: The Red Army's "rear areas" (which effectively meant all of Poland) and proclaimed the creation of a Polish Army under Soviet leadership. The PKWN used a combination of repressive and co-optive measures. It appealed to patriotic sentiment, supported cultural events, and implemented a popular and long-overdue land reform . No revolutionary changes were introduced beyond the land reform. The newly recreated Polish army, largely staffed with Soviet officers (most of

1458-476: The Supreme Commander of the Polish People's Army moved divisions 7, 8 and 10 further west, to the Odra and Lusatian Neisse lines. All work related to the regrouping and occupation of the state border was scheduled for June 10, 1945. This day became a celebration of the Border Protection Forces fficial establishment. In total, eleven infantry divisions and one armored corps were deployed on the state border. Securing

1512-590: The beginning of formalised totalitarian rule, "in which one Party ruled autonomously over all sections of society". Officers of the MO took the same solemn oath as the officers of the Security Service. Its main fragment read as follows: I solemnly vow ...- to faithfully serve the Fatherland, the Party and People's Authority and to protect the law, order and public safety. The first chief commander of MO

1566-449: The borders with regular armies lasted until November 1945, until the Border Protection Forces were organized. Until now, the internal structure of the division was the basis in organizing border service. Each division protected a section of the border of about 120–160 km (75–99 mi) long, further subdivided to each 40–70 km (25–43 mi) protected by a regiment which in turn divided to 12–25 km (7.5–15.5 mi) guarded by

1620-517: The communication section of border conflicts and transitional checkpoints. The Main Inspectorate of Border Protection organized the protection of state borders and managed specialist services related to border protection. In this respect, he was subject to the departments of the border service of military districts, and through them the border protection departments. Communication between OW's border service departments and border protection units

1674-467: The deterioration of international relations, and in the country with the beginning of the fight against right-wing nationalist deviation. BPT was included in the ideological fight. Migration and smuggling began to be treated as espionage or diversionary penetration of the borderland by foreign intelligence agents. Imposing such a view of threats by the management of the Ministry of Public Security resulted in far-reaching organizational and structural changes in

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1728-555: The earliest attention was paid to the improper dislocation of branches and subunits. Formed in the Żagań region, the 1st Department of the BPT was stationed in Sulików for half a year, from April 1946 to move to Lubań Śląski , and the 4th Department formed in Gdańsk to October 1946, stationed in Słupsk , was transferred to Koszalin. The 9th Branch formed in Nowy Sącz was moved to Kraków, and

1782-490: The expense of Germany, and adherence to the 1921 March Constitution of Poland. It accused the Polish government-in-exile of being a "usurper" and called the 1935 April Constitution of Poland "fascist". At the outset, Polish communists had marginal support among the Polish population and the new regime was completely dependent on Moscow. The committee's early decrees granted the Soviet secret police (the NKVD ) authority over

1836-607: The following groups and sectors of society: Poland came under the domination of the Soviet Union at the end of World War II and, following the rigged 1947 Polish parliamentary election , the PKWN-derived Provisional Government of National Unity was able to legitimise itself enough to supplant the London -based Polish government-in-exile recognized by the Western allies . The MO effectively became

1890-675: The inspectorate included: Political and Educational Board, Department VII (special), Personnel Department, Quartermaster Inspection Department, Engineering and Sapper Service, Armaments Inspector, Health Department, Communications Node, Prosecutor's Office and Secret Office. The same order changed the names of the Border Protection Forces branches and subunits: BPF branches were renamed border guard brigades, episode commands into independent border protection battalions, BPT Krosno Command to Krosno independent border protection battalion. The Chief Inspectorate of Border Protection Forces covered twelve border protection brigades, one independent battalion of

1944-587: The longest sections. Based on the order No.0304 of the Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Army of October 28, 1945, heads of BPT departments at the command of military districts organized on November 15, 1945 to fifty-one border control points ( Polish : Przejściowe punkty kontrolne ) to control traffic at border crossings, including 27 road, 19 rail, 4 sea and 1 air. The hurriedly-organized BPT organizational structure had many disadvantages, and so

1998-422: The major Polish political parties were not officially represented. According to historian Norman Davies , most of the key positions in the PKWN were given to people who were essentially Soviet employees and not PPR members. Communists were in charge of the departments of military affairs, security, and propaganda. The PKWN Manifesto promised radical agrarian reforms, westward expansion of Polish territory at

2052-476: The most visible role in quelling demonstrations in 1980 and 1981, were reduced in size somewhat by the early 1990s and renamed Preventive Units of the Citizens' Militia ( Oddziały Prewencji Milicji Obywatelskiej —OPMO). OPMO forces are restricted to roles such as crowd control at sporting events, ensuring safety in natural disasters, and assisting the regular police. In theory, higher government authority would be required for large OPMO contingents to be used. From

2106-626: The names of units returned to the earlier designation: Border Protection Forces. In accordance with Order No. 41 of the Council of Ministers of June 24, 1965 the Border Protection Forces were subordinated to the Ministry of National Defence . After the martial law , border battalions were reconstructed. Battalions were re-established in Sanok , Nowy Targ , Cieszyn , Racibórz , Prudnik , Zgorzelec , Gubin , Słubice and Chojna . The organization of battalions in Nowy Sącz, Lubań Śląski and Szczecin

2160-590: The official civilian police force of Poland replacing the Policja . Former members of the anti-communist underground such as the Home Army , who tried to ensure an influence on everyday life, joined the new force, to the point that the entire outposts were Home Army members. The MO was supplemented by about a thousand former policemen employed in 1945, mainly in positions requiring special qualifications. In 1948, Poland's strengthened turn toward Stalinism brought

2214-409: The soldiers were conscripts of the Polish People's Army , 16% of the pre-war Polish Army, while the remaining 5% were citizens of the USSR and officers of the Soviet Armed Forces . In September 1949, port security battalions were formed, changing the system of border protection in their area and including fishing traffic under constant control. During this period, sections of the border protected by

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2268-418: The strict sense of the word mean the command authorities of the field organizational units, which were the branches and subordinate section commands, watchtowers and transitional checkpoints. These were supervisory and control institutions. The order of September 13 appointed 17 independent communications companies with 99 full-time employees in each. The same order obliged the head of the BPT Department to create

2322-410: The time being the recognition of the United States and the United Kingdom , but in reality the Western powers no longer considered it relevant as an international settlement on the issue of Poland's government was sought. a. "The new Polish regime began to legislate as early as July, 1944. At that time the only existing Polish government was the Polish Government in Exile in London, which

2376-459: The wartime national parliament. Because of war-related obstacles, the communist leaders arriving from Warsaw (the PPR delegation that included Władysław Gomułka and Bolesław Bierut ) reached Lublin only on 31 July, and attained full agreement with the group from Moscow (ZPP) on 15 August. The documents they produced were antedated to 21 July to comply with the declarations issued as of 22 July. The PKWN Manifesto , proclaimed on 22 July 1944,

2430-424: The years 1944–1948, the Citizens' Militia was used to fight cursed soldiers' ' , as well as servicemen of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and German Werwolf elements. When on July 27, 1944, the Civic Militia was established by one of the two decrees of the Polish Committee of National Liberation (PKWN's decree was approved on August 15, 1944 by the National National Council), in Rzeczpospolita - "press organ of

2484-423: Was Franciszek Jóźwiak . The militia was then subordinated to Ministry of Public Security , and from 1955 to Ministry of Internal Affairs . From March 1946 to the end of the 1940s, local MO units with units of the Polish People's Army , Internal Security Corps , Ministry of Public Security and Border Protection were subordinated to provincial security committees subordinate to State Security Commission . In

2538-435: Was divided to 17 provinces and five cities with voivodeship rights. The MO had 20 municipal headquarters. The Citizens' Militia was divided into a Public Order Department, Traffic Militia ( Highway patrol ), Criminal Investigations (Major crimes, forensics), Investigations Militia and an Infrastructure Security Section (Security of government buildings, airports, installations). The ZOMO motorized riot troops, which played

2592-451: Was formed. Until February 14, 1946, it was subordinate to the First Deputy Minister of National Defense, Division General Vsevolod Strażewski , and from October 30, 1945, to the Second Deputy Minister of National Defense, general Karol Świerczewski . Full-time employment amounted to 48 military and 155 contract employees. It consisted of the departments of: intelligence, operational-line, combat training, communications, personnel records and

2646-450: Was internationally recognized". b. "In the summer of 1944 there were therefore two rival centres claiming authority in Poland. On one side, there was the non-communist Underground State with the AK, enjoying the support of most Poles, and owing allegiance to the legitimate Polish government in London, which was still recognized by the Western Allies; and on the other, the Soviet sponsored PKWN which, despite its feeble roots among

2700-471: Was outlined in advance in a Radio Moscow broadcast. The PKWN, located in Lublin, became known as the Lublin Committee. While the administrative authority in Poland was granted to the PKWN, many aspects of wartime governance were determined by the Soviet military surveillance. As the Red Army and the allied Polish Army moved into Polish territory, the PKWN expanded its authority within the liberated areas, except for Kresy (prewar eastern Poland), intended by

2754-438: Was responsible for the security department and Michał Rola-Żymierski for the defense department. The Soviet side was represented by Nikolai Bulganin , whose role was to provide support for the PKWN's administration and security apparatus, and who was charged with destruction of political and military groupings representing the Polish government-in-exile. The PKWN presented itself as a broad leftist and democratic coalition, but

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2808-658: Was secured by independent communications campaigns formed in military districts. BPT departments were created at the level of military districts: BPT I category department at the Command of the Silesian Military District, three BPT II category departments at the Kraków, Pomeranian and Warsaw Military District commands, two BPT III category departments at the Command of the Lublin and Poznan Military Districts. Also formed: 11 BPT branch commands with service sub-units, 53 episode commands, 249 watchtowers, 17 independent communications companies, Independent Dog Training Center. The BPT department and departments at military districts did not in

2862-431: Was the Polish Underground State network of organizations loyal to the Polish government-in-exile, resident in London . As the Red Army, fighting Nazi German forces, entered Polish territory, Joseph Stalin and Polish communists proceeded with the establishment of a rival executive authority, one that they could control. The PKWN was formed in negotiations involving primarily the main Polish communist organizations,

2916-579: Was the object of extreme resentment throughout the 1980s. Kiszczak attempted to promote ORMO as a valuable auxiliary police force, but the organization was abolished by the Sejm in 1990. As a general rule, the MO wore grey and sky blue uniforms. The full dress variant of this was worn with the peaked cap, service dress was the same but the riot police wore combat helmets. The most common types were: Polish Committee of National Liberation The Polish Committee of National Liberation ( Polish : Polski Komitet Wyzwolenia Narodowego , PKWN ), also known as

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