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Bergbauernhilfe

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Bergbauernhilfe
Activefrom late 1938 to August 15, 1939 - training , until 22 September 1939 – in action
Country Nazi Germany
Size200 to 600 (maximum estimation)
EngagementsInvasion of Poland 1939
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Roman Sushko
Military unit

Bergbauernhilfe (BBH)– (“mountain-peasant’s help”) – codename of the Abwehr II subversive operations unit composed from the OUN members. Take part in Whermacht September 1939 campaign against Poland –with task to instigate uprising at Eastern Poland directed against Jews and Poles. Within few days after the September, 17 1939 Soviet Intervention in to Eastern Poland it personnel were recalled and redistributed amongst different Abwehr and Security police units in General Government.

Background

The OUN along with it’s predecessor UVO actively collaborated with Germany Military Intelligence Service from early 1920s. Both organizations conduct intelligence and terrorist activities supported by Germans financial and material means at Poland territories.

On training

In late 1938 1938 Abwehr were established training centers for the OUN militants near Chiemsee and at Seibersdorf to prepare a "fifth column" for action against Poland. From the OUN side personnel were under command of the head of OUN military staff Roman Sushko.

Formation

Details on the creation of the unit (OUN call it “Ukrainian Legion”) were discussed at the Abwehr Colonel Erwin Von Lahausen meetings with Sushko during June 13 - July 3, 1939. The August 15, 1939 Abwehr gave final approval to the establishment of the sabotage unit. Unit operations will be conducted from Slovakia and was code-named «Bergbauernhilfe» («mountain-peasant’s help”) under direct command of the Abwehr II(sabotage and psychological warfare ). While OUN offering to German counterpart creation the Legion of 12 thousand soldiers and 1300 officers, Wehrmacht leaders have rejected such offer as unreal. Actual unit strength were estimated from 200 to 600 militants – depend on source.

In action

From July 23, 1939 unit personnel were transferred to Poland-Slovak border near Kežmarok- Levoca, High Tatra Mountains. 6–9 September 1939 it crossed Poland-Slovak border and in the rear of the German 57 Division. It moved at the direction to Lwow – at route Sanok – Ustrzyki – Lesko – Kyrov – Sambor – Komarno. September 3 1939 recently appointed OUN leader Andriy Melnyk was called to Berlin were he has notified about Germans plans about Eastern Poland.

September 12, 1939 meeting

The September 12, 1939 at the Hitler’s train, shortly before fall of Warsaw – was held a meeting which outlined activities of the OUN at eastern Poland.

  • Foreign Minister of the Reich Ribbentrop “… uprising should be staged that all farms and dwelling of the Poles should go up in flames, and all Jews be killed.”
  • Generalfeldmarschall Keitel: “You, Canaris, have to promote an uprising with the aid of the Ukrainian organizations which are working with you and which have same objectives, namely, the Poles and the Jews.”

  • Colonel Erwin Von Lahausen (head of Abwehr Division I) : “…Organizations of National Ukrainians with which Amt Abwehr cooperated along military lines, and which were to bring about an uprising in Poland, an uprising which aimed exterminate the Poles and Jews…”

September 15, 1939 admiral Wilhelm Franz Canaris- head of the Abwehr, noted at his diary about the Hitler’s intent to create an “independent Galician and Polish Ukraine”. After appearance of such “state” Canaris should initiate a “a revolt can be incited trough OUN which would aim at the destruction of the Poles and Jews”.

In Eastern Poland

Due the nature of the unit – there no clear information about it activities exist. From the memoirs of the units personnel it’s known that some of subunits reached Lwow, while other operated at several others Eastern Poland areas. It’s also known that the head of the Abwehr - admiral Wilhelm Franz Canaris – moved to Przemyśl – but unexpected Soviet intervention and Hitler’s Order abrupt his planned activities in Eastern Poland.

Reorganization

By the beginning of the December 1939 unit was disbanded. It’s personnel were redistributed amongst different Abwehr and Security police units in General Government.

See also

References

  1. Christian Hartmann and Sergej Slutsch –“Franz Halder und die Kriegsvorbereitungen im Frühjahr 1939. Eine Ansprache des Generalstabschefs des Heeres” at Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte 45. Jahrg., 3. H., Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag GmbH Jul., 1997 pp. 494
  2. Hans Bentzin, «Division Brandenburg — Die Rangers von Admiral Canaris» , 2.Aufl. 2005 (2004), edition ost, Das Neue Berlin Verlagsgesellschaft mbH "
  3. ^ Tadeusz Piotrowski Poland's Holocaust: Ethnic Strife, Collaboration with Occupying Forces and Genocide in the Second Republic, 1918-1947 McFarland & Company (November 1997) ISBN-13: 978-0786403714
  4. ^ В. Дзьобак Порівняльна характеристика колаборації населення Росії й України в роки радянсько-німецької війни // Сторінки воєнної історії України Випуск 11. - Київ: Інститут історії України НАН України, 2009. - №11. - V.Dzobak Comparison of collaboration population of Russia and Ukraine during the Soviet-German War / Military History of Ukraine Vol 11. - Kyiv: Institute of History of Ukraine, 2009. - № 11. - page 255-257
  5. ^ В. Дзьобак Порівняльна характеристика колаборації населення Росії й України в роки радянсько-німецької війни // Сторінки воєнної історії України Випуск 11. - Київ: Інститут історії України НАН України, 2009. - №11. - V.Dzobak Comparison of collaboration population of Russia and Ukraine during the Soviet-German War / Military History of Ukraine Vol 11. - Kyiv: Institute of History of Ukraine, 2009. - № 11. - page 256
  6. ^ Michal ŠMIGEĽ Ukrajinský legión Romana Suška. Útok zo Slovenska na Poľsko (1939) Slovenská republika (1939–1945) očami mladých historikov IV. Slovensko medzi 14. marcom 1939 a salzburskými rokovaniami. M. Pekár, R. Pavlovič. Prešov: FF PU v Prešove – Universum, 2007, s. 279-292. ISBN 978-80-8068-669-7
  7. ПЕРЕД ПОХОДОМ НА СХІД - I(спогади й матеріяли до діяння ОУН у 1939-1941 роках) http://knysh.uaweb.org/pochod-1/r05.html СРІБНА СУРМА. Торонто
  8. http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/NT_major-war-criminals.html IMT Vol II p.448
  9. http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/NT_major-war-criminals.html IMT Vol III p.21
  10. http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/NT_major-war-criminals.html IMT Vol II p.478
  11. http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/NT_Nazi-conspiracy.html Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression Office of the United States Chief of Counsel For Prosecution of Axis Criminality Nuremberg, Germany (1945—1946) Vol.V p 768 I would have to make to make such preparations with the Ukrainians … a revolt can be incited trough… OUN which would aim at the destruction of the Poles and Jews
  12. В. Дзьобак Порівняльна характеристика колаборації населення Росії й України в роки радянсько-німецької війни // Сторінки воєнної історії України Випуск 11. - Київ: Інститут історії України НАН України, 2009. - №11. - V.Dzobak Comparison of collaboration population of Russia and Ukraine during the Soviet-German War / Military History of Ukraine Vol 11. - Kyiv: Institute of History of Ukraine, 2009. - № 11. - page 256
  13. ПЕРЕД ПОХОДОМ НА СХІД - I (спогади й матеріяли до діяння ОУН у 1939-1941 роках) http://knysh.uaweb.org/pochod-1/r05.html СРІБНА СУРМА. Торонто
  14. http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/NT_Nazi-conspiracy.html Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression Office of the United States Chief of Counsel For Prosecution of Axis Criminality Nuremberg, Germany (1945—1946) Vol.V p 768-776
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