| 8th SS Police Regiment | |
|---|---|
| Country |  Nazi Germany |
| Branch | Schutzstaffel |
| Type | Security |
| Size | Regiment |
| Garrison/HQ | Wehrkreis XII |
The 8th SS Police Regiment (German : SS-Polizei-Regiment 8) was initially named the 8th Police Regiment (Polizei-Regiment 8) when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties on the Eastern Front. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943.
The regiment was ordered formed in July 1942 in Russia, but the regimental headquarters was not formed until 2 September. [1] Police Battalion 91 (Polizei-Batallion 91), Police Battalion 111 and Police Battalion 134 were redesignated as the regiment's first through third battalions, respectively. [2] All of the police regiments were redesignated as SS police units on 24 February 1943. [3]
The regimental headquarters was destroyed in January 1943 and its remnants were withdrawn to Gotenhafen-Adlershorst, (now [Gdynia-Orłowo], Poland), where they were used to help form the first battalion of the 36th Police Rifle Regiment (Polizei-Schützen Regiment 36) in mid-1943. Its battalions, however, were assigned to different German Army security divisions and did not suffer its fate. [1]
The 8th SS Police Regiment was reformed in November 1944, presumably in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, with four newly raised battalions. The regiment fought in Hungary in 1944–45 and it may have been deployed near Stettin, Germany (now Szczecin, Poland), in March 1945. Its fourth battalion was disbanded in April. [1]
The 1st SS Police Regiment was initially named the 1st Police Regiment when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties in Occupied Europe. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943. Later that year it was disbanded and its battalions were reassigned to other SS Police units. The regiment was reformed in late 1944 in Hungary, but was absorbed by 35th SS and Police Grenadier Division in early 1945.
The 4th SS Police Regiment was named the 4th Police Regiment when it was temporarily formed in 1939 from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties during the invasion of Poland. The second formation was ordered in 1942 from existing Order Police battalions in Occupied France. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943.
The 2nd SS Police Regiment was initially named the 2nd Police Regiment when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties in Occupied Europe. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943.
The 3rd SS Police Regiment was named the 3rd Police Regiment when it was temporarily formed in 1939 from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties during the invasion of Poland. The second formation was ordered in 1942 from existing Order Police units in the Netherlands. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943. It remained in the Netherlands for the rest of World War II.
The 5th SS Police Regiment was initially named the 5th Police Regiment when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties in Occupied Serbia. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943. The regiment was disbanded at the end of 1944.
The 6th SS Police Regiment was initially named the 6th Police Regiment when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties on the Eastern Front. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943.
The 7th SS Police Regiment was named the 7th Police Regiment when it was formed from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties in Occupied Norway. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943. It remained in Norway for most of the rest of World War II.
The 9th SS Police Regiment was initially named the 9th Police Regiment when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties on the Eastern Front. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943.
The 12th SS Police Regiment was initially named the 12th Police Regiment when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police units (Ordnungspolizei) in Germany. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943. The regimental headquarters was disbanded in early 1944, but its battalions remained in service.
The 16th SS Police Regiment was initially named the 16th Police Regiment when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police units for security duties on the Eastern Front. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943.
The 17th SS Police Regiment was initially named the 17th Police Regiment when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police units (Ordnungspolizei) for security duties on the Eastern Front. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943.
The SS Mountain Police Regiment 18 was initially named Mountain Police Regiment (Polizei-Gebirgsjäger-Regiment) when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units in order to secure the railwayline in the northern Caucasus - the withdrawal from this area made these plans obsolete. When all police battalions were merged into regiments in July 1942 the Mountain Police Regiment received Nr. 18 out of a total of 28 regiments. It remained the only mountain police regiment of the Ordnungspolizei.
The 19th SS Police Regiment was initially named the 19th Police Regiment when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties in Occupied Europe. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943.
The 20th SS Police Regiment was initially named Police Regiment Bohemia when it was formed in 1939 after the German occupation of Czechoslovakia from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties in Bohemia. It was redesignated as the 20th Police Regiment in mid-1942 before it received the SS title in early 1943.
The 21st SS Police Regiment was initially named Police Regiment Moravia when it was formed in 1939 after the German occupation of Czechoslovakia from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties in Moravia. It was redesignated as the 21st Police Regiment in mid-1942 before it received the SS title in early 1943.
The 23rd SS Police Regiment was initially named Police Regiment Kraków when it was formed in late 1939 after the German invasion of Poland from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties there. It was redesignated as the 23rd Police Regiment in mid-1942 before it received the SS title in early 1943.
The 24th SS Police Regiment was initially named Police Regiment Radom when it was formed in late 1939 after the German invasion of Poland from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties there. It was redesignated as the 24th Police Regiment in mid-1942 before it received the SS title in early 1943.
The 25th SS Police Regiment was initially named Police Regiment Lublin when it was formed in late 1939 after the German invasion of Poland from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties there. It was redesignated as the 25th Police Regiment in mid-1942 before it received the SS title in early 1943.
The 26th SS Police Regiment was initially named Police Regiment North Norway when it was formed in early 1941 after the German invasion of Norway in 1940 from existing Order Police units for security duties there. It was redesignated as the 26th Police Regiment in mid-1942 before it received the SS title in early 1943.
The 28th SS Police Regiment Todt was initially named the 28th Police Regiment when it was formed in mid-1942 from the existing Order Police units for security duties in Occupied Norway. All of its units were transferred to other regiments shortly after forming; it was reformed as the 28th Police Regiment Todt later that year. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943.