For my upcoming book about the FHQu "Wehrwolf", I compiled a list of the "Interpreters" used by the Security Detachment, responsable for the local security and contra-spionage in the area of the Führerhauptquartier.
The main weakness of these units im Osten, was the local language. One could imagine that a so important unit as the GFP-RSD, who was on-site and dealt with anti-propaganda, resistance and (contra-)spionage questions had at least qualified and/or handpicked personnel!? Well NO....!
When the Security Detachment (under the command of SS-Stubaf. / Kriminalrat Schmidt) was formed ad hoc in November 1941 in Lubny, their main problem was... LANGUAGE.
So, because of the lack of qualified personnel (this phrase comes from one of the RSD-files I have in my archives), they "recruted" so-called interpreters on the spot. This resulted in the popular saying: "...in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.." ! In Lubny they contracted following persons to assist them:
- Dolmetscher Bruno Schuler (Volksdeutscher – Kraftfahrer und Schlosser) / (OT-Einsatz Classen / Lubny)
- Dolmetscher Christian Schumann (Volksdeutscher – landwirtschaftlicher Arbeiter) / (OT-Einsatz Classen / Lubny)
- Dolmetscher Tschaykowsky, Julian (Österreicher – Sekretär) / (OT-Einsatz Classen / Lubny)
So: a truckdriver, a peasant and a secretary clerk did the job! This means: assisting in all interrogations, traslating of documents, acts and passports, translating orders to local Mayors and villagers... one can imagine!
The interpreters recieved a better salary and better rations, supplied byt O.T. "Classen" in resp. Lubny / Strishawka. This increased the motivation of the potential candidates...
When the Security Detachment moved to Strishawka (near Winniza) in December 1941, they got more staff and were divided into four sections ("Unterbezirke") spread evenly around the center of the FHQu.
Again - same problem; same letter drawn and signed by SS-Stubaf. / Kriminalrat Schmidt, complaining about the lack of professional interpreters in Winniza. So again, they "selected" rather haphazardly fresh "interpreters" to assist them on duty:
- Dolmetscher Johann Zaritzky (Ukrainer – Volksdeutscher – Schulinspektor) – U-Bez.1 (festgenommen am 12.2.1943 um 16,00 Uhr)
- Dolmetscher Rissun (Rumäne – Maler) – U-Bez.2
- Dolmetscher Städler (Stettler) Artur – U-Bez.3
- Dolmetscher Laube (Volksdeutscher – Tischler) – U-Bez. 4
- Dolmetscher Alexander Gess (Volksdeutscher – Schuster)– Baustelle “Wald”
- Dolmetscher Tatjana Mular (Volksdeutscher – Dolmetscherin)– bei OT Einsatz “Eichenhain”
- Dolmetscher Neumann – bei OT Einsatz “Eichenhain”
Now even a Romanian fellow: Rissun, a painter in one of the O.T. companies!
This created them even greater problems. The main one turned out to be Interpreter Johann Zaritzky. He organized himself some extras "after hours" and started to inform the local villagers and mayors against bribes. He also (against some bribing) "mis-translated" some interrogations and/or convinced the GFP-RSD agents to let the interrogated person go. Johann Zaritzky was caught in the act and arrested by his own fellow - agents on 12. February 1943 after more than one full year "service" in the Security Detachment.
I guess this is an aspect very few people were aware of. As I have a Master Degree in Russian and went through all RSD files (German AND Russian) - this became clear to me that working on the Eastern Front wasn't easy, even not for a such important Security Detachment as the GFP-RSD one!
You may also imagine that the here mentioned persons were on top of the NKVD "Hunt List" from March 1944... "Wanted..." !
Martin
GFP-RSD - The Interpreters: their Achilles' heel
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