Petro Dyachenko & the 31. Schutzmannschafts Battalion

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herper89
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Petro Dyachenko & the 31. Schutzmannschafts Battalion

#1

Post by herper89 » 16 Mar 2012, 20:55

Hello all,


I am in the process of writing a crisis research paper on Petro Dyachenko during the Warsaw Uprisings and I was wondering if any of you history buffs and authors can provide me with some information. There seems to be a deficit of information on Petro Dyachenko and the specifics of his involvement in the Warsaw uprisings.

Information I am looking for:
1) What did the 31 Schutzmannschafts Battalion do during the Warsaw uprisings?
2) What was the military quality of the 31 Schutzmannschafts Battalion in terms of experience, competency and armaments?
3) What was the extent of Petro Dyachenko personal involvement?
4) Is it fair to say that Petro Dyachenko was more concerned with putting down the uprising than preparing Warsaw for the incoming Soviet attack?
5) What were Petro Dyachenko's loyalties?
6) Did he share the Ukrainian Insurgent Army's view that the Soviets and Poles were a bigger threat to the Ukraine than the Nazis?
7) Was there ever any suspicion that Petro Dyachenko was connected with the Ukrainian Insurgent Army?

I will also be grateful for any other topical information that you care to share.

Any time and assistance you can provide will be greatly appreciated. I realize that you are not compensated for your time on this forum.


Thanks,
-Herper89

Melnyk
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Re: Petro Dyachenko & the 31. Schutzmannschafts Battalion

#2

Post by Melnyk » 22 Mar 2012, 21:59

Hi

the Volhynian Self-Defence Legion was originally a partisan unit belonging to the Melnyk faction of the OUN which specialised in anti-partisan warfare. Organised on 19 March, 1943, near the village of Antonovets in the Kremianets area of Volhynia the unit was formed from a group of approximately two hundred men mainly from the Lutsk, Kremenets and Dubno regions to defend the local population against attacks from the Polish and Soviet partisans. As the consequence of a direct and violent confrontation between the 'Legion' and a group from the Bandera faction of the OUN-B in October 1943, the unit was disarmed only to be reformed shortly thereafter under the auspices of the Sicherheitdienst. During 1944 it absorbed 'The Kholm Self Defence Detachment' commanded by Yuri Lukashchuk, several east Ukrainians from 'Schutzmannschaft 207' and a few former officers of the Galician Division who had been discharged because of insufficient qualifications or because of their age. The legion had its own nco school at Klay near Cracow and had a number of nurses who served as medical personnel. It was well equipped with several horses, radio equipment and a mixture of German and Soviet weaponry including a light infantry support gun, mortars and heavy machine guns. Its members wore standard pattern German uniforms with no distinguishing insignia.

Oberst (Colonel) Woldymyr Herasimenko ('Tur') was the legion's senior Ukrainian officer. From mid 1944, Oberst (Colonel) Petro Diachenko acted as assistant commander. Other prominent Ukrainian officers (some names are pseudonyms) included: 1st Lt. Lytwyn, Capt Oksentijiw, Lt.'s Roman Kyveluk, Charvckyj, Wowk, Kowal, 'Trojan', Nechaj, 'Traktor', Kaschuk, Cobchak, & Popobuz.

The Legion's first commander was SS-Hauptsturmführer Siegfried Assmuss who had previously been attached to the SD in Lutsk whose "heroic death" in an ambush by Polish partisans during the retreat before the Red Army south of Lublin, was described in a letter of condolences dated 14 November, 1944, from the commander in Posen to his widow. Assmuss was assisted by an SS-Unterscharführer named Rawlin who spoke fluent Russian and acted as interpreter.

From October 1943, it was under the direct control of the Sicherheitdienst (SD) as the Schützmannschaft Bataillon der SD Nr. 31 or the Ukrainian Legion of Self Defence. From July 1944 it was commanded by SS-Sturmbannführer Biegelmeyer, at its peak it reached a strength of approximately six hundred officers and men including a few German SD officers and nco’s. The Legion had undertaken several independent anti-partisan actions at various locations in the Volhynia and Cholm regions of the Generalgouvernement from February 1944, until the end of October 1944.

During this time one reinforced company under the command of Oberst Petro Diachenko was utilised for several weeks along with the German forces in the suppression of the Warsaw rising in August 1944. During the fighting in Warsaw at least ten members of the Legion were killed; these have been named in a document signed by SS-Oberscharführer Rawlin as Feldwebel Filimon Buszanskij, and privates Iwan Dub, Iwan Halaszewskij, Jurij Hajworonskij, Evgen Kolacki, Andrej Melnik, Andrej Sledz, Gregor Trofimowicz, Teodosij Wosniuk & Archip Wachara. The Legion's political leader known by the pseudonym 'Soltys' objected to the deployment at Warsaw and in consequence was arrested by the SD and sent to a concentration camp where he perished.


The Legion was then deployed in its entirety at the railway station at Klaj (between Cracow and Bochnia) before being moved again to the Austrian side of the Yugoslav / Austrian border by train in late February 1945.

sources: Interview, Fedir Tsymbaliuk, 20 June, 1999, Toronto, & letters from Orest Horodysky4 june 1994, 28 October 1996, 2 February 1998, numerous telephone conversations, plus 'The Organisation, Formation and History of 'The Volhynian Self-Defence Legion' 1943-45 (unpublished paper).


1) What did the 31 Schutzmannschafts Battalion do during the Warsaw uprisings?

As far as I am aware mostoly gaurded one sector of the city therefore saw limited fighting

2) What was the military quality of the 31 Schutzmannschafts Battalion in terms of experience, competency and armaments?

Armaments were mixed but certainly not 'poor'. these guys were the tough no nonsense sort. A large numberof these men had served in formal military Wehrmacht or SS units (including the Galician division) as well as with partisan units.

3) What was the extent of Petro Dyachenko personal involvement?

He commanded the unit deployed at Warsaw

4) Is it fair to say that Petro Dyachenko was more concerned with putting down the uprising than preparing Warsaw for the incoming Soviet attack?

No. The Soviet advance was everyones priority. he objected to the unit being sent to Warsaw and was threatened with court martial which in his case would have meant execution.

5) What were Petro Dyachenko's loyalties?

to the Ukrainian Nationalists

6) Did he share the Ukrainian Insurgent Army's view that the Soviets and Poles were a bigger threat to the Ukraine than the Nazis?

No idea. he like most Ukrainians, hated any occupying power

7) Was there ever any suspicion that Petro Dyachenko was connected with the Ukrainian Insurgent Army?

Yes there were links, See above

Mike Melnyk
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Rob - wssob2
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Re: Petro Dyachenko & the 31. Schutzmannschafts Battalion

#3

Post by Rob - wssob2 » 23 Mar 2012, 19:15

Here's the information I have:

Pyotr Dyachenko aka Diaczenko (1895 – 1965)
  • WWI: Tsarist Regimental Commander
    1918-20: Battalion and Regimental commander, Ukrainian National Republic (UNR)
    Early 1920’s: Interned by Poles; then joined Polish Army in 1928
    1939: Served as Major during Polish Campaign, captured & sent to POW camp
    Circa 1941: Became member of the Ukrainian Central Committee (UCC)
    Circa 1943: Officer in 31st SD/Volyn Battalion; may have been awarded Iron Cross for his commanding Ukrainian troops suppressing the Warsaw Uprising (look in Alisby's Hitler's Renegades: Foreign Nationals in the Service of the Third Reich for confirmation)
    1945: Commander of “Panzerjadg Brigade Freie Ukraine” aka the “2nd Ukrainian Division;" in esence transferred to "Ukrainian National Army" (aka 14th SS) spring 1945
    Postwar: Emigrated to Germany and then USA


March 1945, 14th SS Division:
Division strength: 12,000. Various Ukrainian volunteers, laborers, paramilitaries, Schuma troops, and KZ personnel etc. attempt to integrate themselves into the division. The division's officers are now wary as many unitless men are wandering around looking to blend into a a "legitimate" unit. The "Ukrainian Self-Defence Unit," (aka Volyn Battalion, aka 31st SD Punatitive Detachment) an OUN offshoot of 600 men pooibly under the command of Pyotr Dyachenko, attaches itself to 14th SS. Elements of the Vohlyn Battalion briefly mutiny and attempt to desert to a nearby band of Chetniks, but the mutiny is diffused and the battalion integrated back into the division.


For additional information see

Ukrainian Nationalism 1939-45 - John A. Armstrong - Columbia University Press - New York - 1955

Pure Soldiers or Sinister Legion: The Ukrainian 14th Waffen-SS Division
Sol Littman - Black Rose Books - New York - 2003

kamjanek
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Re: Petro Dyachenko & the 31. Schutzmannschafts Battalion

#4

Post by kamjanek » 14 May 2012, 14:39

Dear Mike Melnyk,

Sorry for disturbing your conversation. I represent polish publisher of "Hitler's Foreign Executioners" - a book, in which some of your photographs were used. Could you contact me at janicki [at] znak.com.pl to discuss the possibility of publishing those photos also in polish edition? Unfortunatelly I were unable to find any other way of contacting you, than by this forum.

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Askold
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Re: Petro Dyachenko & the 31. Schutzmannschafts Battalion

#5

Post by Askold » 14 May 2012, 20:59

Rob - wssob2 wrote:Here's the information I have:

Pyotr Dyachenko aka Diaczenko (1895 – 1965)

Circa 1943: Officer in 31st SD/Volyn Battalion; may have been awarded Iron Cross for his commanding Ukrainian troops suppressing the Warsaw Uprising (look in Alisby's Hitler's Renegades: Foreign Nationals in the Service of the Third Reich for confirmation)
1945: Commander of “Panzerjadg Brigade Freie Ukraine” aka the “2nd Ukrainian Division;" in esence transferred to "Ukrainian National Army" (aka 14th SS) spring 1945
- Petro (not Pyotr) Dyachenko was awarded EK while fighting at Oder in 1945.

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Orlov
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Re: Petro Dyachenko & the 31. Schutzmannschafts Battalion

#6

Post by Orlov » 29 Mar 2014, 21:23

[quote="herper89"/"Melnyk"] 1) What did the 31 Schutzmannschafts Battalion do during the Warsaw uprisings?
As far as I am aware mostoly guarded one sector of the city therefore saw limited fighting[/quote]
The actions in Warsaw took a approx. of 400 policeman from the Ukrainian Legion's Self-Defense (Український Легіон Самооборони - УЛС)/31. Schutzmannschafts Battalion der SD comm. Colonel Petr Diaczenko. ULS was in Warsaw in early September. Still poses a problem to determine the area of concentration and the exact location of the ULS fighting in Warsaw. Witness accounts suggest the deployment of Ukrainians in the region of 6 August Streer (now Liberation Avenue) or at ul. Rozbrat or along the coast Kosciuszko at Vistula during the German assault on Powiśle. It was then that the majority of the loss of the legion. Then began Sept. 13 German attack on the Czerniaków Upper. In these battles ULS able to fill up to September 23 trenches located somewhere between the current Park Rydz-Smigly and the Vistula. The attack was carried out towards the streets Wilanowska and Ludna. Ukrainians will be able to dig up on the Coast Kościuszkowskie, and later took up positions east of Frascati St.. ULS opponents were soldiers "Kryski" in AK Group "Radoslaw" and pro-communist Poles (from "Berling" 9. Inf. Reg.). According to the German fighting Powiśle ten legionnaires were killed, and 34 wounded.
Later ULS moved to the edge of Kampinoska Forest in Leszno region, where, together with 34 Polizei Schuetzen Regiment patroled outskirts of Warsaw. Diaczenko Group participated in the chase for the guerrillas. ULS made ​​on 24th September pacification of the village Zaborówek in retaliation for action against the German Army troops in the Forest Kampinoska. And three days later participated in Bandebbekampfung operation "Sternschnuppe I and II" until October 1, whose aim, among others. for ULS was at the liquidation of a AK Group "Kampinos". These actions resulted in almost total destruction of the embattled partisan Jaktorów (Budy Zosine)
[quote="herper89"/"Melnyk"] 4) Is it fair to say that Petro Dyachenko was more concerned with putting down the uprising than preparing Warsaw for the incoming Soviet attack? No. The Soviet advance was everyones priority. he objected to the unit being sent to Warsaw and was threatened with court martial which in his case would have meant execution.[/quote]
As I wrote above ULS fought at Powisle - and the main goal was to cut off the Warsaw's insurgents from the Soviet-Polish forces on the other side of the Vistula River
[quote="herper89"/"Melnyk"] 5) What were Petro Dyachenko's loyalties? to the Ukrainian Nationalists [/quote]
In the interwar period Diaczenko served as an officer in the WP (Polish Army) contract. From 1928, he was deputy commander of a squadron of machine guns, and since 1931 the squadron commander of 1st Regiment of Light Cavalry (Szwolezerowie). In 1934 he graduated from the Military Academy in Warsaw (1932-1934), to obtain the rank of Major Diplome. November 1 of this year was assistant deputy commander 3 Regiment of Mazovian Light Cavalry (Szwolezerowie). In view of the impending war, in accordance with the applicable procedures in WP as an contract officer, was ousted from his function and addressed to the Reserve Center Suwalki Cavalry Brigade in Bialystok and then Wolkowysk. This all means that oath also Poland and the Polish Army
[quote="herper89"/"Melnyk"] 6) Did he share the Ukrainian Insurgent Army's view that the Soviets and Poles were a bigger threat to the Ukraine than the Nazis?
No idea. he like most Ukrainians, hated any occupying power [/quote]
Russian (one of the best) historian Alexander Gogun wrote in his fantastic book "Stalin partisan on Ukraine" that the main enemies of the UPA / UNS were Poles (slaughter of Volhynia and Galicia) and the Soviets (the assassination of General Vatutin and postwar partisan warfare) - Ukrainians, in principle, not attacked Germans,- not blow up any rail transport riding to the eastern front.

Printing sources: Marcin Majewski, Przyczynek do wojennych dziejów Ukraińskiego Legionu Samoobrony (1943-1945) w: "Pamięć i sprawiedliwość" [A Contribution to the military history of the Ukrainian Legion's Self-Defense (1943-1945) in: "Memory and Justice"], nr 2 (8)/ 2005, s. s. 318-321 (based on German docs) - among other things, State Archive Cracow, 426 (ex Jagiellonska Library, Manuscript), Verzeichnis der in Warschau befindlichen Angehoerigen des SMdS-Batl 31, ch. 125–131.
Grzegorz Motyka, Prawda i mity o udziale Ukraińców w zwalczaniu Powstania Warszawskiego, w: „Powstanie Warszawskie. Fakty i mity” [Truth and myths about the participation of Ukrainians in fighting the Warsaw Rising, in: "The Warsaw Rising. Facts and Myths"], ed. K. Krajewski i T. Łabuszewski, Warsaw 2006, s. 118–120;

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