Did the SS have a waterborne arm?

[Sid Guttridge]

Hi Guys,

I have seen a single passing reference that the SS was responsible for security on rivers in occupied territory.

1) Is this true?
2) If so, did the SS form a special arm to mount this security?
3) If so, did it have boats?
4) If so, what sort, how many, etc., etc.?

Many thanks,

Sid.

[Ivan Ž.]

Hello, Sid

They probably meant the Wasserschutzpolizei (Water Protection Police). The police units were eventually incorporated into the SS and so was the Wasserschutzpolizei. There were also SS-Hafensicherungstruppen (SS Harbour Security Troops), but that's obviously not what you're looking for.

Cheers,
Ivan

[Sid Guttridge]

Hi Ivan Z,
thanks. You are probably right. Is there anything published on them?
Cheers,
Sid.

[Ivan Ž.]

I don't know, sorry. I assume there must be at least a chapter on them in some of the Polizei-related books.

Cheers,
Ivan

[Georges JEROME]

In english Angolia/Taylor deal with it in his books upon "German Police " as well Nix/Jerome (me) in the Uniformed police forces of the III Reich.
If you want complete work on the subject there is two master books dedicated to the Wasserschutzpolizei in german
Die deutschen Wasserschutzpolizeien Heemann/Meyer
and one I come to order Peter Brühl Vom Nordkap bis zum Asowschen Meer . Die Deutsche Wasserschutzpolizei

[Ivan Ž.]

At the risk of stealing Sid's topic, I'd like to take this opportunity and ask whether anyone has any info on the Wasserschutzpolizei unit that was active at the Adriatic, in the Sušak (today a part of Rijeka) - Crikvenica area, in summer 1944?

Thanks very much in advance,
Ivan

[bertamingo]

The novel Schindler's List mentions SS patrol boats on Vistula, though not sure if these were meant to be water police boats.

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Gentlemen,

I wonder what types of boats did the Wasserschutzpolizei did used and if they were armed with deck cannons? Did the Wasserschutzpolizei had any combats with partisan boats or captured any of them?

Edward L. Hsiao

[Georges JEROME]

SW-Kommando Ijsselmeer in Holland was equiped of sMG 2 cm and 3,7 cm as well Flakmaschinenwaffen (Fla. MW) 1,7 cm, Schnellfeuer-MG .

[bertamingo]

Gentlemen,

I wonder what types of boats did the Wasserschutzpolizei did used and if they were armed with deck cannons? Did the Wasserschutzpolizei had any combats with partisan boats or captured any of them?

Edward L. Hsiao

2 boats used by the water police in Hamburg in the late 1930s. These and other photos all show unarmed boats prior to WW2, but given the wartime deployments to places like Yugoslavia and Romania, it's only natural to presume the boats were later armed.
http://www.graptolite.net/niemcy/Wasser ... zei_2.html
http://www.graptolite.net/patro/Otto_Lauffer.html

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Anymore information about the Wasserschutzpolizei being in combat in 1944 and 1945? Were there a few cases of men from the Wasserschutzpolizei being awarded the Iron Cross Second and First Classes?

Edward L. Hsiao