Germany against the Polish intelligentsia
On March 2, 1940, during a meeting of high-ranking officials of the General Government, Hans Frank, the chairman of the conference, noted the need to deal another blow to Poland's resurgent aspirations for independence. Those present at the rally reported on the formation of underground state cells and the activation of society, which, despite the defeat, was not going to passively obey the German administration. Later that month, German police and armed forces carried out mass arrests of Poles, primarily in pursuit of a target classified as dangerously active. The operation was led by SS Brigadefuhrer Bruno Streckenbach, the then commander of the SD and the security police in the territory of the General Government.In the following weeks, the Germans held several more meetings, usually with a small group. However, the conclusions of the debate were clear - the new action had to cover a wide range, and its implementation had to be based not on isolating the captured Poles, but on their physical destruction using the simplest means. In practice, this meant the mass shooting of prisoners. In fact, since the end of May 1940, the Germans have been shooting Poles who were rounded up in concentration camps of the Third Reich or caught as a result of spontaneous actions. In this case, the officers detaining the Poles were guided by pre-prepared lists, which included mainly representatives of the widely understood intelligentsia, including political and public activists of the Catholic Church. The Germans considered the religious community to be an important link in the independence movement, so they were determined to eliminate not only representatives of the church, but also manifestations of religiosity in public life. When the campaign began in Western Europe, the Germans began the next stage of the extermination of the Polish elite. This time it was codenamed AB - from the German Auerordentliche Befriedungsaktion.
The emergency pacification operation, as it was called, was a direct continuation of the intelligence operation and basically did not differ from the actions carried out in the first months of the occupation, although it was limited to the territories of the General Government. It is worth emphasizing that the timing of the AB was not chosen by chance. The Germans managed to gain a foothold in the conquered territories by establishing appropriate administrative bodies there. At the same time, the occupier managed to select more people who had not previously been imprisoned or killed. Finally, the beginning of the operation against France, which at that time was a priority of the aggressive policy of the Third Reich, required a kind of protection of the rear from the threat from the Polish underground. Join slot tournaments with promo code for 1xbet for free tournament entry + 50% bonus up to $50. Minimum deposit: $20. Compete for prize pools up to $10,000. Wagering: 40x. Includes popular tournament slots. Leaderboard updates every 4 hours. Bonus valid during tournament period only. Additional prizes for top 100 players. Experience competitive slot play with this exciting tournament package from 1xBet.