Militaria Archive

Polizei Bataillon 106, 9.Komp - Krakau, Gorlice, Zargoza 1939 - 1940

Photograph album & Feldpost collection of Wachtmeister der Reserve Eugen Ohliger, 9.Komp, Polizei Bataillon 106, Krakau Poland 1940. This album covers the period when Eugen Ohliger began as a Polizei reserve training with the Hilfspolizei under S.A. direction in Hamburg 1939, through to formation of Polizei Bataillon 106 and departure from Kiel to Krakau, Poland in 1939. Duties included maintaining guard of Wawel Castle, Montelupich Prison moving on to guarding the oil fields & refineries of Gorlice in July & August 1940, before moving to Kyrnica in August 1940. Included are photographs taken in Wawel Castle courtyard, showing the historic returning of the Tannenberg flags ceremony. This was where German soldiers marching with the 430-year-old flags, lost in the battle of Tannenberg July 15, 1410 by the German Order of Knights fighting against a twice as large Slav force. The flags had been hanging in the Wawel Castle in Cracow, Poland, until on may 19th 1940 they were returned to the Hall of Pillars in the Master's in Marienburg Castle south of Hanover, Germany. Identified personnel include Polizei Meister Koschinski, Hauptmann Sardowski (possibly Max Sadowski PV Reichenberg SS-Nr. 310303), Leutnant der Schutzpolizei d.Res Waldemar Wriedt as well as Wachtmeister der Reserve Eugen Ohliger & the funeral of Polizei-Wachtmeister Hermann Christian Kaetow, died 23.02.1940, Witkowice bei Krakau. Locations in Poland include Krakau (Wawel Castle, Montelupich prison), Gorlice barracks, Zagórzany, Korczyna, Krynica and a Zoll post on the Czech border. German locations include Hamburg, Eiderkrug am Schulensee, Hamburger Chaussee 349, Kiel, (building later used by Pol.Btl.103), Adolf Hitler Kaserne Bundestrasse, Kiel: Eichof Kaserne, Eckernförde, Bremen & Lübeck. Vehicle licence plates include POL-2919.