| 5th SS Police Regiment | |
|---|---|
| Country |  Nazi Germany |
| Branch | Schutzstaffel |
| Type | Security |
| Size | Regiment |
| Garrison/HQ | Wehrkreis XVII |
The 5th SS Police Regiment (German : SS-Polizei-Regiment 5) was initially named the 5th Police Regiment (Polizei-Regiment 5) when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties in Occupied Serbia. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943. The regiment was disbanded at the end of 1944.
The regiment was ordered formed in July 1942 in Serbia, but the regimental headquarters was not formed until 29 November. [1] Police Battalion 64 (Polizei-Batallion 64) in Belgrade, Serbia, and Police Battalion 322 in Slovenia were redesignated as the regiment's first and second battalions, respectively, and the third battalion was raised in Berlin, Germany. This battalion was disbanded before it ever left Berlin and it was replaced by the redesignation of the First Battalion of the 3rd Police Regiment (I./Polizei-Regiment 3) in January 1943. [2] Brigadier General (Generalmajor der Schutzpolizei) Andreas May was the first regimental commander and remained in command until his death in June 1944. Lieutenant Colonel (Oberstleutenant der Schutzpolizei) Franz Lechthaler assumed command on 15 July and retained until sometime in late 1944. [3]
All of these police regiments were redesignated as SS police units on 24 February 1943. The regiment was disbanded at the end of 1944 during the German withdrawal from Serbia. [4]
The 1st SS Police Regiment was initially named the 1st Police Regiment when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties in Occupied Europe. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943. Later that year it was disbanded and its battalions were reassigned to other SS Police units. The regiment was reformed in late 1944 in Hungary, but was absorbed by 35th SS and Police Grenadier Division in early 1945.
The 4th SS Police Regiment was named the 4th Police Regiment when it was temporarily formed in 1939 from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties during the invasion of Poland. The second formation was ordered in 1942 from existing Order Police battalions in Occupied France. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943.
The 2nd SS Police Regiment was initially named the 2nd Police Regiment when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties in Occupied Europe. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943.
The 3rd SS Police Regiment was named the 3rd Police Regiment when it was temporarily formed in 1939 from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties during the invasion of Poland. The second formation was ordered in 1942 from existing Order Police units in the Netherlands. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943. It remained in the Netherlands for the rest of World War II.
The 6th SS Police Regiment was initially named the 6th Police Regiment when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties on the Eastern Front. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943.
The 7th SS Police Regiment was named the 7th Police Regiment when it was formed from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties in Occupied Norway. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943. It remained in Norway for most of the rest of World War II.
The 8th SS Police Regiment was initially named the 8th Police Regiment when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties on the Eastern Front. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943.
The 9th SS Police Regiment was initially named the 9th Police Regiment when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties on the Eastern Front. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943.
The 11th SS Police Regiment was initially named the Police Regiment for Special Employment when it was formed around the beginning of 1942 from existing Order Police units for security duties on the Eastern Front. The unit was renumbered as the 11th Police Regiment in July 1942 and then was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943.
The 12th SS Police Regiment was initially named the 12th Police Regiment when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police units (Ordnungspolizei) in Germany. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943. The regimental headquarters was disbanded in early 1944, but its battalions remained in service.
The 16th SS Police Regiment was initially named the 16th Police Regiment when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police units for security duties on the Eastern Front. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943.
The 17th SS Police Regiment was initially named the 17th Police Regiment when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police units (Ordnungspolizei) for security duties on the Eastern Front. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943.
The 18th SS Mountain Police Regiment was initially named Mountain Police Regiment (Polizei-Gebirgsjäger-Regiment) when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units in order to secure the railwayline in the northern Caucasus - the withdrawal from this area made these plans obsolete. When all police battalions were merged into regiments in July 1942 the Mountain Police Regiment received Nr. 18 out of a total of 28 regiments. It remained the only mountain police regiment of the Ordnungspolizei.
The 19th SS Police Regiment was initially named the 19th Police Regiment when it was formed in 1942 from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties in Occupied Europe. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943.
The 21st SS Police Regiment was initially named Police Regiment Moravia when it was formed in 1939 after the German occupation of Czechoslovakia from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties in Moravia. It was redesignated as the 21st Police Regiment in mid-1942 before it received the SS title in early 1943.
The 23rd SS Police Regiment was initially named Police Regiment Kraków when it was formed in late 1939 after the German invasion of Poland from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties there. It was redesignated as the 23rd Police Regiment in mid-1942 before it received the SS title in early 1943.
The 24th SS Police Regiment was initially named Police Regiment Radom when it was formed in late 1939 after the German invasion of Poland from existing Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) units for security duties there. It was redesignated as the 24th Police Regiment in mid-1942 before it received the SS title in early 1943.
The 26th SS Police Regiment was initially named Police Regiment North Norway when it was formed in early 1941 after the German invasion of Norway in 1940 from existing Order Police units for security duties there. It was redesignated as the 26th Police Regiment in mid-1942 before it received the SS title in early 1943.
The 27th SS Police Regiment was initially named Police Regiment South Norway when it was formed in early 1941 after the German invasion of Norway in 1940 from existing Order Police units for security duties there. It was redesignated as the 27th Police Regiment in mid-1942 before it received the SS title in early 1943.
The 28th SS Police Regiment Todt was initially named the 28th Police Regiment when it was formed in mid-1942 from existing Order Police units for security duties in Occupied Norway. All of its units were transferred to other regiments shortly after forming; it was reformed as the 28th Police Regiment Todt later that year. It was redesignated as an SS unit in early 1943.