In the summer of 1942, the advancing Wehrmacht troops broke through the defensive lines of the Red Army, which, given the huge losses and lack of resources, led to an extremely threatening situation at the front. In the ranks of our Army, depression reigned, often turning into panic. Many soldiers, and officers too, were convinced that the war was lost. The retreat of our units turned into an open abandonment of positions and a disorderly flight.
In such conditions, the military leadership of the USSR was required to take measures that could mark the very line beyond which the country itself and the Army would cease to exist. The troops had to be forced to fight to the death in order to stop the enemy in front of this line, literally at any cost. On July 28, 1942, the Commander-in-Chief issues his famous order No. 227, better known as "Order: not one step back!" This document was aimed primarily at creating a turning point in the morale of the soldiers. Win or die - that was the meaning of this Order. Few can deny its crucial role and importance for the front. However, not everyone can now remember that Order 227 determined the procedure for creating the so-called penal units of the Red Army, where officers and soldiers were sent who showed cowardice and indiscipline in battle.in order to prove their loyalty to the Motherland, to atone for the misdeeds and crimes committed.
There are many fictional literary works and cinematographic products that often distort historical facts and carry inaccurate information about the events associated with the penalty box. Today we will try to understand and refute some of the myths about these units and the people who served in them.
Fact one
Few are aware of this, but the first penalty units were created and deployed to combat by the Germans. Back in 1936, special disciplinary units were created in the German army - the so-called "Special units" (Sonderabteilungen), where soldiers who had previously served a criminal sentence, or those who for various reasons were unable to serve in regular units, were sent.
In 1940, after the outbreak of World War II, the Wehrmacht command made a decision to create such units as part of the warring units, so-called "field special units" appeared. Similar units were created in the navy and aviation. And already in December 1940, the so-called "500th battalions" - or "correctional units - 500" (Bewaerungstruppe-500) were formed, the numbers of these structural units began with "5". The 500s were actively used by the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front and during the Great Patriotic War more than 80 thousand German soldiers and officers passed through them.
In addition, in the fall of 1942, the Germans created special penal units for politically unreliable soldiers - "900th battalions". These units were used to carry out heavy and dirty work in the rear: repairing roads and bridges, rebuilding infrastructure in the occupied territories, demining areas, etc. During the war years, about 30 thousand people served in them.
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In addition, the Germans created field penal companies directly in the combat zone (Feidstrafgefangenabteilungen). These units were also staffed with servicemen who committed various kinds of offenses.
Penalty units such as the 500th battalion, "field special units" and "Feidstrafgefangenabteilungen" were used by the Wehrmacht, like our command, in the most acute sectors of the front - in simple military language, "plugged holes."
Fact two
Looking at modern films about "penalties" one gets the impression of the large number of such units, thanks to which we allegedly won that war. However, in reality this is not entirely true. The fact is that Order 227 literally prescribed the following: “to form within the front from one to three (depending on the situation) penalty battalions (800 people each)” and “to form within the army from five to ten (depending on the situation) penal companies (from 150 to 200 people each) ". At the same time, the guilty middle and senior commanders, as well as political workers, were sent to the penal battalions. Accordingly, penal companies were manned by privates and junior commanders (sergeant-sergeants). According to the archival data of the Russian Ministry of Defense,During the three military years of the existence of penal units in our Army, 427,910 people passed through their ranks. For comparison, 32 million served in the ranks of the regular Red Army throughout the war. The annual size of the Army and Navy during the war was from 6 to 7 million people. Thus, the percentage of "penalties" in the ranks of the Army was negligible: from 2.7% in 1943, to 1.3% - in 1945. However, the contribution to the Victory of the servicemen who served there for various reasons was great, after all, it was calculated, first of all, by losses, which at different stages of the war amounted to at least half of the personnel of penal units.the percentage of "penalties" in the ranks of the Army was a negligible number: from 2.7% in 1943 to 1.3% in 1945. However, the contribution to the Victory of the servicemen who served there for various reasons was great, because they were he, first of all, losses, which at different stages of the war accounted for at least half of the personnel of penal units.the percentage of "penalties" in the ranks of the Army was a negligible number: from 2.7% in 1943 to 1.3% in 1945. However, the contribution to the Victory of the servicemen who served there for various reasons was great, because they were he, first of all, losses, which at different stages of the war accounted for at least half of the personnel of penal units.
Fact three
Again, thanks to modern cinema, the younger generation has developed a stereotypical image of the commander of a penal unit - a stern officer unfairly thrown into this position by fate and forced to independently appoint to officer posts the most trustworthy “penalties”, as a rule, from among the former political prisoners convicted for liberal views and disagreements with the "party line". In fact, this has nothing to do with the truth. Order No. 229 of the People's Commissariat of Defense of September 28, 1942 announced the "Regulations on Penal Battalions and Penal Companies", according to which penal units were divided into permanent and variable personnel, and regular officers were appointed to the posts of commanders "from among the strong-willed, and the most distinguished in the battles of commanders and political workers”. Wherein,for the permanent composition of penal units, a number of additional benefits were established in the form of increased salaries, preferential length of service (six months) and halved terms for obtaining regular military ranks. In addition, penal unit officers had powers corresponding to higher rank in regular units. Thus, the commander of a penal battalion was equated to the commander of a regular motorized rifle regiment.
The permanent staff also included the foremen of the divisions, medical instructors and clerks. Military personnel of variable composition could be appointed to the posts of junior commanders (non-commissioned officers).
Fact four
It is widely believed that a soldier of a penal unit could “redeem his guilt before the Motherland only with blood,” that is, in order to be released from punishment in the form of serving in a penal battalion or a penal company, it was necessary to be wounded in battle. In fact, this is also not entirely true. Yes, in accordance with the same “Regulations on penal units”, in case of injury, the penalty box was subject to early release and, after undergoing treatment, was sent to an active unit of the Red Army. However, by the verdict of the military tribunal, a soldier could be sentenced to serve in the penalty box only for a certain period - from 1 to 3 months, after which the sentence was considered served, and he returned to the regular unit. Thus, along with the early completion of punishment in the penalty division for injury,there was an opportunity to serve the sentence in accordance with the appointed sentence and return to their unit. Moreover, the term could not exceed three months. In addition, the possibility of early release was provided for the courage and heroism shown in battle. The immediate commander of the "penalty box" had to submit the idea of such a release.
Another important point: after the verdict read out in front of the formation of his unit, the soldier had to be demoted to the rank and file, his awards were withdrawn and transferred to the personnel unit. Payments were stopped in accordance with the money certificate, and the salary of a private was appointed. However, after the end of the punishment or his early release from passing it, all titles and awards were returned. Moreover, in the event of the death of the penalty box, the family received all payments on the last salary of the “penalty box” before the penalty was imposed on him.
Fact five
Inveterate criminals were not sent to penal units. The reason for this was several cases of desertion committed by recidivist penalties. As a result, one of the orders of the People's Commissariat of Defense explicitly forbade courts and military tribunals to provide "a deferral from the execution of criminal punishment in the form of sending to penal units" to persons who have been convicted or have already served a sentence for serious crimes, recidivist thieves convicted of robberies and robberies, rapists and bandits, also "counter-revolutionaries". At the same time, the identity of each "candidate" to the penal unit from among the previously convicted was subject to careful consideration, and if a positive decision was made, he was sent to the penal unit along with a copy of his sentence.and the period of his stay in the penalty boxes was determined by the command of the unit.
Fact six
For the officers of the Red Army, who had been held captive by the enemy for a long time or in the territories occupied by the Germans (provided that they did not fight in partisan detachments), special penal "rifle assault battalions" were created. They were sent to commanders and political workers who were detained after returning from captivity or from the occupied territory in the camps of the NKVD.
The term of service in such a penal "assault rifle battalion" was determined by two months, in addition, officers in such units were not deprived of ranks and awards. The servicemen themselves and their families retained all rights to benefits and payments due to their rank and position. In addition, in such units, middle-level positions (platoon commanders) were occupied by military personnel from among a variable composition. Otherwise, the penalty "assault rifle battalions" did not differ from other penal battalions and were used in the most active sectors of the front.
How many officers and soldiers who were in captivity were subjected to any kind of repression or were sent to penal units? Let us turn to the archives again: here are the results of verification measures carried out with respect to former prisoners from October 1941 to March 1944 - out of 318 thousand servicemen, 8,250 people were sent to assault battalions, 223,300 people were sent to regular units of the Red Army (this is about 70% of total), arrested and subsequently convicted - 11,280 people (3.5%), died - 1,800 people. Another about 62 thousand - the check was continued. As you can see, the statistics are somewhat inconsistent with the opinion imposed by modern cinema about the atrocities of the bloody NKVD during the war years.
Fact seven
Regrettably, but women-soldiers also served in the ranks of the penalty box. The cases are few and typical only for the first stage of the war, but they did take place.
Thus, a military tribunal of the 164th Infantry Division issued a verdict on sending a certain serviceman Kondratyeva to a penal company. After which she heroically showed herself in battle, was presented for a combat award and released ahead of schedule. In October 1943, an order was issued by the head of the Office of Military Tribunals that explicitly prohibited the sending of female military personnel to penal units.
Fact eight
In accordance with the current orders of the People's Commissariat of Defense, military pilots, as well as officers and sailors of the Navy, in the event of a misdemeanor, could be sent as a penalty box infantryman to an ordinary penalty rifle unit. There are many materials on the topic of "penalty" squadrons, in which the pilots, who committed sabotage and cowardice, atoned for their guilt. Moreover, the Headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief even adopted a special Directive of the Supreme Command No. 170549, which prescribed the creation of special penalty squadrons for pilots who showed "sabotage, cowardice and selfishness." At the same time, the basis for returning to the home unit was supposed to establish a certain number of sorties and successfully completed missions. However, in practice, such squadrons did not receive wide distribution and documentary materials,including the results of their application, there are practically no reports on them, with the exception of the mention of the entry into the structure of the Air Force formations and units. But there is a very real document - the order of the People's Commissariat of Defense No. 0685 of September 9, 1942, which ordered the guilty pilots to be sent to the infantry.
There is an opinion among historians that Stalin simply considered it foolish to trust airplanes to pilots who showed cowardice and unreliability, suggesting the possibility of their flight to the side of the enemy.
Fact nine
The supply of assault units often differed from the supply of regular units for the better. Recall that the permanent composition of penal battalions and penal companies was recruited from career officers and political workers, endowed with the rights to a rank higher than a similar position in regular units. This meant that the commander of the penalty battalion had the authority of the commander of a motorized rifle regiment and had the ability to organize a full supply of his unit. Taking into account the complex tasks faced by the penalty box, their commanders were directly interested in the full-fledged staffing of the penalty box with weapons and equipment. Disruption of the combat mission threatened the command with harsh punishment, it is for this reason that the penal units were well armed and provided with all types of allowance. Poor armament and equipment of these units at the front was considered unacceptable.
Fact ten
Service in penal units was very dangerous, however, not at all due to the presence of the notorious NKVD detachments behind them. This myth has become widespread thanks to the writers and directors who have shot more than one film about penalty boxes, which, unfortunately, has little to do with the real state of affairs. But let it remain on their conscience, if the concept of "conscience" can somehow be linked to the desire to earn money and popularity by desecrating the memory of the participants in the War.
Yes, among other things, in accordance with Order No. 227, the task of the barrage detachments located in the immediate rear of the line units and units of the Red Army included preventing panic, flight and unauthorized abandonment of positions by their fighters. But at the same time, there are no directives that ordered the command of the detachments to be located directly behind the battle formations of penal units. Moreover, by order of the People's Commissariat of Defense, the detachments were deployed in the "immediate rear of unstable divisions." And the penalty boxers were sent to conduct active offensive operations or reconnaissance in force. Thus, the setting of complex offensive missions for unstable units and formations is not logically linked. Well, here are a few memories of the former "penalties":
A. V. Pyltsyn:
“By the way, under no circumstances were there any detachments behind our battalion, and no other frightening measures were taken. It's just that there has never been such a need for it. I dare to assert that the officers' penalty battalions were a model of resilience in any combat situation."
V. V. Karpov:
“We were really sent to the most difficult directions. But we didn’t have any detachments … I think if such a detachment appeared behind us, we would immediately shoot him to hell. For that matter, there was no need for detachments on the front line: those who were cowardly or traitors could be shot on the spot by their commander. Such powers were given to him by order No. 227.
In reality, the outposts of the army detachment were located at a distance of 1.5-2 km from the front line, intercepting communications in the nearest rear. They did not specialize in penalties at all, but checked and detained everyone whose stay outside the military unit aroused suspicion."
M. I. Suknev:
“… Academician Arbatov claims that barrage detachments were guarding us from behind. Not true! We didn't have them. We had enough of this "Smersh", which has seen everything. They will immediately break your neck … Usually, if the Germans were advancing, they surrounded us, where would you put a detachment?"
P. D. Drum:
“And here's what is curious: during my almost six months of commanding the penalties, I don't remember a case when someone deserted from a company, ran away from the front line. They may argue: they say, try to escape if there are detachments in the rear. But, first of all, I don’t remember a case when I happened to see the notorious barrier somewhere. And secondly, I am firmly convinced: after all, the actions of these people who ended up at the front were driven by their feeling of involvement in the sacred cause of defending the Motherland. Once having stumbled, with all their behavior, they tried to wash away the "dark spot" from themselves, albeit at the cost of their own blood, and often - and life."
M. T. Samokhvalov:
"I affirm that there were no barriers behind us, that's for sure."
E. A. Holbreich:
“The detachments have never accompanied penal companies to the front and did not stand behind them!
The detachments are not located on the front line, but near checkpoints, on roads, along the paths of possible withdrawal of troops. Although ordinary units would rather run than free throws. Obstacle detachments are not elite units, where fine fighters are selected. This is an ordinary military unit with somewhat unusual tasks."
These are the facts. But what interests me more is the question: who would benefit from discrediting the command of the Red Army, making it soulless and cruel in relation to its own soldiers and officers, and attributing to its account the fictitious deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent people, writing them to "penalty boxes"? How does “the desire to tell the truth about the War” fit in with attempts to defame the memory of generals, officers of all levels and ordinary soldiers who have done their duty to the end?
Author: Gleb Zima
