Operation N (, where "N" stands for the Polish word "''Niemcy''," "Germany") was a complex of

sabotage Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening a polity, government, effort, or organization through subversion, obstruction, demoralization (warfare), demoralization, destabilization, divide and rule, division, social disruption, disrupti ...

subversion Subversion () refers to a process by which the values and principles of a system in place are contradicted or reversed in an attempt to sabotage the established social order and its structures of Power (philosophy), power, authority, tradition, h ...

and black-propaganda activities carried out by the Polish resistance against

Nazi German Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a totalitarian dictat ...

occupation forces Military occupation, also called belligerent occupation or simply occupation, is temporary hostile control exerted by a ruling power's military apparatus over a sovereign territory that is outside of the legal boundaries of that ruling powe ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, from April 1941 to April 1944. These activities were organized by Office N, which in October 1941 was transformed into an Autonomous Sub-Department N of the

Bureau of Information and Propaganda The Bureau of Information and Propaganda of the Headquarters of Związek Walki Zbrojnej, later of Armia Krajowa ( - in short: ''BIP''), a conspiracy department created in spring 1940 during the German occupation of Poland, inside the Związek Wa ...

of the

Armed Resistance A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily Weapon, armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable ...

, later of the

Home Army The Home Army (, ; abbreviated AK) was the dominant resistance movement in German-occupied Poland during World War II. The Home Army was formed in February 1942 from the earlier Związek Walki Zbrojnej (Armed Resistance) established in the ...

. It was headed by

Tadeusz Żenczykowski Tadeusz Żenczykowski, pseudonym Kania, Kowalik and Zawadzki (2 January 1907 – 30 March 1997) was a Polish lawyer, political activist and soldier in the Armia Krajowa (Home Army) during World War II, taking part in the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. ...

(

codename A code name, codename, call sign, or cryptonym is a code word or name used, sometimes clandestinely, to refer to another name, word, project, or person. Code names are often used for military purposes, or in espionage. They may also be used in ...

''Kania''). Operation N constituted part of a psychological-warfare campaign against the

German occupation German-occupied Europe, or Nazi-occupied Europe, refers to the sovereign countries of Europe which were wholly or partly militarily occupied and civil-occupied, including puppet states, by the (armed forces) and the government of Nazi Germany at ...

. It produced

German-language German (, ) is a West Germanic language in the Indo-European language family, mainly spoken in Western and Central Europe. It is the majority and official (or co-official) language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. It is a ...

newspapers and leaflets, ostensibly distributed by German anti-Nazi groups.

Structure

Autonomous Sub-Department N comprised five sections: * organization, * studies, * subversive actions, * editing, * distribution of publications. Work was carried on with extraordinary precision. The studies section collected special information about the history and geography of Germany, especially about the German language, its dialects, jargons used by various milieus and professional circles, terms used in state administration, about politics, the economy, and opinions current in the army, among the civilian population, etc. On that basis, thousands of leaflets, pamphlets and periodicals of various political persuasions were produced, from communist to monarchist, as well as satirical and religious periodicals. In order to act efficiently, there were necessary appropriate local agencies, a set of secret printing houses, printing machines, documentation, files. About 700-950 persons participated in the Action N (editors, translators, printers, couriers and distributors), including boy scouts of

Szare Szeregi Grey Ranks () was a codename for the underground paramilitary Polish Scouting Association () during World War II. The wartime organisation was created on 27 September 1939, actively resisted and fought German occupation in Warsaw until 18 ...

. About 20,000-30,000 copies of various publications were distributed per month (newspapers, periodicals, leaflets, etc.). In total, during 1942–1944 over 1 million copies of various publications and propaganda materials.

Aims

That action was aimed at confusion, moral pressure and undermining the morale of Germans. Because of that, there were edited and distributed various publications, addressed for civilian citizens of

Third Reich Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a totalitarian dictat ...

, for German soldiers, for

Volksdeutsche In Nazi Germany, Nazi German terminology, () were "people whose language and culture had Germans, German origins but who did not hold German citizenship." The term is the nominalised plural of ''wikt:volksdeutsch, volksdeutsch'', with denoting ...

, officers of

occupational Employment is a relationship between two parties regulating the provision of paid labour services. Usually based on a contract, one party, the employer, which might be a corporation, a not-for-profit organization, a co-operative, or any other ...

administration. Among periodicals, the following titles were published regularly: * Der Soldat (Engl.: ''Soldier''), published by turns with a monthly Der Frontkämpfer (Engl.. ''The Front Combatant'') - both the periodicals suggested the existence of a wide anti-Nazi opposition inside the German army; an alleged conspiracy organisation was to include circles of the body of generals and higher officers of the army. * Der Hammer (Engl.: ''Hammer''), and Der Durchbruch (Engl.''The Breakthrough'') - monthlies addressed for Germans of social-democratic and left-wing views. * Der Klabautermann (Engl.: ''ship ghost, affecting seamen with misfortune'') - a satirical periodical. * Die Ostwache (Engl.: ''Guard in the East'') - addressed for German occupational administration in the East. * Die Zukunft (Engl.: ''The Future'') - a periodical for Polish

, under a bilingual title. * Kennst Du die Wahrheit? (Engl.: ''Do You Know the Truth?'') - a periodical addressed for Germans from the prewar area of the

and also for the

in occupied Poland. Apart from that, two counterfeit issues of the Polish-language so-called the ''Goniec Krakowski'' daily () were published, and on 21 March 1943, 10,000 copies of a counterfeit issue of a similar daily ''Nowy Kurier Warszawski'' (English: ''New Warsaw Courier'') were published. Additionally, defeatist pamphlets and leaflets were published. Their alleged authorship was to indicate some German anti-Nazi conspiracy organisations; they were to affirm the certainty of the close downfall of the

. All texts were elaborated by Polish translators in correct German language, with consideration of German regional dialects. Because of that, long after the war the actions were attributed to Germans.

Activities

Emphasis was placed on simulation of activities of non-existing German resistance groups and on impersonation of existing groups. For this purpose, a separate analytical cell was created in the

(Section II of Studies of the Sub-department of "N" Propaganda). Headed by

Michał Mendys Michał () is a Polish and Sorbian form of Michael and may refer to: * Michał Bajor (born 1957), Polish actor and musician * Michał Chylinski (born 1986), Polish basketball player * Michał Drzymała (1857–1937), Polish rebel * Michał Hel ...

, it carried studies upon

Nazism Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During Hitler's rise to power, it was fre ...

; its social and political context, structural changes, personal staff, and current directions of activities. Studies were carried out on the ways the Nazi party communicated with the community, its party jargon, and its language notions. Studies were carried out on the prewar history, foundations, and political programs of German opposition organisations, and on conflicts and groups in

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...

. Based on the results of this analysis, twenty fictitious German organisations were created, including: * Heimatsbund "Freiheit und Frieden" (Engl.: ''Homeland Association "Freedom and Friendship"'') - an underground civil organisation, with alleged seats in Munich and Berlin, appealing to the German civil population to stop their excessive work and sacrifices for Germany's military industry. * Süddeutscher Freiheitsbund (Engl.: ''Freedom Association of Southern Germans'') - an organisation allegedly active in Munchen and Wien. It called for new elections to the Reichstag, free of electoral falsifications, and called for the politics of

NSDAP The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party ( or NSDAP), was a far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported the ideology of Nazism. Its precursor, the German Workers ...

to be condemned by the whole nation. * Der Verband Deutscher Frontsoldaten (Engl.: ''Association of German Soldiers of the Front Line'') - an anti-Nazi organisation favoring a speedy armistice with the

Allies An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not an explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are calle ...

, and criticising the politics of

. * Soldatenbund " Hindenburg" (Engl.: ''Soldiers' Association "Hindenburg"'') - an alleged military organisation attempting to persuade German soldiers of the impossibility of winning the war with the

USSR The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

, constantly stressing the high losses of Wehrmacht in the Eastern front, and calling for the overthrow of

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...

. * Verband der freien Deutschen Nordamerikas (Engl.: ''Association of Free Germans of North America'' in New York) - an organisation allegedly representing Germans living in the

United States of America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguo ...

, denouncing the enormity of German crimes, opting against nazification of

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

, and calling on fellow citizens to fight against

and

. * Der Deutsche Demokratenbund (Engl.: ''German Democratic Association'') - an organisation that criticised the allies of the

i.e.

Axis powers The Axis powers, originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis and also Rome–Berlin–Tokyo Axis, was the military coalition which initiated World War II and fought against the Allies of World War II, Allies. Its principal members were Nazi Ge ...

, in order to arise distrust of the allies and to weaken mutual relations. It attempted to persuade Germans that the alliance with Italy would result in a catastrophe for Germany. It also warned against the increase of the strength of Japan, and claimed that this was an outcome of the irresponsible politics of Adolf Hitler, who had promised Japan influence in

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

and

Polynesia Polynesia ( , ) is a subregion of Oceania, made up of more than 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are called Polynesians. They have many things in ...

without any guarantee that it would declare war on the USSR. * Der Soldatenrat einer Infanteriedivision im Osten (Engl.: ''Soldiers' Council of an Infantry Division in the East'') - an organisation objecting against high losses in people and equipment in the eastern front. It addressed leaflets and open letters to German soldiers fighting in the eastern front, in which it protested against the mendacity of German propaganda and the absence of the freedom of speech, demanded a disclosure of the actual state of German losses, called for the replacement of the supreme commander of German army, and warned of the looming military defeat. * Österreichische Freiheitsfront (Engl.: ''Austrian Front of Liberty'') - allegedly created in Wien in 1943; it addressed leaflets to Austrians, in which it stressed that in the five years since the

Anschluss The (, or , ), also known as the (, ), was the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into Nazi Germany on 12 March 1938. The idea of an (a united Austria and Germany that would form a "German Question, Greater Germany") arose after t ...

Austria had been placed under the yoke of the Nazi authority and was suffering the burdens of war imposed by German fascists. In leaflets and proclamations, it stressed that Austrians were suffering hunger, persecution, and death not for their own cause, but in the interest of Germany. The organisation called for a fight against Nazis

and for the institution of local organisations under the banner "Austria for Austrians" (Germ. ''"Österreich den Österreichern"'').

Other activities

Apart from the publication of periodicals and leaflets, Operation N also assumed other forms, including targeting specific, identified Germans by sending them leaflets, false orders or forged official notices. For instance, in February 1943, a fake order was sent to Germans living in Warsaw stating that a curfew was being instituted for them, with a warning that breaking it could result in injury or death. Later that year a notice informed Germans that gas-masks would be distributed on some days of the week only because of an insufficient supply of masks. It caused chaos and panic among the addressees of the message. On 30 April 1942 a false order was sent out to 209 factories under German administration, ordering that all workers be granted a fully paid day off work, due to the celebration of the day the

came to power. In February 1944 a false order was issued specifying the sequence of evacuation of all Germans residing within the area of the

General Government The General Government (, ; ; ), formally the General Governorate for the Occupied Polish Region (), was a German zone of occupation established after the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany, Slovak Republic (1939–1945), Slovakia and the Soviet ...

, which was that the

Gestapo The (, ), Syllabic abbreviation, abbreviated Gestapo (), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe. The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of F ...

was to be evacuated first, then the SS, then the SA, then officials of the German administration, followed by the Reichdeutsche (i.e. Germans coming from the prewar territory of the Reich - Germany) and finally the

. It contained the forged signature of SS Commander and Police general

Wilhelm Koppe Karl Heinrich Wilhelm Koppe (15 June 1896 – 2 July 1975) was a German Nazi Party politician and an SS-'' Obergruppenführer'' and a General of the Waffen-SS. He held several high-level commands, including as the Higher SS and Police Leader in ...

. Similar actions of disinformation and other forms of propaganda were periodically carried out. After September 1943 the word "October" was written on walls, to evoke fears of the coming month of October. Under a separate Action "tse-tse" Germans were annoyed by phone calls with threats, by letters, false notices or by sealing up the keyholes of their flats with gypsum. The "tse-tse" actions were carried by scouts of

(ca 19 units) and every German was to receive two "stings" chosen from the various anti-German actions available. This was augmented by other forms of Small sabotage such as the painting of "

Kotwica The (; Polish for 'anchor') was an emblem of the Polish Underground State and (AK; 'Home Army') used during World War II. It was created in 1942 by members of the Wawer minor sabotage unit within the AK, as an easily usable emblem for th ...

", the "Sign of Fighting Poland", and was also carried out by

Epilogue

Operation N peaked in 1943, when the network covered most of Poland, including

Szczecin Szczecin ( , , ; ; ; or ) is the capital city, capital and largest city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in northwestern Poland. Located near the Baltic Sea and the Poland-Germany border, German border, it is a major port, seaport, the la ...

Wrocław Wrocław is a city in southwestern Poland, and the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. It is the largest city and historical capital of the region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the Oder River in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Eu ...

and towns of eastern Poland. In the spring of 1944 the operation was suspended. Several factors contributed to this: * the uncovering, by the

, of Operation N's main Warsaw printing-house and of the whole operation in the period, December 1943 – March 1944 (though no order was issued for the operation's winding-down, and the network remained in readiness); * a substantial shift in the attitude of German community towards the policy of the

due to constant military discomfitures in the front and systematic bombardments by the

; * a change in political situation inside Poland: the German propaganda dropped down, while that of Polish communists of the

Polish Workers' Party The Polish Workers' Party (, PPR) was a communist party in Poland from 1942 to 1948. It was founded as a reconstitution of the Communist Party of Poland (KPP) and merged with the Polish Socialist Party (PPS) in 1948 to form the Polish United W ...

and that of the

intensified, which resulted in the institution in November 1943 by the

Armia Krajowa The Home Army (, ; abbreviated AK) was the dominant resistance movement in German-occupied Poland during World War II. The Home Army was formed in February 1942 from the earlier Związek Walki Zbrojnej (Armed Resistance) established in the ...

of " Operation Antyk" to conduct anti-communist and anti-soviet propaganda.

References

* Grzegorz Mazur, ''Biuro Informacji i Propagandy SZP-ZWZ-AK 1939-1945'' (''Bureau of Information and Propaganda of Służba Zwycięstwu Polski/Związek Walki Zbrojnej/Armia Krajowa''), Instytut Wydawniczy PAX, Warszawa, 1987, * Halina Auderska, Zygmunt Ziółek, ''Akcja N. Wspomnienia 1939-1945'' (''Action N. Memoirs 1939-1945''), Wydawnictwo Czytelnik, Warszawa, 1972 * Marek Ney-Krwawicz, ''Armia Krajowa. Szkic Historyczny'' (''Armia Krajowa. A Historical Essay''), Wydawnictwo Ars Print Production, Warszawa, 1999,

External links

* {{in lang, pl}
Operacja N
Home Army Psychological warfare Black propaganda Polish underground press in World War II Secret printing N