Border Protection Troops ( pl, Wojska Ochrony Pogranicza, ''WOP''), also known under its English abbreviation BPT, was the

border guard A border guard of a country is a national security agency that performs border security. Some of the national border guard agencies also perform coast guard (as in Germany, Italy or Ukraine) and rescue service duties. Name and uniform In diff ...

service of the

People's Republic of Poland The Polish People's Republic ( pl, Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa, PRL) was a country in Central Europe that existed from 1947 to 1989 as the predecessor of the modern Republic of Poland. With a population of approximately 37.9 million ne ...

from 1945 to 1989. During its 46 years of existence, it has repeatedly changed its structural and service subordination, passing from the Ministry of National Defense through the Ministry of Public Security to the Ministry of the Interior, and vice versa, to remain under the Ministry of Interior since 1972. Border Protection Troops soldiers were subject to the same rules and regulations as those of other soldiers of the

Polish People's Republic The Polish People's Republic ( pl, Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa, PRL) was a country in Central Europe that existed from 1947 to 1989 as the predecessor of the modern Republic of Poland. With a population of approximately 37.9 million near ...

. As a result of political transformation and the setup of the Third Polish Republic, the Border Protection Troops were disbanded on May 16, 1991, and the

Border Guard A border guard of a country is a national security agency that performs border security. Some of the national border guard agencies also perform coast guard (as in Germany, Italy or Ukraine) and rescue service duties. Name and uniform In diff ...

was created in their place as a preventive-type police formation established to protect Poland's borders.

History

Foundations

On May 17, 1945, the commander of the 2nd Army of the

Polish People's Army The Polish People's Army ( pl, Ludowe Wojsko Polskie , LWP) constituted the second formation of the Polish Armed Forces in the East in 1943–1945, and in 1945–1989 the armed forces of the Polish communist state ( from 1952, the Polish Pe ...

received the order of the Supreme Commander of the Polish Army No.00264, ordering them to populate the eastern bank of the

Odra Odra may refer to: Rivers * Odra (Poland), also known as Oder, a river in Czech Republic, Poland and Germany * Odra (Kupa) Odra () is a river in central Croatia. It is long and its basin covers an area of . Its source is in the Žumberak mount ...

and Bystrzyca with five infantry divisions: 5, 7, 8, 10 and 12. Parallel to this, another decision of the Supreme Commander of the Polish People's Army moved divisions 7, 8 and 10 further west, to the Odra and

Lusatian Neisse The Lusatian Neisse (german: Lausitzer Neiße; pl, Nysa Łużycka; cs, Lužická Nisa; Upper Sorbian: ''Łužiska Nysa''; Lower Sorbian: ''Łužyska Nysa''), or Western Neisse, is a river in northern Central Europe.one armored corps were deployed on the state border. Securing the borders with regular armies lasted until November 1945, until the Border Protection Troops were organized. Until now, the internal structure of the division was the basis in organizing border service. Each division protected a section of the border of about long, further subdivided to each protected by a regiment which in turn divided to guarded by a battalion and further divided to of border guarded by a company.

1945-1948

200px, Location of the Border Protection Troops units in 1945 200px, Location of the Border Protection Troops units in October 1946 Border protection by linear units was treated as a transient condition. This problem was resolved by order of the Supreme Commander of the Polish Army No.0245 of September 13, 1945, which created the Border Protection Troops. On September 27, 1945, the Department Border Protection Troops Inspectorate was formed. Until February 14, 1946, it was subordinate to the First Deputy Minister of National Defense, Division General Vsevolod Strażewski, and from October 30, 1945, to the Second Deputy Minister of National Defense, general

Karol Świerczewski Karol Wacław Świerczewski (; callsign ''Walter''; 10 February 1897 – 28 March 1947) was a Polish and Soviet Red Army general and statesman. He was a Bolshevik Party member during the Russian Civil War and a Soviet officer in the wars fough ...

. Full-time employment amounted to 48 military and 155 contract employees. It consisted of the departments of: intelligence, operational-line, combat training, communications, personnel records and the communication section of border conflicts and transitional checkpoints. The Main Inspectorate of Border Protection organized the protection of state borders and managed specialist services related to border protection. In this respect, he was subject to the departments of the border service of military districts, and through them the border protection departments. Communication between OW's border service departments and border protection units was secured by independent communications campaigns formed in military districts. BPT departments were created at the level of military districts: BPT I category department at the Command of the Silesian Military District, three BPT II category departments at the Kraków, Pomeranian and Warsaw Military District commands, two BPT III category departments at the Command of the Lublin and Poznan Military Districts. Also formed: 11 BPT branch commands with service sub-units, 53 episode commands, 249 watchtowers, 17 independent communications companies, Independent Dog Training Center. The BPT department and departments at military districts did not in the strict sense of the word mean the command authorities of the field organizational units, which were the branches and subordinate section commands, watchtowers and transitional checkpoints. These were supervisory and control institutions. The order of September 13 appointed 17 independent communications companies with 99 full-time employees in each. The same order obliged the head of the BPT Department to create a Service Dog Training Center in

Ostróda Ostróda (; Old Prussian: ''Austrāti'') is a town in northern Poland, in the historic region of Masuria. It is the seat of the Ostróda County within the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship and has approximately 33,191 inhabitants (2009). Ostróda i ...

with 82 military positions. The organizational order of the BPT Department of September 29, 1945, divided the state borders into sections of branches, commands and watchtowers. This order also specified the deployment of troops. According to preliminary assumptions, 1st branch was to be located in

Żagań Żagań ( French and german: Sagan, hsb, Zahań, la, Saganum) is a town in western Poland, on the Bóbr river, with 25,731 inhabitants (2019). The town is the capital of Żagań County in the historic region of Silesia. Previously in the Zielo ...

, 2nd in Rzepin, 3rd in Stargard, 4th in Gdańsk, 5th in Węgorzewo, 6th in Sokółka, 7th in

Włodawa Włodawa (; yi, וולאָדאַווע, Vlodave; ua, Володава, Volodava) is a town in eastern Poland on the Bug River, close to the borders with Belarus and Ukraine. It is the seat of Włodawa County, situated in the Lublin Voivodeshi ...

, 8th in

Przemyśl Przemyśl (; yi, פשעמישל, Pshemishl; uk, Перемишль, Peremyshl; german: Premissel) is a city in southeastern Poland with 58,721 inhabitants, as of December 2021. In 1999, it became part of the Subcarpathian Voivodeship; it was pr ...

, 9th in

Nowy Sącz Nowy Sącz (; hu, Újszandec; yi, Tzanz, צאַנז; sk, Nový Sonč; german: Neu-Sandez) is a city in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship of southern Poland. It is the district capital of Nowy Sącz County as a separate administrative unit. It has ...

, 10th in Koźle and 11th in Bolkowice. On average, there were 321.6 km per unit, 66.7 km per command, and 14.4 km per border station. Sections 4 and 9 received the longest sections. Based on the order No.0304 of the Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Army of October 28, 1945, heads of BPT departments at the command of military districts organized on November 15, 1945 to fifty-one border control points ( pl, Przejściowe punkty kontrolne) to control traffic at border crossings, including 27 road, 19 rail, 4 sea and 1 air. The hurriedly-organized BPT organizational structure had many disadvantages, and so the earliest attention was paid to the improper dislocation of branches and subunits. Formed in the

region, the 1st Department of the BPT was stationed in Sulików for half a year, from April 1946 to move to Lubań Śląski, and the 4th Department formed in Gdańsk to October 1946, stationed in

Słupsk Słupsk (; , ; formerly german: Stolp, ; also known by several alternative names) is a city with powiat rights located on the Słupia River in the Pomeranian Voivodeship in northern Poland, in the historical region of Pomerania or more specific ...

, was transferred to Koszalin. The 9th Branch formed in Nowy Sącz was moved to Kraków, and the 5th Branch from

Olsztyn Olsztyn ( , ; german: Allenstein ; Old Prussian: ''Alnāsteini'' * Latin: ''Allenstenium'', ''Holstin'') is a city on the Łyna River in northern Poland. It is the capital of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, and is a city with county right ...

Kętrzyn Kętrzyn (, until 1946 ''Rastembork''; german: link=yes, Rastenburg ) is a town in northeastern Poland with 27,478 inhabitants (2019). Situated in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship (since 1999), Kętrzyn was previously in Olsztyn Voivodeship (19 ...

. The newly formed 12 Division, residing in Sopot until autumn 1946, was moved to Gdańsk. The Border Protection Inspectorate department and border protection units were reorganized in September 1946. BPT departments in military districts and communication companies for servicing departments were dissolved, subordinating border protection units directly to the BPT Department. Border protection departments were given regional names. The Department formed the Political and Educational Department, the Communications Node and support services. The full-time status of the BPT Department after the reorganization was 96 military and 17 contract employees. On October 1, 1946, the BPT Department assumed the command of protection border units. Supplies remained within military districts. A new 12 BPT branches were established. This branch took over from the 4th Division three section commands - in

Lębork Lębork (; csb, Lãbòrg; formerly german: Lauenburg in Pommern) is a town of 37,000 people on the Łeba and Okalica rivers in the Gdańsk Pomerania region in northern Poland. It is the capital of Lębork County in Pomeranian Voivodeship. Hi ...

Sopot Sopot is a seaside resort city in Pomerelia on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland, with a population of approximately 40,000. It is located in Pomeranian Voivodeship, and has the status of the county, being the smallest city ...

and

Elbląg Elbląg (; german: Elbing, Old Prussian: ''Elbings'') is a city in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland, located in the eastern edge of the Żuławy region with 117,390 inhabitants, as of December 2021. It is the capital of Elbląg County. ...

. The 3rd Division of the OP in

Szczecin Szczecin (, , german: Stettin ; sv, Stettin ; Latin: ''Sedinum'' or ''Stetinum'') is the capital and largest city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in northwestern Poland. Located near the Baltic Sea and the German border, it is a majo ...

gave the 4th Division the command of the section in Międzyzdroje, keeping for itself the regions of the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain. The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and ...

in the vicinity of

Świnoujście Świnoujście (; german: Swinemünde ; nds, Swienemünn; all three meaning "Świna ivermouth"; csb, Swina) is a city and seaport on the Baltic Sea and Szczecin Lagoon, located in the extreme north-west of Poland. Situated mainly on the islands o ...

and the

Szczecin Lagoon Szczecin Lagoon ( pl, Zalew Szczeciński, german: Stettiner Haff, since 1945 sometimes also ''Oderhaff'' (Oder lagoon) or ''Pommersches Haff'' ( Pomeranian lagoon)) is a lagoon in the Oder estuary, shared by Germany and Poland. It is separated ...

. On the southeastern border, the 8th Division in

took over the command of the section from the 9th Division 38 and 39. New names have been established for former and reformed BPT branches, mainly originating from their headquarters.

1948-1950

200px, Soldiers at the border post No.158 on the border with the German_Democratic_Republic,_near_Pieńsk,_Lusatian_BPT_Brigade.html" ;"title="Pieńsk.html" ;"title="German Democratic Republic, near Pieńsk">German Democratic Republic, near Pieńsk, Lusatian BPT Brigade">Pieńsk.html" ;"title="German Democratic Republic, near Pieńsk">German Democratic Republic, near Pieńsk, Lusatian BPT Brigade In 1948 the Chief Inspectorate of Border Protection was formed on the basis of the Border Protection Troops Department. It was subordinated to the Second Deputy Minister of National Defense, General Stanisław Popławski. It consisted of a staff with departments: operational, combat training, organizational and record keeping, border traffic and border conflicts, special communications. In addition, the inspectorate included: Political and Educational Board, Department VII (special), Personnel Department, Quartermaster Inspection Department, Engineering and Sapper Service, Armaments Inspector, Health Department, Communications Node, Prosecutor's Office and Secret Office.Zenon Jackiewicz: Wojska Ochrony Pogranicza : (1945-1991) : krótki informator historyczny. Kętrzyn: Centrum Szkolenia Straży Granicznej, 1998, pp. 12-14 The same order changed the names of the Border Protection Troops branches and subunits: BPT branches were renamed border guard brigades, episode commands into independent border protection battalions, BPT

Krosno Krosno (in full ''The Royal Free City of Krosno'', pl, Królewskie Wolne Miasto Krosno) is a historical town and county in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in southeastern Poland. The estimated population of the town is 47,140 inhabitants as o ...

Command to Krosno independent border protection battalion. The Chief Inspectorate of Border Protection Troops covered twelve border protection brigades, one independent battalion of the Border Protection Troops Training Center and GPK in Okęcie. The supplies of the inspectorate and BPT units were still under the control of the 3rd Deputy Minister of National Defense and military districts. 200px, Maritime unit of the Border Protection Troops in Miłów in the 1950s By order of the Minister of National Defense No.205 of December 4, 1948, on January 1, 1949, the Border Protection Troops was subordinated to the Ministry of Public Security.Henryk Dominiczak: Zarys historii Wojsk Ochrony Pogranicza 1945-1985. Warszawa: Wojskowa drukarnia w Łodzi, 1985. pp.65-69 BPT supplies were taken over by Ministry of Defense voivodeship headquarters. This coincided with the deterioration of international relations, and in the country with the beginning of the fight against right-wing nationalist deviation. BPT was included in the ideological fight. Migration and smuggling began to be treated as espionage or diversionary penetration of the borderland by foreign intelligence agents. Imposing such a view of threats by the management of the Ministry of Public Security resulted in far-reaching organizational and structural changes in the BPT. By November 10, 1948, the last border section was filled in the pressure headland. BPT watchtowers were built in Wetlina, Ustrzyki Górne, Stuposiany, Dwernik and Hulsk. On January 1, 1949, there were 2,673 officer positions at the BPT. 2070 of them were planted. Deficiencies reached about 23%. Officers of peasant (40.6%) and workers (37.5%) were the largest group of soldiers. 79% of the soldiers were conscripts of the

, 16% of the pre-war Polish Army, while the remaining 5% were

citizens Citizenship is a "relationship between an individual and a state to which the individual owes allegiance and in turn is entitled to its protection". Each state determines the conditions under which it will recognize persons as its citizens, and ...

of the

USSR The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nation ...

and officers of the

Soviet Armed Forces The Soviet Armed Forces, the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union and as the Red Army (, Вооружённые Силы Советского Союза), were the armed forces of the Russian SFSR (1917–1922), the Soviet Union (1922–1991), and th ...

. In September 1949, port security battalions were formed, changing the system of border protection in their area and including fishing traffic under constant control. During this period, sections of the border protected by the OP brigades were corrected and corresponded to the borders of Voivodeships, and sections of independent OP battalions to the borders of the poviats. This was to improve cooperation between the Home Army troops and powiat and voivodeship party organs, Public Security Service and public administration. To give border protection a greater prestige and rank, emphasizing the military nature of this formation, from January 1, 1950, the names of units returned to the earlier designation: Border Protection Troops.

1983-1991

After the

martial law Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory. Use Martia ...

, border battalions were reconstructed. Battalions were re-established in

Sanok Sanok (in full the Royal Free City of Sanok — pl, Królewskie Wolne Miasto Sanok, rue, Санок, ''Sanok'', ua, Cянік, ''Sianik'', la, Sanocum, yi, סאניק, ''Sonik'') is a town in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship of south-eastern ...

Nowy Targ Nowy Targ (Officially: ''Royal Free city of Nowy Targ'', Yiddish: ''Naymark'', Goral Dialect: ''Miasto'') is a town in southern Poland, in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. It is located in the Orava-Nowy Targ Basin at the foot of the Gorce Moun ...

Cieszyn Cieszyn ( , ; cs, Těšín ; german: Teschen; la, Tessin; szl, Ćeszyn) is a border town in southern Poland on the east bank of the Olza River, and the administrative seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship. The town has 33,500 inhabita ...

Racibórz Racibórz (german: Ratibor, cz, Ratiboř, szl, Racibōrz) is a city in Silesian Voivodeship in southern Poland. It is the administrative seat of Racibórz County. With Opole, Racibórz is one of the historic capitals of Upper Silesia, being ...

Prudnik Prudnik (, szl, Prudnik, Prōmnik, german: Neustadt in Oberschlesien, Neustadt an der Prudnik, la, Prudnicium) is a town in southern Poland, located in the southern part of Opole Voivodeship near the border with the Czech Republic. It is the ...

Zgorzelec Zgorzelec (, german: link=no, Görlitz, szl, Gorlice, Upper Lusatian German dialect: ''Gerlz'', ''Gerltz'', and ''Gerltsch'', hsb, Zhorjelc, dsb, Zgórjelc, cz, Zhořelec) is a town in southwestern Poland with 30,374 inhabitants (2019). It ...

, Gubin,

Słubice Słubice is a border town in the Lubusz Voivodeship, in western Poland. Located on the Oder river, it lies directly opposite the city of Frankfurt (Oder) in Germany, which it was a part of as ''Dammvorstadt'' until 1945. As of 2019, the town ...

and

Chojna Chojna (german: Königsberg in der Neumark; csb, Czińsbarg; la, Regiomontanus Neomarchicus "King's Mountain in the New March") is a small town in northwestern Poland in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. It lies approximately south of Szczec ...

. The organization of battalions in Nowy Sącz, Lubań Śląski and Szczecin was stopped at the stage of the backbone commands. These were later disbanded. In 1991, due to the liquidation of the formation, the Border Protection Troops staff was formally released to the reserve and, on a voluntary basis, entered service as officers of the newly formed

.Halina Łach: System ochrony polskiej granicy państwowej. Olsztyn: Instytut Historii i Stosunków Międzynarodowych. Wydział Humanistyczny UWM, 2013. ISBN 978-83-935593-8-1

External links

References

{{Border guards Government agencies established in 1945 Organisations based in Warsaw Border protection Borders of Poland Military units and formations of Poland Law enforcement in Poland Polish People's Republic