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Special SD and German Security Police Squad (Vokiečių Saugumo policijos ir SD ypatingasis būrys) (1941-1944) was the notorious Vilnius killing squad, the Lithuanian equivalent of Sonderkommando.

History

First time name of Vilnius ypatingasis būrys (Sonderkommando) is mentioned in documents of 15 July 1941. Ypatingasis būrys (YB) started as police squad founded in the outbreak of war. Initially squad had 100 civilian dressed men. First organizers of squad were junior lieutenants Jakubka and Butkus. From 23 July, 1941, commanding officer was Juozas Šidlauskas. Squad members were issued Russian weapons and white armbands. Squad members were used as guards and as a force moving Jews from their apartments to a getho. In November 1941, commander of squad became lieutenant Balys Norvaiša, his deputy became lieutenants Balys Lukošius. Size of squad was reduced to 40-50 men. At the end of 1943 Norvaiša and Lukošius were tranferred to self defence battalion and commander of squad became sergeant Jonas Tumas. Some of the squad members were wearing uniforms of Lithuanian Army until in 1942 they were issued green SD uniforms with Swastika and skulls on caps. Squad members were also issued SD identity cards. Most of squad members were Lithuanians, but some were Russians and Poles. YB was subordinate only to the German Security Police. Longest serving commander of YB was SS man Martin Weiss. Weiss used not only command executions but to kill victims personally. In 1943 Weiss was replaced by private Fiedler. .

YB was created to kill people and killed people during its entire existence time. Most people it killed in 1941. YB killed people in Paneriai, Nemenčinė, Naujoji Vilnia, Varėna, Jašiūnai, Eišiškės, Trakai, Semeliškės, and Švenčionys .

YB also guarded Gestapo headquarters, prison on Gediminas street, and Paneriai base. When Germans closed Vilnius' monasteries in 1943, YB guarded facilities until Germans removed nationalised property .

In 1943 YB performed far less executions than in 1941-1942. From December 1943 Paneriai was guarded by some SS unit and in 1944 YB did not perform shootings in Paneriai .

From the August 1943 YB was renamed to a Squad of 11th Battalion of Latvian Legion. Old identity documents were replaced by new documents of Latvian Legion troops. Despite the formal change, YB was still serving German Security Police and SD. In July 1944 YB was moved to Kaunas and stationed at Ninth Fort. There YB guarded prison and before retreating killed 100 prisoners. Then YB was moved to Stutthof, escorted Jews to Toruń, stayed there until in April 1944 received orded to convoy Jews to Bydgoszcz, but members of YB fled from arriving front and Jewish prisoners luckily escaped. Some YB members successfuly retreaded to Germany, some stayed in zone occupied by Red Army.

YB killed tens of thousands people. Some of YB members were punished by death by Soviet authorities in 1945, 20 YB members were convicted by Polish authorities. Other YB members died after the war or live abroad.

References

1. ^ Template:Lt icon Arūnas Bubnys (2004). Vokiečių ir lietuvių saugumo policija (1941–1944) (German and Lithuanian security police: 1941-1944). Vilnius: Lietuvos gyventojų genocido ir rezistencijos tyrimo centras. Retrieved 2006-06-09. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

• History of Lithuania
• World War II