THE ORGANIZATION AND ACTIVITIES OF OCCUPYING BODIES OF JUSTICE IN THE POLISH GENERAL GOVERNORSHIP (1939–1945)

Abstract

The article shows the aggressive policy of Nazi Germany in capturing Polish and Ukrainian lands during the Second World War. This policy assumed the liquidation of the Polish state and the Soviet Union; the Polish, Ukrainian and the other countries had to be partially destroyed, while others had to be assimilated. German colonists had to be resettled on the Ukrainian and Polish lands. However, the politics of Nazis concerning the Jewish population was even crueler and not human. The Second World War started on September 1, 1939, when Nazi Germany attacked Poland. The signing of the German-Soviet Non-Aggression Treaty (August 23, 1939) called the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and a Secret Protocol providing the distribution of the spheres of influence in Central and Eastern Europe between Stalin's Soviet Union and Nazi Germany was a prerequisite of the Second World War. For the purpose of the colonization policy, the dismemberment of the Polish lands was performed, and the Polish General governorship was established, that was structurally divided into four districts which were subordinated by local authorities. When the war between Germany and the Soviet Union started on June 22, 1941, five districts of Galicia were included to the General governorship that were a part of Lviv, Drohobych, Stanislav (Ivano-Frankivsk) and Ternopil oblasts of the USSR. One of the main factors that influenced the inclusion of Galicia to the Polish General governorship was the fact that Galicia had been a part of Austria and Austria-Hungary during 1772–1918 and economic ties with Poland. The article analyzes the process of establishing of the General governorship justice authorities, whose functions were performed by the Chief department of Justice of the General governorship and District departments of justice in Krakow, Warsaw, Lublin, Radom, and Galicia. The procedure of the appointment of officers of the justice authorities in the General governorship and districts was characterized. The main Department of Justice had administrative control over the activities of the justice authorities in the districts. Certain administrative powers in the sphere of justice belonged to the General governor who was the representative of the government of Nazi Germany on the occupied Polish and Ukrainian lands. Formation of the justice authorities in the General governorship began in May 1940. The Head of the Main Department of Justice was appointed and dismissed by the Governor General, and the governors of the districts appointed and dismissed officials in the district departments of Justice. The majority of workers of the justice authorities constituted the Germans.