Free The German Fifth Column in Poland by Aleksandra Miesak Rohde Page A

that Germany's charges of alleged persecution of the German minority in Poland were provoked by the fear that the Polish authorities might discover that minority’s subversive activity, prepared with such detailed care by the German aggressors.
    T he diversionist activities reached such great proportions primarily because when hostilities broke out the Polish mobilization was not completed, and in consequence the various defence units, civil and military, were still in a state of reorganization. The higher commands did not have sufficiently organized supporting troops at their disposal in the rear, as their mobilization had been planned to take place during the days following. Finally, the general mobilization itself was hindered by the work of the enemy air force, which started to bomb all over the country, even as Hitler was making solemn promises to abstain from such bombings. And this facilitated the Germans' diversionist activities.

P re-War Organization of Subversive Activities
    A document which fell into Polish hands the day after hostilities began, i.e. on September 2, [16] provided definite proof that these activities were very carefully planned before the war, and of the leading role assigned to the German minority. Members of the minority serving in the Polish Army as well as civilian elements were utilized.
    E xamination of the diversionist agents taken prisoner provided the following details of the organization of their activities:
T he agents were recruited mainly from the youth group known as the Hitler Jugend and from men and women, chiefly of German nationality, enrolled from Poland.
S pecial courses lasting from two weeks to three months were organized for these agents on the territory of the Reich.
Those who took these courses were divided into two categories. The first, consisting of persons with a thorough knowledge of the Polish language, was charged with special missions to be carried out in the rear of the Polish Army. The second category consisted of persons who were to mingle with the crowds of Polish civilian refugees fleeing from the war and the bombing attacks.
A short time before the war the students at these courses underwent a supplementary training in special camps, where they were assigned to “districts of diversionist activity.”
    Besides the agents recruited from the youth and intended to collaborate with the German civilian population, there was a group of directors and instructors composed of officers who arrived in Poland, provided with passports, a little before the war, and of local agents transported by car or aeroplane to the rear of the Polish armies during the first days of the war.
    Depositions and Statements
    One of the German diversionist agents, a lad aged 18, captured near W łódźimierz in Wolhynia, Eastern Poland, made the following statement: [17]
    “In December, 1938, members of the Hitler Jugend were summoned to attend a three months’ course. They received training in the use of parachutes, as well as in liaison work with the Reich air force. The students were told that in the event of war they would be assigned to espionage activities. For this purpose they would be transported into the enemy country, where they would have to identify the positions of the enemy armies, etc., and to supply the German airmen with details by means of agreed signals.
    “ This activity was obligatory upon the members of the Hitler-Jugend who participated in the course; at the time of mobilization they were to receive notices similar to those of ordinary mobilization.
    “ The subversive agents were divided into two categories. The first was composed of persons possessing a thorough knowledge of Polish. They were supplied with Polish officers’ and non-commissioned officers’ uniforms, or those of Polish police or railroad officials. In these uniforms they were dropped by parachutes on Polish territory. The second category was composed of those who knew Polish only imperfectly. They