assuming that no police force can do without beating people. The latter was the cause of a number of arguments I had with the Order Service organisers, in particular with the chief of the reserve, lawyer [Rafał] Lederman, whom I openly told that it was swinish that the organisers, ignoring the civic nature of their duty, allow people brought to the police station to be beaten.
Going back to the organisation, it was immediately evident that it was not meant to be civic in character, but rather paramilitary. They began to introduce a regular military theatre. Officers were not taught their obligations to the population; instead, they were trained to march and do military exercise without weapons, and later (when the word spread about crowds raiding the Jewish Community in Łódź),711 they were also taught the wedge march, aimed at breaking up crowds.
The first period of organizing the Order Service lasted until the end of December 1940, that is until the so-called region712 were established. It was then that people began to question Szeryński’s appointment, and this was due to the fact that he
[6] had immediately proceeded to create, as I mentioned above, a paramilitary organisation, rather than a civic one. This was reflected primarily in an attempt to introduce military discipline, even where it was completely unnecessary, and, on the other hand, in the unfriendly and uncivil manner of addressing the officers. We laughed, for example, at the beginning when lawyer Szenbach stood at attention each time Szeryński came to the office, not to mention other prominent citizens. Moreover, Szeryński believed that discipline is best manifested in a boorish attitude towards subordinates. I once witnessed how a somewhat short citizen came with an application to be admitted to the Order Service. At first, he was not allowed to see Szeryński, after a while, however, Szeryński came out. Apparently, the citizen had already talked to him, as Szeryński bellowed at him: “You want to join the police with your height? Why, everyone will laugh if you stand guard.” The citizen, in a very embarrassed voice, explained that he could be useful in other areas of service, but Szeryński turned his back to him. Also Lewin, when talking
