The central authority in the GG was in the hands of the government
headed by the Governor-General, who throughout the occupation was Hans
Frank in Kraków. At the head of districts were governors: in Kraków Otto
Wächter and later Richard Wendler, then Curt Ludwig von Burgsdorf;
in Lublin Friedrich Schmidt, then Ernst Zörner, and Richard Wendler; in
Radom Karl Lasch and then Ernst Kundt; in Warsaw Ludwig Fischer.
Districts (Distrikt) were divided into counties (Kreis), and these into communes
(Gemeinde). At the head of each county was a Kreishauptmann. In some
larger counties, delegations were formed called Landkommissariat, managed
by commissioners. In some cities, namely Warsaw, Kraków, Radom, Lublin,
Częstochowa, and Kielce, municipal administrations were established, with
a Stadthauptmann at its head.⁷
Police authorities in the GG were subject to the higher SS and police
commander in Kraków, who was initially Friedrich Krüger, and from the
summer of 1943 Wilhelm Koppe. The commander of the SS was subordinate
to Governor-General Frank. Jurisdictional disputes between these
two officials continued throughout the period of occupation. Police in the
GG were divided into Order Police (Ordnungspolizei, Orpo) and the Security
Police (Sicherheitspolizei, Sipo). The Security Police consisted of the Criminal
Police (Kriminalpolizei, Kripo) and the Secret State Police (Geheimestaatspolizei,
Gestapo). The Order Police consisted of Protection Police (Schutzpolizei,
Schupo) in cities and gendarmerie in towns and villages, as well as Special
Service (Sonderdienst), such as traffic police (Verkehrschutz), railway police
(Bahnschutz), forest police (Forstschutz), factory police (Werkschutz), and postal
police (Postschutz). In addition, every district police commander had an SS
regiment at his disposal. The Orpo was also superior to the Polish Police (Policja
Polska, Polnische Polizei des Generalgouvernements) and the Jewish Order
Service (Jüdischer Ordnungsdienst). At the command of the Governor-General,
additional formations were established, reporting exclusively to him, especially
within the Special Service. Its members took part in the collection of
7 See Markus Roth, Herrenmenschen. Die Deutschen Kreishauptleute im Besetzen Polen – Karrierewege, Hereenschaftspraxis und Nachgeschichte (Göttingen, 2009), pp. 65–86, 441; Max Freiherr du Prel, Das Deutsche Generalgouvernement Polen. Ein Überblick über Gebiet Gestaltung und Geschichte (Krakau, 1940); Amtliches Gemeinde-und Dorfverzeichnis für
das Generalgouvernement auf Grund der Summarischen Bevölkerungsbestandsaufnahme am 1. März 1943 (Krakau, 1943).
