Frank to head General Government
Thursday, October 26, 1939 www.onwar.com
In Berlin... Hans Frank, former Reich Minister of Justice and a high-ranking Nazi official, is designated to become governor of the General Government region of former Poland. His administrative capital is to be located in Cracow.
In Moscow... The Soviet government denies the British claim to have a right to stop Soviet merchant ships bound for Germany.
In the United States... On the eve of the Senate vote on amending the Neutrality Act, President Roosevelt delivers a fireside chat: “In and out of Congress we have heard orators and commentators and others beating their breasts proclaiming against sending the boys of American mothers to fight on the battlefields of Europe. That I do not hesitate to label as one of the worst fakes in current history. It is a deliberate setup of an imaginary bogy.”
In Britain... The Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps is formed.
In London... Chamberlain responds to claims made by the Nazi Foreign Minister Ribbentrop that Britain sought and plotted for war with Germany. He says “the whole world knows that this is not true.”
On the Western Front... Wintry conditions prevail with much rain and snow. Minor encounters between patrols and artillery fire from both sides is reported.
Not one mention of Poland. Unbelievable. Guess the Times didn’t think anybody really cared about the pollacks.
good post today. picked up some useful info.
if a bomb lands 15 yards away, turn sideways with legs spread. will remember that one. although the legs spread seems counterintuitive.
NAVAL EVENTS-Thursday, 26 October
Battlecruiser REPULSE and aircraft carrier FURIOUS, escorted by destroyers FORESTER, FEARLESS, FOXHOUND, FORESIGHT, FIREDRAKE departed the Clyde at 0430 to cover the Atlantic convoy routes, including Halifax convoys already at sea. Following these convoys’ safe passage, they were stationed to the south and the east of Newfoundland to continue covering the route, the destroyers arriving back in the Clyde on the 28th.
Two cruisers were on Northern Patrol between the Orkneys and the Faroes, three cruisers between the Faroes and Iceland, and one cruiser and AMC TRANSYLVANIA in the Denmark Strait. Meanwhile, light cruiser SHEFFIELD was returning to Sullom Voe. From the 13th to 26th, Northern Patrol sighted 56 eastbound ships, sent 53 into Kirkwall for inspection and dealt with six German merchant ships.
Light cruiser BELFAST arrived at Clyde for Refitting completed on 8 November.
Anti-aircraft cruiser CALCUTTA departed Harwich and arrived at Grimsby on the 27th.
Destroyer KASHMIR (Cdr H A King) completed, and after working up at Portland, joined the 5th Destroyer Flotilla operating with the Home Fleet on 12 November.
Convoy FN.27 departed Southend, and arrived at Methil on the 28th. There was no FN.28.
Convoy FS.27 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers JUNO, WALLACE, WHITLEY and sloop STORK, reaching Southend on the 28th.
Swedish steamer JUPITER (2152grt) was seized in the Baltic by German warships and taken to Kiel.
Greek steamer MARIETTA NOMIKOU (5241grt) was seized in the Baltic by German warships and taken to Pillau.
Convoy OG.4, totalling 40 ships, was formed from OA.24G, escorted by destroyers ESCORT and ELECTRA, and OB.24G which departed Liverpool escorted by destroyers WARWICK and VANOC. The convoy safely arrived at Gibraltar on 1 November, escorted by French destroyers CHACAL and MISTRAL, which departed Brest on the 26th and joined on the 27th.
Destroyer DUCHESS abandoned her Kithera patrol 24 hours early to take an injured man to Malta.
Convoy Blue 6 of 15 ships departed Port Said and proceeded without escort.
MTB.11 was accidentally hit by a round from a 6-inch shore battery at Hong Kong, fired to warn her to keep clear of a newly mined area. She was towed into harbour between MTB.9 and MTB.10.
War Diary and War Standing Orders of Commander in Chief, Submarines-Admiral Donitz
26 October, 1939
As U 46 did not regain contact, but reported that she was leaving her operations area because of lack of fuel, it was no longer possible for U 25 to operate against the convoy. Meanwhile this boat had come a long way south. She was allocated a new operations area northwest of Cape Finisterre.
The following boats are expected to be ready for operations next:
U 33 on 29.10
U 38 on 8.11
U 43 on 1.11
U 28 on 8.11
U 41 on 2.11
U 29 on 11.11
U 49 on 4.11
U 47 on 13.11
U 35 on 13.11
I consider the following mining operations to be of next importance:
1) inside the Bristol Channel, north of the Foreland
2) off Swansea
3) off Milford Haven.
Information available suggests that they would be very successful. But as they mean entering an area which is probably strongly patrolled, they must be carried out as soon as possible, before anti-S/M defenses reach their full extent.
U-boats of the 2nd U-Flotilla must be considered for this, because of their range; i.e. U 33, U 28, and U 29. Boats at operational readiness will therefore have to be divided into a mining and an operational group.
I intend to assemble the latter, up to 4 boats, in the area southwest of Ireland. They are then to take up an attacking disposition south and west of Portugal with the purpose of intercepting traffic north-bound from Gibraltar. Later a disposition is planned northwest of Cape Finisterre at about the time when U 47 should have arrived (Operations Order No. 11).
Narvik - Methil Convoy
No Number
(Info received from Tony Cooper, England)
Left Narvik on Oct. 26-1939 and arrived Methil Roads on Oct. 31
Cruising Order
(all these were British)
Lindenhall
Alex
Polzella
Santa Clara Valley
Leo Dawson
Imperial Monarch
Riley
Carperby
Starcross
Creekirk
Cree
Albuera
Notes:
Commodore was in Lindenhall (Captain Wainford)
Vice Commodore was in Imperial Monarch
Alex continued to Tyne, Nov. 1-1939
Carperby continued to Middlesbrough, Nov. 1
Starcross continued to Southend and Cardiff, Nov. 1
Creekirk continued to Middlesbrough, Nov. 1
Cree continued to Middlesbrough, Nov. 1.
All ships were for Methil, except Imperial Monarch and Albuera, which were routed to the west coast, escorted by HMS Fame.
Hetton and Thomas Walton had also been scheduled for this convoy, but had not finished loading in time to sail. They are both listed as sailing in Convoy HN 1, Nov. 4.
The ships, loaded with ore, had been told to await an escort in Narvik. Because of the absence in the Western Approaches of the Home Fleet flotillas, escort could not be provided until Oct. 26, when the 12 ships sailed, covered by Aurora and Edinburgh, and escorted by 4 destroyers of the 6th Flotilla. The Home Fleet went out to provide additional cover for the convoy on Oct. 28, as there was reason to believe its departure had been reported to the Germans.
All ships were in sight when escorts arrived at 10:00 on Oct. 26, but the convoy was not formed up and ready to sail until 12:00. Speed, according to Captain Wainford of Lindenhall, was 7 1/2 knots. However, the convoy proceeded at only 5 1/2 knots for the first night after having met the escorts, partly due to bad weather, partly owing to the low speed of Albuera, but 7 1/2 knots was maintained throughout the rest of the voyage.
October 26, 1939 — Forced labor is decreed for Polish Jews 14-60 years old.
DOCUMENTS OF GERMAN POLITICS
[Dokumente der Deutschen Politik]
1939, Part 2, Berlin, 1940, Pages 674-692.
First Decree Of The Governor General Dr. Frank Of October 26, 1939 Concerning The Establishment Of The Administration Of The Occupied Polish Territories.
On the basis of article 5, paragraph 1 of the decree of the
Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor of October 12 1939, concerning
the administration of the occupied Polish territories I
decree:
[Page 170]
Article 1
The General-Government for the occupied territories includes
the territories occupied by German troops, insofar as they
are not incorporated into the German Reich.
Article 2
The Headquarters of the Governor General is in Krakow.
Article 3
(1) The Chief of the Office of the Governor General and the
Senior SS and Police Leader are directly subordinated to the
Governor General and his deputy.
(2) Divisions for work on the various administrative
branches will be formed in the office of the Governor
General.
(3) The Commanders of the Police and the Commander of the SD
are subordinated to the Senior SS and Police Leader.
Article 4
The General-Government is divided into four districts:
Krakow, Lublin, Radom and Warsaw.
Article 5
(1) At the head of the districts is the District Chief. The
District Chief directs the entire administration of the
district in the name of the Governor General.
(2) The Chief of the office of the District Chief and the SS
and Police Leader are directly subordinated to the District
Chief.
Article 6
(1) The districts are divided into Landkreise and
Stadtkreise. At the head of the Landkreise is the
Kreishauptmann. He directs the entire administration of the
Landkreis.
(2) Special regulations are issued concerning the
administration of the cities and communities.
Article 7
The General-Government is the holder of special rights and
obligations. It is represented by the Governor General and
the authorities empowered by him.
Article8
(1) The hitherto existing Polish law remains in effect,insofar as it is not contrary to the taking over of the administration by the German Reich and the exercising of
military rights of sovereignty.
(2) The Law effected by the Supreme Commander of the Army
and Offices empowered by him remains in force, insofar as it
has not become void of application through establishment of
the General Government.
[Page 171]
Article 9
The official language in the General Government is German.
The Polish language is permitted.
Article 10
(1) The decrees of the Governor General w ill be announced
in the official gazette for the occupied Polish territories
in the German and Polish languages. The German text is
authoritative for the interpretation.
(2) The decrees go into effect, insofar as nothing else is
defined, the day after their announcement.
130. Degree by Governor General Dr. Frank of 26 October,
1929 concerning the establishment of the judiciary in the
General Government.
On the basis of Art. 5, Par. 1, of the decree by the Fuehrer
and Reich Chancellor of 12 October 1939, concerning the
administration of the occupied Polish territory, I decree.
Art 1
In the General-Government German and Polish court procedure
exists,
Art 2
(1) The task of the German court procedure is to punish the
attacks on the safety and reputation of the German Reich and
its people, as w ell as on the lives, health, and the
property of German national adherents.
(2) The German national adherents are subjected to German
court procedure in their entire relations with judicial
matters.
(3) The sentences of the German courts are passed in the
name of the German people.
Art 3
Legally enforceable decisions of a Polish court may be
subjected to an investigation by the German judges.
The German judge may hand the case over to the German court
procedure by voiding the sentence.
Art 4
The courts shall assume their activity after the territorial
borders of the General-Government have been definitely
established.
[Page 172]
The rules necessary for the execution of these decrees are
released by the executive of the judicial department in the
office of the General Government.
131a. Decree of Governor General Dr. Frank of 26 October
1939, concerning the introduction of forced labor among the
Polish population of the General Government.
(5) Through Art. 1 of the decree of 14 December 1939,
concerning the execution of forced labor among the Polish
population in the General Government. (Verordnungsblatt
G.G.P.Sp. 224), the Chiefs of the district were authorized
“to extend the forced labor among the Polish residents in
the General Government to youths between the fourteenth and
eighteenth year.”
131b. Decree of Governor General Dr. Frank of 26 October
1939 concerning the establishment of forced labor for the
Jewish population of the General-Government.
On the basis of Article 5 Paragraph 1 of the decree of the
Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor of 12 October 39 concerning the
administration of the occupied Polish territories I decree:
Article 1
For the Jews domiciled in the General-Government forced
labor, is established, to take effect immediately for this
purpose the Jews are to be concentrated into Forced Labor
Troops.
Article 2
The regulations required for the execution of this decree
are issued by the Senior SS and Police Leader. He can fix
territories east of the Vistula where the execution of this
decree is not carried out.
134. Decree of the Governor General Dr. Frank as of 23
November 1938, concerning the markings of Jews and Jewesses
in the General Government.
On the basis of Art. 5, Par. 1, by the Fuehrer and
Reichschancellor as of 12 October 1939, concerning the
administration of the occupied Polish territory
(Reichsgesetzblatt I, p. 2077), I order
[Page 173]
Art 1
All Jews and Jewesses who are residing in the General
Government and who are over ten years of age are required
from 1 December 1939 on to wear on the right sleeve of their
clothing a white band at least ten centimeters in width
marked with the Star of Zion.
Art 2
These armbands are to be procured by the Jews and Jewesses
themselves and marked with the corresponding sign.
Art 3
(1) Violations are punished by imprisonment.
(2) The Special Courts are competent for the trial.
The necessary rules for its execution are released by the
executive of the Department of Internal Administration in
the office of the General Government.
135. Decree of the Governor General Dr. Frank of 23 Nov 39
concerning the specification of businesses within the
General Government:
Based upon Article 5, Par. I of the Decree of the Fuehrer
and Reichschancellor of 12 October 1939 concerning the
administration of the occupied Polish areas
(Reichsgesetzblatt I, pp. 2077) I decree:
Article 1
Businesses whose owners are Germans have to be identified as
German businesses. They may also carry Polish firm names.
Article 2
Businesses whose owners are Poles have to carry Polish firm
names. They may also be provided with a German firm name.
Article 3
Jewish businesses-are to be identified with the Star of Zion
in such a manner that it will be plainly visible from the
street; they are not allowed German firm names.
Article 4
(1) Violations will be punished by imprisonment.
(2) The Special Courts are competent for the trial.
http://www.nizkor.vex.net/ftp.py?imt/nca/nca-06//nca-06-3468-ps
October 26, 1939-early February 1940
In a plan devised by Adolf Eichmann, the Nazis deport and “resettle” some 78,000 Jews to a “reservation” located in the Lublin-Nisko region of southeast Poland. The project is temporarily suspended when rolling rail stock is needed for German military campaigns against the Low Countries.
Hans Frank Speech, 26 October 1939- “there will be no room for . . . Jewish exploiters in a territory under German sovereignty.”
Lt. Gen. Fujita Susumu is appointed Commender of the Japanese 13th Army in China.
The Japanese 13th Army was formed on September 23, 1939 under the control of the China Expeditionary Army.
It was based in Shanghai and surrounding provinces primarily a garrison force to maintain public order and to engage in counter-insurgency operations in conjuction with the collaborationist forces of the Reformed Government of the Republic of China.
(wiki)
26 October 1939
Japanese army and navy bombers attacked Soviet Volunteer Group and Chinese Air Force airfields in the Lanzhou area and the city during the day.