In July 1943 , Bach-Zelewski became commander of the so-called `` Bandenkämpfverbände '' ( `` Band-fighting Unit '' ) , responsible for the mass murder of 35,000 civilians in Riga and more than 200,000 in Belarus and eastern Poland .
On 22 June 1941 , von dem Bach-Zelewski became HSSPF in the Heeresgruppe Mitte ( Army Group Center ) ; in July 1943 , he became commander of the `` Bandenkämpfverbände '' ( `` Band-fighting Units '' ) , that carried out the mass murder of 35,000 people in Riga and more than 200,000 in Belarus and eastern Poland .