Strafbattalion Strafbattalion ( ) is the generic term for penal unit s created from prisoners during the Second World War in all branches of the " Wehrmacht " . Soldiers and civilian criminals sentenced to these units were generally poorly - armed and required to undertake dangerous high - casualty missions . " Strafbattalion " were operated and administered by the German military police . By 1943 , the course of World War II had turned against Nazi Germany . Due to military losses and the need to maintain discipline by example , the German High Command ordered that further punishment units should be formed from the thousands of " Wehrmacht " military prisoners held in its military prison . These " Strafbattalione " , which were under the control of the " Feldgendarmerie " , were then used to conduct dangerous operations ( sometimes akin to suicide mission s ) for the " Heer " such as clearing minefield s , assaulting difficult objectives and defending positions against overwhelming attacking forces . They were also made to do manual hard labor in front - line locations building and repairing military infrastructure and defenses . Prisoners that survived their missions would be deemed ' fit to fight ' and returned to the field with the ' rights ' of a combat soldier . Although Strafbattalion were mainly used on the Eastern front , some were sent to the Ardenne on the Western Front during the last major German offensive in December 1944 . Formation . The Strafbattalion were developed from the " Sonderabteilungen " ( ) that existed in pre - war Nazi Germany . Initially Nazi policy was to rebuild the armed forces by keeping " potential troublemakers " away from the troops and removing any " destructive elements " from military service . But on 21 May 1935 , Adolf Hitler decreed that under the new Nazi Defence Act any conscript who was deemed " unfit for military service because of subversive activity " would be arrested . However soldiers who were deemed disruptive to military discipline but were otherwise " worthy of service " would be sent to military " Sonderabteilungen " . These units were designed to change attitudes toward state and national policy while instilling a sense of duty , honor and purpose . These goals were achieved by harsh discipline and punishments , extensive indoctrination programs and restrictions on home leave . Troops which conformed were eventually transferred to regular units . However those who continued to show indiscipline or opposed the military were transferred to Sachsenhausen concentration camp . Before World War II , there were nine " Sonderabteilungen " within the " Wehrmacht " in Nazi Germany . According to estimates between 3000 - 6000 Wehrmacht personnel passed through these special departments . A total of 320 " incorrigible pests " were transported to concentration camps . However with the outbreak of war in 1939 , the " Sonderabteilungen " were disbanded . They were replaced with the " Feld - Sonder Battalion " ( ) under the control of the " Feldgendarmerie " . However as the duration of the war increased , the need for more military personnel grew accordingly . Military tribunals were directed by the OKW to send incarcerated members of the Wehrmacht as well as " subversives " to " Bewährungsbataillone " ( ) at the front . Bewährungsbataillone 500 . The 500th Probation Battalion was created by a secret Führer directive in December 1940 . The order stated that any first - time convicted soldier could return to his unit after they had served a portion of their sentence in " a special probation corps before the enemy " . However recidivist criminals and hardcore elements in the German prison system were not allowed to join these units . Beginning in April 1941 , convicted soldiers - even those sentenced to death - who had shown exceptional bravery or meritorious service were allowed rejoin their squads . However those in probation units were expected to undertake dangerous operations at the front . Refusal entailed enforcement of the original sentence . Those who did refuse were labelled as " criminal entities " and sent to the harsh moorland labor camps in Emsland in Lower Saxony . During World War II , more than 27 , 000 soldiers served a probation period in a " Bewährungsbataillone " unit . They were monitored and commanded by selected officers , NCOs and assigned enlisted men who made up a quarter of the total strength . Although battle losses were high , the desire to win the right to leave probation meant combat morale was high . Major operations conducted by " Bewährungsbataillone " on the Eastern Front include Kamianka , Ukraine as well as at Gruzino and Sinyavino near Leningrad . Bewährungstruppe 999 . In October 1942 , the 999th Light Afrika Division was formed from civilian criminals and prison inmates who had been deemed " unfit for military service " . They were encouraged to volunteer on the promise that all past crimes would be wiped out by exemplary bravery in combat . However anyone who refused to join the " Bewährungstruppe " ( ) would stay in prison without right to parole or be sent to a concentration camp . A third of the 28 , 000 troops that joined the division were political prisoners from Baumholder and Heuberg . The 999th Light Afrika Division initially fought in North Africa and later in the Soviet Union . Some units were also used as garrison troops in Greece and in the fight against partisans in the Balkans . However several hundred soldiers from the division deserted to the Allies . In September 1944 some troops from the 999th , including Falk Harnack and Gerhard Reinhardt took active part in armed resistance with the Greek Liberation Army ( ELAS ) . Final years . In the final years of the war , order within all branches of the " Wehrmacht " was upheld by a specially - formed military police , the " Feldjägerkorps " . These military police units , which had seniority over all other " Feldgendarmerie " , were formed from combat - decorated officers and NCOs . Possessing the direct authority from the " OKW " , they had the power to maintain control and discipline throughout all the German armed forces including the " SS " . The " Feldjägerkorps " had the authority in the field to summarily execute officers or enlisted men for any breach of military discipline , order or duty . By September 1944 , all soldiers and recruits convicted to a deferred execution by drumhead court - martial were sent directly to " Strafbatallions " . Numbers rapidly increased as the war drew to a close in May 1945 . Literary references . Author Helmut Jung in his book , " But Not for the Führer " described the Strafbatalion as a " prolonged death " . Danish writer , Sven Hassel , uses the Strafbattalion in many of his novels about the " Wehrmacht " on the Eastern Front . The fictional unit of disgraced German paratroopers sent to kill British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in " The Eagle Has Landed " by Jack Higgins are also recruited from a " Wehrmacht " penal unit .