Duties of the feldgendarmerie
In general, the primary function of the Feldgendarmerie was traffic control and the orderly direction of soldiers, refugees and materials with regard to regulations and discipline. This was especially necessary where large troop movements and bad conditions caused complications at the sites of heavy traffic. They could also be found enforcing regulations on supply routes and in installations, vehicle parks, depots and transport loading points.
In general their duties where:
- To ensure firm control of traffic elements, i.e. as 'Route Kommandants' on particular sectors or routes.
- To investigate all traffic accidents relating to armed services personnel and in the case of civilian involvement, to work in conjunction with the responsible local police.
- Surveillance of Wehrmacht personnel conduct with regard to regulations and discipline, especially in places removed from their superiors, usually by street patrols in co-operation with the Army street patrol service (Heeresstreifendienst).
- Prevent robbery and looting.
- Preventing desertion and the arrest of personnel who are absent without leave.
- Establish prisoner assembly points.
- Remove obstacles on supply and troop movement routes, usually in co-operation with the recovery and repair units.
- Search enemy headquarters and installations for intelligence, especially paperwork, maps, radio logs etc. Usually conducted in co-operation with the 'Geheime Feldpolizei' (GFP), the army's security and intelligence police.
- Disarming of civilian populations, especially in new territories.
- Forming local police forces from the civilian population.