Copy was sent on 18 Aug to the Chief of the Security Police and the SD.
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 553-PS
Memo secret 7/4
(Annex 2 to H.Dr.g.l
Page 7 current 1910.4)
High Command of the armed forces
WFSt. (Org.1) amt. AUSL.ABW/ABT ABW.III
Nr. 8725/7. 42 g. (IIIb 2) Berlin, 4 August 1942
SECRET
Combatting of single parachutists, 4 Aug. 1942.
Unaltered reprint 1943
Reference: OKW/WFSt/ABt.L (II) Nr. 1858 geh.v. 10.8.40
I. In case of enemy landings by air, a difference has to be made between:
A. Parachute troops and airborne landing troops committed to fighting activities.
B. Single parachutists and small groups of parachutists who are dropped in order to execute missions of sabotage, espionage, terror or disruption.
to a The combatting of enemy airborne forces is the exclusive mission of the armed forces according to the reference orders.
to b For combatting single parachutists. In alteration of fig. 7 v.a. the following is decreed:
1. In territories (Reich territories and occupied territories) the combatting of single parachutists is the mission of those agencies of the Chief of the Security Police and Security Service [SD] designated as executive; in this matter it is immaterial whether the parachutists are in uniform or civilian clothes.
2. To what extent armed forces and agencies of the armed forces should be committed for these missions is to be decided directly by the district commanders [Wehrkreisbefehslhaber] or by territorial commanders [territorialen Befehlshaber] endowed with the powers of district commander with the competent agencies of security police and SD.