Kriminalpolizei (Nazi Germany)

Kriminalpolizei, often abbreviated as Kripo, is the German name for a criminal investigation department. This article deals with the criminal investigation departments of Nazi Germany.

The Kripo consisted of the Reichskriminalpolizeiamt, later Amt V of the Reichssicherheitshauptamt, and its directly subordinated criminal investigation centers (Kripo-Leitstellen and Kripo-Stellen), as well as the criminal investigation divisions of the local state (Staatliche Kriminalabteilungen) and municipal police departments (Gemeindekriminalpolizeiabteilungen). In 1943 both the latter became directly subordinated to the criminal investigation centers. The personnel consisted of detectives in the Junior Criminal Investigation Career, the Executive Criminal Investigation Career, and the Female Criminal Investigation Career.

In July 1936, the Prussian central criminal investigation department (Landeskriminalpolizeiamt) became the central criminal investigation department for Germany, and was known as the Reichskriminalpolizeiamt. It was merged, along with the secret state police department, the Geheime Staatspolizei or Gestapo into the Sicherheitspolizei (SiPo). They were placed under a centralized command office known as the Hauptamt Sicherheitspolizei. At that point, Reinhard Heydrich was in overall command of the SiPo, the Hauptamt Sicherheitspolizei and the Sicherheitsdienst (SD). Arthur Nebe was appointed head of the Reichskriminalpolizeiamt, and reported to Heydrich.

In September 1939, the Reichssicherheitshauptamt (RSHA) was created as the overarching command organization for the various state investigation and security agencies. The Hauptamt Sicherheitspolizei was officially abolished and its departments were folded into the RSHA. The Reichskriminalpolizeiamt became Amt V (Department 5), in the RSHA. It was commanded by Nebe until 1944, when he was denounced and executed subsequent to the failed 20 July plot to kill Adolf Hitler. In the last year of its existence, Amt V was commanded by Friedrich Panzinger.

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