Border Guard (Polish Straż Graniczna, SG) is a Polish military unit tasked with patrol of the Polish border. It existed in the Second Polish Republic from 1928 to 1939 and was recreated in Third Polish Republic in 1990.
1928-1939
Straż Graniczna was founded in 1928.
During the times of the Second Polish Republic, Straż Graniczna was responsible for northern, western and southern border of Poland (with Germany, free city of Gdansk, sea border, Czechoslovakia and Romania). Eastern border, often raided by military bands supported from Soviet Union was under the jurisdiction of a separate, more military unit (Border Defence Corps, Polish Korpus Ochrony Pogranicza).
Responsibilites of Straż Graniczna included:
- to prevent illegal crossing of the land and sea border by people and goods (smuggling)
- ensuring safety and public order in the border area
- combat any threats to national security in the border area
Straż Graniczna organisational structure was made of reginal and border inspection houses, stations and border check points. It carried out its actions through patrols, manning border checkpoints, tracking, rouses and intelligence work. It had its own river and sea flotilla and intelligence academy.
Memebers of Straż Graniczna participated in the Second World War, fighting as members of Polish Army (Armia Krajowa) during the September Campaign.
1945 - 1989
During the times of the People's Republic of Poland, role of the border guards was carried out by the military formation of Border Defence Army (Polish Wojska Ochrony Pogranicza).
1990 - present
Straż Graniczna has been reestablished in the Third Polish Republic with the act of 12 October of 1990 and begun operations on 16 May 1991. It considers itself the successor to the Second Polish Republic formations of Straż Graniczna and Korpus Ochrony Pogranicza.
From 1 May 2004, the day Poland became a member of the European Union, Straż Graniczna is guarding both the Polish and EU's borders.
Border Guard commanders
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