4. SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division was formed Oct 1940 from members of the Ordnungspolizei (regular police) that was conscripted into the unit, Heinrich Himmler admitted in a speech to Waffen-SS officers that they were "neither National Socialists nor SS men" (1). It was used for occupation duties in Poland before seeing some action in the invasion of France were it took part as a reserve unit in the fighting at the Maginot Line. It fought on the northern sector of the Eastern front after the German invasion of the USSR, taking part in the advance towards Leningrad and later in the battles of Lake Ladoga.

It was transferred to the Balkans in 1943 were it was used for anti-partisan duties in Greece and the Banat before being withdrawn to Slovakia Jan 1945 and then on to the Danzig area. It was evacuated by sea in April and fought on the Oder front north of Berlin and surrendered to US forces in May.

Known war crimes

Soldiers from SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 7 killed 215 civilians in Klissoura 5 April 1944 in retaliation of the killing of two German soldiers. Hermann Neubacher, Sonderbevollmächtigter des Auswärtigen Amtes für den Südosten (Special representative of the Foreign office for the South-East-area), reported on this massacre in a telegram to Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop on 15 May 1944. (2)

On 10 June 1944 soldiers from SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 7 killed 218 civilians in the Greek village of Distomo in retaliation for an attack by partisans near the village.

Holders of high awards
Holders of the Close Combat Clasp in Gold (4)
  Auer, Karl, 22.03.1945, SS-Sturmbannführer, SS-Felders.Btl. 4
  Harnack, Martin, 10.02.1945, SS-Obersturmführer, Chef 1./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 8
  Pöhler, Gerhard, 16.02.1945, SS-Oberscharführer, Zugführer i. d. 2./SS-Pz.Aufkl.Abt. 4
  Raith, Alois, 16.02.1945, SS-Unterscharführer, Gruppenführer i. d. 1./SS-Pz.Aufkl.Abt. 4
Holders of the Commendation Certificate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army (8)
  Forstreuter, Hans-Boto, 28.03.1943 (1648), Major, Kdr. II./SS-Pol.Gren.Rgt. 3
  Frambach, Karl, 25.03.1943 (1667), Oberfeldwebel, Kp.Trupp-Fhr. SS-Pz.Jäg.Abt. (Polizei)
  Gehrke, Hermann, 05.10.1942 (1281), Hauptmann, Kp.Fhr. 9./SS-Pol.Schtz.Rgt. 2
  Offermanns, Wilhelm, 08.02.1942 (658), Oberleutnant, Zugführer im SS Pol.Schtz.Rgt. 1
  Planitzer, Paul, 28.03.1943 (1664), Oberleutnant, Kp.Fhr. 14./SS-Pol.Gren.Rgt. 3
  Renziehausen, Heinrich, 21.06.1942 (1058), Feldwebel, Zugführer i. d. 10./SS-Pol.Schtz.Rgt. 2
  Schubert, Arnold, 28.03.1943 (1663), Hauptmann, Chef 2./SS-Pol.Pz.Jäg.Abt.
  Wode, Werner, 28.03.1943 (1646), Oberleutnant, 5./SS-Pol.Art.Rgt.
Holders of the Commendation Certificate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army for Shooting Down Aircraft (3)
  Hafner, Hans, 16.08.1943 (359), SS-Unterscharführer, Stab III./SS-Pol.Art.Rgt.
  May, Karl, 16.08.1943 (371), Gefreiter, 3./SS-Pol.Flak-Abt.
  Schwertner, Erich, 10.08.1942 (208), Obergefreiter, 14./SS-Pol.Schtz.Rgt. 2
Holders of the German Cross in Gold (68)
Holders of the German Cross in Silver (2)
  Oltermann, Hans, 19.12.1944, SS-Sturmbannführer d.R., Div.Int. (IVa) 4. SS-Pol.Pz.Gren.Div.
  Ott, Dr. Hans, 18.04.1945, SS-Sturmbannführer d.R., Div.Arzt 4. SS-Pol.Pz.Gren.Div.
Holders of the Honor Roll Clasp of the Heer (6)
  Boehnke, Georg, 17.03.1943, Feldwebel d.R., 10./SS-Pol.Inf.Rgt. 1
  Bracht, Karl, 08.04.1943, SS-Hauptsturmführer, 4./SS-Pol.Art.Rgt.
  Etthöfer, Alois, 08.02.1945, Oberleutnant, 3./SS-Pol.Art.Rgt.
  Frechtner, [first name not listed], 26.02.1945, SS-Untersturmführer, SS-Pol. Inf.Rgt. 3
  Niesen, Stefan, 00.00.1945, SS-Oberscharführer d.R., 1./SS-Pz.Aufkl.Abt. 4
  Ortmann, Günther, 26.02.1943, Hauptmann, III./SS-Pol.Inf.Rgt. 3
Holders of the Knight's Cross (22, including 2 unofficial/unconfirmed) (19 RK + 2 EL + 1 SW)
Holders of the Knight’s Cross of the War Merit Cross with Swords (1)
  Preissler, Fritz, 04.12.1944, SS-Hauptsturmführer, Fhr. SS-Pz.Instandsetzungs-Abt. 4
Unit-Level Commendation Certificate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army for Shooting Down Aircraft (4)
  1./SS-Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 3
    Date/Place of Downing: 20.10.1941 bei Alexandrowka
    Award Date: 29.11.1941 (29)
  SS-Polizei-Radfahr-Abteilung
    Date/Place of Downing: 03.09.1942 bei Otradnoje
    Award Date: 11.02.1943 (324)
  SS-Polizei-Grenadier-Regiment 2
    Date/Place of Downing: 19.02.1943 bei Iwanowskoje
    Award Date: 31.10.1943 (368)
  4./SS-Flak-Abteilung 4
    Date/Place of Downing: 16.11.1944 bei Csany
    Award Date: 00.00.0000 (o.Nr.)

Holders of other notable badges & decorations
Holders of the Anti-Partisan Badge in Silver (1)
  Walewski, Gerd, 14.01?.1945? \ 01.05?.1945, SS-Sturmscharführer, 4. SS-Pol.-Div.
Holders of the Anti-Partisan Badge in Bronze (1)
  Walewski, Gerd, 14.01?.1945? \ 01.05?.1945, SS-Sturmscharführer, 4. SS-Pol.-Div.

Order of batle (1939)

Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 1 (in some sources listed as Polizei-Infanterie-Regiment 1)

Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 2 (in some sources listed as Polizei-Infanterie-Regiment 2)

Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 3 (in some sources listed as Polizei-Infanterie-Regiment 3)

Polizei-Panzerjäger-Abteilung

Polizei-Pionier-Bataillon

Polizei-Radfahr-Kompanie

Artillerie-Regiment 300 (Heer)

Nachrichten-Abteilung 300 (Heer)

Versorgungstruppen 300

Order of batle (early 1943)

SS-Grenadier-Regiment 1 (Pol.-Div.)

SS-Grenadier-Regiment 2 (Pol.-Div.)

SS-Grenadier-Regiment 3 (Pol.-Div.)

SS-Polizei-Artillerie-Regiment

SS-Polizei-Aufklärings-Abteilung

SS-Polizei-Flak-Abteilung

SS-Polizei-Pionier-Bataillon

SS-Polizei-Nachrichten-Abteilung

Order of battle (1944)

SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 7

SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 8

SS-Artillerie Regiment 4

SS-Sturmgeschütz Abteilung 4

SS-Panzer-Abteilung 4

SS-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 4

SS-Flak-Abteilung 4

SS-Nachrichten-Abteilung 4

SS-Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 4

SS-Pionier-Batallion 4

SS-Dina 4

SS-Panzer-Instandsetzungs-Abteilung 4

SS-Wirtschafts-Batallion 4

SS-Sanitäts-Abteilung 4

SS-Polizei-Veterinär-Kompanie 4

SS-Kriegsberichter-Zug 4

SS-Feldgendarmerie-Trupp 4

SS-Feldersatz-Battillon 4

Officers serving in the Einsatzgruppen and Concentration Camps
Concentration Camps 29
Einsatzgruppen 3
(includes officers serving in the Einsatzgruppen or Concentration Camps either prior to or after service in this unit)

Insignia

Until February 1942 the men in the division used Polizei insignia, not Waffen-SS insignia.

SS-members who served in the division wore embroidered SS runes below the left breast pocket.

Oberst der Schutzpolizei Alfred Wünnenberg, commander of Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 3, in northern Russia, 1941. Note the Polizei insignia and SS runes

(Courtesy of Bundesarchiv/Wikimedia, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 Germany)

A cuff title with the Polizei embelm was authorized 15 Apr 1942 but was replaced by the "SS-Polizei-Division" cuff title  1 Dec 1942.

Photo © Relics of the Reich

In fiction

The novel "Mac Wingate #3: Mission Code Minotaur" by Bryan Swift depicts the namesake of the series and his raiding party in a firefight with a detachment of the SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Divison on the Greek island of Kos in August 1943.

An MG team in France

(Courtesy of Henry)

Soldiers from the Polizei Division in the mud on the Eastern Front

(Courtesy of Die Deutsche Wochenschau/Ivan)

Soldiers from the Polizei Division marching

(Courtesy of Die Deutsche Wochenschau/Ivan)

Memorial to the victims of the Distomo massacre

(Courtesy of John Nicholas Schweitzer)

Footnotes

1. "The Waffen-SS: Hitler's Elite Guard at War 1939-1945" by George H. Stein, page 34.

2. The text of the telegram is available in "Griechenland 1941-1944" by Anestis Nessou page 225.

Published sources used

John R. Angolia - Cloth insignia of the SS

Roger James Bender & Hugh Page Taylor - Uniforms, Organization and History of the Waffen-SS, vol 2

Georges M. Croisier - Waffen-SS (PDF)

Terry Goldsworthy - Valhalla's Warriors: A history of the Waffen-SS on the Eastern Front 1941-1945

Dr. K-G Klietmann - Die Waffen-SS: eine Dokumentation

Marc J. Rikmenspoel - Waffen-SS Encyclopedia

George H. Stein - The Waffen-SS: Hitler's Elite Guard at War 1939-1945

Georg Tessin, Hans-Adolf Neufeldt & Jürgen Huck - Zur Geschichte der Ordnungspolizei 1936-1945

Gordon Williamson & Thomas McGuirl - German military cuffbands 1784-present

Gordon Williamson - The Waffen-SS: 1. to 5. Divisions

Mark C. Yerger - Waffen-SS Commanders: The Army, corps and divisional leaders of a legend (2 vol)

Reference material on this unit

Friedrich Husemann - Die guten Glaubens waren (3 vol)

Friedrich Husemann - In good faith: The History of the 4. SS-Polizei-Panzer-Grenadier-Division

Kameradschaft des 3. Regiment in der SS Polizei Division - Das 3. Regiment: Der versucht einer geschichte in bildern erstellt von der kameradschaft des 3. Regiment in der SS Polizei Division

Hans Pichler - Truppenarzt und Zeitzeuge: Mit der 4. SS-Polizei-Division an vorderster Front

Gordon Rottman & Stephen Andrew - SS-Artillerie Regiment 4 SS Polizei Division: A Study of German Artillery