Shtrafbat

Shtrafbat

Shtrafbats (штрафбат, штрафной батальон) were Soviet penal battalions that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II.

The shtrafbats were created by Joseph Stalin on July 1942, via Stavka Order No. 227 (Директива Ставки ВГК №227). Order No. 227 was a desperate effort to re-instill discipline after the panicked routs of the first year of combat with Germany. The order—popularized as the "Not one step back!" (Ни шагу назад!, Ni Shagu Nazad!) Order—introduced severe punishments, including summary execution, for unauthorized retreats.

In his order, Stalin also mentioned Hitler's successful use of penal battalions (See: Strafbattalion) as a means to ensure obedience among regular Wehrmacht units. This observational remark led directly to the creation of a parallel system for the Soviets.