List of defunct paramilitary organizations
![]() | This article duplicates the scope of other articles, specifically List of paramilitary organizations. (February 2023) |
The following is a list of defunct paramilitary organizations.
List of defunct governmental paramilitary units (in alphabetical order)[edit]
Name | Region | Active between | Type | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Barracked People's Police (KVP) | ![]() |
1948–1956 | gendarmerie | Formed by the Soviet Military Administration in Germany as the precursor to the National People's Army |
B-Gendarmerie | ![]() |
1949–1954 | gendarmerie | Formed as the precursor to the Austrian Armed Forces |
Bundesgrenzschutz | ![]() |
1951–2005 | border guard | Responsible for border patrol and transport security. Also precursor to the Bundeswehr |
Felix Dzerzhinsky Guards Regiment | ![]() |
1954–1990 | light infantry | Paramilitary unit of the East German secret service Stasi. Responsible for the security of the government leaders and government facilities. Dissolved during German reunification. |
Grenztruppen | ![]() |
1946–1990 | border guard | Responsible for border patrol and prevention of Republikflucht, including along the inner-German border and the Berlin Wall. Dissolved during German reunification. |
Dignity Battalions | ![]() |
1988–1990 | light infantry | Created to oppose a foreign invasion. Dissolved after the U.S. invasion of Panama. |
Fedayeen Saddam | ![]() |
1995–2003 | irregular unit | Created as an irregular military force separate from the Iraqi Armed Forces reporting directly to President Saddam Hussein. Dissolved after the U.S.-lead invasion of Iraq. |
Haganah | ![]() |
1920–1948 | Precursor of the Israeli army | Origins in guarding Jewish colonies |
Kuva-yi Miliye | ![]() |
1918–1921 | irregular unit | Created as irregular military forces serving the Grand National Assembly during the Turkish War of Independence. Integrated into the Turkish Army. |
National Police Reserve | ![]() |
1951–1954 | police reserve | Formed by the Japanese government and the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers as a precursor for the Japan Self-Defense Forces during the Korean War. |
ORMO | ![]() |
1946–1989 | police reserve | Responsible for aiding the Milicja Obywatelska in suppressing demonstrations. Declined during the period of martial law in the 1980s and was officially dissolved by the Sejm in 1989. |
Volkspolizei-Bereitschaft | ![]() |
1955–1990 | police reserve | Served as riot control and anti-insurgency regiment functioning alongside the Stasi. Dissolved during German unification. |
Sarandoy | ![]() |
1978–1992 | gendarmerie | Nicknamed "Defenders of the Revolution", Sarandoy was founded after the Saur Revolution and specialized in counterinsurgency and internal security. At its peak Sarandoy had 115,000 men and women under their command. Sarandoy was run by the Khalq faction of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan and would occasionally clash with the Parchamite-dominated KHAD. |
Sicherheitspolizei | ![]() |
1919–1935 | security police | Formed by Gustav Noske and the Reichswehr to control political violence from paramilitary parties after the German Revolution. Integrated into the Gestapo and the Reichswehr after the Nazi takeover. |
Zelene Beretke | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1991–1992 | Paramilitary | They were mostly active during the war in the early part of 1992 in northern and central Bosnia |
List of defunct non-governmental paramilitary units[edit]
Australia[edit]
Austria[edit]
- The Heimwehr of the Fatherland Front in Austria
- The Ostmärkische Sturmscharen of the Catholic Youth in fascist Austria
- The Republikanischer Schutzbund of the Social Democratic Party of Austria
Czechoslovakia[edit]
- People's Militias of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
- Republikanische Wehr of the German Social Democratic Workers' Party in the Czechoslovak Republic
- Purple Legion of the Czechoslovak Traders' Party
- Freedom Guard (1932–1938) of the Czechoslovak National Social Party
- Grey Legion of the National Unification
- Hungarian Szabadcsapatok
- Svatopluk Guard of the Vlajka
- Volkssport of the German National Socialist Workers' Party
- Freiwilliger deutscher Schutzdienst of the Sudeten German Party
- Sudetendeutsches Freikorps of the Sudeten German Party
- Rodobrana of the Slovak People's Party of Czechoslovakia
- Hlinkova garda of the Slovak People's Party in Slovakia
Finland[edit]
- For Independence
- Lotta Svärd
- Suojeluskunta, volunteer militia in Finland 1918–1944.
- Vientirauha
Germany[edit]
- The Roter Frontkämpferbund of the Communist Party of Germany during the Weimar Republic
- The Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold of the Weimar Coalition during the Weimar Republic
- The Eiserne Front of the SPD with the ADGB, the Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold and workers' sport clubs during the Weimar Republic.
- Der Stahlhelm of the German National People's Party in the Weimar Republic
- The SA of the Nazi Party in the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany
- The SS of the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany
- The NSFK of the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany
- The NSKK of the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany
- The Waffen-SS of the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany
- The Hitler Youth of the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany
- The Combat Groups of the Working Class of the Socialist Unity Party in East Germany
Hungary[edit]
India[edit]
Pakistan[edit]
Italy[edit]
- The Blackshirts of the National Fascist Party in Fascist Italy
- The Opera Nazionale Balilla of Fascist Italy
- The Gioventù Italiana del Littorio of Fascist Italy
Poland[edit]
Romania[edit]
- The Patriotic Guards of the Romanian Communist Party in the Socialist Republic of Romania
Sweden[edit]
- The Munckska kåren in Sweden
Yugoslavia[edit]
others[edit]
- Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a in Somalia
- The Chetniks, royalist supporters of the Yugoslav government-in-exile in Yugoslavia in World War II
- Defense of the Revolution of the People's Democratic Party Of Afghanistan
- The Frikorps Danmark of the Nazi Party in Denmark
- The Hird of the Nasjonal Samling under the Quisling regime in the Reichskommissariat Norwegen
- The Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
- The Tonton Macoute of the National Unity Party in Haiti during the regime of François Duvalier
- Ukrainian Volunteer Corps