Directorate of Civil Resistance

Directorate of Civil Resistance (Polish Kierownictwo Walki Cywilnej, short KWC) was one of the branches of the Polish Government Delegate’s Office during World War II. Its main tasks were to maintain the morale of the Polish society, encourage passive resistance, report German atrocities and cruelties to the Polish Government in Exile, and to organize sabotage. In addition, it was responsible for the law and justice in occupied Poland.

Part of a series on the
Polish Underground State
History of Poland 1939–1945
Authorities Government Administration Parliament Courts
Political organizations Major parties Polish Socialist Party People's Party National Party Labour Party Minor parties Camp of National Unity Democratic Party Jewish Labour Bund Hashomer Hatzair Betar (Zionist youth) Opposition National Radical Camp Polish Workers' Party
Military organizations Home Army (AK) Service for Poland's Victory (SZP) Armed Resistance (ZWZ) Gray Ranks National Security Corps (PKB) Mostly integrated with Armed Resistance and Home Army Gwardia Ludowa WRN Peasant Battalions Partially integrated with Armed Resistance and Home Army National Military Organization National Armed Forces Camp of Fighting Poland Pomeranian Griffin Konfederacja Narodu Non-integrated but recognizing authority of Armed Resistance and Home Army Jewish Combat Organization Jewish Military Union Opposition Military Lizard Union Armia Ludowa
Related topics Cultural activities Education History of Poland during 1939–1945

It organized trials of traitors, collaborators and provocateurs as well as the most cruel members of the Wehrmacht, Gestapo and SS. The verdicts varied from boycott, fines, and lash to capital punishment. The trials were carried out by civil Special Courts and the verdicts were enforced by the Państwowy Korpus Bezpieczeństwa. From 1942 on, the KWC also prosecuted crimes such as theft, rape, and murder.

The KWC was headed by Stefan Korboński. In 1943 it was joined with Directorate of Covert Resistance and formed the Directorate of Underground Resistance.