The Volksdeutscher Selbstschutz was an ethnic German self-protection militia[1]), a paramilitary organization consisting of ethnic German (Volksdeutsche) mobilized from among the German minority in Poland. The Volksdeutscher Selbstschutz operated before, and during the opening stages of, World War II in the western half of Poland[2] and were responsible for, and took part in, massacres of ethnic Poles, along with SS Einsatzgruppen.