German repression against Polish elites during 1939 occupation

Following the invasion of Poland in 1939, German forces carried out targeted operations to eliminate the Polish intelligentsia and leadership.

In Krakow, an operation known as Sonderaktion Krakau targeted academics from the Jagiellonian University and the AGH University of Science and Technology. On November 6, 1939, approximately 180 professors and researchers were arrested after being summoned to a meeting at Collegium Novum under the guise of discussing new educational regulations.

In Inowrocław, mass arrests of local administration, social activists, and intellectuals were conducted as part of the broader Intelligenzaktion. During these events, paramilitary groups such as the Selbstschutz participated in arrests and executions. Reports describe a violent incident in Inowrocław where local officials ordered the execution of 56 individuals in a prison courtyard.