Willy Tensfeld’s Bandenbekämpfungsstab West headquartered in Monza/Milan was responsible from November 1943 till April 1945 for most of the German and Fascist raids conducted in the Piedmont region. There were about 50 round-ups, alone in 1944 more than 45, which were designed by this particular General Staff. Under the operational direction of several commanders of the SS-Polizei such as colonel Ludwig Buch or leutnant-colonel Ernst Weis, these raids put a strain on partisan operations in the Piedmont region. This presentation retraces, mainly using unpublished images and documents, the major raking that took place in the Biella area.
