 On 19 October Graudenz was visited by the NSDAP Gauleiter (regional chief) Albert Forster.In a public speech to the "Volksdeutsche", he declared that the area was to become "one hundred percent" German, and that Poles "have nothing to do here, and should be evicted"

Alongside the military and "Einsatzgruppen" administration, the first structures of "Selbstschutz" were established – a paramilitary formation of members of the German minority in the region.The head of "Selbstschutz" in Graudenz was Doctor Joachim Gramse.