General Polack surrendered to the US 85th Infantry Division at La Stanga, Italy, near Belluno.

Promoted to colonel in 1942, he commanded Panzer Artillerie Regiment 140, active in the southern part of the eastern front.

He was nominated to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, the award was announced and confirmed by OB 10th Armee under the command of General der Panzertruppe Traugott Herr, who stated that he received approval to make the award after a telephone inquiry to HPA Traunstein.

He resumed his career as a professor in political science and died from a stroke while visiting England in 1956.

In the final days of the war, on 29 April 1945, the 29th Panzergrenadier Division, commanded by Polack, was involved in the San Martino di Lupari massacre, where it used Italian civilians as human shields against partisan attacks and eventually executed 125 hostages.