RSHA (Reich Security Main Office), the OKW (Armed Forces High Command), and the OKH (Army High Command). The agreement specified that a representative of the Chief of the Security Police and Security Service would be assigned to the respective army groups or armies, and that this official would have at his disposal mobile units in the form of an Einsatzgruppe, sub-divided into Einsatzkommandos and Sonderkommandos. The Kommandos in turn were divided into smaller groups known als Teilkommandos. Only for the purpose of comparison as to size and organization, an Einsatzgruppe could roughly be compared to an Infantry Battalion, an Einsatz- or Sonderkommando to an Infantry Company and a Teilkommando to a Platoon. (lettered A to D) were formed, equipped and fully ready to march before the attack on Russia began. Einsatzgruppe A was led by Stahlecker and later the defendant Jost, operated from central Latvia, Luthuania and Esthonia towards the East. Einsatzgruppe B, whose chief was Nebe, succeeded by the defendant Naumann, operated in the direction of Moskow in the area adjoining Einsatzgruppe A to the South. Einsatzgruppe C, led by Rasch and later Thomas, operated in the Ukraine, except for the part occupied by Einsatzgruppe D, which last organization, first under the defendant Ohlendorf and then Bierkamp, controlled the Ukraine south of a certain line, which area also included the Crimean peninsula. Later, Einsatzgruppe D took over the Caucasus area.
800 to 1,200 men, were formed under the leadership of Reinhardt Heydrich, Chief of the Security Police and SD. The officers were generally drawn from the Gestapo, SD, SS, and the Criminal Police. The men were recruited from the WaffenSS, the Gestapo, the Order Police and locally recruited police. In the field, the Einsatzgruppen were authorized to ask for personnel assistance from the Wehrmacht which, upon request, invariably supplied the needed men. Saxony, in May 1941, the Einsatzgruppen and Einsatzkommando leaders were instructed by Heydrich, Chief of Security Police and SD, and Streckenbach, Chief of Personnel of RSHA, as to their mission, and they were introduced to the notorious Fuehrer-Order around which this extraordinary case has risen. Under the guise of insuring the political security of the conquered territories, both in the occupational and rear areas of the Wehrmacht, the Einsatzgruppen were to liquidate ruthlessly all opposition to National Socialism -- not only the opposition of the present, but that of the past and future as well. Whole categories of people were to be killed without truce, without investigation, without pity, tears or remorse. Women were to be slain with the men, and the children also were to be executed because, otherwise, they would grow up to oppose National Socialism and might even nurture a desire to avenge themselves on the slayers of their parents. Later, in Berlin, Heydrich re-emphasized this point to some of the Einsatz leaders.
One of the principal categories was "Jews". No precise definition was furnished the Einsatz leaders as to those who fell within this fatal designation.
Thus, when one of the Einsatzgruppen reached the Crimea, its leaders did not know what standards to apply in determining whether the Krimtschaks they found there should be killed or not. Very little was known of these people, except that they mad migrated into the Crimea from a southern Mediterranean country, and it was noted they spoke the Turkish language. It was rumored,however, that somewhere along the arterial line which ran back into the dim past some Jewish blood had entered the strain of these strange Krimtschaks. If this were so, should they be regarded as Jews and should they be shot? An inquiry went off to Berlin. In due time the reply came back that the Krimtschaks were Jews and should be shot. They were shot. shoot Gypsies. No explanation was offered as to why these unoffending people, who through the centuries have contributed their share of music and song, were to be hunted down like wild game. Colorful in garb and habit, they have amused, diverted and baffled society with their wanderings, and occasionally annoyed with their indolence, but no one has condemned them as a mortal menace to organized society. That is, no one but National Socialism which, through Hitler, Himmler, and Heydrich ordered their liquidation. Accordingly, these simple, innocuous people were taken in trucks, perhaps in their own wagons, to the anti-tank ditches and there slaughtered with the Jews and the Krimtschaks.
The insane also were to be killed. Not because they were a threat to the Reich, nor because someone may have believed they were formidable rivals of the Nazi chieftains. No more excuse was offered for sentencing the insane than was advanced for condemning the Gypsies and the Krimtschaks.
However, there was an historical basis for the decrees against the insane. That is, a history going back two years. On September 1, 1939, Hitler had issued his Euthanasia decree which ordered the killing of all insane and incurably ill people. It was demonstrated in other trials that this decree was made a convenient excuse for killing off those who were racially undesirable to the Nazis, and who were unable to work. These victims were grouped together under the title of "useless eaters". Since all invaded territories were expected to become Reich territory, the same policies which controlled in Germany itself were apparently introduced and put into effect in the occupied lands. But a very extensive interpretation was given to even this heartless decree. Insane asylums were often emptied and the inmates liquidated because the invaders desired to use the asylum buildings.
"Asiatic inferiors" was another category destined for liquidation. This kind of designation allowed a wide discretion in homicide. Einsatzgruppen and Einsatzkommando leaders were authorized to take executive measures on their own responsibility. There was no one to dispute with them as to the people they branded "Asiatic inferiors". And even less was there a curb on homicidal operations when they were authorized to shoot "Asocial people, politically tainted persons, and racially and mentally inferior elements." Again it was never made quite clear how broad was this classification. Thus, in recapitulation, the Fuehrer-Order, and throughout this Opinion it will be so referred to, called for the summary killing of Jews, Gypsies, insane people, Asiatic inferiors, communist functionaries, and asocials.
is not something pieced together years after their crimson deeds were accomplished. The story was written as the events it narrates occurred, and it was authored by the doers of the deeds. It was written in the terse, exact language which military discipline requires, and which precision of reporting dictates. the planning of future operations demands cold factuality in reports, which requirement was rudimentary knowledge to all members of the German Armed Forces. Thus, every subkommando leader was instructed to inform his kommando leader of developments and activities in his field of operations, every kommando leader in turn accounted to the Einsatzgruppe leader, and the Einsatzgruppe leader by wireless and by mail reported to the RSHA in Berlin. These accounts were veiled in secrecy but they were not so covert that they did not come to the attention of the top ranking military and political officials of the regime. In fact, at the capital, they were compiled, classified, mimeographed and distributed to a selected list. These are the reports which have been submitted in evidence. these official accounts prepared by the Einsatzgruppen and Einsatzkommando leaders. The Tribunal will quote rather copiously from these reports because only by the very language of the actual performers can a shocked world believe that these things could come to pass in the twentieth century. A few brief excerpts at the outset will reveal graphically the business of the Einsatzgruppen. A report on Einsatzgruppe B, dated December 19, 1941, speaks of an action in Mogilew and points out:
"During the controls of the roads radiating from apprehended.
.... 127 persons were shot."
The report also declares:
"In agreement with the commander, the transient officials.
126 persons were found and shot."
"A special action was executed, during which 1,013 Jews and Jewesses were shot."
In Rudnja:
"835 Jews of both sexes were shot." reported that on October 23, 1941, 116 Jews were shot; on the following day 144 were shot. Poltawa, reported as of 23 November 1941:
"Altogether 1,538 Jews were shot." (NO-3405) Einsatzgruppe D operating near Simferopol communicated:
"During the period covered by the re port 2,010 people were shot."
(NO-3235) that in Rakow:
"1,500 Jews were shot." (3876-PS) A report on activities in Minsk in March 1942 reads:
"In the course of the greater action against Jews, 3,412 Jews were shot."
(NO-2662) that on October 13, 1941:
"Of the remaining 30,000 approximately 10,000 were shot."
(NO-2832) Einsatzkommando 2, stated that in Riga on 30 November 1941:
"10,000 Jews were shot." (NO-3405) shot so, within the narrow compass of expression allowed in a military report, some variety was added. A report originating in Latvia read:
"The Higher SS and Police leader in Riga, embarked on a shooting action (Erschiessungsaktion) transport from the Reich were disposed of."
(NO-3257) "Disposed of", the word "killed" was added in parentheses.
A report originating from the Crimea stated laconically:
"In the Crimea 1,000 Jews and Gypsies were executed."
(NO-2662) in Lithuania were placed in concentration camps for special treatment, and then the report explains:
"This work was now begun and thus about liquidated daily."
(NO-2937) A kommando, operating in Lachoisk, reported:
"A large-scale anti-Jewish action was carried out in the village of Lachoisk.
In the course support of a kommando of the SS Division 'Reich'.The village may now be described as 'free of Jews'. (No-3143) on one of its operations in October:
"In Mogilew the Jews tried also to sabotage in masses.
The Einsatzkommando No. 8, with 113 Jews."
(NO-3160) This same organization also reported:
"Two large-scale actions were carried out by the platoon in Krupka and Sholopanitsche;822 in the latter place."
(NO-3160) of October 4, 1941, reported:
"Altogether, 537 Jews (men, women, and adolescents) were apprehended and liquidated."
(NO-3404) monotonous, so the report-writers broke another bond of literary restraint and began describing the murder of Jews with varying verbiage. One particularly favored phrase announced that so many Jews were "rendered harmless". Still another declared that so many Jews had been "got rid of." One more pronounced that a given number of Jews had been "done away with". However, it really mattered little what phraseology was employed. Once the word "Jew" appeared in a report, it was known that this invariably meant that he had been killed. Thus, when one particularly original reportwriter wrote, "At present, the Jewish problem is being solved at Nikolajew and Cherson. About 5,000 Jews were processed at either place." it required no lucubration on the part of the RSHA officials in Berlin to comprehend that 5,000 Jews had been killed at Nikolajew and 5,000 had been killed at Cherson. (NO-3148)
THE PRESIDENT: Judge Speight will continue with the reading of the Judgment.
JUDGE SPEIGHT: Death was simple routine with these earthy organizations. In the Reich Security Main Office, Einsatzgruppen could well be synonymous with homicide. One report, after stating that certain towns were freed of Jews, ends up with the abundantly clear remark that "the remaining officials were appropriately treated." (NO-3137) groups had been "taken care of". (NO-3151) When an Einsatzkommando "took care" of anybody only one person could be of service to the person taken care of, and that was the grave digger. "Special treatment" was still one more contemptuous characterization of the solemn act of death when, of course, it applied to others.
Then some report-writers airily recorded that certain areas "had been purged of Jews." definitive. It in no way called up the grim things connected with shooting defenseless human beings in the back of the neck, and then burying them, sometimes partially alive, into shallow graves. This piece of rhetoric proclaimed that in certain areas "the Jewish question was solved." And when that wording was used one knew finally and completely that the Jews in that particular territory had been removed from the land of the living.
Einsatzgruppe C, reporting on more than 51,000 executions, declared:
"These were the motives for the executions carried out by the kommandos:
juveniles, - " and then came the all-inclusive phrase:
"Jews in general." (NO-3155) The summary cutting down of such groups as "drifting juveniles" and such vague generalizations as "undesirable elements" shows that there was no limit whatsoever to the sweep of the executioner's scythe.
And the reference to individual categories of Jews is only macabre window dressing because under the phrase "Jews in general", all Jews were killed regardless of antecedents. conscientious than the others. They refused to kill a Jew simply because he was a Jew. They demanded a reason before ordering out the firing squad. Thus, in White Ruthenia, a kommando leader reported: "There has been frequent evidence of Jewish women displaying a particularly disobedient attitude." The kommando leader's conscience now having been satisfied, he went on in his report:
"For this reason, 28 Jewesses had to be shot at Krugloje and 337 in Mogilew."
(NO-2656) and returned to their homes. The scrupulous kommando leader here reported the serious offense committed by the Jews in taking up living in their own domiciles. He accordingly executed all the male Jews in the town as well as three Jewesses. (NO-2656) Further:
"At Mogilew, too, the Jews tried to pre were liquidated."
(NO-2656) Operation Report No. 88, dated September 19, 1941, states that, on September 1 and 2, leaflets and pamphlets were distributed by Jews, but that "the perpetrators could not be found."
With this declaration that the guilty ones could not be located, the leader of the execution unit involved tranquilized his moral scruples and, accordingly, as his report facturally declares, he executed 1,303 Jews, among them 875 Jewesses over 12 years of age. (NO-3149) in Monastyrschtschina and Choslawitschi displayed an "impudent and provocative attitude". The kommando accordingly shot the existing Jewish Council and 20 other Jews.
(NO-3143) No. 124, dated October 25, 1941, had repeatedly shown hostile conduct and disobedience to "the German authorities". Thus, the current kommando went into Ostrowo and shot 169 Jews. (NO.3160) Report No. 124, dated October 25, 1941, "very reluctantly". Thus, 996 Jews end Jewesses were given "special treatment." (NO-3160) Report No. 108, dated October 9, 1941, advises that for the death of 21 German soldiers near Topola, 2,100 Jews and Gypsies were to be executed, thus a ratio of 100 to one.
There is no pretense in the report that any of the 2,100 slain were in the slightest way connected with the shooting of Germans. (NO-3156) An item in Operation Report No. 108, October 9, 1941, points out that "19 Jews who were under suspicion of having either been communists or of having committed arson" were executed.
(NO-3156) In Mogilew, the Jewish women were "extremely resistive" and not wearing the prescribed badge, so 28 of them were liquidated.
(NO-3156) Report No. 73, dated September 4, 1941, acquaints the world with the fact that 733 civilians were exterminated in Minsk, the reason being that they "were absolutely inferior elements with a predominant mixture of Asiatic blood."
The method of determining the inferiority of character and the predominance of Asiatic blood is not indicated. (NO-2844) Jews. Sometimes apparently the liquidation took place for the benefit of the Jews themselves. Thus, Einsatzgruppe B reported in December 1941:
"In Gorodok, the Ghetto had to be evacu 394 Jews were shot."
(NO-2833) declared:
"A supply of food for the Jews as well creasing danger of epidemics."
(NO-3149) The situation was met bravely and chivalrously:
"To putaan end to these conditions Ukrainian militia.
Thereby, the Son of 11,328 Jews till 6 September 1941."
(NO-3149) Operational Report No. 92, dated September 23, 1941, related how scabies had broken out in the ghetto of Newel.
"In order to prevent further contagion, 640 Jews were liquidated and the houses burnt down." This treatment undoubtedly overcame the scabies. (NO-3143) a contagious disease, accompanied by fever, broke out. It was feared that the disease might spread to the city and the rural population. To prevent this from happening, 1,025 Jews were shot. The report closes proudly with the statement: "This operation was carried out solely by a commander end 12 men." (NO-3143) capabilities of their rifles, they turned to the field of preventive medicine. In October of 1941, the kommando leader in Witebsk came to the conclusion that there was an "imminent danger of epidemics" in the town, and to forestall that this should come to pass, he shot 3,000 Jews. (NO-3160) Mention had been made of the execution of the insane.
The reports are dotted with references to the liquidation of inmates of mental institutions. It seems that the kommandos, in addition to the executions carried out under their own orders, were ready to perform other killings on request. Einsatzgruppe C reports that a teilkommando of Sonderkommando, 4a, passing through Tschernigow, was asked by the director of the mental asylum to liquidate 270 incurable.
The teilkommando obliged. (NO-2832) located there maintained a farm for the inmates. Since there was not enough full cream milk in the town to supply the three large German military hospitals there, the milk shortage was met by executing a part of the insane. The report on the subject explains:
"A way out of this difficulty was found removed to a better asylum in Charkow."
(NO-2832) It was also stated:
"The underwear, clothing and other mainly to the hospitals."
(NO-2827) comes to light in an item taken from a report made by the Russian Government (USSR-41) which reads:
"On 22 August 1941, mental patients small town of Aglon.
Among them were of the hospital from a Children's home."
(USSR-41) Report No. 47, dated August 9, 1941, after generally discussing conditions in the Ukraine, stated of the operations of Einsatzgruppe C: "Last but not least, systematic reprisals against marauders and Jews were carried out."
Under their meticulous taskmasters, the Jews were bound to be wrong no matter what they did. If they were their badges they could expect maltreatment, since they were recognized as Jews; if they left them off, they were punished for not wearing them. If they remained in the wretched and overcrowded ghettos they suffered from hunger, if they left in order to obtain food they were "marauding".
Operation Report No. 132, describing the activities of Einsatzkommando 5, declared that, between October 13 and October 19, 1941, it had among others executed 21 people guilty of sabotage and looting, and 1,847 Jews. It also reported the shooting of 300 insane Jews, which achievement, according to the report, "represented a particularly heavy burden for the members of Einsatzkommando 5 who were in charge of this operation". (NO-2830) Operation Report No. 194, detailing the activities of Einsatzkommando 8, states that, from March 6 to March 30, 1942, this kommando executed:
"20 Russians for subversive Communist 1,551 Jews."
November 8, 1941 killed, as Report No. 143 succinctly states:
"15 political officials, 10,650 Jews."
Report No. 150, dated January 2, 1942, speaking of actions in the Western Crimea, stated:
"From 16 November thru 15 December 1941, 17,645 Jews, 2,504; Krimtschaks, 824 have been shot."
The report also states, as if talking of Cleaning out swamps:
"Simferopol, Jewpatoria, Aluschta, Kar been cleaned of Jews."
the executions and, consequently, many Jews escaped. This irritated the report-writer considerably. He stated:
"Naturally,the systematic action of Jews in Uman.
In particular, a large and escaped from the city.
Besides were found and liquidated.
The re after its arrival."
(No-3404) It rill be noted that the word "excesses" is here used in its opposite sense, that is deficiency.
Not as many persons were killed as should have been.
It also objected that people talked about these executions:
"Rumors about executions in other areas ficult.
Reports about actions against unguarded talks of German soldiers."
(NO-2834) unsuccessful because this particular report sums up with: "Altogether, 75,881 persons have been executed."
A report from the northern Crimea reads:
"Between i and 15 February, 1,451 persons looters, saboteurs, associals.
Total up to now is 86,632."
(NO-3339) October 1 to October 15, 1941, stated in Report No. 117:
"The districts occupied by the kom bringing the total up to 40,699."
(NO-3406) Coming back to Simferopol, in Report No. 153, dated January 9, 1942, we find:
"The operational areas of the teilkommandos, were shot.
Sun total: 79,276. In Simfero and Gypsy question was solved". (NO-3258).An entry from Operational Situation Report Nr. 3, on the period August 15 to August 3, 1941, states.
"During a scruting of the civilian prison elements". (NO-2653). the above will suffice to indicate their tenor and scope and the attitude of those who participated in the events described therein.
How did the action groups operate? As kommando leaders entered a town they immediately assembled what they called a Jewish Council of Elders made up of from 10 to 25 Jews, according to the size of the town. These Jews, usually the more prominent ones, and always including a Rabbi, were instructed to register the Jewish population of the community for the purpose of resettlement. The registration completed, the Jews were ordered to appear at a given place, or vehicles went to their homes to collect them. Then they were transported into the woods and shot. The last step of the kommando in closing the books in the whole transaction was to call on the Council of Elders, express appreciation for their cooperation, invite then to mount the truck standing outside, drive them out to the same spot in the woods, and shoot them, too. One report illustrates the procedure described:
"The Jew a of the city were ordered to present in a camp.
About 54,000 reported, including women and children.
After they had been made were killed; this took several days". (NOKW-2129) for his resourcefulness and skill in rounding up the intelligentsia of Winnica:
Caurt 2 case 9 "He called for the most prominent certain registration work.
When appear with these the following day."
(NO-2947) And then the report ends triumphantly on the note:
"This method was repeated for a third and liquidated."
In Kiev a clever stratagem was employed to ensnare the Jews. The word "clever" is taken from the report covering the action:
"The difficulties resulting from such a large move.
Although only a participation of expected at first, more than.
30,000 Jews arrived an extremely clever organization."
edged with a black border of misery and desolation. In every paragraph one feels the steel and flinty pen with which the report-writer cuts through the orange described therein. Report No. 94 tells of Jews who, driven from their homes, were compelled to seek primitive existence in caves and abandoned huts. The rigors of the elements, lack of food and adequate clothing inevitably produced serious illnesses. The report-writer chronicles:
"The danger of epidemics has thus increased became necessary."
and then, he adds:
"The insolence of the Jews has not yet diminished even now."
evictors still complained: The Jews were not even courteous to their executioners! tory. In this connection the prosecution introduced an interesting letter from one Jacob, Laster of Field Police to his Commanding General. The letter, dated June 21, 1942, is very chatty and companiable, the writer sends birthday greetings to the addresses, talks about his horses, his girl-friend, and then casually about Jews:
"I don't know if you, General, have also seen in Poland such horrible figures of Jews.
I thank the left.
The little Jews (Juedlein) living in the districts (Rayons) also belong to our customers.
and then.... the waves close and the world is at peace."
for the sake of his country.
"I thank you for your reprimand. You are right.
selves. Even if it means a longer separation from our family.
Now is the time to clean up with the we don't sleep here.
Every week 3-4 actions, one other rabble.
It is very nice that we hove now a SD unit (SD Aussenkommando) with which I can work excellently."
sorry for himself that he is far away from home and thinks of his children: "One could weep sometimes. It is not good to be such a friend of children as I was." However, this does not prevent him from taking up lodging in a former Children's Asylum.
"I have a cozy apartment in a farmer children's asylum.
One bedroom and a livingroom with all the accessories."
fantastical for normal mental comprehension. As suggested before, the mention of one million deaths produces no shock at all commensurate with its enormity because to the average brain one million is more a symbol than a quantitative measure. However, if one reads through the reports of the Einsatzgruppen and observes the small numbers getting larger, climbing into ten thousand, tens of thousands, a hundred thousand and beyond, then one can at last believe that this actually happened - the cold-blooded, premeditated killing of one million human beings.
kommando, states that up to September 6, 1941, this Kommando 4a "has taken care of a total of 11,328 Jews". very casually declares: "In Latvia, up to now, 30,000 Jews were executed in all". that the operational area has been "cleared of Jews. From 19 August to 25 September 1941, 8,890 Jews and Communists were executed. Total number 13,315". 5, 1941, that total executions had reached the figure of 31,767.
Reporting on one month's activities (October 1941), Einsatzgruppe B advised that "during the period of the report, the liquidations of 37,180 people took place". 12, 1941, declared that Sonderkommando 4a had now reached the total number of more than 51,000 executions. approbation on August 10, 1942:
"During detailed consultations with the SS-Brigadefuehrer Obersturmbannfuehrer Dr. jur.
Strauch, we found that we Ruthenia during the last 10 weeks".Speaking of another place, the Commissioner General proclaimed:
"In the Minsk-Land area the Jewry was completely exterminated." Then he complained that the Army had been encroaching on the Einsatz prerogatives:
"The preparations for the liquidation of the Jews already been reported to your office.
In the Rear us anyway". and went on with his narrative: