The SS During World War II: The Dark Reality
Many myths and misconceptions surround the German military during World War II, particularly regarding the SS (Schutzstaffel). The so-called good and bad Germans is a misconception. The actions of the SS, particularly the Von Waffen SS, were notorious for their brutality and involvement in numerous atrocities.
The Myth of Good and Bad Germans
The idea of distinguishing between 'good' and 'bad' Germans is a myth. The German army, including the SS, committed acts of violence and atrocities that spanned all divisions and regions. While some units engaged in traditional battlefield operations, others were involved in anti-partisan actions and massacres that left a lasting legacy of horror.
The Waffen SS and Its Varieties
The Waffen SS, a combat division of the SS, saw a diverse array of activities during the war. Some units participated in battles where they displayed relatively normal military behavior, while others were involved in particularly murderous actions.
One particularly notorious unit was the 36th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, also known as the Dirlewanger Brigade, named after its commander, Oskar Dirlewanger. Oskar Dirlewanger was a convicted pedophile, rapist, alcoholic, and overall despicable character, yet he was elevated to command a division.
Dirlewanger's division was originally filled with convicted poachers who had been imprisoned in concentration camps. As the losses mounted, the division relaxed its selective recruitment policy to include all criminals, including the criminally insane. This led to a complete breakdown in discipline and morality.
Dirlewanger's Brutality in Action
One of the Dirlewanger Brigade's favorite methods of controlling partisans was to surround villages and herd inhabitants into barns, then set them on fire. This act of barbarism was accompanied by rape, murder, and pillaging wherever the division went.
A disturbing account from the suppression of the Warsaw Rising in August 1944 provides insight into the brutality of the Dirlewanger Brigade. An eyewitness describes a scene where a building was stormed and over 500 children were gathered inside with their hands in the air. Dirlewanger ordered his men to kill them, but when the shooting was ineffective, he demanded they finish the job with rifle butts and bayonets. The result was a gruesome spectacle with blood and brain matter streaming down the stairs.
Widespread Atrocities in Occupied Territories
The Waffen SS committed atrocities in numerous occupied territories, including Russia, Yugoslavia, and France. These crimes were not isolated incidents but rather part of a broader pattern of brutality.
Despite attempts by certain groups within Germany, such as the HIAG (Former Members of the Waffen SS and Security Service) to whitewash history, numerous historical accounts and investigations have confirmed the involvement of many individuals in the Waffen SS with crimes against non-combatants in pacified zones.
The HIAG and similar organizations attempted to reframe the battle history of the Waffen SS as a military wing that did not fully adhere to the racial propaganda of the Nazis. However, these claims have been debunked, and historical records continue to reveal the true nature of the Waffen SS's involvement in World War II.
Sources:
Matthew Cooper, The Nazi War Against Soviet Partisans 1941–1944, p. 88
The revelations detailed in these sources paint a picture of the Waffen SS as a unit notorious for its violence and brutality, contributing significantly to the atrocities committed during World War II.