W-SS and relation to Einsatsgrupppen, any new views?

[lennardg]

I know this is an old discussion, but since new research keeps coming up on WWII issues I thought I might bring it up again.

I'm asking because yesterday a program was aired on Danish TV about Danish SS-volunteers and this involved the issue "did they participate in murder on civilians"
The relationship between W-SS units and Einsatsgruppen was touched upon, and the reference was the verdict from Nurenberg declaring the entire SS a criminal organisation.

Any comments on this? to my knowledge no W-SS unit ever took part in murder on jews, but some units were used for anti-partisan activities which could have involved murder on civilians.

In some cases personnel was transferred between units, but how widespread was this?

I know about the special situation regarding the SS-T division, but how about units like LAH, DR, Wiking and the foreign legions?

[Christoph Awender]

Well, we had the Waffen-SS criminal organisation as a whole dicussion too often already.

But why on earth do you think that no Waffen-SS unit was involved in "killing jews"????
What do you think did these units do when they occupied cities and villages and what happened in their rear areas of command?
My recommendation is that you do a lot of reading to learn.

\Christoph

[lennardg]

I can see a lot of posts have dealt with this in dept, I'll read those.

I was just asking because you always get a million references to book saying different things ranging from: "W-SS did nothing but fight battles" to "everybody killed jews and civillians, from Wehrmacht clerks to the Feldgendarmerie"

just looking for answers, I am sorry if my ignorance has offended you.

[Christoph Awender]

I can see a lot of posts have dealt with this in dept, I'll read those.

I was just asking because you always get a million references to book saying different things ranging from: "W-SS did nothing but fight battles" to "everybody killed jews and civillians, from Wehrmacht clerks to the Feldgendarmerie"

just looking for answers, I am sorry if my ignorance has offended you.

I am not offended but I think you are a little bit "blue eyed" (naive if you want) when you think that such a armed force like the Waffen-SS did not kill civilians and jews within their combat missions.
Here a "collection" you might find interesting:
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=23394

But these are just some major known cases. When talking to veterans you will find lots of such "daily" occurances which nobody recognized or realised. Nobody starts a trial against Sturmmann XXX who shoots two civilians in the cellar of a house he searched for example.

\Christoph

[lennardg]

Now I have some usefull information.
thanks a lot.

[Craig Soward]

It is like anything that you read; some places you will find ifo that says the WAFFEN SS did this or that massacre & in others, you will find totally different accounts.

I find it extremely interesting reading accounts by veterans, who fought in the war; these may just give you an insight into the personal aspects of fighting at the front, which makes for a pleasant change from the usual stuff you read.