Mobile+Killing+Units

Einsatzgruppen (Mobile Killing Units)

Richard Snyder- HISTORY
 * Eisatzgruppen were operated by the [|SS] (Schutstaffel "Protective Squadron")
 * their main job in WW II was the annihilation of all Jews
 * the einsatzgruppen was formed by the [|Gestapo] (German Secret Police) and the SS
 * even though WW II started in 1933 the Einsatzgruppen wasn't founded until 1938 by the Einsaztkommando and its leader [|Reinhard Heydrich]
 * Einsatzgruppen were under command from German security police and security service officers
 * Einsatzgruppen got their orders from high ranked German government officials and the [|Reich Security Main Office] (RSHA)
 * Einsatzgruppen were also called special task forces
 * Einsatzgruppen only operated in parts of Europe that was occupied by Germany
 * Einsatzgruppen appeared during the unification with Austria
 * Einsatzgruppen had not started mass murder until the invasion of poland
 * an agreement between military and SS on July 31, 1939, there task was "Combating of all anti-German elements in hostile country behind the troops in combat."
 * first Einsatzgruppen was combined with the Einsatzkommando which had 3,000 men
 * The Einsatzgruppen only operated as security detail during the invasion of Czechoslavakia

Richard Snyder- WHAT EINSATZGRUPPEN DID
 * ESG usually followed the Wehrmacht army formations
 * when ESG entered cities or towns where large #s of Jews lived they ordered them to prepare for deportation(if refused they were hunted down)
 * The Jews were deported to to designated sites and were forced to dig their own graves and were then shot
 * they were shot by machine guns or pistol shots to the head
 * the ESG would the loot the bodies for anything of value
 * the graves were covered up so as not to arise suspicion
 * victims were usually wounded and buried alive
 * 7 people had actually survived being buried alive and had then told about it
 * ESG even hired local anti-semites to assist in killing Jews
 * ESG had recorded many of their massacres
 * The [|Jager] report had covered the entire operation
 * The Jager report had a total of 137,346 victims recorded
 * many ESG leaders were bearing the title of a PhD
 * their task was the elimination of polish political opponents and Jews
 * The ESG were authorized to use air strikes, artillery strikes, and sabotage against armed resistance
 * ESG also arressted spies and put them into court-martials and sentenced to death
 * Josh boyer**
 * The einsatzgruppen was ordered to kill all european jews.
 * The einsatzgruppen was used mostly until a cheaper, quicker way to kill them was found, gassing operations.
 * The most massive murders started happening in 1941 after the invasion.
 * They were forced to dig mass graves and then were shot, then they were covered with dirt by forced laborers or with buldozers.
 * The members of the einsatzgruppen had "mental strain, and that is why they devoloped gassing operation.
 * By the end of ww2 the einsatzgruppen killed over 1 million jews.
 * By the end of ww2 the einsatzgruppen killed over 1 million jews.