The Selection and Expertise of Auschwitz Guards
I once knew a former SS Sonderfuehrer named Thies Christophersen, who served in Auschwitz and authored a book on his experiences there. While his book is intriguing, it is also considered illegal in Germany due to its nature. Interestingly, Thies Christophersen was not the only one with a unique perspective. Robert Faurisson, a member of the French Resistance, also spent time as an inmate at Auschwitz, offering a different angle on the same stark history.
Selection and Training
Unlike what one might initially assume, the selection process for personnel at the Nazi death camps was not highly specialized. The guards were predominantly SS members assigned to the Totenkopfverbaende (Death's Head Formation) of the SS. However, there were some exceptional cases: Belzec, Sobibor, and Treblinka were staffed primarily by individuals who had previously been involved in the T4 Euthanasia program, which operated from 1939 to 1941. Their experience with stationary gas chambers and carbon monoxide was critical in setting up and running the death camps that used these methods.
Ranks and Backgrounds
The typical ranks and socioeconomic backgrounds of these guards were often of low education and socioeconomic status. Many guards were former peasant farmers, mechanics, or laborers with low skill professions. This suggests that lower intelligence or social factors might have made them more susceptible to Nazi propaganda, but social conditioning and codes of paramilitary conduct also played significant roles in their demeanor and actions.
One common narrative from guards who were tried after the war was the fear of appearing weak in the eyes of their peers. This fear may have contributed to their willingness to engage in violent actions. These individuals knew that showing weakness could lead to their exclusion or even death among their comrades.
Mental Health After the War
No definitive studies have been conducted to evaluate the mental health of Nazi death camp guards after the war. However, it is known that some of the Einsatzgruppen, who carried out mass shootings in the occupied Soviet Union from 1941 to 1943, suffered severe mental health issues, including nervous breakdowns. Such evidence suggests that it is likely some of the guards who worked in the death camps faced similar psychological challenges.
The impersonal nature of the killings in the gas chambers was a factor in the dehumanization of the process. Different teams of guards were responsible for various aspects of the killing process, much like an assembly line. This included selecting prisoners, herding them into gas chambers, and even assisting in their deaths.
Post-War Outcomes
While a significant number of guards were captured and faced legal proceedings, not all were found or faced punishment.
Some guards took their own lives during the war, while others committed suicide to avoid capture after the war. Suicide may have been an attempt to avoid the consequences of their actions or the inevitable apprehension and prosecution that many guards faced in the post-war years.
The psychological impact of serving in Nazi death camps was undoubtedly profound, with some guards having to cope with the emotional and mental stress of their roles for the rest of their lives. The question of whether these individuals suffered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains an important area of study and reflection.
To better understand the full extent of the atrocities and the mental health implications, further research and retrospective studies are crucial. Examining the backgrounds of the guards, the conditions they worked under, and the long-term effects on their mental health can provide a more comprehensive picture of this dark chapter in history.