I want to preface this thread by saying that my “interest” does not reflect my identification with any political, religious or racial philosophy.
I’m currently writing a novel that takes place in Lithuania in 1941. I need details on the SS Einsatzkommando that I can’t find on any web sites, like: where did they sleep? In hotels? camped out in fields? in the homes of their victims?
What did they eat? Did they carry their own food with them? Was it the same rations as the regular German army ate? I know they drank a lot, but were they issued liquor, did they commandeer it from local stores, or a combination of the two?
I know this is a weird question, but it’s details like this that allow for a suspension of disbelief.
They probably didn’t care where they slept as long as they were drunk.
Alcohol abuse was near ubiquitous among them. Guess it would have to be when you shoot 1.5 million people at point blank range and brush the brains off your tunic nonchalantly. In fact, the emotional and psychological disintegration of the Einsatzkommando* was the main incentive to find an alternative way of killing millions. A way which would be so impersonal and sufficiently removed that “the staff” could keep at it for years. Ergo, Operation Reinhard with its buildings … and chambers.
In any case, I’m sure you’l find what you’re looking for, and then some, in here.
[sub][sup]*May they burn in hell forever[/sup][/sub]
Thanks for the suggestion of that book. I think it will give me some background ingformation that I haven’t been able to find anywhere else. Not surprisingly, these guys didn’t keep journals of their experiences on the eastern front. One of the things I hope to show in my novel is “the emotional and psychological disintegration” of the men who served in this capacity, especially contrasting those who took the assignment because they were sadists and already morally bankrupt to begin with versus those who did so because they were indoctrinated in the Nazi “cause” and were “good boy scouts”.
I read a book less than a year ago, on this very subject. IIRC it was a 1st person account written back in the 70 or 80’s. It went into great detail about how the Jews were separated, the physiological games played by the Germans. Very disturbing all in all. I cannot even remember the title.
Since I never throw a book away I am sure it is here. Now I have to go looking for it. (damn you) there are disadvantages to having so many books, half in boxes, and no organization.