Occupation and cooperation
Army commands supplied security, transport, territorial control and logistical cooperation that enabled SS and police operations.
Criminal orders
The invasion of the Soviet Union was accompanied by directives that eroded legal constraints and framed entire populations as enemies.
Direct participation
Specific units and personnel participated in shootings, prisoner transfers and anti-partisan operations that killed Jews and other civilians.
Avoiding overgeneralization
Evidence should be tied to specific units and operations rather than treating every soldier identically.
Postwar myth
The idea of a completely “clean Wehrmacht” obscured institutional cooperation and documented crimes.
Sources
This page draws on the institutional sources listed below.