Who were the Einsatzgruppen and what did they do during the Holocaust?

The Einsatzgruppen were mobile killing units composed of members of the SS, the Security Police, and the Order Police. Established under the authority of Adolf Hitler and Heinrich Himmler, these units were tasked with identifying and executing individuals deemed threats to the Nazi regime.1

During the 1939 invasion of Poland, they systematically murdered tens of thousands of Poles, including intellectuals, clergy, and Jews. Their role expanded significantly during the 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union, where they followed advancing German forces to carry out mass executions of Jewish men, women, and children, as well as Roma people and Soviet officials.123

Operating in occupied territories, the Einsatzgruppen rounded up victims and executed them, often through mass shootings at sites like Babi Yar. They also utilized mobile gas vans to commit murder. It is estimated that these units killed more than 1.4 million people, playing a central role in the Final Solution and the Nazi campaign of genocide. Participation in these atrocities was a choice, as members were not punished for refusing to kill.123