How did the Einsatzgruppen murder Jews during World War II?

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The Einsatzgruppen were mobile killing units of the Nazi security forces that played a central role in the Holocaust by carrying out systematic mass murder, primarily in occupied Soviet territories.12

Their methods of execution included:

  • Mass Shootings: The units would enter a town, round up Jewish men, women, and children, and herd them to the outskirts or remote locations—such as ravines or forests—to be shot. These operations were often conducted with the assistance of local police, native anti-Semitic populations, and accompanying Axis troops. Infamous examples include the massacre at Babi Yar, where nearly 34,000 Jews were killed in September 1941.123
  • Gas Vans: Beginning in the autumn of 1941, the Einsatzgruppen began using mobile gas vans. Victims were locked inside these trucks and killed via carbon monoxide poisoning.3

These units operated with the clear intent to exterminate Jewish populations, and their actions were a foundational component of the Final Solution. Participation in these atrocities was a choice, as members were not punished for refusing to kill.132