What were the Einsatzgruppen, and how did they operate alongside the Wehrmacht in occupied Soviet territory?

The Einsatzgruppen were mobile killing units composed of members of the SS, the Security Police, and the Ordnungspolizei. These units were established by Heinrich Himmler to carry out systematic mass murder and political repression behind German front lines.1

During the invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, four Einsatzgruppen followed in the wake of the Wehrmacht, the German armed forces. Their primary objective was the extermination of individuals deemed a threat to the Nazi regime, including Communist Party functionaries, Soviet officials, political commissars, and the Jewish population.12

The Einsatzgruppen operated in occupied territories by entering towns, rounding up victims, and executing them in mass shootings, often with the assistance of local police, nationalist auxiliaries, and accompanying Axis troops. These units were responsible for the murder of approximately 1.5 million people, including the infamous massacre at Babi Yar. Their actions were a fundamental component of the Final Solution and the Nazi policy of genocidal extermination. Participation in these atrocities was a moral choice, as individuals were not punished for refusing to take part in the killings.12