The history of the Soviet prisoners of war in the Auschwitz concentration camp can only be understood within the context of Nazi Germany’s official state policy aimed at invasive, predatory and exterminatory character of war 1941–1945 against the Soviet Union.
For this very reason the German political and military authorities regarded the Soviet prisoners of war as being members of an inferior race and enemies of the Third Reich. The intentions behind the orders and guidelines regarding the treatment of the Soviet prisoners of war issued before and during the war came down to their mass extermination and decimation. The rules of international conventions did not apply to them. In practice the significant part of prisoners of war (Jews, political officers, in some cases even commanders) would be separated from the rest and annihilated on the spot.
During the war between 4,559,000 and 5,700,000 Red Army soldiers went through the German POW camps and SS concentration camps, including Auschwitz.
Over 60% of them died as a result of inhumane treatment and hard labor.
The plan of the German invasion of the USSR. It presupposed a blitzkrieg attack and defeat of the main Red Army forces to the west from the Dnieper river and Western Dvina river, followed by the occupation of Moscow, Leningrad and Donbas and further ingress to Arkhangelsk, Volga and Astrakhan
«Kill the Jewish political officer, his face is asking for a brick!»
«Kill the political officers, kill the Jews!».
Such propaganda leaflets, which called for Soviet citizens to lynch Red Army political officers and Jews and then defect to the Germans, were widely circulated by the Wehrmacht in combat areas in the territory of the USSR.
«You are surrounded! But there is a way out: defect to the Germans and in this way save your lives for the sake of your country»
Such leaflets were circulated by the Wehrmacht in combat areas in the territory of the USSR. They acted as passes for Red Army soldiers to yield themselves up as prisoners.
Decree of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces “On the jurisdiction of martial law and on special measures of the troops”
General Headquarters | May 13, 1941
Top Secret |
The primary purpose of the jurisdiction of court martial is the maintenance of military discipline.
The wide extent of operational space in the East, the forms military action will take as the result, as well as the specific characteristics of the enemy make it necessary that courts martial should undertake only those tasks that can be accomplished with a small staff during military action, and until the conciliation of the conquered districts; i.e. they should limit their jurisdictions to the framework that is necessary for their primary task.
However, it will only be possible if the troops will defend themselves mercilessly against any kind of threat from the civilian population.
In accordance with this the following rules are established for the Barbarossa zone (area of armed hostilities, hinterland and the area of political government):
I.
Treatment of criminal acts committed by enemy civilians
II.
Treatment of criminal act committed by members of the Wehrmacht and its service personnel against local population
III.
Responsibility of commanding officers
Commanding officers within their powers are responsible for the following:
IV.
Degree of secrecy
After the end of the period of concealment this order remains classified as top secret.
On behalf of
Chief of Staff
of the Supreme Command
of the Armed Forces
Keitel
SARF, collection 7445. register 2, folder 166,
pp. 65‒70. Translated from German
Supreme Command of the Armed Forces Operational Command Headquarters, Department of defense of the country LIV/Qu No. 44822/41 | Top Secret Headquarters of the Führer June 6, 1941 (For commanding officers only) To be handed through an officer only |
In addition to the order of the Führer about military jurisdiction in the Barbarossa zone the following “Instructions for treatment of political commissars” are attached. In our struggle against Bolshevism we cannot count on our enemy adhering to the principles of humanity or international law.
In particular the treatment of those of us who are taken prisoner in a manner full of hatred, cruelty and inhumanity can be expected from the political commissars of every kind as the real pillars of resistance.
The troops must be aware of the following:
As for the rest, the following instructions also apply:
I. In the front areas
II. In the rear area of the front
Political commissars arrested in the rear areas due to suspicious behavior must be delivered to Einsatzgruppen or Einsatzkommandos of the Security Service.
Please send only to Army and Air Force Commanders; other commanding officers are to be briefed orally.
On behalf of the Chief of Staff
of the Supreme Command of the Wehrmacht
Warlimont /signature/