Foreword

The topic addressed in this factual report has been presented to the public so frequently since the collapse of the Third Reich that it might no longer arouse interest.

Nonetheless, I decided to write it because of the defense strategy employed in many Nazi war crimes trials, revolving around the concept of “command necessity.” This term was intended to justify irresponsible acts filled with the most atrocious inhumanity, heinous crimes, and incomprehensible ruthlessness devoid of any humanity, to spare the accused from conviction or diminish their guilt.

I followed and even attended some of these trials, astonished by the confidence, even the nonchalance, displayed by those accused. One might have expected at least a shred of guilt or some acknowledgment of their overwhelming culpability to affect their demeanor. Yet, the accused readily hid behind this artificially inflated concept, using it to numb their conscience and downplay their involvement in these crimes.

This report aims to prove that a bit of personal courage, some civil bravery, and the will to act could suffice to avoid mindless obedience and complicity in crimes for which one might later be held accountable. Through clever adaptation and apparent compliance, much could be prevented or at least mitigated for those affected, without facing the risks of defying orders or committing sabotage.

Countless reports detail the overly eager execution of orders, exceeding quotas, and particularly the incomprehensible negative behavior of individuals in key command positions. These accounts starkly contrast with my report, which includes people who, despite immense challenges, managed to uphold humanity and treat Jews humanely. These individuals were not limited to opponents of the regime; even a covert party member with a membership number in the 100,000s risked their life to hide over 100 Jews from deportation, treated them humanely, and eased the burden of forced labor under their command. Civilian officials in the Luftwaffe’s construction office and officers and soldiers at the Deblin airbase, who might be most eligible for a claim of “command necessity,” had the courage not to become accomplices to sadistic criminals.

Just as I reject the collective guilt of Jews exploited by the Nazis, I must also, as a result of my experiences, reject collective accusations in general—whether they were directed at Germans in the past, or Russians and Warsaw Pact nations today. It is always the leaders of a dictatorship and their willing accomplices who spread such misery and commit crimes against humanity. This is why I have written these lines, and if I am criticized for coming forward so late, I can only justify myself by saying that I waited to gain the necessary distance and to report with full human objectivity. It is never too late to tell the truth, especially when taking a just stance.

On a personal note, as is evident in this report, if the term “command necessity” were ever valid, it could rightfully apply to me without arrogance. I am grateful that, thanks to many fortunate coincidences—and not least my own initiative—I was able to act in ways that proved helpful to those affected.

There is much talk of finally coming to terms with the past, of creating an atmosphere of forgiveness by downplaying the unimaginable degradation of human behavior. But this can only happen if a complete reckoning is made. The truly guilty, many of whom have unfortunately evaded justice, must be swiftly brought before impartial courts. In my view, many trials were initiated too late due to the sluggishness of the justice system, giving skilled defense lawyers opportunities to undermine witness testimonies. The passage of time created gaps in memory, casting the actions of the accused in a softened, conciliatory light.

Only a clear distancing from the monstrous atrocities of the Thousand-Year Reich led by Himmler and his ilk will demonstrate to future German generations that they have overcome the inhumanity of the -year Nazi regime. This could also help stifle the resurgence of those clinging to outdated ideologies.

The insistence on “command necessity” by the accused undoubtedly reflects a desire for justification but also serves to diminish the brutality of a time marked by the cruelest oppression of undesirables.

If judges, perhaps still tied to the past or sympathetic to it, yield to this concept, the next generation—already poorly informed by their parents or educators—will gain a distorted view of this shameful era.

To the victims, it is incomprehensible that these atrocities, carried out under state orders, were committed by individuals whose intelligence, education, and otherwise moral character should have enabled them to assess the criminality of these acts but who were still willing to perpetrate them. This moral failure is beyond understanding or justification.

Equally astounding is the apathy of society, which passively allowed the crimes to occur, and the indifference that enabled a false sense of responsibility, paving the way for an improper evaluation of true guilt. This is partly why those clinging to old ideologies believe they can again hold positions of influence in public and government. I have often had the opportunity to discuss the Nazi era with inquisitive young people. In these discussions, they could not understand why so few people were willing to help those being persecuted. Failing to provide assistance during life-threatening situations is a punishable offense, especially for educated individuals. How many failed to offer such help, and how many contributed instead to the violence?

Time may heal many wounds, but the scale of the crimes, the vast number of murdered individuals, and the enormous suffering of that time carry an obligation to ensure true criminals face justice and opportunistic accomplices are warned. For this reason, the excuse of “command necessity” must not be accepted.

Many incidents described in this report may seem implausible to those familiar with the conditions in occupied Poland. In this sea of violence, blood, and atrocities, it seemed impossible for an island of humanity to exist—where those who felt compassion and risked their own lives managed to create a semblance of survivable conditions. This was especially unique during the war’s final years and should not be withheld from the public.

Giving due recognition to these individuals, who distinguished themselves so positively from the majority complicit in the regime’s violence, is the purpose of these lines. They are not written with the virtuosity of a professional author but as a report of lived and deeply felt experiences.

If this contribution can provide inquisitive youth with an unvarnished view of a fragment of the Third Reich’s history and put the concept of “command necessity” into proper perspective, then it is worth having endured and witnessed these events.

Author