Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland

“Pale and nervous, with choking voice and tears in his eyes, Trapp visibly fought to control himself as he spoke. The battalion, he said plaintively, had to perform a frightfully unpleasant task. This assignment was not to his liking, indeed it was highly regrettable, but the order came from the highest authorities.”

Major Trapp finds his orders deeply upsetting to such a degree that he is unable to control his emotions as he addresses his men. Nevertheless, he still carries out the orders, presenting the issue as something over which he has no choice and thereby ultimately absolving himself of responsibility via chain-of-command.

“Having explained what awaited his men, Trapp then made an extraordinary offer: if any of the older men among them did not feel up to the task that lay before him, he could step out.”

Despite treating his orders as something over which he personally has no choice, Trapp ensures that the men are given the option to “step out” if they wish. He will go on to protect those who do refuse to shoot from any official punishment, undermining the men’s later arguments that they had no choice but to follow orders. 

“The battalion and company commanders are especially to provide for the spiritual care of the men who participate in this action. The impressions of the day are to be blotted out through the holding of social events in the evenings.

“Furthermore the men are to be instructed continuously about the political necessity of the measures.”

The Nazi leaders were well aware of the psychological difficulties that could arise from taking part in mass executions. They provided specific directions intended to convince the men that the actions are regrettably necessary and to help them block out the traumatizing memories of their involvement.