A Blind Eye and Dirty Hands: The Wehrmacht's Crimes

After the Second World War, a myth arose to the effect that the German military, the Wehrmacht, had been an essentially anti-Nazi institution that had fought honourably against overwhelming odds, albeit under criminal leadership. Thus, any crimes were the fault of Adolf Hitler, a small circle of fanatical yes-men around him, and Nazi organizations such as the SS. In reality, the Wehrmacht’s leadership shared most of Hitler’s goals and methods. The Wehrmacht launched a war of conquest and, especially in the east, aided and committed acts of genocide. This talk will describe and explain the Wehrmacht’s role in Nazi Germany’s crimes.