Ordinary Men Discussion
The description of the men of the Reserve Police Battalion 101 can be found very early in Ordinary Men. According to author Christopher R. Browning, "They were middle-aged family men of working- and lower middle class background from the city of Hamburg” (1). They were often “considered too old to be of use to the German army” and “Most were raw recruits with no previous experience in German occupied territory” (1). According to author Browning these men were quite different than those who truly believed in the Nazi Agenda such as the SS who committed many atrocities time and again through World War II. These men did not wish to be a part of the Final Solution against the Jews. Many first-hand accounts of the soldiers …show more content…
Author Browning states that upon reaching the conclusion of mass murder of Jews in Jozefow that “neither the drink (widespread distribution and consumption of alcohol) nor Trapp’s consolation could wash away the sense of shame and horror that pervaded the barracks” (69). In fact, many would ask to be relieved during this ordeal due to the inability to morally continue in this genocide. Major Wilhelm Trapp, Battalion 101’s commander serve as a testament that these men did not believe in what they were being forced to do. According to author Browning “Papa Trapp” would be “Pale and nervous, with choking voice and tears in his eyes” as he informed Battalion 101 of their assignment to head to the town of Jozefow where 1,800 Jews were. As author browning explains, “This assignment would not be too his liking” indeed he would find highly regrettable, but he would need to follow his order considering the order would come from the highest authorities (1). As a result, Trapp was forced to appeal to the “generalized notion of the Jews as part of the enemy in his early morning speech” prior to the mass murders in Josefow. He stated, “The men should remember, when shooting Jewish women and children, that the enemy was killing German women and children
The description of the men of the Reserve Police Battalion 101 can be found very early in Ordinary Men. According to author Christopher R. Browning, "They were middle-aged family men of working- and lower middle class background from the city of Hamburg” (1). They were often “considered too old to be of use to the German army” and “Most were raw recruits with no previous experience in German occupied territory” (1). According to author Browning these men were quite different than those who truly believed in the Nazi Agenda such as the SS who committed many atrocities time and again through World War II. These men did not wish to be a part of the Final Solution against the Jews. Many first-hand accounts of the soldiers …show more content…
Author Browning states that upon reaching the conclusion of mass murder of Jews in Jozefow that “neither the drink (widespread distribution and consumption of alcohol) nor Trapp’s consolation could wash away the sense of shame and horror that pervaded the barracks” (69). In fact, many would ask to be relieved during this ordeal due to the inability to morally continue in this genocide. Major Wilhelm Trapp, Battalion 101’s commander serve as a testament that these men did not believe in what they were being forced to do. According to author Browning “Papa Trapp” would be “Pale and nervous, with choking voice and tears in his eyes” as he informed Battalion 101 of their assignment to head to the town of Jozefow where 1,800 Jews were. As author browning explains, “This assignment would not be too his liking” indeed he would find highly regrettable, but he would need to follow his order considering the order would come from the highest authorities (1). As a result, Trapp was forced to appeal to the “generalized notion of the Jews as part of the enemy in his early morning speech” prior to the mass murders in Josefow. He stated, “The men should remember, when shooting Jewish women and children, that the enemy was killing German women and children