A Forgotten Chapter of Genocide
While many people are familiar with the visual images of Nazi extermination camps and can easily recognize words, phrases, and names like “final solution,” “Auschwitz,” or “gas chambers,” this familiarity can give a fragmented view of the cruelty and inhumanity of the Nazi extermination campaigns. In fact, a significant number of victims were killed - up close, and personal – by simple gunfire. Ordinary German soldiers, policemen, and neighbors all pulled the triggers and watched people they knew fall into pits. And then watched as the victims were bulldozed in – the dead, the wounded and many still alive.
This horrifying yet lesser-known chapter of this genocide was the Holocaust by Bullets, a term coined by French Catholic priest and historian Father Patrick Desbois to describe the mass executions of Jews and other victims in Eastern Europe by Nazi Einsatzgruppen and their collaborators. Unlike the mechanized extermination in camps, these executions were carried out at close range, often in broad daylight, before being buried in mass graves.
The Einsatzgruppen and Their Role in the Holocaust by Bullets
The Holocaust by Bullets was not only a central element of the Holocaust but also one of the earliest forms of mass murder employed by the Nazis in their pursuit of the Final Solution—the systematic extermination of Jews. The primary perpetrators of these mass killings were the Einsatzgruppen, paramilitary death squads under the SS (Schutzstaffel) under the command of Reinhard Heydrich . Their origins can be traced to the invasion of Poland in 1939, where they were responsible for eliminating Polish intelligentsia, clergy, and resistance members. However, their most infamous operations began in June 1941 with the invasion of the Soviet Union with Operation Barbarossa. These mobile killing units were tasked with following the Wehrmacht German army as it advanced into Soviet territory. They played a crucial role in the extermination of Jews in Eastern Europe, particularly in areas such as Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, and the Baltics.
“They [the target population] were not transported by trains to the famous killing sites in Poland, with their gas chambers and crematoria that typically characterize the Holocaust in the minds of most people. Instead, these Holocaust victims were taken from their homes, usually by foot, to the outskirts of the cities, towns, and villages where they lived and were brutally shot—face to face or in the back—often in the presence of local residents and non-Jewish neighbors.” 1
The Einsatzgruppen were divided into four main units (A, B, C, and D), each assigned to a specific region, and were responsible for systematically executing Jews, Roma, disabled individuals, and political opponents. These killings took place mostly in rural areas, where victims were shot in mass executions and buried in large communal graves. The method was shockingly brutal: Jews were rounded up from their homes, often under false pretenses, marched to remote locations (forests, ravines, or open fields), and shot in groups, often after being forced to dig their own graves.
The Einsatzgruppen operated with terrifying efficiency. In some cases, entire Jewish communities were exterminated in a matter of days, and it is estimated that these mobile death squads murdered at least 1.5 million Jews. However, the logistical demands and emotional toll of mass shootings led to the Nazis' eventual shift towards more "efficient" means of extermination, such as gas chambers in death camps. Despite this shift, the scale of the killings by the Einsatzgruppen in Eastern Europe remains one of the most horrific aspects of the Holocaust.
Key Einsatzgruppen Massacres
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Babi Yar (Kyiv, Ukraine) – 33, 771 Jewish men, women, and children were executed over two days (September 29-30, 1941).
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Rumbula (Latvia) – Nearly 25,000 Jews from Riga were shot in the Rumbula forest in late 1941.
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Ponary (Lithuania) – An estimated 70,000 Jews, along with Polish and Soviet prisoners, were killed at this execution site near Vilna Ghetto
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Kamianets-Podilskyi (Ukraine) – In August 1941, the Einsatzgruppen, with assistance from Hungarian forces, murdered approximately 23,600 Jews.
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Odesa Massacre (Ukraine) – Between October 1941 and early 1942, more than 25,000 Jews were shot or burned alive by Einsatzgruppe D and Romanian forces.
Methods of Execution and Psychological Impact on Perpetrators
The method of mass shootings was disturbingly personal. Unlike the gas chambers, which allowed for a level of detachment, the Holocaust by Bullets required direct interaction between perpetrators and victims. Some Einsatzgruppen members struggled with the psychological toll of shooting men, women, and children at close range. Despite this, many of those involved in the killings demonstrated willing participation rather than reluctance. Historian Christopher Browning, in Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland, illustrates how seemingly ordinary individuals could become mass murderers when placed in conditions that normalized violence.
The Role of Local Collaboration in the Holocaust by Bullets
One of the most unsettling aspects of the Holocaust by Bullets was the significant involvement of local populations in the murder of Jews. The Einsatzgruppen did not operate in a vacuum but often relied heavily on the support of local collaborators, including police forces, civil administrators, and even ordinary citizens, who actively participated in or facilitated the killings. The level of participation varied by region, but in many instances, non-German forces were complicit in organizing and executing the mass murders. The reasons for this collaboration were varied, ranging from ideological alignment with Nazi policies to economic incentives or coercion.
In Ukraine, for example, local collaborators, especially Ukrainian nationalists, worked alongside the Einsatzgruppen to exterminate Jews. In some towns, local Ukrainian police rounded up Jews and marched them to execution sites, where they were shot. Similarly, in the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, local collaborators were often more than willing to help the Nazis carry out their genocidal plans, either due to antisemitic sentiment or a desire to curry favor with the occupying German forces.
The degree of local collaboration complicates the narrative of the Holocaust. While the Nazi regime was responsible for the overarching policies and planning, local collaboration played a critical role in the logistical execution of these crimes. This complicity has been a subject of considerable debate, as it raises difficult questions about the moral responsibility of local populations in regions where large-scale murders occurred. In some cases, the Nazis relied on local knowledge to help locate Jewish populations, while in others, local forces acted independently, driven by their own antisemitic motivations.
Father Patrick Desbois and His Work in Documenting the Holocaust by Bullets
As the Soviet Red Army advanced, the Nazis sought to destroy evidence of these crimes through Operation 1005, a program to exhume and burn mass graves. However, evidence remained. Father Patrick Desbois is a French Catholic priest and historian who has devoted much of his life to documenting the often-overlooked crimes of the Holocaust by Bullets. His work began in the early 2000s when he became interested in uncovering the fate of Jews who were murdered in mass shootings in Eastern Europe. Desbois' commitment to this cause was inspired by his grandfather, who had served as a soldier in the French army during World War II and had witnessed the devastation of the war in Eastern Europe.
In his efforts to document the mass shootings, Desbois founded Yahad-In Unum, an organization dedicated to the research and preservation of the memory of the Holocaust by Bullets. Over the course of several years, Desbois and his team conducted extensive fieldwork across Eastern Europe (especially in Ukraine). They have identified over 2,700 mass execution sites across Eastern Europe as a result of their interviewing local survivors and witnesses, searching for mass graves, and identifying the locations of mass executions. The testimonies of local people, many of whom had witnessed the executions but were not directly involved, have been invaluable in reconstructing the events.
Desbois' groundbreaking work helped to piece together the puzzle of the Holocaust by Bullets, bringing attention to the often-forgotten atrocities committed in rural and remote areas. His research has uncovered new details about the logistics of the killings, the involvement of local collaborators, and the psychological trauma experienced by survivors. One of his most significant contributions has been his focus on the mass graves, many of which had been forgotten or ignored by history. By identifying these graves and documenting the sites, Desbois has worked to ensure that the memory of the victims is preserved.
In his book The Holocaust by Bullets, published in 2008, Desbois provides a detailed account of his findings, blending personal testimonies, historical analysis, and his own reflections on the moral implications of the Holocaust. His work has helped to raise awareness of the Holocaust by Bullets and has played a crucial role in ensuring that this aspect of the Holocaust is not forgotten.
The Importance of Preserving the Memory of the Holocaust by Bullets
The Holocaust by Bullets represents one of the most brutal and systematic forms of mass murder in history, yet it remains relatively unknown outside of Holocaust studies. By focusing on the role of the Einsatzgruppen, the collaboration of local populations, and the tireless work of Father Patrick Desbois, it is possible to appreciate the scope and complexity of these atrocities. Desbois’ work has been instrumental in preserving the memory of those who were murdered in mass shootings and ensuring that their stories are not lost to time.
Understanding the role of local collaborators in the Holocaust by Bullets is essential for a full comprehension of the genocide. It forces us to confront uncomfortable truths about the participation of non-German forces in the killings and raises important questions about collective responsibility. The Holocaust by Bullets is a stark reminder that genocide is not only perpetrated by the central authorities of a regime but can also involve widespread complicity from local populations, whether driven by ideology, coercion, or indifference.
Desbois’ commitment to documenting the mass executions and preserving the memories of the victims serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of historical research and memory. His work ensures that the victims of the Holocaust by Bullets are not forgotten, and it challenges us to reflect on the moral lessons of the Holocaust. As we continue to study and remember these atrocities, it is crucial that we recognize the full extent of the Holocaust, including the crimes committed by the Einsatzgruppen, the role of local collaboration, and the invaluable efforts of individuals like Father Patrick Desbois in ensuring that this history is not erased.
Conclusion
The Holocaust by Bullets is a tragic and often overlooked chapter of the Holocaust, but thanks to the efforts of Father Patrick Desbois and others dedicated to documenting these crimes, the memory of the victims is being preserved. The role of the Einsatzgruppen, the complicity of local collaborators, and the importance of Desbois' work have all contributed to a more complete understanding of the Holocaust and its far-reaching impact. It is only by acknowledging and confronting these difficult truths that we can fully grasp the enormity of the Holocaust and ensure that such horrors are never repeated.
