BOOK

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

 

Browning, Christopher.  Ordinary Men:  Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland. New York: Harper Perennial, 1993.  257 pages (excluding index). ISBN: 0060995068.

 

REVIEW

 

Ordinary Men is a compelling narrative of the events created by and surrounding the men of Reserve Police Battalion 101. Originally published as a paper entitled “One Day At Jozefow”, author Christopher Browning has expanded the results of his research and takes the reader through a detailed examination of the Battalion as they are ordered to “clear Jews” from the communities of Poland.  At times “clear Jews” meant deportation; at other times, shooting was required. His investigation is full of relevant detail and thorough, and offers the reader a complete picture of the men who would carry out the atrocities of einsatzgruppen-similar activities in south-central Poland.  It is, however, far from boring or mind-numbing.  What the reader gets is a quickly paced book that pulls no punches in both the depictions of the events, or in providing notes and references in support of the data.  Browning was able to interview many of the surviving perpetrators.  Where they can support Browning’s indictments with their own recollections, he allows them to do so; where time has made the mind foggy, Browning fills in the details for them (and us).

 

Browning begins with a history of the Order Police concept (Ch. 2) and then moves into the early involvement of the Order Police in the Holocaust (Ch. 3).  Finally, in preparation for the complete narrative of the actions of the Battalion, Browning gives the reader a demographic look at the men who made up #101 (Ch. 5).  Around these men and others like them, the reader is carried along with the knowledge that at one time the commanding officer of Reserve Battalion 101 gave his men the option of declining their assignment to clear and murder Jews.  Why then did these men continue?  Through multiple “actions” over many months, the killing continued.  As it has been said, perhaps grotesquely as a pointed finger at human morality – “you can get used to anything”…

 

Throughout the book, the author gives the reader reproductions of some of the primary sources he consulted in preparation for writing.  Numerous letters and other communiqués, charts, official reports of killing operations, deportations, etc. allow the reader a glimpse into the bureaucracy involved, and the gross numbers of perpetrators needed to carry out the events of the Shoah.  There is also a short photo section detailing the deportation from the Miedzyrzec ghetto.

 

Browning concludes the book with a polemic against Daniel Jonah Goldhagen’s book Hitler’s Willing Executioners:  Ordinary Germans and the Holocaust and Goldhagen’s use of largely the same resources that Browning studied for Ordinary Men.  In the Afterword, Browning takes Goldhagen to task in a discussion that is somewhat heated, ending with the following challenge –

 

In short, the fundamental problem is not to explain why ordinary Germans, as members of a people utterly different from us and shaped by a culture that permitted them to think and act in no other way than to want to be genocidal executioners, eagerly killed Jews when the opportunity offered.  The fundamental problem is to explain why ordinary men – shaped by a culture that had its own particularities but was nonetheless within the mainstream of western, Christian, and Enlightenment traditions – under specific circumstances willingly carried out the most extreme genocide in human history (Browning 222). 

 

Readiness to obey and conform is common to us all.  This is especially true in a wartime situation.  Browning succeeds in his mission to attempt to reach this understanding.

 

PASSAGE/QUOTE FOR CLASSROOM USAGE

 

There are actually two passages from Ordinary Men that I use regularly in my classroom.  The first is found in the Preface, on page xv.  In the first paragraph, Browning states:

 

In mid-March 1942 some 75 to 80 percent of all victims of the Holocaust were still alive, while 20 to 25 percent had perished.  A mere eleven months later, in mid-February 1943, the percentages were exactly the reverse.  At the core of the Holocaust was a short, intense wave of mass murder.  The center of gravity of this mass murder was Poland, where in March 1942, despite two and a half years of terrible hardship, deprivation, and persecution, every major Jewish community was still intact, and where eleven months later only the remnants of Polish Jewry survived in a few rump ghettos and labor camps.  In short, the German attack on the Jews of Poland was not a gradual or incremental program stretched over a long period of time, but a veritable blitzkrieg, a massive offensive requiring the mobilization of large numbers of shock troops.

 

For a short math activity, see below.

 

The other passage I regularly use is found in the last chapter of the book (Chapter 18 “Ordinary Men”, pages 171-173, from the last paragraph on page 171 to the last paragraph on page 173).  Here Browning goes over the Stanley Milgram experiments*.  What I find fascinating is to lead the students in discussion on not only the basic Milgram experiment, but on all of the variations that Browning discusses.  After reading Ordinary Men, students will be able to pick out instances where particular soldiers responded in a way consistent with Milgram’s findings.  The emphasis should be that Milgram’s results proved true regardless of the demographics of the participants.  Even Jews were led to go into the “red zone” at the same percentages as non-Jewish subjects.  The results are truly remarkable, and frightening…

 

*See also Bystanders: Conscience and Complicity During the Holocaust by Victoria J. Barnett, pages 24-27.

 

RATIONALE FOR USAGE/UNIT RELEVANCE

 

Use of this book ties in well with any discussion on not only atrocities carried out by the perpetrators, but also on the mentality of the killers. 

 

CLASSROOM METHOD OF USAGE

 

*NOTE:  The following is based on comments Browning makes in his paper, One Day at Jozefow – as such, it has not been corroborated by me and should be seen merely as material for discussion.

 

Since Browning makes no distinction between Jews and non-Jews when he says on page xv “some 75 to 80 percent of all victims of the Holocaust”, let’s assume we can use the number 12 million to represent the toll of victims.  If we lay out Browning’s statistics as such:

 

Mid-March 42                         75% alive                     9 million alive

                                                25% dead                    3 million dead

 

Mid-February 43                      25% alive                     3 million alive

                                                75% dead                    9 million dead

                                                                                    = 6 million killed in the 11-month period

 

The numbers are still staggering even when the number 6 million is used to represent the approximate number of European Jews killed:

 

Mid-March 42                         75% alive                     4.5 million alive

                                                25% dead                    1.5 million dead

 

Mid-February 43                      25% alive                     1.5 million alive

                                                75% dead                    4.5 million dead

                                                                                    = 3 million killed in the 11-month period

 

Following the working out of this problem on the chalkboard or overhead transparency, enter into a discussion on the amount of manpower and other capital resources that would be necessary to carry out killing on this level.  The teacher might use the size of his or her school or even town as a reference point to begin discussion of the numbers.  Bearing in mind that much of the murder was still being perpetrated “by hand”, lead the students to discuss not only what was required in this phase of the Holocaust, but emphasize too, that there was an external war going on and the opportunity cost of the Shoah for the Germans was that they could not also use any resources being used in Poland to murder Jews to fight on their eastern or western fronts.  As an aside, yet critical discussion, mention that more often than not belongings, even if only clothing, were confiscated, sifted through, and weighed for resource value to the Nazi war machine.  How much additional manpower was needed for this sorting, categorizing, transporting, and in some cases pawning?

 

STUDY QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION GUIDE

 

In my Holocaust class, we read Browning’s paper “One Day At Jozefow”.  Below is a reading guide for students to help them consider not only major events and ideas from the reading, but to also give them an opportunity to respond to some of the moral issues brought forth.  Upon completion, the sheet is discussed in class, with different students building off of each other’s responses.  A homework grade is also given for the material; keep in mind that some of the questions must be graded more on the basis of completion rather than right/wrong.

 

Note – The essay “One Day at Jozefow” is available in the book The Path to Genocide: Essays on Launching the Final Solution by Christopher R. Browning (Author) Cambridge University Press, 1992. ISBN: 0521417015

 

One Day at Jozefow study guide                       Name ______________

 

 

  1. Browning states that between mid-March 1942 and mid-February 1943, ______________ victims of the Holocaust were slain (give the number killed – use the approximate figure of 12 million total dead as your starting point).
  2. Browning states that the staff needed to carry out the Final Solution came from two main sources: 
    1. ______________________________________________________________
    2. ______________________________________________________________
  3. As war approached, what is the reason given for the increase in enlistment in the Order Police?  ________________________________________________________.
    1. Can you think of a time in our American history where young people tried to get out of military service?  What were their options?  What was the general public’s opinion of these people?  ___________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  4. How large was each battalion? ___________________________________________.
  5. What reasons are given for Major Trapp’s lack of recruitment into the SS? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
    1. If you were one of the policemen, how would you feel about Trapp if you had this knowledge?  What consequences would your choices have (regardless of how you answered the previous question)? ____________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  6. Give 10 characteristics of the men who composed Reserve Police Battalion 101:
    1. _______________________________________________________________
    2. _______________________________________________________________
    3. _______________________________________________________________
    4. _______________________________________________________________
    5. _______________________________________________________________
    6. _______________________________________________________________
    7. _______________________________________________________________
    8. _______________________________________________________________
    9. _______________________________________________________________
    10. _______________________________________________________________
  7. What was the initial task facing the Battalion? _______________________________ ____________________________________________________________________.
    1. Have you ever been asked to do something that you felt was morally wrong?  How did you respond (you don’t need to state what it was that you were faced with – but how you felt about it)?  ___________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  8. What happened to the first man who “begged off” the assignment of July 12, 1942? ____________________________________________________________________.
    1. Is that fair? Why or why not?  ______________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  9. What dramatic offer did Trapp make to his men? ___________________________ ____________________________________________________________________.
    1. How do you think you would you have responded?  What at that time would have affected your choice?  ______________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  10. Why was the bayonet fixed on the end of the soldiers’ rifles of great importance? ____________________________________________________________________.
  11. What aspect of the killing operation was very uncomfortable for some of the shooters? ____________________________________________________________.
  12. What was used to make the job “easier” on the nerves? ________________________.
  13. What was a response of the Jews who were awaiting their fate, that greatly unnerved the soldiers? _________________________________________________________.
    1. Why do you suppose the Jews behaved in this manner? __________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  14. What was the response of most of the killers? _________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________.
    1. What can we say about how they were affected emotionally by the job they were required to perform?  That is, why did they react as they did to the Jews’ response?  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  15. What did they feel about subsequent actions? ________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________
  16. What was the main excuse of those men who participated as to why they did what they did? _____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________.
    1. How does this make you feel?  _____________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Suggested Responses –

One Day at Jozefow study guide                       Name        Key

 

 

  1. Browning states that between mid-March 1942 and mid-February 1943, 6 million victims of the Holocaust were slain (give the number killed – use the approximate figure of 12 million total dead as your starting point).
  2. Browning states that the staff needed to carry out the Final Solution came from two main sources: 
    1. Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Latvians recruited from POW camps
    2. Battalions of Order Police stationed in Poland
  3. As war approached, what is the reason given for the increase in enlistment in the Order Police?  Avoid army service.
    1. Can you think of a time in our American history where young people tried to get out of military service?  What were their options?  What was the general public’s opinion of these people?  Answers will vary
  4. How large was each battalion? 500 men.
  5. What reasons are given for Major Trapp’s lack of recruitment into the SS? He was perceived as weak and unmilitary.
    1. If you were one of the policemen, how would you feel about Trapp if you had this knowledge?  What consequences would your choices have (regardless of how you answered the previous question)? Answers will vary
  6. Give 10 characteristics of the men who composed Reserve Police Battalion 101:
    1. Most were from Hamburg, Germany
    2. 60% were from working class background
    3. 35% were lower middle class
    4. – ¾ were in sales
    5. – ¼ performed office jobs
    6. The average age was 39
    7. The men were from the lower orders of German society
    8. Few were economically independent
    9. Almost none had education past age 14 or 15
    10. 25% were Nazi party members
  7. What was the initial task facing the Battalion? Go to Jozefow and select young male Jews for work; shoot the other 1500.
    1. Have you ever been asked to do something that you felt was morally wrong?  How did you respond (you don’t need to state what it was that you were faced with – but how you felt about it)?  Answers will vary
  8. What happened to the first man who “begged off” the assignment of July 12, 1942? He accompanied the “work” Jews to Lublin.
    1. Is that fair? Why or why not?  Answers will vary
  9. What dramatic offer did Trapp make to his men? If any of the older men didn’t feel up to the task, they could step out.
    1. How do you think you would you have responded?  What at that time would have affected your choice?  Answers will vary
  10. Why was the bayonet fixed on the end of the soldiers’ rifles of great importance? As a sight for shooting Jews in the neck.
  11. What aspect of the killing operation was very uncomfortable for some of the shooters? Seeing their victims face-to-face.
  12. What was used to make the job “easier” on the nerves? Alcohol.
  13. What was a response of the Jews who were awaiting their fate, that greatly unnerved the soldiers? They became very quiet.
    1. Why do you suppose the Jews behaved in this manner? Answers will vary
  14. What was the response of most of the killers? They participated willingly; they became bitter and refused to talk about it; they were agitated at the work; they were quiet; they felt equally unnerved.
    1. What can we say about how they were affected emotionally by the job they were required to perform?  That is, why were they reacting as they did to the Jews’ response?  Answers will vary
  15. What did they feel about subsequent actions? They participated without reservation; it got easier.
  16. What was the main excuse of those men who participated as to why they did what they did? They were following orders.

How does this make you feel?  Answers will vary