Week Two—The Holocaust System of Systems.
By Raymond Millen, PKSOI
The task at hand for Nazi authorities was truly herculean, requiring meticulous planning,
coordination, and implementation. The logistics behind the extermination of millions of Jews
required a system of systems approach. Naturally, success also depended on the willing
cooperation of all Europeans, not just Germans.
Attempting to transport and quarter the
multitudes of Jews in one fell swoop would have
overwhelmed the camp system, so the majority
were moved into hundreds of ghettos located in
Eastern Europe. Administered by Nazi-appointed
Jewish councils, ghettos were walled or fencedoff enclosures, effectively imprisoning the
Jewish populations under brutal conditions.
Some ghettos served as forced-labor camps as
well. While some ghettos lingered for years, the
Germans closed most down as quickly once they
had served their purpose, either executing and
burying the residents nearby or deporting them to
camps. Regardless, once emptied, the Germans razed the ghettos so as to erase all traces of their
part in the system.
One problem confronting German officials was the dearth of railway infrastructure farther east,
particularly in the territories of the Soviet Union. As a solution Einsatz Gruppen—
euphemistically called reserve units—were
mobile execution units, which conducted
operations in assigned areas (i.e., Poland, the
Baltic States, Ukraine, and Russia) to round-up
and eradicate all Jews. Under the command of
the Security Service (Sicherheit Dienst) and
Security Police (Sicherheitspolizei), SS and
police battalions operated behind the front lines
hunting down Jews primarily, but also targeting
gypsies, captive Soviet government officials,
and handicapped people (i.e., those who were
perceived as a burden to society). Often
employing the assistance of the local police and
populace, the Einsatz Gruppen collected and transported their victims to prepared execution sites
and buried them in mass graves. Aside from males, the innocents included women and children
regardless of age, who were lined up to the trenches, shot, and thrown in. The killing process
continued for hours, as the victims watched, awaiting their turn. When resources were not
available, the victims were forced to dig the pits themselves. Understanding the psychological