Guards Perspective on the Holocaust
Did you know that in most concentration camps there were on average about 7,000 guards on duty? Because of Groening and many other guards, the world is a different place and has different rules. Groening is now 94 and is currently on trial in Germany for mass killings. He is being charged with being a ¨accessory¨ to several hundred thousand murders while he served as an SS Officer at Auschwitz during World War II. He is known as the ¨Bookkeeper of Auschwitz¨ (Allan 2.)
The guards had a daily routine, they were placed in areas to either watch over or to take action. In 1942 Groening was 21 years old, he was in Auschwitz. His task was to ¨Be part of the group supervising the luggage from an incoming transport.¨ …show more content…
Some of the people chosen to work as an SS guard were former ¨Civilian authorities and police agencies,¨ others were posted. Groening also took part in the burning of the books written by ¨Jews or others who were degenerate.¨ He thought it would help Germany of a ¨Inappropriate, alien culture.¨ Which, by doing so, got him noticed by the Nazis. After six months of the Nazis taking over, five million people were unemployed and were forced away with no warning to work as an SS guard. He started working at a bank, after a few months the ¨Bank war was declared.¨ Eight out of the 20 clerks were enrolled into the army and had their jobs/places taken by young …show more content…
“No Mercy for the Bookkeeper of Auschwitz: Former SS Guard, 94, Convicted for Participating in 300,000 Murders WILL Go to Jail after Plea for Clemency Is Rejected in Germany.” Daily Mail Online, Associated Newspapers, 18 Jan. 2018, www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5278555/Bookkeeper-Auschwitz-jailed-appeal-fails.html.
Bohr, Felix, et al. “Interview with an Auschwitz Guard: 'I Do Not Feel Like a Criminal' - SPIEGEL ONLINE - International.” SPIEGEL ONLINE, SPIEGEL ONLINE, 28 Aug. 2014, www.spiegel.de/international/germany/spiegel-interview-with-a-91-year-old-former-auschwitz-guard-a-988127.html.
Brotman, Barbara. “Former Nazi Guard's Openness about Atrocities Surprises Survivor.” Chicagotribune.com, 25 Apr. 2015, www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/columnists/ct-holocaust-trial-brotman-talk-0427-20150427-column.html.
“Female Concentration Camp Guards.” Female Concentration Camp Guards RSS, blog.uvm.edu/mziegle1/the-ordinary-female-guard/.
Oltermann, Philip. “Ex-Auschwitz Guard Talks of Shame during Trial over Mass Killings.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 29 Apr. 2016,
Did you know that in most concentration camps there were on average about 7,000 guards on duty? Because of Groening and many other guards, the world is a different place and has different rules. Groening is now 94 and is currently on trial in Germany for mass killings. He is being charged with being a ¨accessory¨ to several hundred thousand murders while he served as an SS Officer at Auschwitz during World War II. He is known as the ¨Bookkeeper of Auschwitz¨ (Allan 2.)
The guards had a daily routine, they were placed in areas to either watch over or to take action. In 1942 Groening was 21 years old, he was in Auschwitz. His task was to ¨Be part of the group supervising the luggage from an incoming transport.¨ …show more content…
Some of the people chosen to work as an SS guard were former ¨Civilian authorities and police agencies,¨ others were posted. Groening also took part in the burning of the books written by ¨Jews or others who were degenerate.¨ He thought it would help Germany of a ¨Inappropriate, alien culture.¨ Which, by doing so, got him noticed by the Nazis. After six months of the Nazis taking over, five million people were unemployed and were forced away with no warning to work as an SS guard. He started working at a bank, after a few months the ¨Bank war was declared.¨ Eight out of the 20 clerks were enrolled into the army and had their jobs/places taken by young …show more content…
“No Mercy for the Bookkeeper of Auschwitz: Former SS Guard, 94, Convicted for Participating in 300,000 Murders WILL Go to Jail after Plea for Clemency Is Rejected in Germany.” Daily Mail Online, Associated Newspapers, 18 Jan. 2018, www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5278555/Bookkeeper-Auschwitz-jailed-appeal-fails.html.
Bohr, Felix, et al. “Interview with an Auschwitz Guard: 'I Do Not Feel Like a Criminal' - SPIEGEL ONLINE - International.” SPIEGEL ONLINE, SPIEGEL ONLINE, 28 Aug. 2014, www.spiegel.de/international/germany/spiegel-interview-with-a-91-year-old-former-auschwitz-guard-a-988127.html.
Brotman, Barbara. “Former Nazi Guard's Openness about Atrocities Surprises Survivor.” Chicagotribune.com, 25 Apr. 2015, www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/columnists/ct-holocaust-trial-brotman-talk-0427-20150427-column.html.
“Female Concentration Camp Guards.” Female Concentration Camp Guards RSS, blog.uvm.edu/mziegle1/the-ordinary-female-guard/.
Oltermann, Philip. “Ex-Auschwitz Guard Talks of Shame during Trial over Mass Killings.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 29 Apr. 2016,