Excuses

Even though the men of Unit 101 killed had the option to opt out, the fact that fewer than 15 men out of a battalion of 500 chose not to fulfill their gruesome duties is because of their fear, obedience to authority and peer pressure, rather than inherent hatred. While Browning argues there is no evidence to support that the perpetrators would be killed if they refused to follow orders, given the nature of the totalitarian society of Nazi Germany, many people still would have feared for their lives or their families. Also, I think often when placed in a group setting, most people will adhere to the commands given, even if they find the actions morally reprehensible. The men in the battalion were ordinary people and thus were more likely to follow orders, even those they might personally question, because they perceive these commands as coming from a higher authority and feel compelled to follow such commands for the benefit of the country, unfortunately over moral obligations.

I think what is also important to keep in mind is that because Browning’s sources were mostly interrogations conducted in the 1960s by German prosecutors, they can be questioned because of one’s natural incentive to exonerate oneself. Browning notes how even while the men from the battalion tended to avoid talking about anti-Semitism or anti-Polish feelings, at the same time they depicted the Poles as extremely anti-Semitic, especially marking their collaboration in the Holocaust. In doing so, the men could be seen as attempting to justify or exonerate themselves by condemning the Poles and portraying the Jews’ passive acknowledgement and acceptance of their death. But even then, that does not excuse the German who were equally guilty for having encouraged Polish anti-Semitic feelings and acts.