The fault lines between the two institutions were laid bare during the invasion and occupation of Poland. Campaigns of murder and forced deportation carried out by the SS aroused army opposition in the autumn and winter of 1939. Hitler quickly solved this problem by granting amnesty to anyone who committed crimes during the campaign, but it had demonstrated to the Nazi leadership that the army was not yet sufficiently prepared to wage the war desired by the regime. It therefore renewed efforts to transform the army’s mindset. These efforts especially expanded following the defeat of France in autumn 1940, as the army prepared for the war with the Soviet Union. Coinciding with the establishment of new infantry divisions for Operation Barbarossa, the OKH issued an order in October 1940 that directed officers on how to properly instruct their soldiers for the upcoming campaign.[13]
Ideological Education
In war, a far greater part of the male population fit for military service stands under weapons than in peacetime. For numerous soldiers, this means a considerable lengthening of their time in the service. The Wehrmacht accepts and takes on this task to a greater extent [than other organizations and] therefore expands to educate the soldiers ideologically [weltanschaulich] and national-politically, in addition to weapons’ training. No doubts can exist that the training of the soldier to be a determined warrior who enthusiastically attacks cannot be separated from a vital national socialist education.
All superiors therefore are to pay special attention to this. In so doing it is not so important to deal with as many themes as possible. What is decisive is that a unified conception exists in the army about National Socialist foundations and that they become the intrinsic values of all soldiers.
The troop commander is alone responsible for the spirit and the attitude of his soldiers. Therefore ideological education of the troops is also his task. This task is of far-reaching importance for the army’s schools and courses. The ‘Guidelines for the Ideological Instruction’ (enclosure) serves as an indication. […] Guidelines for Ideological Instruction
The soldier also requires [guidance] in ideological and national socialist areas. Ideological instruction is especially successful when it occurs through a troop commander who knows his men.
The means for ideological instruction and spiritual care are:
Lectures about National Socialist basic principles, reading matter, film, radio, free-time activities. At the same time, the personally spoken word of a spiritually stirring and fresh officer to his troops is always the best means for the soldiers’ ideological education.
I) Lectures by the troop commander or lecturer to the troops about national socialist fundamentals.
Theme 1: The German Volk
Main point: Clean race, health and capable women. Many children. Soldier replacements (military strength). How many recruits has Germany, for example, in 20 years? Fleeing from the land – a danger for the nation’s racial foundations [Volkstum].
Documents: The Führer’s book, ‘Mein Kampf’; ‘People in Danger’ from Otto Helmut; ‘People and Race,’ an illustrated monthly; ‘Racial Studies of the German people’ Prof. Dr. Hans Günther; ‘Population Development in the Third Reich,’ by Burgdörffer
Theme 2: The German Empire
Main point: The Structure of the State. Party and Wehrmacht as the pillars of the state. Führer state. Responsibility up. ‘State’ as living form of the people. From the military strength of healthy people will become the Wehrmacht of the strong state. Prerequisite: utilization of societal manpower.
Documents: The Führer’s book, ‘Mein Kampf’; the defence law Theme 3: German Living Space Main Point: Goal of the war: securing the German living-(economic)-space, not subjugating the neighbouring peoples. ‘Autarky’ – Import – Independence for goods necessary for existence. The smaller in protection by the larger peoples.
Theme 4: The National Socialism as Foundation
Main point: a) for a healthy and unified people (see theme 1).
German socialism and front camaraderie (as result of National Socialist instruction!)
b) for a strong empire (see theme 2). Strong leadership. Labour and full utilization of societal manpower. ‘Work ennobles.’ ‘Military service is honourable service.’ (Domestic politics!)
c) for the securing of living space. (Foreign policy!)
As this order indicates, the traditional spiritual care that officers were responsible for now took on more National Socialist overtones, thus further politicizing the army and its officer corps. The various lectures highlighted the army’s attempt to show the close bond between itself and the Nazi regime, as well as attempt to explain to its soldiers – through the use of Nazi rhetoric regarding race, living space, and Volksgemeinschaft – the necessity of the present war.
The OKH’s order of October 1940 was complemented by the much more radical criminal orders (see chapter 5) issued in the lead-up to Operation Barbarossa in spring and summer 1940. These orders framed the war as an ideological one from the start and both officers and enlisted men used Nazi racial rhetoric as a means of understanding the extremely violent conflict unleashed by the German invasion. The following order, issued by the 7th Infantry Division less than two weeks after the beginning of the attack, displayed how the army placed members of the Red Army into the racial categories devised by the Reich government.[14]
The enemy has defended himself in the past fighting extraordinarily tenaciously, sometimes – even in desperate situations – to the bitter end. Due to this dogged style of combat, our own casualties are also increasing. The Russian, as a dull half-Asian, believes the principle drummed into him by his commissars that he will be shot during any capture. This is the main reason that he doesn’t surrender.
Leaflets have been dropped in an increasing manner with the slogan: ‘Come to us, you will be treated decently, everything else is a lie.’ These leaflets have shown good effect in many places and therefore save blood on our side. In order not to contradict this propaganda, it is necessary to treat Red Soldiers who surrender and have possibly seen the leaflet as prisoners of war.
Necessary executions are as a rule therefore to be carried out so that civilians or other prisoners are unaware of them.
The order also betrays what was becoming an increasingly common practice on both sides of the front: the cold-blooded execution of surrendering troops. While the division attempted to convince the men of halting such a practice in hopes that Soviet soldiers would willingly lay down their arms, its use of terminology such as ‘a dull half-Asian’ only further perpetuated the notion of the Red Army man as the ‘other’, and this made such executions that much easier.
14
7. Infanterie-Division/Ia, Besondere Anordnungen zum Divisionsbefehl für 2.7.41, 1.7.1941, NARA T-315, Roll 373.