genocidal marches. Special attention is given to the 195 mile longHelmbrechts Death March. The march composed of 580 Jewish prisonersand 590 non-Jewish prisoners. The 22 day march claimed the life of around275 Jews, while the non-Jew fatality rate was Zero.Chapter 14: Marching to What End? This chapter attempts to answer the seemingly unanswerable, Whatsense did the death march make? We can assume Dorr (the campcommander) was under standing orders to avoid capture. His ordersdirected him to move the prisoners to Dachau, however Dachau had alreadybeen captured by the Americans, so Dorr instead marched to Austria. Goldhagen, again, recounts the details of the Helbrechts Death March. Thewomen guards are spoken of being particularly harsh upon the prisoners. Goldhagen also relays the story of Germanys final death march,Sandbostel. To the very end, the ordinary German willfully, faithfully andzealously slaughtered Jews. The Germans did so even when they wererisking capture. The Death Marches were not a misnomer, the entiremanner in which they were carried out by the Germans suggested to theJews they intended death.Part VI: Eliminationist Anti-Semitism, Ordinary Germans, WillingExecutioners Chapter 15: Explaining the Perpetrators Actions: Assessing theCompeting ExplanationsThe German anti-Jewish policy had always been an expression ofeliminationist anti-Semitism. For an entire society to kill another large groupof people, the ethical and emotional constraints that would normally inhibitthe adoption of such a radical measure, must be lifted. Something profoundmust occur that would allow an entire society to become mass murderers. However, these perpetrators took pride in their accomplishments. If theyhad indeed disproved of the genocide, then why would they take photos ofthem triumphantly standing over the bodies of their victims? The fact is, thecomplicity of the ordinary German is contingent upon the belief that all ofGermany ...
