Einsatzgruppen ('deployment groups') were secret Nazi killing units, who systematically sought out and murdered civilians identified as enemies of the Third Reich. Operating without any legal restrictions in territories newly conquered by the regular German armed forces during the Second World War (1939-45), the Einsatzgruppen were responsible for over 2 million deaths.
More about: EinsatzgruppenDefinition
Timeline
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Sep 1939Nazi Einsatzgruppen killing squads operate during the invasion of Poland.
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Jun 1941 - Jun 1945Nazi Einsatzgruppen killing units operate in former Soviet territories.
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Nov 1946 - Apr 1949The US Nuremberg Military Tribunals (NMT) of war criminals which include cases against members of the Nazi Einsatzgruppen killing units.