Pride of the Fatherland: The Impact of Nazi Racial Ideology on the 3. Ss Totenkopfdivision

Open Access
- Author:
- Metheny, Aaron Matthew
- Area of Honors:
- History
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Arts
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Tobias Heinrich Albert Brinkmann, Thesis Supervisor
Dr. Michael James Milligan, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- World War II
Holocaust
Hitler
Himmler
Eicke
Concentration Camps
Nazi
SS
Totenkopf - Abstract:
- One of the more elite military formations in the German Army during the Second World War was the 3. SS Totenkopfdivision. This unit was originally created out of concentration camp guards and acquired a reputation for fanaticism and brutality during its four years of combat on the Eastern Front. Yet because of its unique relationship with the concentration camp system, Nazi racial ideology negatively impacted the performance of Totenkopfdivision in the field. Already heavy casualties were increased because of the willingness of the soldiers to unnecessarily expose themselves to danger as they believed that they were naturally superior to their Soviet counterparts. Losses proved almost impossible to replace as the concentration camp system retained 35,000 men to serve as guards and, despite numerous protests, refused to release them to serve at the front. Nazi racial ideology also interfered with the equipment that Totenkopfdivision needed to function. Germany was forced to rely increasingly on slave labor, but took no steps to ensure the welfare of those laborers. Skilled Jewish laborers were replaced with unskilled non-Jewish laborers because top Nazi officials wanted to eliminate the Jews, causing constant delays to production. Camp conditions further hampered productivity. In the end, while Nazi racial ideology was not the only reason that Totenkopfdivision could not complete its objectives, it was unmistakably a significant contributor to its defeat.