Perpetrators and Crime Scenes
Without determined perpetrators, Maly Trascjanec would not have become one of those places that are currently exemplary of the deeds people are capable of. Their motives varied, as did their justification strategies in the post-war period.
The perpetrators of "Sonderkommando 1005" in Maly Trascjanec are highlighted on the following exhibition pages. Their backgrounds play just as important role as their actions in Maly Trascjanec and the trials in which they were sentenced to a few years in prison in some cases and to death in other cases. Based on the evaluation of trial files and activity reports, selected perpetrator biographies are used to answer the questions of who the men of "Sonderkommando 1005" were, what motivated them and what narrative strategies they developed to justify their actions.
Paul Blobel was an SS officer responsible for the mass murder of Soviet Jews (including in Babyn Yar) and from March 1942 head of "Aktion 1005"
Arthur Harder was SS-Hauptsturmführer, Paul Blobel's adjutant and headed the "Sonderkommando 1005" in Maly Trascjanec in autumn 1943
Georg Heuser was head of department at the KdS in Minsk and a member of "Sonderkommando 1005" on the territory of the former Soviet Union
Adolf Rübe was SS-Hauptscharführer, advisor to the commandant of the Minsk ghetto and from November 1943 a member of "Sonderkommando 1005"
Eric Ehrlinger was SS-Oberführer, commander of the BdS significantly involved in the murder of Jews in Maly Trascjanec
Max Krahner was SS-Oberführer, commander of the BdS significantly involved in the murder of Jews in Maly Trascjanec
Otto Goldapp was a district lieutenant and a "security guard" as part of "Aktion 1005" in Maly Trascjanec
Otto Drews was a district sergeant (Revier-Oberwachtmeister) and from November 1943 a guard as part of "Aktion 1005" near Maly Trascjanec
Please click!
On this interactive map, we present the places of origin that have been determined so far and introductory information on all the perpetrators of the Maly Trascjanec camp presented in the exhibition.
Responsible for content: Frank Wobig & Johanna Schweppe