Edwin Graf von Rothkirch und Trach

Edwin Graf Rothkirch und Trach (1 November 1888 - 29 July 1980) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the LIII Corp during World War II. On March 6, Rothkirch, while commanding officer of LIII Korps, wandered into U.S. lines and was taken prisoner west of Coblenz, Germany.^[1]

While stationed in Poland, Rothkirch became aware of mass shootings by the SS (Schutzstaffel). In its review of Soldaten ("Soldiers") by historian Sönke Neitzel and social psychologist Harald Welzer (a book based on secret recordings of German POWs by the Allied intelligence), Der Spiegel reports:

Rothkirch in American custody in 1945.

"Many Wehrmacht soldiers became witnesses to the Holocaust because they happened to be present or were invited to take part in a mass shooting. In one cell conversation, army General Edwin Graf von Rothkirch und Trach talks about his time in the Polish town of Kutno:

"I knew an SS leader pretty well, and we talked about this and that, and one day he said: 'Listen, if you ever want to film one of these shootings? …I mean, it doesn't really matter. These people are always shot in the morning. If you're interested, we still have a few left over, and we could also shoot them in the afternoon if you like."

It takes some sense of routine to be able to make such an offer. The fact that the people involved did not try to keep their activities a secret demonstrates how much the perpetrators took for granted the "mass shootings of Jews," as one of the POWs in Trent Park called it." ^[2]

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