Execution Report
In coordination with the SS office, I picked up the selected Jews and Gypsies from the Belgrade prison camp. The trucks of Field Command 599 that were made available to me for this purpose proved to be unsuitable for two reasons:
(1). They are driven by civilians. Maintaining secrecy can therefore not be guaranteed.
(2). They were all without a cover or a canvas, so that city's residents saw who we had on the vehicles and to where we then drove. In front of the camp, the Jews' women had gathered, screaming and crying as we drove away.
The place where the execution was carried out is very propitious. It lies north of Pancevo, directly on the road from Pancevo to Jabuka, which is bordered by an embankment that is so high, a man could climb up it only with difficulty. Across from this embankment is swampy terrain, behind that a river. During flood conditions (as on 29 October), the water reaches almost to the embankment. Any escape attempt by prisoners can therefore be prevented with a handful of men. Also advantageous is the sandy soil there, which makes digging the pits easier and therefore also shortens the work time.
After arriving approximately 1.5 to 2 km before the selected site, the prisoners disembarked, marched to the spot on foot, while the trucks with their civilian drivers were immediately sent back, in order to provide as few clues as possible for them to develop any suspicions. Then I had the road blocked off for reasons of safety and secrecy.
The execution site was secured by 31. M.G. (light machine guns ---W.M.) and 12 riflemen:
(1.) Against escape attempts by the prisoners
(2.) For self defense against eventual attacks by Serbian bands.
Digging the pits takes up the largest portion of the time, while the shooting itself goes very quickly (100 men, 40 minutes).
Baggage and valuables were collected beforehand and transported in my truck, to turn them over to the National Socialist People's Welfare Organization (Nationalsozialistischen Volkswohlfahrt or NSV).
Shooting the Jews is easier than shooting the Gypsies. One has to admit that the Jews go to their deaths in a very composed manner--they remain very calm--while the Gypsies sob, scream, and continue to move around, even when they are already standing on the spot of their execution. Several even jumped into the pit before the firing volley and pretended to be dead.
Initially, my soldiers were not affected. On the second day, though, one noticed that this one or that one doesn't have the nerves required to carry out an execution over a longer period of time. My personal impression is that one doesn't experience any mental reservations during the execution itself. However, these begin to set in when after a few days one thinks about the events in the quiet of the evening.
Activity report from the 704th ID, 1 November 1941, Bundesarchiv-Militararchiv Freiburg i. Br.
National Socialist Extermination Policies
Contemporary German Perspectives and Controversies
Edited by ULRICH HERBERT
Chapter 6
The Extermination of the Jews in Serbia
by WALTER MANOSCHEK
PP. 175-176.
The execution site was secured by 31. M.G. (light machine guns ---W.M.) and 12 riflemen:
(1.) Against escape attempts by the prisoners
(2.) For self defense against eventual attacks by Serbian bands.
Digging the pits takes up the largest portion of the time, while the shooting itself goes very quickly (100 men, 40 minutes).
Baggage and valuables were collected beforehand and transported in my truck, to turn them over to the National Socialist People's Welfare Organization (Nationalsozialistischen Volkswohlfahrt or NSV).
Shooting the Jews is easier than shooting the Gypsies. One has to admit that the Jews go to their deaths in a very composed manner--they remain very calm--while the Gypsies sob, scream, and continue to move around, even when they are already standing on the spot of their execution. Several even jumped into the pit before the firing volley and pretended to be dead.
Initially, my soldiers were not affected. On the second day, though, one noticed that this one or that one doesn't have the nerves required to carry out an execution over a longer period of time. My personal impression is that one doesn't experience any mental reservations during the execution itself. However, these begin to set in when after a few days one thinks about the events in the quiet of the evening.
Activity report from the 704th ID, 1 November 1941, Bundesarchiv-Militararchiv Freiburg i. Br.
National Socialist Extermination Policies
Contemporary German Perspectives and Controversies
Edited by ULRICH HERBERT
Chapter 6
The Extermination of the Jews in Serbia
by WALTER MANOSCHEK
PP. 175-176.
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