German civilians walk past Jewish women starved to death by SS

Full Title: German civilians, under direction of U.S. medical officers, walk past a group of 30 Jewish women starved to death by SS troops in a 300 mile march across Czechoslovakia.

Although the horrors of the Holocaust extended far beyond Germany's borders and with an intensity and depravity that greatly exceeded Hitler's domestic crimes it is important to note the vast majority of Germans supported Hitler and his policies even as Hitler murdered their neighbors. For example, Hitler and his minions slaughtered 190,000 German and Austrian Jews from 1933-1945 (another 261,000 Jews emigrated from Germany prior to the war) out of a pre-war German population of 522,000 Jews. Another 90,000 German Gypsies, homosexuals, mentally ill, sick, and criminal were also "euthanized" by the National Socialist regime.

In spite of these atrocities sympathetic feelings amongst Germans in regards to Hitler's time in power remained popular after World War II ended. One October 1945 study found 48 percent of young Germans believed a new Fuhrer was what Germany needed. A 1967 survey of West Germans was even more indicative of the strength of German support for Hitler with one third of respondents stating only the War stopped Hitler from standing in the top ranks of Germany's greatest leaders. In part to make sure "regular" Germans were completely aware of what their political support had meant for many Europeans the US Army frequently marched German residents from local towns, villages and cities past evidence of the German state's atrocities.

Picture Courtesy US National Archives, ARC identifier no. 196310