WAR CRIMES OF THE WEHRMACHT ON WP SOLDIERS - TOMASZ SUDOŁ

This publication addresses the issue of war crimes committed by the Wehrmacht on Polish soldiers from September to December 1939. The two-volume monograph, based on a critical analysis of known sources and extensive research in German military documentation, brings a significant correction to the current state of knowledge. Thanks to new findings - regarding the number of cases, their course and the motivation of the perpetrators - Polish historiography gains a solid basis to become a full participant in the international debate on the Wehrmacht crimes committed in the years 1939-1945. This opens up new research opportunities and promotes a better understanding of the mechanisms of violence in the first phase of World War II.

• In-depth analysis of known sources and German military documentation
• New findings regarding the number of cases, their course and the motivation of the perpetrators
• Solid basis for Polish historiography in the international debate
• Better understanding of the mechanisms of violence in the first phase of World War II
• Innovative classification of crimes according to the motivation of the perpetrators
• Critical analysis of the massacre of prisoners of war near Ciepielów

The first volume focuses on war crimes that occurred in the immediate aftermath of fighting - still on the battlefield or after its end. Particular attention was paid to the killings of soldiers wrongly accused of partisan activity and the murders of wounded people in sanitary points. The main responsibility for the crimes committed in the Polish campaign of 1939 rested with German land forces units, but there were also cases of crimes committed by the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine, which indicates the systemic nature of these actions.

The monograph applies an innovative classification of crimes according to the motivation of the perpetrators, introducing a distinction between acts inspired by ideological hatred, retaliatory actions and crimes committed on order or in an atmosphere of institutional consent. The author also undertook a critical analysis of the findings regarding the symbolic episode of Wrzesień - the massacre of prisoners of war near Ciepielów. The publication sheds new light on one of the darkest cards of the 1939 campaign and is an important voice in the debate on responsibility for war crimes committed on Polish soil.

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of World War II, as well as for those who want to understand the mechanisms of the human psyche in extreme situations. It is a testimony of truth that does not allow us to forget the victims and warns against repeating history. Published by IPN, it guarantees reliability and a high level of content.