The Holocaust and the Psychology of Mass Violence

What four different events teach us about mob mentality?

To describe the Holocaust in its most basic structure, it would be that it was men killing other men over a prolonged period. What few know is that many of the killers were not soldiers. The Holocaust turned ordinary men into professional killers.

The Reserve Police Battalion 101 (101) is one such department. The group of more mature men were hired as policemen but did a significant amount of the killing. Why they did this is complicated. It may be that a mob mentality controlled this group of men. This mentality is not so rare in today's times. One hour of social media will show you this.

So what makes ordinary people forget their ideals and personalities and turn into a mob that would do anything rather than look out of place in front of their peers?

The Reserve Police Battalion

Before we look at why these men killed, let us explore their story. The battalion was raised in Hamburg and was one of thirteen police formations that would be put at the German army's disposal during its Poland invasion in September 1939.

It is thought that, unknown to them, Hitler started these battalions to increase his army while seemingly adhering to the Treaty of Versailles.

In 1940, the battalion was dispatched to Poland to help with the expulsion and resettlement of Jews. It is estimated that 37,000 people were evacuated by the 101 in five months. Members of the battalion were involved in much of the deportation process, including guarding the ghettos with orders to shoot anyone who left.