The Dachau defendants

"In the 489 Dachau trials, 1700 criminals of Nazi Germany faced American justice. The defendants varied from major figures in the Reich, to farmers, students, and villagers. The crimes included atrocities committed against victims of all nationalities in the concentration camps and transports." "In this study, a broad group of representative trials offer an understanding of World War II German culture. In demonstrating that the average citizen could be as devoted to the Nazi cause as Hitler, it hopes to reveal something about those who would not stand up to him, who tolerated him, or who joined him. It addresses the disturbing reality that many atrocities committed in the Hitler era were the result of personal decisions." "Written from primary source documents including official files and reviews of the trials, the book describes the cases and provides defendants' personal details: upbringing, education, career choices, their behavior during the trials, and their lives afterward. The study concludes with an appendix, arranged by series, of all cases by number and name of the case (defendant), and a bibliography. It is illustrated with photographs of the defendants and relevant sites and events."--BOOK JACKET.