What became of the Nazi soldiers?

adl_tx

You have to define Nazi soldiers.....From what I read and seen
documentaries many Germans had to be Nazis to be in the
German Army. Even, if they were drafted.

A mis-conception about the German SS, during WW2
less that 2% were actually working in those concentration camps.
During this time most German military being recruited, if they fit
the profile of the Aryan, they would be transfer to the SS.
Romania during the war which was an ally of Germany, because
the Romanians did not like the USSR (neither did Finland and Hungary)
when recruits went to the Romanian Army, if the Romanians fit
the so-called Ayran profile they were sent to the Germans to be a
part of the SS.

After, the war and when there was the two Germany split. I
understand that when West Germany started their military
again, old regular German Army regulars and what was left
of the SS were incorporated into one army for West Germany.
I don't know how the East Germans did it.

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USS Midway, the Magic

Most just went home and started their lives over. Many that fell to the Soviets were taken to Russia for slave labor and the vast majority of those died in captivity.

Jason

No they joined the new German military. Many went to the French Foreign Legion. The only ones who were charged were the ones committing war crimes. Some of the Nazi soldiers, were simply fighting for there country that was being lead by an evil fraction lead by a more evil man.

Scribbles

They were allowed to join the new Germany army, permitting they weren't being tried for war crimes, obviously.

However, it really depended on what side they surrendered to, if it was on the west, they would basically be able to go home, get on with their lives or join the new army if they could. If they surrendered to the east, then a lot of these soldiers were taken away by the soviets to work in Siberia.

Many SS members and German army personnel immigrated to Argentina after the war also, this included many high ranking nazis too in order to escape trails for war crimes.

Some of the higher ranking people were tried for war crimes and killed.

Some of the soldiers went on to fight in the French foreign legion

saylorkc

You have to separate the Wehrmacht German Army from the SS (Nazi Soldiers). Both were 2 totally different organizations and the regular German Army tried to operate independently of the Nazi regime influence. Many of these simply went home after the war and others probably did become part of the Bundeswehr after the war.

Many members of the SS on the other hand were on the run after the war. Some changed they're identity but lots of them joined the French Foreign Legion and fought in Vietnam.

reignofcheese

Most were just normal folk who went back to their normal lives and work. The real military scattered and hid and made whatever lives they could - and some of the officers have been caught over the years, even as old men, and tried for their war crimes (too many avoiding prosecution). Some were killed by America, despite the thumbs downs on that suggestion already.

whiskey_girl

many were tried in the Nuremberg trials, some went into hiding and some are still being prosecuted to this day. all of which refers to those accused of war crimes.

fnk

Many were bought to court for war crimes, some were hanged, shot while others changed their names & lied low.

The ones that were caught were NOT permitted to join the german army. Some were shot, some tried and hanged, some tried and shot. Many disappeared from sight hoping not to be caught or recognized. Not many remain, if at all. But many lived low profile lives to stay alive. Many were caught and tried years later.
It was more important for the Nazi Officers to be caught and tried. The government didn't spend as much money and time looking for enlisted. It was the officers they were after. These officers where tried under war crimes. Some put to death, some committed suicide, some acquitted, life imprisonment, some 20 years. 20 years. What crap! 6 million+ deaths and they only got 20 years, some released completely. Some people expressed remorse for their deeds, but not many.

Still all these years later....such an interesting topic. Study Nuremburg Trials to find more information about what exsactly happened to each individual.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremberg_Trials

Mercer Devil

I think they were discharged. There was no "new German Army" for them to join. Germany was split in two and occupied by Britain, France, and the US on one side and Russia on the other. West Germany and East Germany would not be allowed to have their own armies until many years after the end of the war. Germany didn't even exist as a single country again until 1990-1.

Orange2009

They were tried for war crimes during the Nuremburg trials. Some were put to death. Others were able to get away. Most of those at Nuremburg were the ones who murdered people in the camps.

Steve

Many of the Nazi Soldiers on the front with the soviet union died, they either died because of the cold, lack of food or they were simply shot or executed by the Russians.

Others were discharged and sent home.

Also some became a member of the new German army and they focused on tasks like to repair rebuild germany/police the country and do guard duty.

People who were involved in war crimes were charged.

As for the soliders though that was about it.

Bart Simpson

i think they were jailed

Tattoo loving Gal!

They were all discharged. Some really bad guys were tried and sentenced. The rest had to live with the horror. Many committed suicide.

Wilm251

Well that depends, IF they surrendered to the Americans, then the soldier were allowed to leave the army and continue on with their regular lives. They were also allowed to stay in service in the new reformed german army if they wished too. German soldier were not tried unless they committed war crimes. KEEP IN MIND, german guards in concentration camps in the Holocaust are not soldiers, they were not part of the HEER - german for the army, so they don't count because they were guards not soldiers.

Now the Russians were not as sympathetic as the Americans, manyGerman soldier would have been taken as prisoners and sent to gulags or pow camps until death for many reasons. Many german soldier were killed by russians even after the war had ended as an act of retribution for invading their country first. Some were re-educated and forced into the soviet army as well. Many german soldier would either run west to surrender to the allies or commit suicide than to surrender to the Russians. Only a lucky few of german soldier were allowed to discharge and continue on with regular lives.