Approximately 18 million men served as Nazi soldiers during the course of World War II. A significant number of them— 3.8 million—were killed during the war. Millions became prisoners of war. Others were arrested, charged with war crimes, and executed. Many committed suicide rather than face trial or execution. Today, the German view of Nazi soldiers is as varied as it was during the war. Many people just want to forget the war and the Nazi era—but there are those who will never forget.

Prisoners of War and War Criminals

Of the 9 million German soldiers serving in the Wehrmacht in 1945, more than 7 million became prisoners of war. More than 4 million were taken prisoner by the Americans and British shortly before and after the surrender. All German POWs still being held by the western Allies were freed by 1948, but three hundred thousand had died as a...