Did all Waffen SS commit crimes against humanity?

Not all members of the Waffen-SS committed crimes against humanity, but the organization as a whole was involved in numerous atrocities during World War II. The Waffen-SS was declared a criminal organization by the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg in 1946 due to its involvement in the Holocaust, war crimes, and crimes against civilians, including torture, mass murder, and mass rape3. However, about one-third of the Waffen-SS members were conscripts, and they were not automatically implicated in these crimes3.

While many Waffen-SS units were directly involved in atrocities, individual members varied in their participation. Some members were forced into service or were conscripts, which might have limited their involvement in criminal activities. Nonetheless, the Waffen-SS as an organization was deeply implicated in Nazi war crimes, and its members were often expected to adhere to Nazi ideology and participate in brutal actions35.

It is important to note that the involvement of individual members in specific crimes varied, and not every member of the Waffen-SS was directly responsible for committing crimes against humanity. However, the organization's overall role in the Nazi regime's atrocities is well-documented and widely acknowledged23.