The Banality of Evil

A fascinating and disturbing find. A cache of photographs of SS Officers recreating and being disturbingly blase at Auschwitz in 1944 (the camp was liberated in January 1945). This period covered the rush to exterminate Hungarian Jews. The Holocaust Museum has a more full display of photographs including an on-line juxtaposition of these cogs in the Nazi killing machine relaxing against the horrific events that were going on at the same time at the same place.

It is incredibly mundane and chilling at the same time. And yes, many of the infamous are there. Hoss, Kramer, Mengele.

UPDATE: (I wrote this in a hurry before I left the office today -- and BOY did it show -- edited to make it understandable -- sorry)