re: #309 Alyosha

I recall reading about the pioneer regiments and how they conducted such terroristic attacks on territories Nazi Germany wished to occupy. Perhaps I misremember the justification of annexation of another nation with the pretext of ethnic persecution in western Czechoslovakia.

One thing to be clear was that the SS personnel in question used the title of pioneeren as a cover. “Pioneer” as used by the Germany army during both World Wars meant ‘combat engineer’. Such units were part of the normal order of battle and did not behave especially badly.

What you may be thinking of are the Brandenburgers, who were German special forces troops.