Local Collaboration in the Execution of the "Final Solution" in Nazi-Occupied Belorussia

In many cases, especially in the Nazi-occupied Soviet territories, the "Final Solution of the Jewish Question" unfolded before the eyes of the non-Jewish local residents. One can and should ask about the role that such witnesses played in this process. The sheer extent of the killing may lead us to the conclusion that local collaboration was indeed an important aspect of the Holocaust and that the role played by the local non-Jewish populations was more than that of mere extras or bystanders. In this article, the author focuses on the case of Belorussia, analyzing various forms of participation as well as the motives for collaboration in the genocide.