Many SS personnel (including Wehrmacht) would flee west.
Why?
Because they did not want to face the music against the Soviets. The Soviets were angry and wanted revenge against the Nazi Germany for what they did.
If the SS was captured by western allies (Britain, France, US, etc), they would either face a fair trial in court, serve some time and be released, get sent to a HUMANE PoW camp, or get executed.
The SS (not all), had the SS blood tattoo and the allies were aware of that. It was basically just a tattoo of their blood type.
The Americans would make all German POW’s march in a straight rank, shirtless, with their arms up. If a blood group tattoo was visible, they would be separated.
Some SS went as far as cutting into their skins, used makeup, etc; to cover the tattoo. The Americans were given booklets (in training), how German POW’s would try hiding these tattoos.
Upon captured, they would be identified, interrogated, etc. If it was a lower ranking who joined in 1943 (IF their paperwork existed) would be sent to a POW camp, then released. The SS started drafting soldiers in 1943, so some men didn’t really have a choice and would be compensated with pensions.
If it was an SS soldier/officer who held a high rank, they would be interrogated and either be sent to a POW camp or be executed.
They would be stripped of their ranks, as they were no longer soldiers but POW’s. There was A LOT of hope for an SS soldier with a low rank. ESPECIALLY if his paperwork was destroyed. Yes, the SS destroyed a lot of evidence that could be used against them starting in 1944. Including documents that would say they were SS and what year they joined.
Despite their crimes, the SS would be treated fairly by the western allies. That’s what they wanted when all hope was lost.
However; it was MUCH different with the Soviets.
The Soviets didn’t use a fair court system like the western allies did. In fact, MANY SS AND WEHRMACHT personnel would be sent to Soviet custody and would never be heard from again. To this day, there are SS and Wehrmacht personnel that are missing. They simply disappeared.
The Soviets would simply lock them up in Gulags and later be released or remain their forever (or at least until they went to a “fair” trial).
After Adolf Hitler’s suicide got around, many SS and Wehrmacht would voluntarily surrender as they felt betrayed. Most would fled west to the western allies
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