German war crimes were committed by the SS and Gestapo, not the Wehrmacht

As the scope of German War Crimes became more widely known starting in the 1950s, the myth of the pure Wehrmacht began to take shape. The myth claims that the Gestapo and the Waffen SS perpetrated war crimes throughout Europe without the Wehrmacht's involvement or even knowledge. It is supported by movies and television shows. By the way, the term "Wehrmacht" refers to the German military, which during World War II included the Luftwaffe, Heer, and Kriegsmarine (Air Force).

The Western Allies in postwar Europe had to fortify their positions as it became clear that the Soviets had no intention of leaving the nations they had occupied during the conflict. It was encouraged to form a West German army. The German military was cleared of any wrongdoing for war crimes committed during the conflict with the help of western authorities, particularly Eisenhower, who placed the whole burden on the Nazi SS and Gestapo. The need for a "clean" Wehrmacht during the Cold War gave birth to it.

The myth still exists, but it is untrue. From the very beginning of the fight in Poland in 1939, Heer soldiers committed war crimes against civilians. They were justified as being essential for defence against partisan attacks or as simply following orders, but they were nevertheless war crimes that were voluntarily carried out. Of course, not all German soldiers were war criminals. However, every component of the German military and its paramilitary organisations did.