what was the 3 main functions of the einsatzgruppen
Einsatzgruppen The Einsatzgruppen were formed under the direction of SS-ObergruppenfÃ¼hrer Reinhard Heydrich and operated by the Schutzstaffel (SS) before and during World War II.[3] The Einsatzgruppen had its origins in the ad hoc Einsatzkommando formed by Heydrich to secure government buildings and documents following the Anschluss in Austria in March 1938.[4] Originally part of the Sicherheitspolizei (Security Police; SiPo), two units of Einsatzgruppen were stationed in the Sudetenland in October 1938. When military action turned out not to be necessary due to the Munich Agreement, the Einsatzgruppen were assigned to confiscate government papers and police documents. They also secured government buildings, questioned senior civil servants, and arrested as many as 10,000 Czech communists and German citizens.[4][5] From September 1939, the Reichssicherheitshauptamt (Reich Main Security Office; RSHA) had overall command of the Einsatzgruppen.[6]