Into That Darkness: An Examination of Conscience

Content Warning: This Important Quotes section references acts of genocide, racial violence, and murder that were perpetrated under the Nazi regime and that are discussed in Into That Darkness.

“‘Perhaps…’ he went on, ‘now at long last one of them is going to have the courage to explain to my generation how any human being with mind and heart and brain could…not even “do” what was done—it isn’t our function to say whether a man is “guilty as charged” or not—but even see it being done, and consent to remain alive.’”

The guard at the Düsseldorf prison where Stangl is serving his life sentence expresses the question driving Sereny’s “examination of conscience.” Stangl impresses this guard, and others, as a considerate, intelligent man, making how he could do what he did inconceivable. It’s also interesting to contrast the way in which this guard, and many others, thoughtfully talk about Stangl with the way in which Stangl dismissively refers to criminals and prisoners he met in the police and the SS as villains. This simplistic view originated in the police academy. Contrast this to these guards, whose extensive training includes 200 hours of psychology classes. The guards aren’t interested in calling Stangl “good” or “evil;” they want to understand how it was possible for him to do what he did.

“‘They laughed and said, ‘He pissed all over himself.’’ He turned back to me. ‘Imagine, Dr Berlinger. I hate…I hate the Germans,’ he suddenly burst out with passion, ‘for what they pulled me into. I should have killed myself in 1938.’ There was nothing maudlin about the way this was said; he was merely stating a fact. ‘That’s when it started for me. I must acknowledge my guilt.’”

In this early stage of their talks, this is one of only two times Stangl mentions his guilt. He views his corruption as an incremental process beginning there in 1938, when he didn’t stand up to the Gestapo men for torturing the former chief of his Austrian police department. In Stangl’s mind, this was the first time he betrayed his values. Even when talking of his guilt here, Stangl still blames something else (“the Germans”) for his corruption.