The Nazi organization most responsible for carrying out The Holocaust in the Baltic states was the Security Service ( '' Sicherheitsdienst '' ) , generally referred to by its initials SD . The SD , which organized the Einsatzgruppen , conducted itself in accordance with the understanding that a fundamental order , sometimes called the Führer Order ( '' Führerbefehl '' ) existed to kill the Jews . Sandberger received his knowledge of the Führer order from Bruno Streckenbach , an official with Department IV of the German National Security Main Office ( '' Reichssicherheitshauptamt '' , or RSHA ) . According to Sandberger 's testimony as an accused in the Einsatzgruppen trial after the war , Streckenbach gave a speech ( at the Gestapo headquarters in Berlin on Prince Albertstrasse ) about the Führer order , which Sandburger attended . Streckenbach also gave Sandberger explicit instructions in a personal conversation : Sandberger entered Riga with Einsatzkommando 1a and 2 . These organizations then engaged in destruction of synagogues , the liquidation of 400 Jews , and the setting up of groups for the purpose of fomenting pogroms . After the war , when on trial for war crimes , Sandberger 's effort to evade responsibility was rejected by the tribunal : " Although it has been demonstrated that not only he was in Riga at the time they occurred , but he actually had a conversation about them with the Einsatzgruppe Chief Stahlecker before he left Riga . " In early July 1941 , Sandberger was sent to Estonia on the orders of Stahlecker . According to Sandberger 's later testimony , Stahlecker made it clear that Sandberger was being sent to Estonia to carry out the Führer order in that country . A variety of shooting actions of Jews , Gypsies , Communists and the mentally-ill began once Sandberger and his kommando entered Estonia . A report dated 15 October 1941 on executions in Ostland during Sandberger 's tenure included one item under Estonia of 474 Jews and 684 Communists
The Holocaust
The Holocaust
Martin Sandberger