Captain Julius Wohlauf Character Analysis in Ordinary Men

Captain Julius Wohlauf is the commander of Reserve Police Battalion 101’s First Company. Wohlauf is also a member of the SS and has a lot of contempt for Major Trapp, who Wohlauf believes is too tenderhearted to be an effective police commander in wartime. However, as Trapp’s deputy and subordinate, Wohlauf must show Trapp respect and do things according to Trapp’s orders. As a member of the elite SS, Wohlauf doesn’t have the same horror of violence as Trapp does and he is initially unwilling to excuse men from being part of the shooting squads. Wohlauf’s men are among the first to carry out executions in Józefów. During the battalion’s time in Poland, Wohlauf makes a couple of trips back to Germany to marry his pregnant girlfriend, who returns to Poland with him to stay for a little while. Wohlauf makes the ill-advised decision to bring her to a ghetto clearing to show off how much power he has over the Jews, which raises some eyebrows amongst the men. After the war, Wohlauf continues his career as a policeman, but in the 1960s he’s indicted for war crimes and sentenced to eight years.

Captain Julius Wohlauf Character Timeline in Ordinary Men

The timeline below shows where the character Captain Julius Wohlauf appears in Ordinary Men. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Nationalism, War, and Ethnic Cleansing Theme Icon

...in their 20s. Wolfgang Hoffmann, a long-time Nazi and SS lieutenant, commands Third Company. Julius Wohlauf, also a long time Nazi and SS lieutenant, commands First Company and acts as Trapp’s... (full context)

Peer Pressure, Conformity, and Acceptance Theme Icon

...talking about the executions while Trapp tries to console them. Several days later Trapp and Wohlauf lead First and Second Companies to another village and round up all the Jews. After... (full context)

...Company all show up to clear the ghetto. First Sergeant Kammer helps supervise and Captain Wohlauf, along with his pregnant young wife, arrives to help. Wohlauf’s past career is full of... (full context)

After arriving in Międzyrzec, Wohlauf sends some men out on outer guard duty but most are sent into the ghetto... (full context)

...A few days later, the same platoon joins other units from First Company under Captain Wohlauf and the First Platoon of Third Company outside of town. Wohlauf sends men with machine... (full context)

About 200 to 300 Jews are rounded up in town before Wohlauf orders the men to bring them to some nearby gravel pits to be shot. Without... (full context)

...conducted the massacre at Serokomla meet once again to carry out these orders (everyone except Wohlauf, who briefly returns to Germany). Trapp and Hagen are present to lead the men. Working... (full context)

Meanwhile, First Company carries out similar actions in Łuków, but Wohlauf is no longer their leader. After an illness and the deaths of his brother and... (full context)

...also returns to Germany in 1944. Many men go back to their prewar jobs. Hoffmann, Wohlauf, and quite a few other men, for instance, continue their career as policemen. (full context)

...interrogated and fourteen men are indicted and sentenced, including Hoffmann (eight years; reduced to four), Wohlauf (eight years), Drucker (eight years; reduced to three and a half), Steinmetz (not included in... (full context)

...being too sentimental and Buchmann is known to be against violence. Even the younger officers, Wohlauf and Hoffmann, have less than impressive records. The one surprising officer is Gnade, who is... (full context)

...explaining Nazi ideology. The men of Reserve Police Battalion 101 undoubtedly complied with these trainings (Wohlauf and Hoffmann were even formally recognized for their skill in ideological training). In exploring some... (full context)