As to the subtracting, before the war (and most likely during the war) there were more births than deaths so really there is no need to subtract natural deaths, if we don't include natural births. As we know, the wartime-born Jewish children were murdered too, all of them.
As to unnatural dying, there was no reason for anybody to die from unnatural courses. The idea that in the thirties/forties war meant famine, pestilence and death is simply false - especially in the mostly rural Eastern Europe.
People in Poland, especially in the rural areas had their own stockpiles of food for (most of the peasants were self sufficient and didn't buy food) sufficient to survive at least winter. For them the 1939 few-weeks-long war wasn't a problem at all, especially that the next year harvest was good, and there were a couple of bumper harvests in the following years.
So the food situation in Poland and generally in Eastern Europe should have been excellent. It wasn't because every year the Germans confiscated most of the food leaving very little for the occupied territories, and even less for the Jews in the ghettos.
This, according to the Hague Conventions, was a war crime. The Conventions not only forbade exploitation of the occupied territories and confiscation of private property, they actually demanded the population was treated with respect.
So we rather shouldn't say that:
uberjude wrote:In other words, technically correct, but not likely to engender much sympathy.
Germany was responsible for all non-natural deaths, not because it feels right - but because the laws said so.
uberjude wrote:And WM, I say with utmost honesty that I respect your unerring ability to always get in the last word in an argument before David cuts us off--a sincere Merry Christmas to you.
It's mostly a favorable time zones alignment...
Happy New Year to you