Volume 4 — Introductory material (continued 23)

As the highest office of disciplinary penal affairs of the SS, at the same time the SS-Court is the liaison office for all offices of the Party and Reich which are essentially connected with its area of jurisdiction.

A penal jurisdiction will be introduced for the members of the SS militarized forces, the SS Death Head units, the main offices of the Security Service of the SS and for these main official members of the General SS who are placed over these units. Its construction is undertaken at present.

The Security Service

During the fighting years, the scope of jurisdiction of the SS had experienced an expansion in the course of time to such an extent that more and more the necessity for discovering and knowing of opposing tendencies developed as an absolute requirement for their operational campaign. Originally, the SS served as the personal protection for the Fuehrer and for leading personalities of the National Socialistic Movement.

Beyond the steady growth of the Party, the original relatively simple mission of the protection of persons has further developed to a problem of the Security of the Party and its manifold functions. For this purpose, intelligence services were installed in the Party and all of its components with the mission: to counter the significance of the opposing aggressive and destructive intentions through exploration and judging of the threatening menaces.

However, there was no uniform planning, and a central collaboration of intelligence services was hardly attempted.

The SS had also acquired an intelligence service at this time for the fulfillment of its missions. Contrary to the rest of the intelligence services of the Party, a far-reaching systematic political intelligence service grew out of the so-called I.C. Service, the later P.I. Service [Press and Information] of the Reichsfuehrer SS.

This intelligence service developed upon the fundamentals of racial selection and ideological rearing in conformity with the general fundamentals of the SS in deviation from all limitations of scope, of momentary or personal nature in connection with an all embracing positive setting of a goal, toward a true Security Service at first for the SS and the Party and later thereby, for the people and the Reich.

This became clear after the taking over of power, as the “Security Service of the Reichsfuehrer SS” proved that it had seized all opponents and living provinces which were or could become significant for the new National Socialist State. This was done by a planned construction of the organization, which kept itself free from personal dependency.

From this development, in the field of Party intelligence service, the Deputy of the Fuehrer drew the deduction which he made in his decree of 9 June 1934 that “no intelligence or counterintelligence service of the Party may exist outside of the Security Service of the Reichsfuehrer SS.” From the promulgation of this decree on, the Security Service of the Reichsfuehrer SS is the only political intelligence service of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party.

Since the Security Service of the Reichsfuehrer SS delivered information on the situation and its connection through constant observation of the open and secret enemies of the National Socialistic ideology, it more and more became an organ for protection of the State and of the people which stood in closest cooperation with the Secret State Police.

The head of the organization of the Security Service Reichsfuehrer SS is the Main Security Office which stands next to the main offices of the Reichsfuehrer SS. The Chief of the Main Security Office is the present SS-Maj. Gen. Heydrich, who is at the same time Chief of the Security Police, and who was entrusted at that time with the construction of the I.C., as well as, the P.I. Service.

The regional construction of the Security Service Reichsfuehrer SS is close to that of the General SS in its subdivision into Corps and sectors.

The constant observation of the course of working methods of the opponent, and his technique in the alternate forms of appearance, his ideologies and methods of work compulsorily lead thereto, that the work of the Security Service Reichsfuehrer SS cannot only be intended for the hour but must be expansive and far-reaching.

The Race and Settlement Affairs

After the Main Security Office comes the Main Race and Settlement Agency as the next pillar of the Reichsfuehrer SS.

In this Race and Settlement Agency the marriage applications of the SS men are handled in the Relations Office, because no SS man can openly marry without the permission of the Reichsfuehrer SS under the stipulations of the marriage law of 1931. For this, a medical examination is required for man and wife. Guarantees for ideological and personal rearing are to be brought for the bride. Further, the family tree is now required of man and wife—by officers [Fuehrers] back to 1750 and by non-coms [Unterfuehrer] back to 1800. A copy of the hereditary health certificate is likewise required.

In order to make possible a rapid gathering of the necessary requirements, Relation Officers are established and provided in the infantry battalions of the General SS. They, like the Main Race and Settlement Agency, are to help the SS man in the gathering of all required papers.

This naturally entails a gigantic work and extensive organizational preparations in order to meet quickly the requests which today are very pressing since people are being married in greater numbers.

The Settlements Office within the Main Race and Settlement Agency handles and brings about the idea of blood and earth [Blut und Boden] by settling valuable SS families in connection with the new creation of German peasantry and homestead settlement.

Further, the Race office in the Main Race and Settlement Agency watches over the uniformity of the racial acceptance examinations and over the schooling of these specialists who are to be employed for these acceptance examinations within SS units.

Personal Staff Reichsfuehrer SS

The “Personal Staff Reichsfuehrer SS” was formed as a central headquarters for the Reichsfuehrer SS and at the same time, as an essential main office.

This office developed out of the Adjutants Office of the Reichsfuehrer SS in the course of increased missions. Today it is placed under the Chief Adjutants’ Office and the Police Adjutant’s Office of the Reichsfuehrer SS. The Personal Staff, through its business experts, handles the normal traffic, it administers the press section of the Reichsfuehrer SS as well as the cultural section. Among others, it also has the porcelain manufacture in Allach under its jurisdiction.

In addition, the SS barracks, that is the summation of all SS men in the higher institutes of learning, are placed under the Personal Staff Reichsfuehrer SS.

In addition, the following working areas are combined in the following divisions in the Personal Staff.

The section of Economic Aid (it handles encumbrance problems which developed out of the fighting years).

The section for cultural Research (prehistoric works, expeditions with the support of the Reichsfuehrer SS, excavations as well as foundations).

The society “The Ancestral heritage” [Das Ahnenerbe].

The society “The Well of Life” [Lebensborn]. This consists mainly of members of the SS. It makes possible to women with many children the best possible care in ideal homes before, during and after child birth. Furthermore, it makes possible the painless delivery for good racial, unmarried, and about-to-be married mothers.

At present, several homes in Steinhoering Polzen, Klosterheide (Mark), Hoheharst bei Bremen and in Wiener Wald belong to the society “Well of Life.”

The office “Four Year Plan” fulfills the mission of regulation of the labor employment which was assigned by the Director of the Four Year Plan.

Finally, the liaison officers to the Ministries and Offices of the Party are assembled under the Personal Staff.

The Motto [Kernsatz] of the SS

There is no mission for its own sake. How can there, therefore, be missions for the sake of an organization. There is only one mission which everything in Germany serves and that is the life of this people through Adolf Hitler.

“So we fell in and are marching, according to unchangeable laws as a national socialistic, soldierly order of men designated as Nordic and as an avowed association of their kindred, along the way into a distant future. We wish and believe that we should not only be the descendants, who have fought it out better, but especially the ancestors of those later generations necessary for the perpetual life of the German Teutonic people.”

This motto of the SS which was given to it by the Reichsfuehrer SS Heinrich Himmler, is the direction for this troop within the framework of the movement. This is the sense by which everything which concerns the SS consequent, steadfast, and thrifty, today, maintains a happy and positive appearance.

If the individual tasks in the framework of this great Protective Corps—often limited in nature by the tasks themselves—may occasionally be heavy and represent the harshest human requirements then the filling of all necessities with this consciousness of a great duty and a clean and concrete association of this concept gives every duty the gleam and happiness which the National Socialist heart needs and is continuously needing.

III. The Inner Security

After the outward conclusion of the revolution of our ideology, in possession of power and thereby in the continuous, unlimited responsibility for the fundamentals of the idea, there began the greater, although externally less heroic, phase of the penetration.

All divisional fields in inner or outer positions of the State concept or of State presentation had now to be convincingly and continually filled with our new philosophy or newly indoctrinated by it. We had to carry the revolution, the vivaciousness of an extensive movement, into the stark hardened institutions and concepts with all means, with and against the law. We had to overthrow that which did not seem fit to live according to this process; we had to fill anew with a living spirit that which seemed to be useful and employable.

Few divisional fields of the conquered State had to face from the beginning so much opposition in relation to the life and expression of the new Power as the Police.

All our hate and all our rebellion had opposed it as the most outspoken symbol of the night of the system for us.

Rubber hoses, house searchings, imprisonment, terror, persecutions, all the counter concepts of the harshness and gruesomeness of the period behind us seem to crystallize and assemble themselves under the term “Police.” Entirely necessarily the term “Police” was already at that time a term of the things hated and cursed. Therefore, at the beginning it seemed almost impossible to actuate the thought of reaching the identical presentation of National Socialist law, of National Socialist community authority with the term and institution “Police.” Also within the movement itself, it naturally necessitated considerable authority in order to allow the forceful wish to become an act.

The SS as formation, the association made up of leader, men, and kindred of consequent National Socialists, possessed this authority in the course of the history and development of the Party. Out of its original mission within the Party it now obtained the same broadened mission within the whole people and State: the inner security, the inner protection of the National Socialist people, the consequent repulsion of its inner enemies in all phases of public life.

Viewed from this standpoint, it seemed as if unsurmountable obstacles arose as the Reichsfuehrer SS, upon command of the Fuehrer, obtained the task, in addition to the SS, of concentrating the whole German Police into his hand and thereby into the real special meaning of the SS.

This transfer proceeded under the sole valid law, the living right of the German Volk, not only against old ideas but often enough against still existing regulations.

In few fields of State and People the solution of the big problem of Party and State has been so revolutionary and extensively thoroughly undertaken, and scarcely anywhere except for just this difficult ground was it demonstrated so successfully that, according to the Fuehrer’s will, it is the idea which must determine the State.

The personal authority of the Reichsfuehrer SS and that of his men, who were of a single mind, carried the beginning of this new construction, while the success of the National Socialist measures taken guaranteed the further course.

From the traditional concept of Police has arisen the new concept of a protective Corps of the German people. And just as the old idea was typically personified in the bailiff, the new idea also demands a new man.

We do not need a mere official, just as we do not consider the unpolitical soldier suitable here. The new type shall be representative of the SS man, who grows out of the Principle of the indoctrination and out of the way of the SS and who already today has clearly developed himself before the people. Just in this post the people want and must possess a political soldier in the best meaning of this National Socialist conception.

Instead of the duplicity of a liberal Police law the man of the Police was given the powerful living authority of clear fundamentals and removed from the hatred and mistrust of the best part of our people by means of the National Socialist authority of the SS. Thereby, the Police again was carried into the midst of the people as an important member for the protection and defense of the community.

It is clear and naturally necessary that completely new judgment of the concept of enemy of the State would come from the new type of its (Police) man and its youthful clear idea. Out of the limitation in the general defense, a far-reaching prevention had to ensue from the clear grasping of the State concepts, a clarification of the concept of State enemies, a setting up of tasks which thereby assigns to the National Socialist Protective Corps a historical mission of unheard of proportions in the sound development of the people.

The spirit of discipline and of companionship, the knowledge of the source of our being and its single teaching, this vast train of thought of the SS as expression of the developing factors of an inner National Socialist securing and safeguarding of all possibilities of coming events—all this is more and more the meaning and spirit of all great new formations in this section of inner security.

To guarantee the intensive security of this new Reich, that is the great duty of the SS and with it, and within its scope, also of the Police in all its categories. That is the comprehensive mission the Fuehrer gave to the SS. It will attack this job anew every day, with the utmost seriousness, fully conscious that this is an immense National Socialist task and firmly convinced that only the ideologically best education of its men and its selection of members will enable it to solve this task completely.

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2285-PS

Before me, Lieutenant Colonel Henry H. Mize, JAGD, personally appeared Lieutenant Colonel Guivante de Saint Gast and Lieutenant Jean Veith, both of the French army, who were made known to me, and who, being by me first duly sworn, made the following statement in the handwriting of Lieutenant Veith under oath:

The undersigned:

Guivante de Saint Gast, Lt. Colonel, Chef de Mission de 1^ere Classe, Carte d’identite militaire BCRA MCPA Promontain No. 510, Immatricule FFC Londres RUl. Carte de Repatrie No. 72352 delivered in Annercy (France). Order of Mission of the Provisional Government of the French Republic, Ministry of Prisoners and Deportees dated May 4th, 1945, No. 16772. Detained in the Concentration Camp of Mauthausen from March 18th, 1944, till April 22nd, 1945, No. 57876, having been employed at the offices of distribution of work [Arbeitseinsatz] from August 16th, 1944, till April 22nd, 1945, as auxiliary and as titulary.

Veith, Jean, Lieutenant, Charge de Mission de 2^e Classe, Carte d’identite Repatrie No. 403927 delivered at Annercy. Order of Mission of the provisional government of the French Republic, Ministry of Prisoners and Deportees, dated May 4th, No. 16774. Detained in Mauthausen from April 22nd, 1943, till April 22nd, 1945, No. 28645, having been employed at the Politische Abteilung from June 2nd, 1943, to June 25th, 1943; at the Arbeitseinsatz from June 26th, 1943, to August 15th, 1944; as foreman of the cartography and mecausgraphy Hollerith services till their dissolution in February 1945; and from then on until his liberation at the Lagerschreibstube (night shift)—both residing in Paris (17a) 20, Rue de Sanssuse, relate and certify under oath the following facts:

In Mauthausen existed several treatments of prisoners, among them the “Action K or Kugel” (Bullet Action). Upon the arrival of transports, prisoners marked “K” were not registered, got no numbers, and their names remained unknown except to the officials of the Politische Abteilung. (Lt. Veith had the opportunity of hearing, upon the arrival of a transport, the following conversation between the Untersturmfuehrer Streitwieser and the chief of the convoy: “How many prisoners?” “15, but two K.” “Well, that makes 13.”)

The prisoners were taken directly to the prison where they were undressed and taken to the “Bathrooms.” This bathroom in the cellars of the prison building near the crematory was specially designed for execution (shooting and gassing).

The shooting took place by means of a measuring apparatus. The prisoners were backed against a metric scale with an automatic contraption releasing a bullet in their neck as soon as the moving board determining their height touched the top of their heads.

If a transport consisted of too many “K” prisoners, instead of wasting time on the measurements they were exterminated by gas which was sent into the bathrooms instead of water.

During his time as foreman at the Hollerith section, Dr. Veith frequently received transfer sheets from other camps mentioning prisoners who did not appear on the entry list of Mauthausen. In such cases the Politische Abteilung very reluctantly used to give the information that the camp services had not to take into consideration such missing prisoners because they had been transferred “In geheimer Reichssache” (Secret affair of the Reich) and insisted upon the complete disappearance of all traces of the names. In many cases due to transmission errors, the fatal “K” indication was not immediately given with the transfer and followed several days or several weeks later. Lt. Col. de Saint Gast certifies having received in this service cancellation orders from the Politische Abteilung concerning such prisoners. As upon their arrival such “K” prisoners had, by mistake, received a camp number, they had to disappear in the numbers register of the camp, and from this unification order was made in the following hypocritical form: prisoner X Nr..... birth place, birth date is actually called [heisst richtig] prisoner Y, Nr...., different birth place and date.

Such identification orders should be found in the documents of the Arbeitseinsatz as far as they have not been destroyed.

This statement has been made voluntarily in the handwriting of Lt. Veith, who understands English and who has truly translated the same to Lt. Col. de Saint Gast prior to his signing the same.

/s/ Pf. de Saint Gast

/s/ Jean Veith

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 13th day of May 1945.

/s/ Henry H. MIZE HENRY H. MIZE Lt. Col. JAGD

PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2288-PS

ADOLF HITLER’S GREAT SPEECH BEFORE THE REICHSTAG.

Berlin, 21 May 1935

Voelkischer Beobachter, Southern Germany Special Edition No. 142 a. of 22 May 1935. [Pages 1, 3, 4]

Deputies! Members of the German Reichstag!

* * * * * * *

Leaving these general conclusions now and arriving at a precise fixation of the present current problems for me the

Position of the German Reich Government results as follows:

1. The German Reich Government refuses to adhere to the Geneva Resolutions of 17 March.

The treaty of Versailles was not broken by Germany unilaterally, but the well known paragraphs of the dictate of Versailles were violated and consequently invalidated by those Powers who could not make up their mind to follow the disarmament requested of Germany with their own disarmament as agreed upon by the treaty.

2. Because the other powers did not live up to their obligations under the disarmament program, the Government of the German Reich no longer considers itself bound to those articles which are nothing but a discrimination against the German Nation for an unlimited period of time, since through them Germany is being nailed down in a unilateral manner, contrary to a the spirit of the agreement.

But it solemnly declares that this measure is being taken only with regard to those well known paragraphs which are discriminating against the German people in a moral and factual way.

Therefore, the Government of the German Reich shall absolutely respect all other articles pertaining to the cooperation [Zusammenleben] of the various nations including territorial agreements; revision which will be unavoidable as time goes by, it will carry out by way of a friendly understanding only.

3. The Government of the German Reich has the intention not to sign any treaty which it believes not to be able to fulfill. However, it will live up to every treaty signed voluntarily even if it was composed before this Government took over. Therefore, it will in particular adhere to all the allegations under the Locarno pact as long as the other partners of the pact also adhere to it.

The Government of the German Reich regards the fact that it has to respect the demilitarized zone, as an extremely difficult contribution by a sovereign power, to the pacification, and it believes to be compelled to call attention to the fact that the constant increase in the number of troops on the other side may not just be regarded to be of great comfort to these efforts.

PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2289-PS

VOELKISCHER BEOBACHTER

Berlin edition No. 68

Berlin, Sunday, 8 March 1936

The important speech of the Fuehrer in the Reichstag on 7 March reads as follows:

Men of the German Reichstag! France has replied to the repeated friendly offers and peaceful assurances made by Germany by infringing on the Rhine Pact through a military alliance with the Soviet Union, exclusively directed against Germany. In this manner, however, the Locarno Rhine Pact has lost its inner meaning and ceased in practice to exist. Consequently, Germany regards herself for her part as no longer bound by this dissolved treaty. The German Government are now constrained to face the new situation created by this alliance, a situation which is rendered more acute by the fact that the Franco-Soviet Treaty has been supplemented by a Treaty of Alliance between Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union, exactly parallel in form. In accordance with the fundamental right of a nation to secure its frontiers and insure its possibilities of defense, the German Government have today restored the full and unrestricted sovereignty of Germany in the demilitarized zone of the Rhineland.

* * * * * * *

After a hard inner struggle I have, therefore, decided in the name of the German Reich Cabinet [Reichsregierung] to submit the following memorandum to the French Government and the other signatory powers of the Locarno Pact today.

* * * * * * *

We have no territorial claims to make in Europe. We know above all that all the tensions resulting either from false territorial settlements or from the disproportion of the numbers of inhabitants to their living spaces cannot, in Europe, be solved by war.

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2292-PS

THE ARCHIVE [Das Archiv], March 1935, Page 1830.

The German Air Force

10.3.

S i

35

The Reich Minister for Aviation [Luftfahrt], General of the Airmen, Goering, in his talk with the special correspondent of the Daily Mail, Ward Price, expressed himself on the subject of the German Air-Force.

General Goering said:

In the extension of our national defense, [Sicherheit] it was necessary, as we repeatedly told the world, to take care of defense in the air. As far as that is concerned I restricted myself to those measures absolutely necessary. The guiding line of my actions was, not the creation of an aggressive force which would threaten other nations, but merely the completion of a military aviation [Luftfahrt] which would be strong enough to repel, at any time, attacks on Germany.

Until the present moment, this has been accomplished on a general basis, as so far we have been discussing airmen in general only without making any definite distinction from the military point of view. The British government, among other proposals, asked Germany to join an Air-Pact, whose object is to take joint action in the air against an aggressor who disturbs the peace, i.e. to put our own Air Force at the disposal of the threatened country. This is the British demand. Germany, trying to do everything and trying to collaborate everywhere where peace can be ensured, replied by a Note expressing her agreement with such an effective protection as is represented by the air-convention.

In this Note Germany expressed to Britain the view that Germany would be prepared to send her Air Force to the help of the threatened country.

After the German government expressed willingness to help, it became necessary to make a clear demarcation within German aviation, namely in this respect: which air force will be able to be made available? This situation brought about the decision as to those of the German aviation who will in future belong to the Air Force and those who will in future remain in civil aviation or in sport aviation. It was necessary to mark this separation also outwardly, so that the members of the German Air Force became soldiers according to the law and their leaders became officers. This involves only a part of the persons who up to the present moment have worked in the common German aviation. Therefore the difference between our Air Force and our civilian aviation shows itself clearly and distinctly in the various badges of rank and in the designation of rank.

I sum up: Our willingness to share in the effective defense of world peace, our assent to hasten with help to the hard pressed country, made the creation of a military aviation imperative, if our assent should not remain merely an empty phrase.

Answering the correspondent’s question about the hierarchy in the new Air Force, its uniforms and its ranks the general said: “The Air Force is under the orders of the Reich Minister for Aviation who controls also civil aviation. His military rank is General of the Airmen [General der Flieger]. The uniform remains similar to the uniform of the sport aviation organization but outwardly it will be marked clearly by military badges of rank. Similarly the names of rank correspond with the military designation of rank from Lieutenant upwards to General of the Airmen.” To the question concerning the nomination of German Air-attaches in foreign missions General Goering replied that the preparations for it were pending. Also about the numerical strength of the Air Force he said that he could not yet give final figures. As far as the percentage ratio to the Air Forces of other powers is concerned, every sensible and decent man ought to realize that Germany, being particularly threatened, needed such figures as would guarantee the absolute safety of the German people. Asked about the role of the Air Force within the Armed Forces, General Goering stated that at the present moment, it was impossible to make a clear appreciation of the situation. But that it was definite that the Air Force must be an integral part of any defense and that without an Air Force the Army and Navy, no matter how strong, were useless.

In conclusion, the correspondent asked whether the German Air Force will be capable of repelling attacks on Germany. General Goering replied to that exactly as follows: “The German Air Force is just as passionately permeated with the will to defend the Fatherland to the last as it is convinced, on the other hand, that it will never be employed to threaten the peace of other nations.”

PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2306-PS

REVOLUTION OF EDUCATION

Baldur von Schirach

[Page 51]

The struggle for the unification of the German youth is finished. I considered it as my duty to conduct it in a hard and uncompromising manner. Many might not have realized why we went through so much trouble for the sake of our youth. And yet: The National Socialist German Workers’ Party, whose trustee I felt I always was and always will be, this party considered the struggle for the youth as the decisive element for the future of the German nation.

[Page 52]

And I promise the German public that the youth of the German Reich, the youth of Adolf Hitler will accomplish its duty in the spirit of the man to whom alone their lives belong.

[Page 63]

I am responsible to the Reich that the entire youth of Germany will be educated physically, morally, and spiritually in the spirit of the National Socialist Idea of the State.

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2307-PS

1938 REICHSGESETZBLATT, PART I, PAGE 237

Law concerning the Reunion of Austria with the German Reich, March 13, 1938

The Reich Government has ordained the following law, which is hereby proclaimed:

ARTICLE I. The Federal Constitutional Law of March 13, 1938, ordained by the Austrian Federal Government, concerning the reunion of Austria with the German Reich, hereby becomes a law of the German Reich. It has the following text:

By virtue of Article 3, Section 2, of the Federal Constitutional Law concerning extraordinary measures in the constitutional field (R.G. Blatt, I, No. 255, 1934), the Federal Government has ordained:

Article 1. Austria is a province of the German Reich.

Article 2. On Sunday, April 10, 1938, a free and secret plebiscite shall be held for German men and women of Austria over twenty years of age on the question of reunion with the German Reich.

Article 3. In the plebiscite the majority of the votes cast shall decide the issue.

Article 4. The necessary regulations for the implementation and supplementing of this Federal Constitutional Law shall be provided by decree.

Article 5. This Federal Constitutional Law shall enter into force on the day of its proclamation.

The Federal Government is entrusted with the execution of this Federal Constitutional Law.

Vienna, March 13, 1938.

ARTICLE II. The laws at present in force in Austria shall remain in force until further notice. The introduction of Reich law into Austria will be effected by the Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor or by the Reich Minister to whom he may delegate this power.

ARTICLE III. The Reich Minister of the Interior, in consultation with the other Reich Ministers concerned, is empowered to issue the legal and administrative regulations necessary for the implementation and supplementing of this law.

ARTICLE IV. This law shall enter into force on the day of its proclamation.

Linz, March 13, 1938.

ADOLF HITLER, Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor; GOERING, General Field Marshal, Reich Minister of Aviation; FRICK, Reich Minister of the Interior; VON RIBBENTROP, Reich Minister of Foreign Affairs; R. HESS, Deputy Fuehrer.

COPY OF DOCUMENT 2309-PS

HEADQUARTERS

THIRD UNITED STATES ARMY

JUDGE ADVOCATE SECTION

WAR CRIMES BRANCH

APO 403

3 JA 122

21 June 1945

SUBJECT: Report of Investigation of War Crimes.

TO: Commanding General, Third United States Army, APO 403.

I. AUTHORITY

1. This investigation was conducted in conformity with letter, Headquarters European Theater of Operations, file AG 000.5, OpJA. Subject: Establishment of War Crimes Branches, 24 February 1945, by 2d Lt. John J. Reid, AUS, Investigator-Examiner, from 25 April 1945 to 2 May 1945 inclusive and pursuant to directive of Commanding General, Third United States Army, a copy of the order which is attached hereto as Exhibit A.

II. MATTERS INVESTIGATED—FLOSSENBURG CONC. CAMP (P-3338)

2. a. Killing of interned Allied National Civil population and Allied National PWs by various cruel and inhuman methods such as neck-shooting, hanging, poison injections, forced suicides, lack of medical treatment, starvation, beatings, and other numerous inhuman methods purposely inflicted to result in death, (Violation of Geneva Prisoners of War Convention, Rules of Land Warfare and the customary law as observed by Civilized Nations).

b. Living and working conditions of internees which were beyond physical endurance and resulted in a systematic elimination of prisoners.

c. Starvation rations of internees which resulted in death and permanent physical impairment of prisoners.

d. Cruel and inhuman treatment and methods used by members of the German Armed Forces and/or persons under their immediate command against Allied National Civilians and Allied National Prisoners of War. (Violation of Article 2 of the Geneva Convention. Paragraphs 73, 80, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 102, 105, 119, 127, 129, 132, 172, FM 27-10 Rules of Land Warfare and in violation of the customary law observed by Civilized Nations).

e. Unlawful killing by shooting, hanging and other methods, of Allied National Civil population who had been interned and/or otherwise arrested by members of the German Armed Forces (Violation of the customary laws observed by civilized nations).

III. PROCEEDINGS

3. a. The testimony of all witnesses examined in the course of this investigation was secured through the use of an interpreter after the witness had been sworn under authority of Article of War 114, in the following form: “You swear that the evidence you shall give in this investigation now being conducted shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So help you God.” The examination of each such witness where practical was conducted in my presence.

In the case at hand, it being impracticable to use a stenographic-reporter, the witness after having first been duly sworn was questioned regarding his knowledge of the matters under investigation. The witness then propounded his testimony in a narrative statement in his own handwriting, where practicable, and in his own native language. The witnesses then after being sworn signed the statement. The interpreter was also sworn in the following form: “You swear that you will truly interpret in this investigation now being conducted. So help you God.”

b. The transcribed sworn testimony of each such witness whose name is listed below is hereto attached as an exhibit, the number of which is indicated in the lower right-hand corner of the paper preceded by the letter “B.”

SWORN STATEMENTS OF WITNESSES: See Appendix (1) for index and exhibits.

UNSWORN STATEMENTS, LETTERS, REPORTS, ETC.: See Appendix (2) for index and exhibits.

c. PHOTOGRAPHS:

1. Photographs of some of the SS personnel of Camp Flossenburg. See Appendix (3) for index and photographs.

2. Atrocity scenes. See Appendix (4) for index and photographs.

IV. SUMMARY OF FACTS

4. Concentration Camp Flossenburg (Coord. P-3338), was founded in 1938 as a camp for political prisoners. Construction was commenced on the camp in 1938 and it was not until April 1940 that the first transport of prisoners was received. From this time on the prisoners began to flow steadily into the camp (Exh. B-1). Flossenburg was the mother camp and under its direct control and jurisdiction were 47 satellite camps or outer-commandos for male prisoners and 27 camps for female workers. To these outer-commandos were supplied the necessary prisoners for the various work projects undertaken.

Of all these outer-commandos Hersbruck and Leitmeritz (in Czechoslovakia), Oberstaubling, Mulsen and Sall, located on the Danube, were considered to be the worst. The work at these camps mainly consisted of underground labor, the purpose being the construction of large underground factories, storage rooms, etc. This labor was performed completely underground and as a result of the brutal treatment, working and living conditions, a daily average of 100 prisoners died. To the one camp Oberstaubling, 700 prisoners were transported in February 1945 and on the 15th of April 1945 only 405 of these men were living (Exh. B-1). During the 12 months preceding the liberation, Flossenburg and the branch camps under its control accounted for the death of 14,739 male inmates and 1,300 women. These figures represent the deaths as they were obtained from the available records in the camp, however, they are in no way complete as many secret mass executions and deaths took place. In 1941 an additional stockade was added to the Flossenburg Camp, to hold 2,000 Russian prisoners. From these 2,000 prisoners only 102 survived. (Exh. B-1)

Flossenburg Concentration Camp can best be described as a factory dealing in death. Although this camp had in view the primary object of putting to work the mass slave labor, another of its primary objectives was the elimination of human lives by the methods employed in handling the prisoners. (Exh. B-2)

Hunger and starvation rations, sadism, housing facilities, inadequate clothing, medical neglect, disease, beatings, hangings, freezing, hand hanging, forced suicides, shooting, etc., all played a major role in obtaining their objective. Prisoners were murdered at random, spite killings against Jews were common. Injections of poison and shooting in the neck were everyday occurrences. Epidemics of typhus and spotted fever were permitted to run rampant as a means of eliminating prisoners. Life in this camp meant nothing. Killing became a common thing, so common that a quick death was welcomed by the unfortunate ones.

(See following List of Exhibits as References)

Hunger and Starvation Exh. B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4

Freezing Exh. B-11

Medical Neglect Exh. B-1, B-12

Torturous Beatings and Floggings Exh. B-1, B-2, B-6, B-12, B-3, B-11, B-13, C-2

Forced Suicides Exh. B-2, B-13

Hangings Exh. B-1, B-2, B-4, B-5, B-6, B-7, B-12, C-2

Hand Hangings Exh. B-11

Poison Injections Exh. B-1, B-8, C-1, C-2

Typhus and Spotted Fever Exh. B-1, B-2, B-9, C-1, C-3

Shooting Exh. B-6, B-2, B-3, B-13, B-15

The system set up at this camp seemed to be one of mass elimination of the prisoners caused by devious means. Starvation diets wilfully designed to produce death within a few months played a major role. Typhus and spotted fever were encouraged as a means of disposing of many. There were innumerable executions, mistreatments, beatings, flogging to death, which continued up until the time this camp was overrun by our forces. Mass hanging took place. Generally, the persons hanged were stripped naked. Oftimes they were beaten before hanging till the unfortunate victims begged for immediate hanging to ease the pain. At first the SS men in charge of the hangings were given extra rations for each hanging. Later on the hangings became so numerous that the extra rations were stopped. Hanging a person by his wrists with a heavy barrel suspended from his ankles was another method of execution. This caused the person’s insides to be torn up and he died. (Exh. B-11) On Christmas 1944 a number of prisoners were hung at one time. The prisoners were forced to view this hanging. By the side of the gallows was a decorated Christmas tree and as expressed by one prisoner “it was a terrible sight, that combination of prisoners hanging in the air with the glistening Christmas tree.” (Exh. B-12)

In March or April, 13 American or British parachutists were hung. They had been delivered to this camp sometime before and had been captured while trying to blow up bridges. (Exh. B-7, B-8a&b)

Many thousands were tortured and killed by every known method. New methods of brutal punishment and torture killing were devised by certain members of the camp who became particularly known for their sadistic methods.

On April 20, 1945, approximately 15,000 prisoners were assembled to make a forced march in the direction of Concentration Camp Dachau. The evacuation of these prisoners was caused by the impending capture of the camp by the Allies. These 15,000 prisoners were lined up in three groups and started on this march. Only those prisoners who could walk were taken and before leaving Flossenburg, many were executed, as also were those who collapsed in rank awaiting the movement to start the trek. No provision was made for the feeding of these prisoners or sleeping on this trip. They marched in long columns guarded by SS guards. (Exh. C-2)

Thousands were killed on the way and the paths which they took were littered with the dead. Groups of from 5 to 50 were taken out and forced to dig pits and then were shot. (Exh. B-14, B-15, C-4, C-5). Many graves were not even covered. As the already starved and weakened prisoners fell from exhaustion, a group of SS guards bringing up the rear would kill them by a shot in the back of the head. All who fell out of line were immediately executed in this manner. Death was also caused by beatings or bashings in the skulls. (Exh. B-1, B-3, B-13, E-17)

The prisoners marched from Friday till Monday during which time they received only 100 grams of bread. They marched in the rain and slept in the fields in the mud and water. Many died from exhaustion. On the 23rd day of April 1945, between the towns of Cham (U-5850) and Roding (U-4868), they were liberated by the American Troops. (Exh. B-3, B-13) (Photographs taken near Wetterfield (U-5070) of one of the graves on this march.) (Exh. E-1 to E-17)

5. The victims of Flossenburg included among them, Russian civilians and prisoners of war, German nationals, Italians, Belgians, Poles, Czechs, Hungarians, British, and American prisoners of war. No practical means was available to complete a list of victims at this camp, however, since the foundation of the Camp in 1938 until the day of liberation it is estimated that more than 29,000 inmates died. (Exh. B-1)

6. PERPETRATORS

This camp was controlled and run by one class of people, SS troops. The list of perpetrators includes a few civilian prisoners, who managed to gain favor with the SS by carrying out orders of execution and beatings upon their fellow inmates. These prisoners who obtained their immunity and privilege at the cost of other men’s lives are deemed equally as guilty.

The citations referred to in the list of perpetrators is by no means complete nor is the list of guilty persons complete. (See Appendix (5) for index and exhibits.)

V. CONCLUSIONS

7. That the exploitation, killing and atrocities committed upon prisoners was a part of a well regulated scheme or plan of the Nazi SS Group, is clearly indicated by the evidence presented here and resulted in the death of thousands.

Flossenburg Concentration Camp, Germany, was the scene of every type and form of Nazi brutality and atrocity committed upon the unfortunate individuals who happened to be sent to this camp. Practically every nationality of Europe was at sometime or another represented in this camp. The majority of prisoners, however, were Russians and Poles. No line of demarkation was made between sexes. Men, women and children were executed in the most brutal fashions.

The responsibility for this camp must be placed upon all personnel who held an active part as a member of the organizational set-up. Whether these persons were ones who actually inflicted the mortal punishment is of little consequence. They all at the least failed to lift a restraining hand in the punishments and atrocities committed upon the inmates therein.

JOHN J. REID 2d Lt, AUS

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2310-PS

1938 REICHSGESETZBLATT, PART I, PAGE 247

First Decree of the Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor concerning the Introduction of German Reich Law in Austria, March 15, 1938.

By virtue of Article II of the law of March 13, 1938, concerning the reunion of Austria with the German Reich (RGBl I, p. 237), I order:

SECTION 1. (1) The sphere of validity of the official gazettes of the Reich shall be extended to the province of Austria.

(2) Reich laws which are proclaimed after the effective date of the law of March 13, 1938, concerning the reunion of Austria with the German Reich (RGBl I, p. 237), shall be valid for the province of Austria unless their application to the province of Austria is expressly held in abeyance.

SECTION 2. From the effective date of this decree, the following shall be applied in substance in the province of Austria:

1. The Reich flag law of September 15, 1935 (RGBl I, p. 1145), with the provision that Jews shall be forbidden to raise the Reich and National Flag and to display the Reich colors;

2. The law against formation of new parties of July 14, 1933 (RGBl I, p. 479);

3. The law for the preservation of unity of party and state of December 1, 1933 (RGBl I, p. 1016), as amended by the law of July 3, 1934 (RGBl I, p. 529);

4. The law concerning Reich governors of January 30, 1935 (RGBl I, p. 65) with the provision that instructions of Reich ministers to the Reich Governor in Austria shall require, until further notice, the approval of the Reich Minister of the Interior;

5. The order for implementation of the Four-Year Plan of October 18, 1936 (RGBl I, p. 887);

6. The Reich law concerning the compulsory registration of members of the German State abroad of February 3, 1938 (RGBl I, p. 113).

SECTION 3. (1) Regulations for effecting the transition shall be issued by the Reich Minister of the Interior or by the Reich Governor in Austria with the approval of the Reich Minister of the Interior.

2. By this means regulations of the Reich and regulations of the province of Austria can be assimilated in one another.

3. Incompatible regulations of the province of Austria shall be invalidated.

SECTION 4. This decree shall enter into force on the day of its proclamation.

Vienna, March 15, 1938. ADOLF HITLER, Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor FRICK, Reich Minister of the Interior

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2311-PS

1938 REICHSGESETZBLATT, PART I, PAGE 245

Decree of the Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor concerning the Administration of the Oath to the Officials of the Province of Austria, March 15, 1938.

By virtue of Article II of the law of March 13, 1938, concerning the reunion of Austria with the German Reich (RGBl I, p. 237), I issue the following order:

SECTION 1. Public officials of the province of Austria shall take an oath of office upon entrance into service.

SECTION 2. The oath of office of public officials reads: “I swear that I shall be loyal and obedient to Adolf Hitler, the Fuehrer of the German Reich and People, and that I shall observe the laws and conscientiously fulfill the duties of my office, so help me God.”

SECTION 3. The officials at present in office shall be sworn in forthwith in accordance with Section 2.

Jewish officials shall not be sworn in.

SECTION 4. A person is Jewish if he is descended from at least three racially full-blooded Jewish grandparents. A grandparent is automatically considered a full-blooded Jew if he belonged to the Jewish congregation.

A Jewish half-breed descended from two full-blooded Jewish grandparents is considered a Jew:

a. If he belonged to the Jewish congregation on September 16, 1935, or became a member of it thereafter.

b. If he was married to a Jew on September 16, 1935, or entered into marriage with one thereafter.

SECTION 5. Anyone who refuses to take this oath shall be removed from office.

SECTION 6. The legal and administrative regulations necessary for the implementation of this law shall be issued by the Reich Governor (Austrian Provincial Government).

SECTION 7. This decree shall enter into force on the day of its proclamation.

Vienna, March 15, 1938. ADOLF HITLER, Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor.

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2313-PS

1938 REICHSGESETZBLATT, PART I, PAGE 254

Order for the Transfer of the Austrian National Bank to the Reichsbank, March 17, 1938

By virtue of Article II of the law of March 13, 1938, concerning the reunion of Austria with the German Reich (RGBl I, p. 237), I order:

Section 1. The administration of the Austrian National Bank shall be transferred to the Reichsbank.

Section 2. The Austrian National Bank shall be liquidated, and its assets placed by the Reichsbank to the Account of the Reich.

Section 3. In taking over operations, the Reichsbank shall transfer to its staff the entire personnel of the Austrian National Bank, with due regard for legal and contractual rights.

Section 4. This order shall enter into force upon its proclamation.

Berlin, March 17, 1938.

ADOLF HITLER, Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor FRICK, Reich Minister of the Interior. Count SCHWERIN VON KROSIGK, Reich Minister of Finance. Dr. HJALMAR SCHACHT, Reich Minister and President of the Reichsbank

PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2315-PS

THE LAW OF THE REICH CHAMBER OF CULTURE

[Das Recht der Reichskulturkammer]

Edited by Karl Fr. Schrieber, Publ. by Junkor und Duennhaupt, Berlin. Vol. 2 (1 Jan. to 30 June 1935).

Order concerning the Supervision of District Leaders of the Work of the Reich Chamber of Culture [Page 25].

Dated 12 Nov. 1934 (Published in the daily press).

In the process of unification of Party and State, it must be put into effect that, in general, the same tasks of the Party and of the State will also be administered by the same people. The Gau propaganda chiefs of the Party are, according to that, also the district leaders [Landesstellenleiter] of the Reich Ministry for National Enlightenment and Propaganda. In compliance with this regulation, the Reich Chamber of Culture must also be incorporated in the union of the Party and State. Therefore, I order that the district leaders and the Gau propaganda chiefs [Gaupropagandaleiter], as district administrators of culture, exercise from now on supervision over the work of the Reich Chamber of Culture in their districts. The individual chambers and their district associations are instructed to adjust and to subordinate their district formations and organizations in the Reich to those of the district and of the Gau propaganda offices. The Gau leaders have the privilege to suggest and to reject the appointment of personnel for these offices. The appointment is then effected by the president of the chamber. Guiding rules for the execution of this order will soon be published in detail.

Heil Hitler! Signed: Dr. Goebbels

Order Concerning Closure of Newspaper Publications for the Purpose of Eliminating Unsound Competitive Conditions

[Pages 121-122]

Dated 24 April 1935 (V.B. 35/25.4)

On the basis of paragraph 25 of the first decree concerning the execution of the law on the Reich Chamber of Culture, dated 1 November 1933 (RGBl, I/1933, page 797ff), I decree the following:

I. If a great number of newspaper publications exists in one locality, whose operation depends on the sale of a higher circulation than can altogether be disposed of according to local conditions and sound principles of publication, individual publications can be discontinued for the establishment of sound economic conditions.

In order to obtain evidence, the publications may be subjected to an examination; all inside information is to be given to the agencies which I assign to undertake these examinations.

II. For the execution of this order, the Reich Union of German Newspaper Publishers is instructed to report to me those localities in which, because of numerical overproduction, acute competitive conditions exist, and to name the publication which ought to be subjected to an examination. This union has, hereby, to act according to the principles laid down in my announcement concerning “The press in the second year of the National Socialistic State.” It is further instructed to ascertain whether the closing of establishments can be avoided by voluntary unifications. It will report to me until the 31st of July 1935.

Berlin, 24 April 1935.

The President of the Reich Chamber of the Press

AMANN

The article of the President of the Reich Chamber of the Press in regard to “The Press in the second year of the National Socialistic State” is concerned, among other things, with the numerical overproduction that exists in newspaper publications. He demanded the removal of this condition. Proceeding from the fact that already before the 30th of January 1933, under the multiparty system at that time, there was an excess of newspapers at hand, he states that this fact stands out today even more strongly in the face of the subjugation of parties and other special interests. He emphasized further that, insofar as overproduction had been increased by the strong growth of the official Party Press, the affected publications of competitors would have to fall back behind the official Party Press. This point of view will be brought into effect in the execution of the order for the closing of newspaper publications for the purpose of eliminating unsound competitive conditions. In particular, the unsound competitive conditions are to be eliminated under which, newspapers with high circulation in the course of the developments fought each other as competitors. Considering the fact that in probably all these cases there were fewer newspapers with high circulation on 30 January 1933 than at present, then the result, without doubt, is that the publications concerned require such circulations, in order to be profitable in relation to the size of their business, as cannot be attained or maintained by means of sound advertising and competitive measures under the competitive conditions prevailing at present. The order thus serves the elimination of economically poor conditions which, seen from a long-range view, must cause prejudice, far beyond the small circle of the publications immediately concerned, to the German Press and to its cultural missions. This order promotes the conciliation and the organic development of the entire German Press. In this way, the order assures the press the opportunity to fulfill its noble task which it has to accomplish for the benefit of the nation and the people. Of course, the execution of this order, as is already indicated by its purpose, will be guided by the endeavor to utilize the existing economical values in the future to the greatest possible degree. The President of the Reich Chamber of the Press will therefore endeavor at first in every individual case to effect agreements which will relieve him of the necessity to issue orders for the closing of establishments. In this sense, the instructions, given at the end of Number II of the regulation, to the Reich Union of the German Newspaper Publishers, are of special importance.

PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2319-PS

ORGANIZATION BOOK OF THE NSDAP

Edited by The Reichsorganisationsleiter of the NSDAP (4th edition, 1937). Published by the Central Publishing House of the NSDAP, Franz Eher’s Successor.

[Pages 143-144]

The Organization of the NSDAP in Foreign Countries

The organization of the NSDAP in foreign countries (AO) is regulated from the standpoint of organization along district lines. The Director of the AO (with the rank of Gauleiter) is immediately subordinated to the Fuehrer’s Deputy. The AO has its headquarters in Berlin. The Director of the organization in foreign countries is at the same time Chief of the Foreign Service Organization in the Foreign Office and directs the unified supervision of German nationals in foreign countries.

Duties and Authority

The duty of the AO is to win over the German nationals in foreign lands and in the shipping world to the National Socialist point of view and to keep alive the idea of a racial community over all classes, professions, and confessions in every single German, living in a foreign country.

The AO will keep itself aloof from all non-German issues.

The AO is the only competent party office for all Party Organizations abroad (with the exception of Danzig and Memel) and on board German ships. The Director of the AO is responsible for all measures, principles, and directives given in this sphere of activity. He is further responsible for seeing that the Special directives issued by all the competent offices of the Reich government are modified in such a way that they are suitable for conditions abroad in order that German interests are not under any circumstances endangered or damaged.

All party members domiciled abroad, who take up permanent residence there or who are employed in seagoing ships, are subordinate to the AO and are not to be considered party members of districts within the Reich. Party members engaged in shipping, who leave their work afloat and are without work for at least six months, are to be transferred to the appropriate Gau within Germany, also party members abroad who return and take-up permanent residence in the fatherland.

Members of the families of German seamen, residing at home and who belong to the NS Women’s Organization are administered by the NS Women’s group—shipping—of the organization of the NSDAP in foreign countries. This pertains to all districts in which the AO—shipping has divisions, subdivisions, and branches.

Organization

The Staff of the AO carries the designation “Supervision of the Organization of the NSDAP in Foreign Countries.”

The AO of the NSDAP is subdivided into national groups, national districts, districts, local groups, and branches. The term “national group” is to be used only for those countries which are particularly important as far as German nationals abroad are concerned. To all other countries the term “national district” applies.

The Party functionaries of the AO are:

1. The Director with the rank of Gauleiter.

2. The Deputy Director with the rank of Deputy Gauleiter.

3. The heads of the national groups (on account of different conditions in all of the different countries of the world in which the organization is to be found) with the rank of a district office leader.

4. The heads of national districts with the rank of a district leader.

5. The district leaders.

6. The leaders of local groups.

7. The leaders of branches.

The Office Chiefs in the Head Office of the AO, the commissioners for foreign countries, under whom are several national groups and national districts (partly in our part of the earth), and the leaders of the national groups have the rank of a Gauamtsleiter. Subordinate to the Director of the Office of AO Shipping Section of the NSDAP are:

1. The divisional leaders in Bremen, Hamburg, Luebeck, and Stettin with the rank of a Gauhaupt Stellenleiter.

2. Local group and branch leaders on board German ships.

In order to identify the political leaders and party members of the AO, the leader has permitted the members of the AO to wear a special badge. (See picture.) It portrays a black diamond which, set up on its point, is worn on the left arm (lower end 2 centimeters above the cuff). Within the black diamond are the two letters AO, for the Party Functionaries in gold and for all others in silver. Party members wear the badge on the brown shirt. The badge may only be worn, as long as the party member in question belongs to the AO. It is to be discarded as soon as he returns home and is transferred to a local group.

The graphical plan of organization serves to illustrate the organization in detail.

The entire business of all party offices with the organizations of the NSDAP abroad and in the shipping service must be carried out through the Director of the AO. The associations belonging to the party, who in the course of their operations endeavor to enlist German nationals abroad may only do this within the framework of the AO.

[Pages 295-312]

The Reichpropaganda Leader of the NSDAP and Propaganda Leader

The propaganda of the NSDAP, its organizations and associate groups is the responsibility of the Reichpropaganda leader of the Reich:

Duties

1. He determines the entire propaganda aspect of the movement including its organizations and associate groups.

2. He lays down the directions to be followed by the party including the organizations and associate groups as far as realizing the Fuehrer’s wishes as regards culture are concerned.

3. He exercises control over the entire German radio system in regard to its interior organizational, cultural, and economic development.

4. The saturating of the German nation with national socialist ideology is his concern.

5. He enlightens the people concerning the Fuehrer’s accomplishments both as regards party and State.

For propaganda purposes, the press, the radio, and films are put into use.

The Chief of Staff and adjutant are subordinate to the Reich propaganda leader.

The sphere of activity of the Reich propaganda leader can be divided into five groups, and each group is under the control of an office of its own.

1. Active propaganda.

2. Films.

3. Radio.

4. Culture.

5. Liaison Office.

Chief of Staff

Directly subordinate to the Chief of Staff are:

1. The “Reich ring for national socialist propaganda and national enlightenment.”

2. The “Reichsautozug Deutschland” and the “Hilfszug” Bavaria.

3. The business center of the Reichpropaganda office.

4. The main office of press propaganda.

5. The main office for exhibitions and fairs.

The duty of the Reich ring for National Socialist Propaganda and national enlightenment is to insure the uniform direction of the propaganda of all organizations and associated groups, through the party. Through the duly qualified party functionaries one representative from the propaganda offices of all organizations and groups is allotted to the Reich ring. To these representatives are added representatives of certain offices of the Reich government, etc.

Office of press propaganda. The duty of the central office of the press propaganda is to revise, on the basis of newspaper technique, propaganda measures resulting from the general work of all offices of the Reichpropaganda leader and to submit them to the competent authorities of the national socialist party press as well as the rest of the press.

Central office for exhibitions and fairs. The duty of the central office for exhibitions and fairs is to supervise all exhibitions in which the party intends to participate, from a propaganda point of view.

1. The Office of active propaganda. The duty of active propaganda is to effect the uniform execution of all active propaganda measures from the large scale organizations of gigantic size with their architectural-like structure down to the organizations of local groups, and branches.

This means that the whole propaganda organization of the movement, its organizations and associated groups are combined.

Parallel with the daily handling of current political questions, there is the supplying of the entire speakers’ staff with information and the provision of all propagandists of the Reich with the monthly magazine “Our Will and Way.”

As a supplement to speaking, there must be the designing and distribution of appropriate placards and pamphlets as well as the careful examination of convention reports on the part of the speakers and the directors of propaganda.

A complete picture of the propaganda can be seen from the statistical survey of all reports coming from districts and Gaus (in regard to propaganda).

Central office of speaker’s organization. The central office of speaker’s organization comprises by way of its subordinate office “Speakers’ organization” all Reich, Gau, and district speakers of the NSDAP as well as all Specialist Speakers of the organizations and associated groups. This staff of speakers for the whole movement is constantly furnished with material by the office of “Speakers’ information,” which counts as the only material for speeches and the only material for information by the party.

The “Speakers’ Agency” of Reich speakers, shock troop speakers of the Reich propaganda Directorate and cadets for the Shock troops operates through the office of “Speakers’ Agency.” The “Speakers School” subordinate to the central office does not only provide for a further supply of political and specialized speakers but also for constantly enriching the knowledge of all actively engaged speakers. For this purpose a special “Reich School for Speakers” has been installed.

The Party Speakers

Speakers are classified as follows:

1. Reich speaker. 2. Speaker for the Shock troops and cadets. 3. Gau speaker. 4. District speaker. 5. Specialized speaker.

(When announcing meetings, the speakers designations as they appear above are to be strictly adhered to).

Their employment is decided as follows:

a. The principle of capability.

b. The merits of the veteran fighter.

On principle, it is to be differentiated between political and technical speakers.

2. Central office of the film industry. The duty of the central office of the film industry is to exhibit such films regularly as adequately serve to enlighten and educate the masses and strengthen national socialist ideology. Associated with the film division is the office of photography.

The central office of the film industry is divided into:

Organization Finance administration Production and technique Dramatic theory Cultural films Newsfilms Photography

3. Central Radio office. The radio organization of the NSDAP must exercise a constant control over the entire German radio system in order to synchronize the internal organization, cultural, technical, and economic development of the radio system with national socialist principles.

The effects of radio propaganda are assured through the organization of radio technicians with the assistance of all technical possibilities as regards transmission, for the coordinating of the entire nation in every corner of the Reich—whether listening in at home, in a community, to a national broadcast.

Central bureau of Cultural Political Radio Activities and Radio Organization: Transmitting and receiving system, cultural productions on the radio, broadcasts to schools, scientific radio work, radio for youth.

Organization of the broadcasting personnel (Reich radio association, individual association of the Reich Kultur Association, associations of people interested in radio) radio exhibitions.

Central office of radio technique, technical transmission service (loud speaker system), technical training in radio, short wave and amateur transmission, telegraphy and ultra-short wave system, technical production questions.

Central office of radio propaganda. Propaganda operations by radio, the recruiting of listeners, radio news system, political Reichtransmissions.

4. Central office for culture. The duty of the central office for culture is to stimulate, to preserve, to supervise artistic creation in the sense of the formal expression of the national socialist ideology and to incorporate into the Party Propaganda its organizations, and associate groups. The following serve this purpose among other things:

Central office of Architecture. The issuing of general directions and regulations concerning questions as regards the architectural structure of monuments and such edifices which serve the public activity of the national socialist movement.

Central office for artistic designs. The issuing of general directions and orders in regard to all other questions of the artistic designing of symbols, objects, etc., which are used in the public activities of the national socialist movement.

The issuing of general directions and rules for the artistic setting for demonstration and the organizing of National Socialist celebrations making use of cultural means.

Central office of selection. Part of the duties in this sphere of activity are the screening and selecting of musical and poetical works with the aim in view of using them at national socialist demonstrations and celebrations.

Central office of program organization. The drawing up of model programs for celebrations of the national socialist movement and for organizing settings for national socialist demonstrations on the basis of the type of tradition formed in the fighting days [Kampfzeit].

Elimination of unsuitable settings which may find their way into the movement through unauthorized agencies. War against trash, preservation of definite national socialist aspect in the settings for celebrations, the prevention of mystic and pseudoreligious falsification of our ideology, as a result of prodigious constructions by misguided cult devotees. Professional artists to be put to work following above-mentioned directives. Suitable persons will be chosen by the Reichpropaganda leader in the central office of culture, as permanent co-workers, especially for the purpose of operating in specialized fields. Practical courses for cultivation of folk songs for the purpose of finding the proper personnel for the planning of activities in all organizations of the movement. The “Proposals for the Planning of National Socialist Celebrations” issued monthly by the Central Office for Culture will furnish the leaders of propaganda and central offices for culture, with the necessary material. Therein are also found appropriate instructions for the planning of discussion evenings, membership meetings, evening meetings of the Hitler Youth, evening gatherings of SA and SS comrades, in a manner befitting our creed and to avoid monotony. The unity of the Party and legitimate cohesion within the cultural sphere is guaranteed through the coordination of the important offices. The Reich propaganda leader of the NSDAP is also president of the cultural association.

The Director of the office for culture of the Reich propaganda Directorate is also the director of Reich culture in the Reich Cultural Association.

5. Liaison officer. The duty of the liaison officer is to centralize all business with Reichministries, officials, and public bodies, etc. Thus it is assured that the general principles of propaganda are brought to the knowledge of the appropriate Reich officials. In reverse, the liaison office brings all problems and instructions, that emanate from the Reich propaganda ministry to the knowledge of the Reich propaganda Directorate.

In order to coordinate the propaganda of both the party and the state, it is the duty of the liaison office to bring the general principles of the Reich propaganda directorate to the knowledge of the bodies subordinate to the Reichministry for national enlightenment and propaganda which are also associated with and administered by this Ministry.

The Gau, Office of Propaganda, as commissioner of the Gauleiter for the entire propaganda aspect of the national socialist movement, the Gauleiter Propaganda takes precedence over the Gau Propaganda Office.

For the purpose of carrying out the work of the district, the following leaders are under his jurisdiction as is the case with the Reich propaganda Directorate.

1. Director of active propaganda.

2. Director of films.

3. Director of radio.

4. Director of culture.

5. Director of The Gauring for national socialist propaganda and popular enlightenment.

6. Liaison officer.

The duties technically correspond to those of the Reichpropaganda Directorate.

The Gauleiter Propaganda is also director of national culture of the Reich cultural association. In this way it is assured that the cultural will of the national socialist movement is carried out even in the most insignificant parts of the Reich Cultural association (Reich Music Association, Reich Association of Fine Arts, Reich Literary Association, Reich Press Association, Reich Film Association, Reich Radio Association).

The Gauleiter Propaganda is also, in most instances, Director of the National Office for enlightenment of the people and propaganda.

The District Propaganda Office.

The Director of District propaganda is the commissioner of the Kreisleiter for the entire propaganda aspect of the party within this district.

The following are the responsibility of the Director:

1. Active propaganda.

2. Films.

3. Radio.

4. Culture.

5. Kreisring for national socialist propaganda and popular enlightenment.

6. Liaison office.

The liaison office maintains the connection between the Landrats and Regional [Bezirk] offices.

The duties technically correspond to those of the Gau Propaganda Office (according to need).

The Director of the Local Group Propaganda.

The Director of the Local Group Propaganda is responsible to the Party Functionary of the local group for the entire propaganda aspect of the movement.

In order to execute his duties, specialists on culture, films and radio are subordinate to him. He solves all problems of active propaganda direct, and he must also remain in constant communication with the appropriate mayor and chairman of the district council, respectively. In addition to that he maintains contact with the organizations and associate groups.

The duties technically correspond to those of the office of district propaganda as may be needed.

The Leader of the Branch [Stuetzpunkt] Propaganda

His sphere of activity corresponds with that of the leader of the local group propaganda.

The Chief of the Reich press of the NSDAP Offices of the Press and Commissioners

In his decree of February 28, 1934, the Fuehrer formulated the sphere of activity reserved for the Chief of the Reich press of the NSDAP, the decree of the Fuehrer is as follows:

I. The Chief of the Reich press of the NSDAP is vested with the following powers:

1. He determines on my behalf the general policy of the entire editorial work within the party press. Moreover, he is as my Chief of press the final authority for all press releases of the party and all offices.

2. The editorial Staff of the Party Press as well as Gau journalists of the NSDAP are subordinate to the Chief of the Reich press as far as work is concerned. He has the right to interfere in all personal questions.

3. All existing press divisions, press bureaus, etc., existing within the party or within its subsidiary or subordinate organizations (political organization, SA and SS, Hitler Youth, German labor front), regardless of the particular organizational status of their work in the field of publishing, are subordinate to the Chief of the Reich press of the NSDAP and responsible to him.

4. The Chief of the Reich press of the NSDAP approves all news services and correspondence, which are issued by one of the offices of the NSDAP or regarded as national socialist.

The Chief of the Reich press of the NSDAP can take all necessary measures for the execution of his duties.

Berlin, February 28, 1934.

Signed: Adolf Hitler.

Corresponding with this order of the Fuehrer, the Office of the Chief of the Reich press of the NSDAP is the central office for all the political publishing activity of the party.

II. The technical authorities directly subordinate are:

1. The Chief editors of the party press. They are the responsible editorial leaders of the National Socialist party papers owned by the party and are directly responsible to the Chief of the Reich press as regards their editorial work. They have to be confirmed by the Chief of the Reich press and they can have the rank of a leader of a district office.

2. The press representatives of the individual offices of the Reich Government. They take care of the press interests of the larger organizations and party offices within the framework of the editorial and political principles of the Chief of the Reich press.

3. The journalistic-political organ of the NSDAP.

a. Editor-in-Chief of the Office of the District Press: The office of the district press is that office of the district which with the help of the party offices of the district, subordinate to it and associated with it as regards problems of journalism, represents the interests of the party through the medium of the papers and periodicals published in this district. This representation of interests involves particularly the progressive cooperation of the whole journalistic life of the district.

The office of the district press has the following functions to perform:

News and Information Service

The office of the district press furnishes the newspapers, by means of the regularly appearing National Socialist Gau Service, with all the news material in regard to all Party arrangements and events in the district. Moreover, its news information service, based on records is at the disposal of all papers for dealing with all questions, concerning the party.

The Personal News Service

The office of the district press makes information accessible to editors through press conferences, receptions with functionaries of the individual party offices, etc. It informs the editorial boards of the district of the special journalist political wishes of the Gauleitungen.

Information given to the party press:

The office of the district press, on the basis of reports of the political press organ, informs the editorial boards of the party press about the wishes of the readers in regard to newspaper technique. Moreover, it is in charge of local reporting of party affairs and educates the editorial board and press officials as regards newspaper technique.

b. The editor of the district press and the head of the local group:

The editor of the district press and the head of the local group respectively, have duties that are technically derived from those of the Head of the Office of the district press. Permission to publish must, however, in all cases be granted through the head of the office of the district press. Press representatives of the organizations and offices can also be requested here. In the hands of the press chiefs of the local groups, who can have the rank of a head of the office of a local group, there lies, above all, the reporting of local party news, namely, the journalistic evaluation of the entire social service work of the local group, formulated in accord with the directives of the political journalistic service.

III. In order to carry out his duties, the Chief of the Reich press has established the following bureaus in Berlin, as well as in Munich:

1. The press personnel bureau with the office in Munich. The press personnel bureau works out all personal questions, especially that concerning the conferring of the “party press armband” upon proved national socialist editors. (The armband is to be worn on the left forearm only on special occasions). Moreover in a special department the official gazette of the Reich Government is being prepared.

2. The political press bureau with its office in Berlin. The political press bureau concerns itself with the general principles regarding the work of the party press as well as the entire use of the political press organ of the party.

The head of the political press bureau has also been chosen by the chief of the Reich press as his commissioner for the entire press service system of the party and exercises the right of controlling and vetoing all press releases, which are issued by party bureaus or those which are regarded as national socialist.

The head of the political press bureau is editor-in-chief of the national socialist party press service [N.S.K.] The NSK is the only official press service of the NSDAP and it alone is empowered to publish in the name of the party, for all Reich Government offices, including their subsidiary and subordinate organizations. The NSK as press service is at the disposal of all the editorial staffs of the whole German press.

The political press bureau has its headquarters in the NS press House in Berlin. In the NS Press House all party papers are represented by their own Berlin editors.

[Pages 307-310].

The Reich Director of the Press

Duty

The Reich Director of the Press has to perform the duties of a publisher and politician [verlagspolitische Aufgaben].

He is commissioned to furnish the German people with a press, which owes allegiance to them and is responsible to them and which is to reflect the life and the experiences of the German community. Furthermore, the Reich Director of the Press has the duty of taking the necessary measures to enforce the demands made on him as publisher and politician which are laid down in the program of the NSDAP under point 23 and to see that they are carried out. The latter applies especially to the decree of April 25, 1935 relative to “the preservation of the independence of the newspaper publishing business” and to the “closing of newspaper publishing houses for the purpose of eliminating unhealthy conditions of competition.” Finally he is commissioned to publish all the standard literature for the national socialist movement.

Authority

The Reich Director of the Press is authorized by the Fuehrer to take all necessary measures for the execution of his duty and he has the following powers:

1. The recognition of periodic publications as official party organs.

2. The decision concerning the founding and the appearance of periodic publications, which are published by party members, even when they do not aspire to recognition as official party organs.

3. a. The issue of general regulations for the whole publishing business to the entire press published by party members. The regulations are valid as orders, as long as nothing else is laid down by the Reich Director of the Press.

b. The decision over all questions of publication whose significance is a matter of principle and extends beyond the individual publication, when he takes this decision upon himself. The publications in these instances are obliged to submit these questions to the final decision of the Reich Director of the Press.

c. The inspection at any time of all official party publications and their economic organization and direction, as well as the right and power of exercising influence.

The responsibility of the individual publishers for the direction of the publishing business is not affected thereby.

4. The employment of responsible directors and their deputies only takes place by the Reich Director of the press, who has to decide the person and the contract. The Reich Director of the Press decides whether the existing contract is to be continued or dissolved. The Reich Director of the Press is also empowered to appoint commissioners for directing publication, and their directives are to be followed by the publishers’ staffs and by the entire firm. The right of appointing commissioners over the publishers’ staffs is reserved for the Reich Director.

Subordination

The following are subordinate to the Reich Director of the Press:

1. The governing board of the Reich Director of the Press. The governing board sponsors and inspects the NS district publications. These are the ones recognized as party organs and as party newspapers which are exclusively party property. The directors of the NS district publications are political leaders on the staff of the district leader and are personally and officially subordinate to him. From a professional point of view the directors of the NS district publications are exclusively subordinate to the Reich Director of the Press. His approval is necessary for changes of personnel. Lower classifications in districts, etc., do not exist.

2. The central publishing house of the NSDAP with its publications: Voelkischer Beobachter, Der Angriff, Illustrierter Beobachter, Der S.A.—Mann, das Schwarze Korps, N.S.—Funk und Bewegung, Funktechnischer Vorwaerts, Der Arbeitsmann, Die H.J., Die Bewegung, Die Brennessel, N.S.—Monatshefte, Die N.S.—Gemeinde, Der Schulungsbrief, Unser Wille und Weg, Aufklaerungs und Rednerinformations—Material, Reichsplanung, Deutsche Presse, Verordnungsblatt der Reichsleitung der NSDAP, Der Parteirichter, Mitteilungsblatt der Kommission fuer Wirtschaftspolitik, Das Parteiarchiv, Der S.A.—Fuehrer (as well as the entire literature of the movement.)

The Reich director of the press is at the same time President of the Reich Press Association. In the following organizations, which are not party bureaus, the Reich Director of the Press is represented by a commissioner who has to direct the supervision of and the liaison with these organizations:

Reichassociation of German Newspaper Publishers.

Reichassociation of German Publishers of Periodicals.

Professional Association of the Radio-Press.

Professional Group of Student Publications.

Professional Group of the Youth Press.

Professional Staff of the Catholic Church Press.

Reich Association of the Evangelical Press.

Reich Association of the German Press and Information Bureau, Incorporated.

Association of German Newspaper and Periodical Wholesalers.

Reich Association for the Recruiting of Periodical Trade.

Reich Professional Staff of the German Newspaper and Periodical Trade.

Reich Association of German Railway Station Booksellers.

Reich Association of German Reading Circle Proprietors.

Reich Association of German Newspaper Stenographers.

Reich Association of the German Press.

Professional Staff of Publishing House Employees.

German Book Publishers. (Organized Brokers’ Association and League of Reich German Book Publishers).

Recruiting Office of German Economy.

The Chief of the Foreign Press

I. The Chief of the Foreign Press of the NSDAP is the highest party functionary for all matters affecting the foreign press. He is subordinate to the Fuehrer and his deputy. He is in charge of the governing body of all foreign Party Press Bureaus.

II. The offices of the chief of the foreign press are at the disposal of all party offices, organizations, and associated groups in all matters affecting the foreign press. (For example, instruction concerning German and foreign papers and periodicals abroad as well as foreign press correspondents in Germany.)

III. The Chief of the foreign press has offices in Berlin, corresponding to the office of the Fuehrer and his deputy in Berlin (with Referat: United States of North America) and Munich. The main office is in Berlin.

Foreign Political Office of the NSDAP

I. 1. The foreign political office (APA) of the NSDAP includes two different fields of operation: one domestic, the other foreign, in character.

2. In the domestic field, the APA is entrusted with the task of introducing the foreign political aims and endeavors of the National Socialist State into all offices and organizations of the party.

3. In the foreign field, the APA is entrusted with the task of enlightening those in foreign lands and especially the foreigners who visit Germany or remain there as foreign correspondents, of the nature and aims of National Socialism in order to arouse thereby the understanding of other people for the fundamental needs of the German people and to convince foreign nations that National Socialism in Germany desires peace for progress and peace with other nations without at the same time rejecting the defence of their right to existence.

II. 1. The APA is divided into three main offices:

A. Office for Foreign Referats with the Main Offices.

a. England and Far East.

b. Near East.

c. South East.

d. North.

e. Old Orient.

f. Controls, personnel questions, etc.

B. Office of the German Academic Exchange Service.

In order to effect as close cooperation as possible between the German academic exchange service and the party, the president of the German academic exchange service is chief official in the APA.

C. Office of Foreign Commerce.

2. Moreover, there is in the APA a main office for the press service and an educational office.

[Page 312]

The Commissioner of the Fuehrer for the Surveillance of the Whole Spiritual and Ideological Education of the NSDAP.

In order to effect the surveillance of the whole spiritual and ideological education of the NSDAP the Commissioner makes use of the following offices:

1. Chief of Staff.

2. Office of artistic development.

3. Philosophy and pedagogy.

4. Central office of national and ancient history.

5. Historical Referat.

6. Referat for Aryan ideology.

7. Referat for Nordic questions.

8. Central office for educational questions.

9. Referat for collection of material and curriculum (surveillance).

10. Referat Organizations.

11. Central office for the cultivation of literature.

12. Referat ideological information.

13. Organization and business administration.

14. Press Office.

15. Association for the Education of the whole movement.

For the purpose of promulgating an ideological train of thought, the Commissioner publishes the periodical “NS Monthly Magazine.”

* * * * * * *

[Page 327]

Colonialpolitical Office

For the treatment of all colonialpolitical and colonial economic questions within the national socialist movement and its press, the colonialpolitical office only issues general principles and instructions (see point 2 of the decree of the Fuehrer’s Deputy 17/34, series 71).

The colonialpolitical office is operated only as an office in the Reich Government of the NSDAP.

* * * * * * *

[Page 337]

Official Party Board of Examiners for the Protection of NS Literature

I. The official Party Board of Examiners is not a censorship office, but an office for the protection and defense against pseudo-national socialist literature and it insures that the National Socialist ideology is not misused by an unqualified man and commercially exploited in a way that deceives the public:

II. The official Party Board of Examiners gives an opinion on:

1. The NS literature in a narrower sense.

To this belongs the NS literature that has come into existence by its immediate identification with the movement. This literature, corresponding with national socialist ideology, is exclusively political.

2. Literature related to national socialism.

From the point of view of time, this covers a very broad field and includes the literature dealing with political thoughts and demands that lie within the line of national socialist development.

III. A reliable staff of lecturers is at the disposal of the official examining Party Board of Examiners in an advisory capacity. Writings which have been considered satisfactory by the examiners will be added to the NS Library [NSB]. The chairman of the PPK leaves the publishing to the decision of the report by the lecturers. It is stated in this:

1. The work is unobjectionable from the standpoint of the political will represented by the party. The work will be marked unobjectionable in this case, i.e. the following sentence may be printed in the work. No objections are raised by the NSDAP against the publication of this writing.

2. Against the contents of a work no objections are offered. However, it cannot be classified as belonging to national socialist literature in a more narrow sense.

Here however, there is the possibility that the work will be added to the NSB under the category of literature related to national socialism. Such a work embodies in its text no notice that it has been examined.

3. The work does not agree with the principles of the NSDAP; hence it is rejected. Here there are the following possibilities:

a. The work may be put on sale but not brought into relationship with national socialism.

b. The writing may no longer be distributed. More detailed instructions are given by the president of the Reich Chamber of Literature.

4. Construction & Organization of PPK see Plan of Organization.

PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2320-B-PS

ORGANIZATION BOOK OF THE NSDAP (1940)

“The young driver who has received his training in the six-week courses of the NSKK will be well prepared in body and spirit when the time comes for his military service, and will wear with pride the dress of the Armed Forces of the Nation.” [Page 394].

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2322-PS

HITLER’S SPEECH BEFORE THE REICHSTAG

1 SEPTEMBER 1939

Members of the German Reichstag:

For months we have been tormented by a problem once imposed upon us by the Dictate of Versailles and which, in its deterioration and corruption, had now become utterly intolerable. Danzig is a German City. The Corridor was and is German. All these territories owe their cultural development exclusively to the German people, without whom absolute barbarism would reign in these Eastern territories. Danzig was separated from us. The Corridor was annexed by Poland. The German minorities living there were mistreated in the most appalling manner. Already during the years 1919/20 more than one million people of German blood were driven from their homes. As usual, I have tried to change this intolerable state of affairs through proposals for a peaceful revision. It is a lie if it is claimed throughout the world that we insure all our revisions only by applying pressure. There was ample opportunity for fifteen years before National Socialism assumed power to carry through revisions by means of a peaceful understanding. This was not done. In every single case did I then take the initiative, not once but many times, to bring forward proposals for the revision of absolutely intolerable conditions.

As you know, all these proposals were rejected. I need not enumerate them in detail: proposals for a limitation of armaments, if necessary even for the abolition of armaments, proposals for restrictions on methods of warfare, proposals for eliminating methods of modern warfare which, in my opinion, are scarcely compatible with international law. You know my proposals for the necessity of the restoration of German sovereign rights over the territories of the German Reich, the countless attempts for a peaceful solution of the Austrian problem which I have made, and later, on the problem of the Sudetenland, Bohemia, and Moravia. It was all in vain. One thing, however, is impossible: to demand that a peaceful revision should be made of an intolerable state of affairs, and then obstinately refuse such a peaceful revision. It is equally impossible to assert that in such a situation to act on one’s own initiative in making a revision is to violate a law. For us Germans the Dictate of Versailles is not a law. It does not work to force somebody at the point of a pistol and by threatening to starve millions of people into signing a document and afterwards proclaim that this document with its forced signature was a solemn law.

In the case of Danzig and the Corridor I have again tried to solve the problems by proposing peaceful discussions. It was obvious that they had to be solved! That the deadline for this solution may perhaps be of little interest to the Western Powers is conceivable. But for us this deadline is not a matter of indifference! First and foremost, it was not and could not be a matter of indifference to the suffering victims. In Conferences with Polish diplomats I have discussed the ideas which you have heard me express here in my last speech before the Reichstag. No one can say that this was an improper procedure or even unreasonable pressure.

I then had the German proposals clearly stated and I feel bound to repeat once more that nothing could be fairer or more modest than those proposals submitted by me. And now I want to tell the world that only I could afford to make such proposals. Because I know very well that at that time I placed myself in a position contrary to the conception of millions of Germans by acting the way I did.

Those proposals were rejected. But not only that! They were answered by mobilization, by increased terrorism, by intensified pressure on the people of German blood living in these territories, and by a gradual economic, political and, during the past few weeks, even military strangulation and blockade of the Free City of Danzig. Furthermore, Poland virtually began the war against the Free City of Danzig. Furthermore, she was not prepared to settle the problems of the Corridor in a fair manner satisfying the interests of both parties. And lastly, she did not even dream of fulfilling her obligations with regard to the minorities. I have to state here that Germany has fulfilled her obligations in this respect!

Minorities living in Germany are not subject to persecution. Let any Frenchman get up and declare that French citizens living in the Saar territory are being oppressed, ill-treated, or deprived of their rights. No one can make such an assertion.

For four months I have watched these developments without taking action but not without issuing repeated warnings. Recently I have made these warnings more and more emphatic. Over three weeks ago, the Polish ambassador was, at my request informed that if Poland persisted in sending further notes in the nature of an ultimatum to Danzig and in further oppressing the people of German blood, or if she should attempt to ruin Danzig economically through customs measures, Germany could no longer look on without taking action. I have left no room for doubt that in this respect the Germany of today is not to be confused with the Germany that existed before.

Attempts have been made to justify the action against the German minorities by declaring that they had provoked them. I am wondering in what the “provocation” through the women and children who are being mistreated and deported, consisted, or the “provocations” of those who were tortured in the most beastly and most sadistic manner and finally killed! One thing, however, I do know: there is not one single great power with any honor who would tolerate such conditions for any length of time.

In spite of it all I have made one last attempt. Although I am deeply convinced that the Polish Government—perhaps also because of its being dependent on an unrestraint, wild military rabble—is not seriously interested in a real understanding, I have nevertheless accepted a proposal by the British Government for mediation. The latter proposed that it would not carry on any negotiations but assured me that it would establish a direct contact between Poland and Germany in order to get the discussion going once more.

I must here state the following: I accepted that proposal. For these discussions I had drawn up the fundamentals which are known to you. And then I and my Government were sitting for two whole days waiting for the Polish Government to make up its mind whether to finally dispatch a plenipotentiary or not! Until last night it had not sent any plenipotentiary but informed us through its ambassador that at present it was considering the question whether and to what extent it might be able to accept the British proposals; it would inform England of its decision.