Group Inland II Personal!
Highly confidential!
Reference: French General
(Through Obersturmbannfuehrer Oberregierungsrat Dr. Schulze 855456.)
SS-Oberfuehrer Panzinger stated for our information that the preparations in respect of the French Generals had reached the stage where a report concerning the proposed procedure would be submitted to the Reich Fuehrer-SS during the next few days.
The French General will be transferred together with four other younger Generals, from the Fortress Koenigstein to a new PW camp. The transfer will be carried out in three automobiles
4052-PS
whereby two of the younger ranking Generals will enter the first two cars, while the older ranking General in question will drive alone in the last car in order to give him the special attention due to his rank. The cars will be driven by SS-personnel in Wehrmacht uniform. The automobiles will bear Wehrmacht license plates.
The order will be carried out during the drive, in other words either
1. by shooting during escape—On the way, the automobile will stop at a suitable spot while the other two cars will continue the journey. The General will be killed "by well aimed bullets from behind." Examination of the body, even a possible later autopsy, will confirm the fact that the General was fatally hit while attempting to escape.
2. through poisoning by carbon monoxide gas. A specially built car is required for this purpose which has already been constructed. The General will sit alone in the back seat. The doors will be locked in order to prevent him from jumping out during the drive. The windows, on account of the cold winter weather, will be closed. The window between the back and the front seat, where the driver and the attendant will sit, will be closed. Possible air holes will be specially sealed. Odorless carbon-monoxide gas will be introduced during the drive, into the closed room through a special apparatus which will be handled from the front seat. A couple of breaths will suffice to ensure that he is killed. As the gas is odorless, the General should not become suspicious at the particular moment and break the window in order to let in fresh air. Cause of death is recognizable beyond question by the color of the skin as a typical characteristic. It will be established that through leakages from the exhaust pipe, gases from the engine entered the back compartment which lead unnoticed to his death.
A carbon copy of the report shall be placed at the disposal of the Reich Fuehrer-SS after transmissal to the Foreign Office.
(1) Herewith
through Ambassador Ritter Mr. State Secretary
for presentation to the Reich Foreign Minister
Berlin, 13 December 1944
/s/ Wagner /&/ v. Thadden
(2) to be presented again.
811
Memorandum on the plan to execute a French general/POW (Deboisse) by shooting or poison gas
Date: 13 December 1944
Literal Title: Reference: French General
Defendant: Joachim Ribbentrop, von
Total Pages: 2
Language of Text: English
Source of Text: Nazi conspiracy and aggression (Office of United States Chief of Counsel for Prosecution of Axis Criminality. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Government Printing Office, 1946.)
Evidence Code: PS-4052
HLSL Item No.: 451653
Notes:PS 4048-4052 form a set; they were also combined as PS 4059. The plan was to be presented to the Foreign Minister and Himmler.
Trial Issues
Criminal organizations (Gestapo, Leadership Corps, Cabinet, SS, SD, OKW) (… Prisoners of war, abuse, forced labor, or killing of (IMT, NMT 2, 5, 12)
Document Summary
PS-4052: Plan of execution of French General