, [Stamp]
To be treated as CONFIDENTIAL only.
TELEGRAM
(SECRET Coded Matter) (geh. Ch. V.)
Copenhagen, 25 April 1944 1000
Arrival, 25 " " 1645
No. 509 of 24.4
Since, after the first half of April had passed quietly, about 20 April some acts of sabotage and surprise attacks occurred again, especially in Copenhagen, I have decreed the following countermeasures :
816
1. Execution of a student convicted of an attack against a
member of the Wehrmacht. '
2. Act of counter-terrorism for every act of sabotage and
attack. .
3. Closing of moving picture theaters in the greater Copenhagen area until further notice.
4. , Preliminary blockade of all communications, in person and
by news, with Sweden (in order to achieve a shock effect and hamper enemy propaganda). ' .
5. Preliminary putting into force of the authority of SS and Police Court XXX in Copenhagen for sabotage and similar, crimes (here I refer to my simultaneous report made by cipher machine).
. BEST.
State Secretary Keppler Under State Sec. Police/ Ambassador Ritter Ambassador Gaus Director Pers. Office " Harbor Police
" Legal "
" Cultural Police
" Press "
" Radio "
Chief Protectorate Dike Police/
Group Director Ini. I Group Director Ini. II Labor Expl. with Pol. VI Ambassador von Rintelen Minister Benzler " . Frohwein/
" v. Grundherr/
Vice Legation Councillor Melchers Dr. Megerle
Legation Councillor Grote
[Note: Names in above distribution list which have been checked in pencil are indicated thus: /]
[Penciled notes] St. S. i Daen 2458
BEST.
Telegram issuing orders for countermeasures against sabotage and attacks in Denmark, including the execution of a prisoner, closing of theaters, blocking of communications with Sweden, and the use of an SS-Police court in Copenhagen
Authors
Werner Best (Dr., Ministry of the Interior (security police); RSHA; official in occupied France and Denmark)
Werner Best
German general (1903-1989)
- Born: 1903-07-10 (Darmstadt)
- Died: 1989-06-23 (Mülheim an der Ruhr)
- Country of citizenship: German Empire; Nazi Germany; Weimar Republic; West Germany
- Occupation: Q12766297; diplomat; judge; jurist
- Member of political party: Free Democratic Party; Nazi Party
- Member of: Deutschvölkischer Schutz und Trutzbund; Schutzstaffel
- Participant in: Judges' Trial (date: 1947-02-10; role: affiant); Nuremberg Medical Trial (date: 1947-01-25; role: affiant)
- Significant person: Günther Joël; Viktor Brack (role: colleague)
Date: 25 April 1944
Literal Title: Telegram
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-4057
HLSL Item No.: 451522
Trial Issues
Criminal organizations (Gestapo, Leadership Corps, Cabinet, SS, SD, OKW) (… Partisan fighters (and commandos), operations against, and treatment of (I… Civilians, mistreatment of, including murder, imprisonment, deportation, f…
Document Summary
PS-4057: Photostat Copy of telegram from Best re sabotage in Denmark
PS-4057: Telegram from best to the foreign office, 25 April 1944, concerning measures ordered by him in retaliation for acts of sabotage and attacks on Germans in Denmark
PS-4057: Secret telegram, dated 23 April 1944, classified as a from "Scaled Matter" (typewritten signature) to the Foreign Office, Erdmannsdorff and Hitler on distribution list, a handwritten notation on text: "St. S. 1" (indicating that this the copy of steengracht who prepared the distribution list).