Berlin, 20.12.39.
Supreme Command of Armed Forces.
WFA No. 22249/39 d.K. Chefs.Abt.L.I.
Ob.d.M.,C/Skl. and 1/Skl.
Re: Conduct of U-boat warfare on Merchant shipping against England.
11 Copies 1st. Copy.
S.O. Only. Access only through officer.
Ob.d.M.
I. op.i/40. Completed 1.1.40. Enclosures Nil.
On 30.12.39 according to a report of Ob.d.m., the Fuehrer and
818
818
C— 12
C-12
Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces decided that:—
(1) Greek merchant ships in the area around England declared by U.S.A. to be a barred zone are to be treated as enemy vessels.
(2) In the Bristol Channel, all shipping may be attacked without warning—where the impression of a mining incident can be created.
[Pencil note] Too narrowly defined.
Both measures are authorized to come into effect immediately.
C.-in-C. High Command.
' By Order.
[signed] JODL.
[Pencil Note] Add to (1) Attack must be carried out without being seen, the denial of the sinking of these steam-ships in case the expected protests are made must be possible. (OKW 2201/40 0 Vol of 7(7) I, 40). Para. 10(7), Ski I. Op 64/40.
Distribution:
OKM—1A OKW—
WFA—2A HWK—3A Abroad—4A L—5-9A
Inform OKH—10A.
Rdl and Ob.d.L.—11A .
Orders (from Hitler) authorizing the treatment of Greek merchant ships near England as enemy vessels, and the attacking without warning of all ships in the Bristol Channel, with a marginal note that attacks should be made without witnesses for the sake of deniability
Authors
Alfred Jodl (chief of wehrmacht operations staff)
Alfred Jodl
German general and convicted war criminal (1890-1946)
- Born: 1890-05-10 (Würzburg)
- Died: 1946-10-16 (Nuremberg)
- Country of citizenship: German Reich; Kingdom of Bavaria; Weimar Republic
- Occupation: military personnel; politician
- Member of political party: Nazi Party
- Participant in: International Military Tribunal (role: defendant)
- Military rank: Generaloberst
- Military branch: artillery
Oberkommando of the Wehrmacht (OKW) (high command and/or general staff)
Date: 30 December 1939
Literal Title: Re: Conduct of U-boat warfare on Merchant shipping against England.
Defendants: Alfred Jodl, Erich Raeder
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: C-12
Citations: IMT (page 2737), IMT (page 9835)
HLSL Item No.: 452937
Notes:the date 20.12.39 in the top-right corner is an error for 30 December 1939. For a record of the meeting at which Hitler authorized these actions, see document C 27.
Trial Issue
Document Summary
C-12: Order OKW, signed for C in C by Jodl re conflict of U-boat warfare on Merchant shipping against England