[several illegible notations]
Re: Taking of hostages OKH received: 1 Oct. 1S41
5 copies —copy OKH/Gen. Qn. (W. Bfh. Suedost) Military Commander, South-East
Attacks on members of the Armed Forces lately committed in the occupied territories gave reason to point out that it is advisable that military commanders always have at their disposal a number of hostages of different political tendencies, namely:
1. nationalist
2. democratic-bourgeois, and
3. communist
It is important that among them shall be well-known leading personalities or members of their families, whose names are to be made public.
Depending on the membership of the culprit, hostages of the corresponding group are to be shot in case of attacks.
127
I590-PS
It is asked that commanders be accordingly instructed, [partly illegible notation]
. Chief of the Armed Forces High Command
(signed) Keitel.
Complied with in France and Belgium.
Instructions to military commanders to maintain a group of hostages, who are to be shot in reprisal in the event of partisan attacks
Authors
Wilhelm Keitel (Field Marshal, Chief of the High Command of the Armed Forces)
Wilhelm Keitel
German field marshal
- Born: 1882-09-22 (Helmscherode) (country: German Empire; located in the administrative territorial entity: Duchy of Brunswick)
- Died: 1946-10-16 (Nuremberg) (country: Allied-occupied Germany)
- Country of citizenship: Germany
- Occupation: military officer; military personnel; politician
- Member of political party: Nazi Party
- Military rank: general field marshal
- Military branch: artillery
- VIAF ID: https://viaf.org/viaf/74027425
Date: 1941
Literal Title: Re: Taking of hostages.
Defendant: Wilhelm Keitel
Total Pages: 1
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-1590
HLSL Item No.: 452010
Notes:The message is not dated, but is marked as being received on 1 October 1941. A copy of PS 1590 was entered as French exhibit 1433. This copy was not entered in the British case against Keitel and Jodl.
Document Summary
PS-1590: Photostat copy of order, signed Keitel, for the shooting of hostages
PS-1590: Undated order from Keitel to the Commander of the army southeast: on account of attacks on German soldiers in the occupied territories, representatives of certain political opinions are to be taken as hostages; in case of further attacks some of these hostages are to be shot