Deposition concerning the killing of Latvian Jews at a naval port, the navy's knowledge of the executions, and efforts to suppress the information

Deposition of WALTER KURT DIETMANN
Deposition on oath of WALTER KURT DIETMANN, male, of Nauen, Berlin, Graf Arco-Str 19, sworn before me, Frederick Michael Warner, Captain, Gen. List, of War Crimes Investigation Unit, at Kiel, on 3rd May 1946.
I was Naval-Administration-Inspector (Mar.-Verw.Inspector) and 0 i/c of the Naval Quartermaster Stores in Libau in Latvia.
I held this position from beginning of August 1941 to the end of March 1942.
The Jewish population of Libau at that time was supposed to be about 7,000 people.
Up to the end of March 1942 many thousands of those had already been "evacuated" by the Gestapo and the Latvian Police.
Evacuated was the local expression for the annihilation of these people.
All Jews were registered. When a new lot was evacuated it happened in the following way:
The Latvian Police fetched the Jews out of their houses, put them on lorries and drove them to the Naval Port about 6-7klm. outside the town. Later on these people had to march and were not taken anymore in lorries to that place.
In the Naval Port these people were then shot with machine-guns. This was done by the Gestapo and the Latvian Police. The people of course got their orders from the German Gestapo.
I personally didn't witness these incidents but comrades told me all about them.
Some of the Jews before they were shot worked for the Navy.
About 80,100 people worked in the Quartermaster Stores every day.
About 100,150 people worked in the Town Major's Office every day.
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About 50 people worked at the Local Naval Building Office every day.
Through these contacts and through personal visits of Jews in their houses I heard a lot regarding these terrible happenings in Libau during these months.
I personally went to my superior, Festungs-Intendant Dr. Lan-eelle, and before that I also went to another superior, the 0 i/c of the Hospital Administration (Lazarett-Verwaltungs-Vorsteher) Nuetler, both were Naval Administration officials. I pointed out to them these already mentioned awful happenings.
The answer I got was that they couldn't do anything and that things like that were best overlooked.
The Assistant Naval Administration Officer (Marine-Verwal-tungs-Assistant) Kurt Traunecker accompanied a transport of clothing from Kiel to Libau. He stayed a few weeks in Libau and he definitely disapproved of the conditions there regarding the annihilation of the Jews.
He then went back to Kiel to the Local Quartermaster Stores.
There again he showed his disapproval of what he had seen and thereupon was ordered to appear at the Naval Administration
H.Q. (Marine-Intendantur). Whom he saw there, I don't know, but it was made clear to him that these occurrences were not true and therefore he should not talk about them anymore, otherwise he would get into serious trouble.
My personal opinion is that the higher formations of the Navy in Kiel and in other places in Germany must have had knowledge of these terrible conditions.
In my opinion directly responsible for the incidents in Libau were—
The Oi/c of the Police, Obersturmbannfuehrer of the SS Dr. Dietrich.
Police-Lieutenant and Adjutant Graf. '
Police-Lieutenant Seiffert.
Untersturmfuehrer of the SS and leader of the Department Kuegler.
Gestapo-Official and SS Oberscharfuehrer Handke.
Witnesses for these occurrences are the following:
Naval-Administration-Inspeetor (Mar.Verw.Insp) Paul Roep-storf.
Naval-Administration-Assistant (Mar.Verw.Asst) Josef Glaser.
Naval-Administration-Assistant (Mar.Verw.Asst) Max Gohr.
Naval-Administration-Secretary (Mar.Verw.Sekr) Kurt Traunecker.
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I can give you further details, addresses, etc., concerning the witnesses, further witnesses and the accused, after I had access to my luggage, which at the moment is in Nuemauenster.
[signed] Kurt Dietmann.
Sworn by the said Deponent WALTER KURT DIETMANN, voluntarily at Kiel, on 3rd May 1946, before me Frederick Michael Warner, Captain, detailed by C.inC. British Army of the Rhine.
[signed] F. M. Warner, Capt.
Investigating Officer.