TOP SECRET
THE CHIEF OF THE HIGHER COMMAND OF THE WEHRMACHT
WFA/Dept. L No. 22126/40 g.k. (IV)
Berlin W 35, Tirpitzufer 72-76.
3d April 1940
2 copies 2d copy
To the Reich Minister for Foreign Affairs Dear Herr von Ribbentrop,
The military occupation of Denmark and Norway has been, by command of the Fuehrer, long in preparation by the High Command of the Wehrmacht. The High Command of the Wehr-maeht has therefore had ample time to occupy itself with all the questions connected with the carrying out of this operation. The time at your disposal for the political preparation of this operation is on the contrary very much shorter. I believe myself therefore to be acting in accordance with your own ideas in transmitting to you herewith, not only these wishes of the Wehrmacht which would have to be fulfilled by the Governments in Oslo, Copenhagen, and Stockholm for purely military reasons, but also if I include a series of requests, which certainly concern the Wehrmacht only indirectly, but which are however of the greatest importance for the fulfillment of its task.
I would request, in order to bring about complete agreement of action, that personal contact between the German Plenipotentiaries and the military Commanders appointed for Oslo and Copenhagen should be established as soon as possible. The entire direction of the military operation is in the hands of Inf. General v. Falkenhorst, Commander of group XXI. Under him, the occupation of Denmark will be directed by the High Command for special operations XXXI, C. in C. Air Force Kaupisch.
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D-629
In accordance with the Fuehrer's specific instructions, may I furthermore request, that the number of persons participating in the preparations be restricted to the utmost. Apart from the Foreign Office and the High Command of the Wehrmacht,- other higher Reich authorities and similar offices are not in principle participating. The necessary instructions to the Higher Reich Authorities will only be given on the day of occupation itself by the High Command of the Wehrmacht.
Heil Hitler,
Yours faithfully,
K. 3/4
Letter to Ribbentrop, requesting high-level cooperation between the OKW and the Foreign Office in the occupation of Denmark and Norway
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: 03 April 1940
Defendants: Wilhelm Keitel, Joachim Ribbentrop, von
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: D-629
Citations: IMT (page 2354), IMT (page 2356)
HLSL Item No.: 451944
Trial Issue
Document Summary
D-629: Letter from Keitel Ribbentrop, 3 April 1940.