Circular instructions to military commands enforcing Hitler's decree on the punishment of anti-German acts in the occupied territories, including the suspension of legal proceedings and the transfer of the suspects to the security police

Fuehrer's Headquarters 18.8.1944 Supreme Command of the Armed Forces . Fst/Qu 2/Verw l.No.009169/M g. Kdos.
WE (1/3) No. 79/44 g. Kdos.
(Operational Staff of the Wehrmacht/Qu. 2/Admin 1. No.
009169/U
WR (1/3) No. 79/44 top secret
TOP SECRET
30 copies ' 24th copy
Subject: 1. Combatting of terrorists and saboteurs in the occupied areas.
2. Jurisdiction over non-German civilians in the occupied territories.
2 enclosures.
1. Enclosed are copies of the Fuehrer's decree of 30.7.1944 and of the 1st Executive Decree of 18.8.1944.
2. The Fuehrer's decree and the Executive Decree do not apply to Finland, Rumania, Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia and Bulgaria, nor to the subjects of these countries.
3. The Fuehrer's decree is to be made known at once orally to all personnel of the Armed Forces, SS and police and must form the subject of regular emphatic instruction. It must only be distributed in writing down to divisions and similarly ranking units.
4. Current legal proceedings for all acts of terrorism and sabotage and all other crimes by non-German civilians in the occupied territories which imperil the security or war-preparedness of the occupying power, are to be suspended. Accusations must be taken back. The execution of sentences is no longer to be ordered. The culprits are to be handed over with a report of the proceedings to the nearest local authority of the Security Police and SD. In the case of death sentences which already have legal force, the present instructions are to remain valid.
5. Crimes which affect German interests but do not imperil the security or war-preparedness of the occupying power, do not justify the retention of the jurisdiction over non-German civilians in the occupied territories. I authorize the commanders of the occupied territories to draw up new regulations in agreement with the Higher SS and police chiefs. The following measures, inter alia, are to be considered:—
a. Handing over to the SD for forced, labour.
6. Settlement by police administrative criminal proceedings.
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c. Handing over to any existing local German civil courts.
d. Handing over to courts of their own country.
I reserve the decision with regard to Denmark.
The Chief of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces
Signed Keitel
certified copy Senior Military Judge
Distribution:
1st copy Commander in Chief West.
2nd " Military Commander France.
3rd " Commander of the Armed Forces in Belgium/North-ern France.
4th " 5th " 6th " Commander of the Armed Forces in the Netherlands. Commander in Chief Southwest. Plenipotentiary General of the German Armed Forces in Italy.
7th " 8th " 9th " 10th " 11th " Commander in Chief Southeast. Military Commander Southeast. Commander of the Armed Forces in Denmark. Commander of the Armed Forces in Norway. Gestapo Office—for the attention of SS Oberfuehrer
Panzinger.
For information :
12th copy Army High Command/Chief of the Military Ju-
13th " 14th " 15th " 16th " diciary. Army High Command/Legal Dept. OKL/Luftwaffe Legal Dept. OKM/Naval Legal Dept. The SS Judge attached to the Reichsfuehrer SS—for the attention of SS Standartenfuehrer Bunder.
17th " 18th " 19th " Reichsfuehrer SS—Chief SS Court. President of the Reich Military Tribunal. Foreign Office—for the attention of Ambassador Dr. Albrecht.
20th " Reichminister of Justice—for the attention of Ministerialrat von Ammon.
21st " Party Chancellery—for the attention of Reichsamtsleiterkapp.
22nd " Reich Chancellery—for the attention of Oberlandesgerichtsrat Sommer.
23rd " 24th " Foreign Countries Department. . Operational Staff of the Armed Forces/Qu. 2.
25th — WR (Draft and spares) 30th copy
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