Letter to Rosenberg and reports on anti-Jewish and anti-partisan actions that may produce hostile propaganda and inhibit pacification, including the removal of gold from Jews' teeth, the burning of suspects in locked barns, and the killing of unarmed civilians

Copy
The Reich Commissar for the Eastland [Der Reichs Kommissar fuer das Ostland]
Diary No. 3628/43 secret '
stamp : Personal Staff-Reichsfuehrer SS Documents-Administration File No. Secret/227
' Riga, 18 June 1943
SECRET
To the Reich Minister for the Occupied Eastern Territory Berlin '
The attached secret reports received from General Commissar Kube deserve special consideration.
The fact that Jews receive special treatment requires no further discussion. However it appears hardly believable that this is done in the way described in the report of the General Commissar of 1 June 1943! What is Katyn against that? Imagine only that these occurrences would become known to the other side and exploited by them. Most likely such propaganda would have no effect only because people who hear and read about it, simply would not be ready to believe it.
The fight against bands also is taking on forms which are highly questionable if pacification and exploitation of the several territories are the aims of our policy. Thus, the dead who were suspected of belonging to basids and whose number was indicated in the report of 5 June 1943 about the "Cottbus" project to have amounted to 5,000, in my opinion, with few exceptions would have been suitable for forced labor in the Reich.
It should not be ignored in this connection that in view of the difficulties of making oneself understood as generally in such clean-up operations, it is very hard to distinguish friend from foe. Nevertheless, it should be possible to avoid atrocities and to bury those who have been liquidated. To lock men, women and children into barns and to set fire to these, does not appear to be a suitable method of combatting bands, even if it is desired to exterminate the population. This method is not worthy of the German cause, and hurts our reputation severely.
I am asking that you take the necessary action.
' (signed:) [signature illegible]
693261—47—14
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[stamp]
Personal Staff Reichsfuehrer SS Document Administration File No. Secret/227 The General Commissar for White Ruthenia Gauleiter /BA Diary No. 428/43 Secret
Minsk 5 June 1943
Secret
To the Reich Minister for the Occupied Eastern Territories Berlin
Through the Reich Commissioner for the Eastland Riga
Subject: Results of police operation "Cottbus" as reported so far for the period of 22 June to 3 July 1943.
SS Brigadefuehrer, Major General of Police von Gottberg reports that the operation "Cottbus" had the following result during the period mentioned:
Enemy dead ................................... 4,500
Dead suspected of belonging to bands.......... 5,000
German dead ................................... 59
German wounded.................................. 267
Dead of foreign racial stock................... 22
Wounded of foreign racial stock............... 120
Captured members of bands....................... 250
Destroyed enemy camps............................ 57
Destroyed enemy positions..................... 261
Apprehended male labor.....!.................. 2,062
Apprehended female labor........................ 450
Sunk larger boats................................. 4
Sunk floats ..................................... 22
Booty consisted of : 1 airplane, 12 tow-gilders, 10 15 cm guns, 2 anti-tank guns, 9 grenade throwers, 23 heavy machine guns, 28 light machine guns, 28 machine pistols, 492 rifles; 1 028 grenades and bombs, 1 000 mines, 31 300 rounds rifle ammunition, 7 300 rounds pistol ammunition, 1 200 kg explosives, 2 complete radio installations with transmitter, 1 picture establishment, 30 parachutes, 67 wagons, 530 horses, 1 field kitchen, 430 sleighs, great amounts of medical drugs and propaganda material.
The operation affects the territory of the General District White Ruthenia in the area of Borissow. It concerns in particular the two counties Begomie and Pleschtschamizy. At present the police troops together with the army have advanced to Lake Palik and have reached the whole front of the Beresiria.
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The continuance of the battles takes place in the rear zone of the Army.
The figures mentioned above indicate that again a heavy destruction of the population must be expected. If only 492 rifles are taken from 4 500 enemy dead, this discrepancy shows that among these enemy dead were numerous peasants from the country. The battalion Dirlewanger especially has a reputation for destroying many human lives. Among the 5 000 people suspected of belonging to bands, there were numerous women and children.
By order of the Chief of Band-Combatting, SS Obergruppen-fuehrer von dem Bach, units of the armed forces have also participated in the operation. SS Standartenfuehrèr Kunze was in command of the armed forces detachments, among whom there were also 90 members from my office and from the District-Commissariat Minsk-City. Our men returned from the operation yesterday without losses. I decline the use of officials and Reich employees of the General Commissariat in the rear zone of the army. The men who work for me were not deferred from army service in order to actively participate in combat against bands in the place of the armed forces and of the police.
Of the armed forces personnel, I railroader has been wounded (shot in lungs). The political effect of this large-scale operation upon the peaceful population is simply dreadful in view of the many shootings of women and children. In December, the town of Bagomie was evacuated by the armed forces and the police. At that time, the population of Begomie was preponderantly on our side. In the course of the fighting, Begomie, which was built up as a strong point by the partisans, has been destroyed by German air attacks.
The General Commissar in Minsk
(signed:) [signature illegible]
[stamp]
Personal Staff Reichsfuehrer SS Document Administration File No. Secret/227
The General Commissar for White Ruthenia Gauleiter/Wui
Iiiary No. 414/43 secret. Minsk, 1 June 1943
. Secret
To the Reich Minister for the Occupied Eastern Territories Berlin Through the Reich Commissioner for the Eastland Riga
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Subject: Actions against Jews in the Prison of Minsk.
The enclosed official report from the warden of the prison in Minsk is submitted to the Reich Minister and the Reich Commissar for information.
' The General Commissar in Minsk
. (signed:) [signature illegible] ^
Enclosure
ad. 1/1168/43 secret.
Court Prison
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Personal Staff Reichsfuehrer SS Document Administration File No. Secret/227
Minsk 31 May 1943
To the General Commissar for White Ruthenia Minsk
Subject: Actions against Jews.
Reference: Oral report on 31 May 1943.
On 13 April 1943 the former German dentist Ernst Israel Tichauer and his wife, Elisa Sara Tichauer, nee Rosenthal, were committed to the court prison by the Security Service (SD) (Hauptscharfuehrer Ruebe). Since that time all German and Russian Jews who were turned over to us, had their golden bridgework, crowns and fillings pulled or broken out. This happens always 1 to 2 hours before the respective action.
Since 13 April 1943, 516 German and Russian Jews have been finished off. On the basis of a definite investigation, gold was taken only in two actions, on 14 April 1943 from 172, and on 27 April 1943 from 164 Jews. About 50% of the Jews had gold teeth, bridgework or fillings. Hauptscharfuehrer Ruebe of the Security Service (SD) was always personally present and he took the gold along too. ,
Before 13 April 1943 this was not done.
(signed)
Guenther Prison Warden
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