The propaganda staff or its branch office will have the leaflets dropped over the territory where the attack has taken place and from where the hostages originate, as well as over the adjoining bandit territories.
PRESIDING JUDGE CARTER: We will recess until one-thirty.
MR. RAPP: Very well, Your Honor.
(A recess was taken until 113- hours.)
AFTERNOON SESSION (The hearing reconvened at 1330 hours, 29 July 1947.)
THE MARSHAL: The Tribunal is again in session.
MR. RAPP: Your Honors will recall that prior to the noon recess we were concerning ourselves with NOKW--
PRESIDING JUDGE CARTER: Just a moment, please. We will have to wait a few minutes. There are some repairs in the other room.
MR. RAPP: Very well, Your Honor.
PRESIDING JUDGE CARTER: We were wondering about Document Book 13; 12 seems to be the last we have. Has 13 been served?
MR. RAPP: 13 has been served at about 1800 hours last night and it has been served as far as I know. If Your Honor desires, we can get you right now a copy of Document Book 13, if you haven't received it in your chambers as yet.
PRESIDING JUDGE CARTER: If they haven't been served, we are not particular as we want to keep things moving along.
MR. RAPP: I will have some brought up right now.
PRESIDING JUDGE CARTER: You may proceed.
MR. RAPP: Your Honors will recall that prior to the noon recess we concerned ourselves with NOKW-1439, which became Prosecution Exhibit 295. We talked about this document on page 61 of the English Document Book and pages 52 and 53 respectively of the German document book. We now commence with paragraph 6 of this particular document:
"The leaflets concerning the seizure of hostages are to include: first and last name, age, and domicile of the hostages. Furthermore they are to include the threat that the hostages will be shot to death in the event of another attack.
"7. The reprisal measures ordered herewith are to be regulated by the competent division commanders. Excesses by subordinate authorities or by individual soldiers must be avoided.
"8. The division commanders decide whether the reprisal measure will be carried out at the locality of the incident or in the hostage camp.
"9. By order of the Ministry of the Interior the execution of the shooting to death is to be left as far as possible to the Croatian police, in the presence of Executive Organs of the Secret Field Police, the Field Gendarmerie, or of the SD.
"10. In the future every plot, attack, or act of sabotage must be met with a suitable reprisal.
"(signed) Lueters" Your Honors, turning to the next page we find an entry under the 25th of July 1943 which was received on the 28th of July 1943.
Commander of German Troops in Croatia. It states:
"During the month covered by this report cooperation with German military and police authorities was good. Cooperation with the SD was further extended and incidents concerning the SD were transferred to it."
At the end of the page:
"It also seems that the Croatian police do not apply severe enough measures. It is remarkable that the Croatian courts do not pronounce severe sentences."
Page 64, under the heading of Combatting of Bands:
"In the course of an operation carried out in the area southwest of Okucani, 50 kilometers north of Fanja Luka, on 9 June 1943 the following Croatian nationals who were suspected of belonging to bands were arrested by the Branch Office Banja Luka and sent to the jail 'Black House'."
At the bottom of the page:
"All 8 persons were charged with band membership; in addition they were charged with having acted as messengers for the bands and having driven cattle to them and having procured young men and women for them."
On page 65, paragraph 2, the middle of the page:
"When S. was supposed to join the bands on 9 July 1943, Bahtic and another band courier named Milan Prerad, born on 15 February 1911 in Pocitilj, resident in Brod, were arrested. The investigation which was continued immediately resulted in the arrest of additional persons who were accused of having recruited members for the bands.
Three of the persons arrested have been convicted and have confessed. The affair is not concluded as yet since investigations indicate the guilt of other persons whose arrest is impending. A subsequent report will follow after conclusion of the affair.
"3) The Branch Office in Semlin became familiar with the personal data of 42 band members in Boljevci, 20 kilometers southeast of Semlin, from interrogation of band members. This office found out that the Bolshevist band intended to set fire to the Ferek estate situated near Boljevci on 4 July 1943. That is why an operation with the purpose of arresting the band members was carried out in cooperation with the Commanding Officer of the Luftwaffe station of Semlin. Two combat planes participated in the operation. Bandits had set fire to the estate. Thirty-four of the 42 band members known by name were arrested. An unknown inhabitant of the village was shot to death while trying to escape.
"In the course of the interrogations which have taken place up until now, 10 accused persons have been convicted and have confessed to having supported the bands with money and foodstuffs and to have taken an active part as bandits. In addition, names of other bandits have become known to us. Investigations continue. A subsequent report will follow after conclusion of the affair.
"4) The Secret Field Police detachment with the 369th Infantry Division received from Branch Ic of the Division the Croation national Dusan Grbic, born 17 June 1914 in Brck, Miladin Vrznjan, born 1926 in Buija, and Savo Pecanac, born 1925. Petrovac on 5 July 1943 for interrogation because of suspected band membership. The interrogation resulted in valuable material for giving information about the bands.
"After the interrogations were concluded, the three bandits were transferred, together with the files of the affair, to the Ic of the 369th Infantry Division with a request for his decision. Ic ordered the shooting to death of the three bandits, which was carried out by a detachment made available by the unit." (There is also a question mark on the margin of this paper.)
"5) The German 187 brought 122 inhabitants, all Croatian nationals, of the village of Lucinci, about 20 kilometers northeast Brod, on 11 July 1943 into the transit camp of the Field Gendarmerie in Brod after a combat action with the bands. The office in Brod screened these persons on the basis of the available material. After conclusion of the screenings, 9 persons were arrested on suspicion of band membership and 20 additional persons on suspicion of aiding and abetting bands. Ninetythree persons who could not be proved of having committed any punishable deed were released after a conference with the Ic of the Commander of German Troops in Croatia. Investigations are continued against the 29 accused persons.
"6) The Secret Field Police detachment with the 373 Infantry Division in Prijedor cracked down an organization in Brezincani, 6 kilometers northwest of Brijedor, which was accused of supporting the band members hiding in the nearby woods. In cooperation with the division, an operation was carried out on 21 July 1943 to surround the village and to arrest the accused. During the course of it, a total, of 10 residents of Brezicani were arrested who were already know to the detachment as persons aiding and abetting bands. Additional arrests are impending on the basis of investigations previously carried out. A detailed report will follow after completion of the affair."
Your Honors, on page 68, which is 58 and 59 respectively of the German document book, we will find a statistical breakdown of punishable offenses by the population and we find out that:
"General felonies and crimes: 1 person "Offenses against the security of the troops:
"Unauthorized possession of arms: 1 "Band membership:
158 "Theft of arms:
2 "Misguidance of the German Wehrmacht:
1" etc., etc.
Your Honors, on page 68, which is 59 and 60 respectively of the German document book, we will find a statistical breakdown of "punishable offenses by the population" and we find out that is:
"General felonies and crimes: One person "Offenses against the security of the troops:
"Unauthorized possession of arms............1 "Band membership.
....................158 "Theft of arms.
.............................2 "Misguidance of the German Wehrmacht.
.......1" and so forth.
If Your Honors will now turn to page 70, please, which is page 62 of the German document book, we find a report of the Group Secret Field Police No. 9 which is labeled as "Enclosure 3" in the German document. It has a "secret" stamp and is "Local Headquarters 25 July 1943".
"To Activity Report for the Month of July 1943.
"Court martial sentences in counter intelligence cases.
"1) In accordance with the judgment of the court martial of the 114th---"
PRESIDING JUDGE CARTER: Let's have the exhibit number.
MR. RAPP: The exhibit number, Your Honor, is still Exhibit No. 295. It is still NOKW-1439.
PRESIDING JUDGE CARTER: I am sorry.
JUDGE BURKE: I don't have the page from which you are reading.
MR. RAPP: You do not have the page, Your Honor?
JUDGE BURKE: I do not have it immediately available. What is the number?
MR. RAPP: The number, Your Honor, is page 70. Is that page missing from your document book, Your Honor?
JUDGE BURKE: No, it is here.
MR. RAPP: Paragraph 1:
"In accordance with the judgment of the court martial of the 114th Jaeger Division, the following persons were sentence to compulsory labor in Germany on account of recruitment of persons for bands on 25 June 1943:
Steve Bojanic, born 1908 in Maglajani, District of Banja Luka.
"2) The court martial of the 114th Jaeger Division pronounced the following sentences on the persons below for band membership, courier services and recruitment of persons for bands on 30 June 1943:
"Sentenced to death:
"Duro Smiljanic, born 1917 in Grodjuani, District of Nova Gradiska.
"Milan, Jaglicii, born 1913 in Gredjani, District of Nova Gradiska.
"The sentence was carried out on 6 July 1943.
"2. Sentenced to compulsory labor in Germany:
"Svo, Gerovic, born 1924 in Gradjani, District of Nova Gradiska.
"Milan, Resanovic, born on 7 April 1920 in Vrbovljani, District Nova Gradiska."
We turn to the next page, Your Honors, page 71, and we find an additional individual, two additional individuals, on the top of the page who were also sentenced to forced labor in Germany. One individual is Peter Vukomanovic and the other one is Ljoposava Bosjodic.
Then in paragraph 3 on the same page we find:
"In accordance with the judgment of the court martial of the 114th Jaeger Division of 30 June 1943, the following persons were sentenced for proved aiding and abetting of bands:
"For compulsory labor to Germany:" and we find there again two names on the bottom of page 71.
If Your Honors please will turn to page 72, which is 63 and 64 of the German document book, we will find in paragraph 4 that one individual by the name of "Stana Siljak, nee Jasica, born in 1896 in Bjelajci, District of Bosn Dubica" was sentenced to a concentration camp for "aiding and abetting of and cooperation with bands".
Paragraph 5: "In accordance with the judgment of the court martial of the 114th Jaeger Division of 7 July 1943, the following sentence was pronounced:
"For compulsory labor in Germany:" -- there again we have an individual and finally, in paragraph 6, we have another person, and that concludes page 72 and Document 1439, which was prosecution Exhibit 295.
Your Honors, the next document the prosecution offers is Document NOKW-1109, which will become Prosecution's Exhibit 296. With Your Honors' permission I would like to hand this document to the bench as it shows from a German captured report a uniform description in photographic form of the uniforms worn at that time by the partisans.
DR. LATERNSER: Mr. President, the photograph shows a man in uniform but the further claim of the prosecution - namely, that this uniform was worn by all partisans - this claim will have to be proven.
PRESIDING JUDGE CARTER: It will be received in evidence for what it's worth.
MR. RAPP: If the Tribunal pleases, we are submitting now NOKW1523, which becomes Prosecution Exhibit 297. This, Your Honors, is a so-called Fuehrer Order, a directive from Hitler's headquarters, and pertains to the "Command and Defense of the Southeast Area" and it is called "Directive 48", dated 26 July 1943. There were eight copies made of this document. It is "top secret". Each copy was registered and this copy happened to be the fourth copy that was put out. It was carried by officer courier only. It states:
"Directive 48 for the Command and Defense of the Southeast Area.
"I. The measures taken by the enemy in the eastern Mediterranean in connection with the attack on Sicily lead to the expectation of impending landing operations against the defensive front of the Aegean along the line Peloponnesus - Crete - Rhodes and against the Greek west coast including the Ionic Islands before it.
"In the event of enemy operations reaching over from Sicily to the south Italian mainland, one must also count on an advance against the eastern coast of the Adriatic, north of the Straits of Otranto.
"In addition, the enemy command bases its plans on the band movements in the interior of the Southeast Area which it has increasingly directed according to plan.
"At this time the neutral attitude of Turkey is beyond question. However, it continues to require the necessary attention."
Paragraph II:
"On the basis of this situation, the Command in the Southeast Area will be reorganized in agreement with allied Italy according to the policies below:
"A. Army:
"1) Effective 27 July 1943, 0000 hours, Commander-in-Chief Southeast takes over the command of the 11th Italian Army.
"2) German units who are at this time in the territory of this army and those intended for it will be tactically subordinated to the Italian Army and to the command authorities designated by it. This measure provides that the unified command of all German and Italian troops on the Peleponnesus will be exercised by Headquarters of the German LXVII Corps and that the Headquarters of the Italian VIII Corps will be transferred to the area north of the Straits of Corinth.
"The German units employed directly for coastal security are under the command of the commanding Italian divisions in these sectors.
"3) German troops committed temporarily in Albania, Montenegro, and the Croatian areas near the coast, occupied by Italian troops, are to be subordinated tactically to the Italian Army Group East and/or the Second Italian Army."
On page 77 we find:
"B. Navy and Luftwaffe:
"Directives issued up to now concerning the influence on our allies exercised by Navy and Luftwaffe remain in effect. Commanding Admiral Aegean will ensure the putting in effect of German principles in the coastal sectors of the 11th Army where problems of coastal defense within the authority of the Navy are concerned.
"III. The primary task of the Commander-in-Chief Southeast is the preparation of the defense of the Greek coasts on the islands and on the mainland.
It is a prerequisite for this task to free the supply roads by fighting, particularly the main railroad line, by annihilating the bands in Greece, Serbia, and Croatia, and to secure the required freedom of the rear area.
"For coastal defense, only the German principles for occupation and development of the coast are applicable. This applies also as far as Italian units are concerned.
"On primarily endangered coastal sectors German fortress battalions and - if these are insufficient - elements of the German divisions intended for reserves are to be employed on or near the coast for the support of the Italians. It is also required that important coastal batteries or other key positions are to be reinforced by German cadres."
It continues on the next page.
It continues on the next page:
"If German units are inefficient as reserves, Italian units made ready for this purpose are to be placed under German Command and combined with German units.
Airports near the coast are to be defended by German forces.
Selection and development of all defense installations and reconnaissance for approach and assembly must take into consideration the expected enemy air superiority.
The primary task of Commander-in-Chief Southeast in the rear area is to annihilate the bands in Serbia and Croatia with the focal point along the traffic lanes to Greece.
Close liaison with Army Group East and the 2nd Italian Army and a possibly necessary commitment of German forces must bring about the carrying on of the fight against the bands with the greatest energy in their territory too. The hand centers near the coast, in particular, which might be especially dangerous during an enemy landing, must be cleared up. Beyond this, if the development warrants it, the Army Group must always be prepared to take over the costal defense in the Italian area with German forces which are to be as strong as possible.
IV. The distribution of forces suggested by Commander-in-Chief Southeast on 26 July 1943 is approved in general. Details will be ordered separately (handwritten note in left hand margin: "is enclosed") An order will be issued concerning the bringing up of army Troops."
Next page:
"Beyond this, it is intended during the next few months to form an Operational Army along the railroad Belgrade-Larissa. It will be organized from elements brought up from the Last to be composed of the Following:
2 Panzer or Panzer Grenadier Divisions 2 Mountain Divisions 2 Jaeger Divisions.
Further orders concerning this will be issued separately.
The Greek territory occupied by German Troops and by the 7th Bulgarian Division, including the Islands and the neutral zone in Thrace is an area of operations Commander-in Chief Southeast exercises the executive power in this territory and he is authorized to transfer his authority to the Military Commander Greece.
The Chief of OKW will regulate his authority in a special standard order of procedure in accordance with the principle that all German authorities except the Wehrmacht stationed or to be stationed in Greece are to be subordinate to Commander-in-Chief Southeast and that they are made a part of the Staff of Military Commander Greece. The authority of the supreme Reich authorities to issue directives concerning their professional shores remains intact. However, channels of procedure go via the Military Commander."
Next page, your Honors:
"2.) The Plenipotentiary of the Reich with the Greek Government and Ambassador Neubacher, whose special mission and authority so far remain unchanged, are excepted from ruling until final agreement with the Foreign Office. The standard order of procedure for the Military Commander will provide for closest cooperation between the Military Commander and the above authorities.
"3.) The Commander-in-Chief Southeast will make felt an authoritative German influence on the military administration of territory occupied by Italian Troops only as for as is required by military leadership. If no agreement with the local Italian authorities can be reached, pertinent applications are to be made to the OKW.
B. 1) In the zone of operations in Serbia and Croatia Commanderin-Chief Southeast delegates the authority vested in him to exercise executive power to "Military Commander Southeast", the latter employing for this purpose in Croatia the Commander of German Troops in Croatia.
2.) The extreme importance of the Serbian area for the entire direction of the war in the Southeast necessitates concentration of all German Offices. For this purpose all non-military offices employed in Serbia are subordinated to Military Commander Southeast and they are made a part of his staff.
Next page:
"The authority of the supreme Reich authorities to issue directives concerning their professional spheres is not affected by this subordination. However, channels of procedure go via the Military Commander.
Standard order of procedure will be issued by Chief OKW.
"3.) The Commander of German troops in Croatia and the German Plenipotentiary General in Croatia retain their present duties and authority.
VI. The necessary orders concerning the reorganization of staffs and command authorities as well as concerning supply will be issued by Chief OKW on my orders.
Any orders contradicting this directive are reseinded.
(signed) Adolf Hitler" Your Honors, if you will kindly turn to page 82 will find, the distribution of this Hitler order as it went down from Hitler's headquarters to the various eschelons at that time.
DR. HINDEMITH for Dr. Rauschenbach, for defendant Foertsch:
Mr. President, after the original of the document NOKW 1439 was submitted, I would like to point out the following mistake. It is in Exhibit No. 295, page 47 of the German Document book, under the heading,"Communist way of fighting". Ad a supplement to this it states here that, "I never treated them without interrogation". After looking at the German document one must---
PRESIDING JUDGE CARTER: Let's have the English page.
MR. RAPP: 55, I believe.
DR. HINDEMITH: This is the beginning of the statement which is summarized under this title. My attention was drawn to the fact that here there must be a mistake because this statement does not refer at all to the Communists. After the document was submitted, I have noticed that the reference to the 7th paragraph of the statement which is under this heading in this paragraph, - there are also 6 other sections, but this is not immediately evident from the way in which the German original is made up.
In my view this would also have to be expressed in the translation, that important parts of the document are not translated here. I therefore ask that it be noted in the minutes, that in the statements, under the heading "Communist way of fighting," the 6 preceding sections do not appear in the translation.
PRESIDENT JUDGE CARTER: It is agreeable to have it noted in the minutes of the proceeding.
MR. RAPP: Your Honors, we are offering now NOKW 1032, which you will find on page 83 of the English, and page 74 of the German Document Book. It becomes Prosecution Exhibit 298.
This is an evening report of the unit, dated 11 June, 1943.
"61st Bulgarian Infantry Regiment reports at 1940 hours.
"Mopping up operation in the area north of the Bulgarian positions as far as Tara. In addition to the booty taken yesterday, 12 charges for extra-heavy mortars were found. The school in Tepca was burned down today. Infantry ammunition exploded in it. Around the school were established 10 graves about 8-10 days old of dead Communists. The school was evidently a temporary dressing station."
Then the "Mountain Jaeger Regiment 98 reports at 2020 hours."
"Own reconnaissance troop activity. North of 1947, three Communists shot dead, otherwise no contact with, nor observation of, the enemy."
"Evening Report of the Unit, 13 June, 1943. Mountain Jaeger Regiment 98 20 hours."
"Mopping up in the area 830, 843, gridline 75 running south to 874, from there east to 911 and the Susika sector."
On page 84,74 of the German document book, we will find an entry which was again made by the Mountain Jaeger Regiment 98:
"About 200 houses burned down. Two civilians arrested, two Communists shot dead."
Then comes the "Morning Report of the Unit 14 June 1943. Mountain Engineer Company 54."
"13 civilians shot dead in the evening of 13 June. Otherwise nothing new."
Then we have the "Evening Report of March Group Salminger; 11 July 1943, 2130 hours."
"1.) Group Salminger will secure the area ordered from point 1120 which is 8 km. northeast of Leskovik)on both sides of the advance road towards the south as far as the bridge 1 km. east of Mawrowuni. Mopping up operation by 1 (Panzer Company of Infantry Regiment) 44 in the remainder of the Aoos--F1. to the Northwest pushing forward to Tsarsova. Countryside and village free of the enemy. Village was burned down. 11. (Company of Infantry Regiment) 79 pushing forward to the left of the Aoos-F1, to the northwest beyond Seja as far as Drasowa. 60 male civilians were shot dead during this, both villages were burned down whereby quantities of ammunition which was hidden in the houses exploded."
MR. RAPP: The next we find an "Evening Report of the Group Salminger," dated 12 July 1943, at 2000 hours, with an illegible initial on it. It says:
Evening Report of Group Salminger 12 July 1943 2000 hours Five civilians shot dead by security guards of the 16 (Company of Mountain Jaeger Regiment) 98 in the district of Vreptska.
Reconnaissance by the 11th Battery in the strength of one platoon towards Moliwdoskepastos and Wlachos confirmed that further villages were free of the enemy.
During the afternoon, reconnaissance of the 9th (Company) of the 98th (Mountain Jaeger Regiment) shot at in Aidonochori. Moppingup operation initiated thereupon resulted in no further contact with the enemy. Aj Dimitrios and Aj Theodori (West and Northwest of Aidonochori) were burned down.
MR. RAPP: Then we have a teletype message, "Priority: 15 July 1943, 1730 hours," and it's to the "Ib 1st Mountain Division Commander Saloniki-Aegeon Daily Report of 15 July 43
1.) Band Situation Italian Reports . . . . . . . . .
c) on 11 July a leaflet written in Greek was found in the vicinity of Agrinion. In it the British claimed that the Greek bands should be regarded as part of the British Army.
2.) In the mopping up of the band areas East of the road NegradesKaries by two companies of the II Battalion of Mountain Jaeger Regiment 98 (to approach from Negrades at 0430 hours) and one troop of Artillery Battalion 56 (to approach from Karies at 0600 hours) so far no results. Bands are retreating to the neighboring valleys. Asproangeli and Elati were destroyed; Mondendri, Witsa and Kato were fired on with one heavy field howitzer.
Final report still outstanding."
MR. RAPP: So much, Your Honors, for Document No. NOKW-1032. Now, we turn to NOKW-976, which Your Honors will find on Page 87, and Defense Counsel will find on Page 77. It will be offered as Prosecution's Exhibit No. 299. This is an excerpt from the War Diary of the 1st Mountain Division. It is kept in the Division Commander's Post on the 12th of November 1943. And it covers the period 24 March 1943 to 31 August 1943. It then states by which offices this journal was being kept. The entry on the 16th of June 1943 goes on to say, "The day passes without special events occurring. The mopping-up operations can be regarded as having been essentially concluded. By burning farms and driving away all the cattle within the area of the 1st Mountain Division any means for existence is taken away from any bandits who perhaps may want to return to this area." On the 17th of June we find various tactical information, and, if Your Honors turn then to Page 88, we find under the 21st of July, somewhat at the bottom of the page, the following entry--Page 78 of the German Document Book: "Concerning the treatment of the civilian population it is agreed that men carrying arms will be shot as well as such as are near nests of bands. All villages which have afforded shelter to bands will be burned. Details of the execution and cooperation in this operation are to be decided on in a conference on 24 July in Durazzo." And on Page 89, under the same entry, the last sentence states, "The Commander of Saloniki and the Aegean will be informed about the planned participation of the Division in the so-called "Zara Operation." This concludes NOKW-976. We have now NOKW-921, which is being offered as Prosecution's Exhibit No. 300. It is again notes from a War Diary, dated the 24th of July 1943, and is a telephone order to the 98th Mountain Infantry Regiment; and it says:
"The operation Salminger up until now has shown that the bands either retreat or disappear in the country as harmless working civilians. The division has not received permission to arrest the entire able bodied population. Therefore the following order are given:
The arrest of hostages in all villages who by confrontation with the indigenous population
1.) determine commanders of bands and report them,
2.) determine extraneous population.
Extraneous population is to be treated as members of bands and deport ed. Male members of the population encountered carrying weapons or in the vicinity of bands are to be shot to death."
MR. RAPP: Then, there are some illegible initials, and it is handwritten signed "Ia."
At the bottom of Page 3 of the original, and at the bottom of Page 90 of this Document Book we find a "report concerning the mopping-up of 22nd to 26 July 1943," and it says "Booty brought in: 150 dead bandits; 90 hostages." And turning to the next page of the same document we find, under Paragraph 5 the names of villages burned down. And in addition to the names--there are approximately ten in all--there are "several small villages and huts on the mountain pasture land not shown on the map." And then we find under Paragraph 2, on the same page, or sub-paragraph 2, "Enemy: Furthermore it has been found that every mopping-up operation remains a complete failure if one does not round up at least all able bodied men or if one does not evacuate the entire civilian population." And then, under Paragraph 4 it says, "Numerous villages and small isolated settlements were burned down." Your Honors will turn to the next page. In the second paragraph, we find: "On the 30 July the Battalion returned to its bivouac area. Presumably the enemy will again occupy the area Anojion. The following villages were burned down." And there are eight of these villages--small places which were burned down--and then finally we get a commendation from the individual whose initials were not legible under the original, and he says:
I expressed to the III Battalion of the 98th Mountain Infantry Regiment my thanks and recognition for their services in the moppingup operation carries out in the period from 27 July to 30 July. On account of the terrain and the great heat this operation made extraordinary demands of the men and beasts.
MR. RAPP: This, Your Honors, concludes NOKW-921. At this time, if the Tribunal pleases, we will present NOKW-730, which, Your Honors, becomes Prosecution's Exhibit No. 301. This, Your Honors, is a report stamped secret, from the 373rd Croatian Infantry Division, Field Headquarters, dated 2 August 1943. Subject is "Taking over the Corps PW (that's Prisoner of War) Collection Point." Reference: "Commander of the German Troops in Croatia," and it gives then various reference numbers, "secret." To Commander of the German Troops in Croatia Branch Qu/Ic. If Your Honors will look at the bottom of the page, under Paragraph 6, of Page 94, which is Page 82 of the German Document Book:
"The Division requests that they be allowed to transfer reprisal prisoners (B) to the SD unit at Banja Luka. On the occasion of a conference with the Commander of the SS and SD in Banja Luka, Sturmoannfuehrer Hersmann, the latter requested that all reprisal prisoners (hostages) be transferred to him. The hostages should be turned over to the SD at Banja Luka by the Division with a statement giving the reasons for their being taken as hostages and their origin. SD Banja Luka is to inform the localities concerned, from which the hostages came, with the aid of propaganda staff and in cooperation with the Luftwaffe, that the hostages will be shot if an attack on German troops takes place in the area of the locality concerned or if bridges and the like are blown up. If such a case occurs, the Division informs the SD at Panja Luka and requests for shooting of hostages named. The hostages will then be shot by the SD at Banja Luka, and the communities concerned will be informed about the shooting, with details of the reasons.
The Division considers this regulation very useful and one which will bring results and requests that it be allowed to send the hostages there.
For the Division Headquarters: The 2nd General Staff Officer deputy (initialed) V. v. Captain."
