Q And how long did you remain in Dachau?
A With the exception of a five-week stay in London, I remained in various camps in Dachau until 10 October 1946. On that day, we underwent a mock-dismissal from the armed forces. We were not really dismissed and we did not get any certificate of discharge but instead the text of the American provision, which I saw myself, stated, after mentioning the various names, "are to be discharged and re arrested." I therefore consider myself still a general who is prisoner of war.
Q and how were you treated after this so-called discharge?
AAs internees, we were after that brought to the infamous Cage 3 in Dachau. This Cage 3 was under Polish supervision. Treatment and accommodation, food, and everything else that plays a part in the life of a prisoner-of-war was worst of all here. We were more than 100 men and quartered in one large barrack room. When it got dark early during the winter days, all we had were two or three weak electric bulbs to illuminate the whole big room.
Three times a day we had to pass a rollcall which was not customary in other camps. These rollcalls were mostly held at a time when we had just received our meals. I myself, for instance, received only after six weeks a straw sack for my wooden bedstead. Before that, all I had was blankets. The Polish camp commander had amongst others, told the German camp physician that he was not allowed to enter the kitchen. Finally, after a report made by Dr. Besuden-
Q Who was Dr. Besuden?
A Dr. Besuden was the German camp physician. After a report made by Dr. Besuden, an American doctor who had been called there stated that almost all inmates had ailments of some sort and that their state of health was such as was a consequence of malnutrition. I myself also was to have been assigned to a so-called Gandhi company because of my state of health; however, this did not come about because on 14 January 1947 I was brought to Nurnberg.
Q General, before you received the indictment, were you interrogated in Nurnberg?
A Yes. It was here that I was interrogated for the first time about the facts since I had become prisoner-of-war. I was interrogated three times; it was not made clear to me whether I was to be a witness or a defendant. No counsel was present.
Q Did you sign any records of interrogation?
AAll I signed was the statement of my curriculum vitae.
Q General, one concluding question to this introductory part of your examination. What were the decoration you received during the Second World War?
A During the Second World War I received the clasp to the Iron Cross First and Second Class, and the German Cross in gold.
Q When did you receive the German Cross in gold?
A In January 1945.
Q If it please the Tribunal, I would now like to deal in detail with the two assignments in Greece during the years 1941-1942 and 1943-1944, which are subject of the prosecution's case. First of all, I want to discuss the assignment in 1941-42. General, in a different context you have already told us that in June 1941 you were appointed Military Commander for Southern Greece?
A That is correct. In June 1941. I came to Greece as Military Commander for Southern Greece.
Q I would now like to discuss with you in detail the documents with which you are charged by the prosecution. Wherever possible, I shall adhere to the sequence of the document books. In order to make the proceedings as easy and clear as possible, I would like first of all to deal with two groups of documents in bulk without dealing with every one individually. The first group of these documents contains a number of orders of which it is quite certain that they did not reach General Felmy since at that time he was not yet present in Greece and his agency did not yet exist.
I would like to read the numbers of these documents into the record:
They are contained in Document No. 1 of the prosecution: NOKW-1522 which became Exhibit 9. This is the Fuehrer Order concerning the commitment in this Southeastern area. NQKW-1382 which became Exhibit 10; that was the order about the commitment of the agency of Reichsleiter Rosenberg. NOKW-484 which became Exhibit 13 which is the Commissar Order. NOKW-1076 which became Exhibit 14; that is the supplement to the Commissar Order by the OKH.
And General, will you please confirm, looking at your own list, that the four documents just named by me were distributed before you reached Greece for your first assignment and that, therefore, you did not receive them and would you also confirm that your agency at that time did not exist?
A Yes. I can confirm this, and it can also be seen from the date on which the orders concerned were issued.
Q The second group of documents contains documents which exclusively concern the Serbian area and which are dated in the year 1941. You are charged with these documents. There is quite a number of them. I think I shall be very brief here too, and I shall not deal with them individually, but just read the numbers into the record.
The documents of the prosecution concerned are the following, contained in Document Book II. NOKW-1424 which became Exhibit 48. NOKW-1492 which became Exhibit 49. NOKW-1334 which became Exhibit 50; NOKW-876 which became Exhibit 51. NOKW-1560 which became Exhibit 52. NOKW-1041 which became Exhibit 54. NOKW-1043 which became Exhibit 67.
In Document Book III the following documents are concerned: NOKW-3402, Exhibit 83; NOKW_560, Exhibit 84, NOKW 1362, Exhibit 85; NOKW_557, Exhibit 88; NOKW_1208 which became Exhibit 89; NOKW_1154 which became Exhibit 91; NOKW 967 which became Exhibit 92; NOKW_225 which became Exhibit 93; NOKW_1070 which became Exhibit 94; NOKW_1411 which became Exhibit 96; NOKW_197 which became Exhibit 97; NOKW_191 _A which became Exhibit 98; NOKW_387 which became Exhibit101; NOKW_1046 which became Exhibit 102; NOKW_907 which became Exhibit 103; NOKW_561 which became Exhibit 104; NOKW_1378 which became Exhibit 104_B; NOKW_802 which became Exhibit 105; NOKW_1202 which became Exhibit 106; NOKW_226 which became Exhibit 107; NOKW_1219 which became Exhibit 110; NOW_1073 which became Exhibit 111; NOKW_1017 which became Exhibit 112; NOKW_1665 which became Exhibit 113.
In Document Book IV the following documents are concerned; NOKW_891 which became Exhibit 117; NOKW_1055 which became Exhibit 118; NOKW 595 which became Exhibit 119; NOKW_1022 which became Exhibit 122; NOKW_980 which became Exhibit 123; NOKW_980 which became Exhibit 123; and NOKW_1157 which became Exhibit 124.
All documents in Document Book V come into this category with the restriction of only the following three documents: NOKW_123; Exhibit 127; NOKW_251, Exhibit 128; and NOKW_1056, Exhibit 130. These three documents are only concerned inasmuch as they do not apply to the period of 23 July until 23 August 1943. During this time General Felmy deputized for Field Marshal List. These three documents will therefore, later have to be discussed in due course at the proper time.
Then in Document Book VI the documents NOKW_191, Exhibit 135; and finally, as the last one, in Document Book XXV, Exhibit 554, which is the Jugoslav photographs.
Q General, will you please give us your brief comments on this second group of prosecution documents?
A Looking at my own notes, I can confirm that the documents which you have read belong to that group of documents with which I am not connected in any way. Particularly I would like to say about the documents which are dated during the time of Field Marshal List's illness -- that is, in October 1941 -- that I did not deputize for Field Marshal List during his sickness.
Furthermore, this seems to be mixed up with the question of Boehme because amongst others an affidavit by General Boehme is amongst those documents with which I was incriminated.
Q I shall now start going through the document books. I would like to discuss with you in Document book I the document PS-454 on page 55 in the English Document Book and page 38 in the German Document Book. It is Exhibit 15. This document is a Fuehrer order dated 9 June 1941 which regulates the channels of command in the Southeastern area. I have to ask you one question in connection with this document.
General, in accordance with this Fuehrer order, was the agency of the Military Commander Southern Greece created?
A Yes, that is correct. On the basis of this Fuehrer order No. 31, dated 9 June 1941, for the area Athens, Crete, Cytheria, Anticytheria and Melos the agency of the Commander South Greece was established to be filled by an officer of the air corps.
Q I shall later discuss this document with you again. What was the situation you found when you arrived in Greece as Commander for Southern Greece?
A When in the middle of June 1941 I arrived in Athens about six weeks prior to that the capitulation of the Greek Army near Saloniki and Larissa had taken place. The Greek officers and soldiers had been discharged and sent home. The officers had been left their swords and they had stated on their word of honor that they would not fight again against the German or Italian occupation forces.
Q How do you know that?
A I know that from General Bakos who was the Minister of Defense in Athens at that time. This word of honor was a security measure.
Prisoners of war I would only intern to reduce the manpower potential of the enemy so that the prisoners of war can no longer participate in any fighting, and that is exactly what happened here. The occupation power remained in the country and the soldiers and officers were sent home to their country, in my opinion, that is the least demand which I could make at such a time to an officer who had previously been my enemy.
The prosecution has asserted that we did dismiss the Greek soldiers because we didn't want to feed them or because we couldn't feed them. In the campaigns in Poland and in the West at that time I am sure we had more than a million prisoners and these Greek divisions the total strength of which was about 150 thousand men, would not have made any difference; but since the Greek soldiers came from the Agricultural districts for the most part, these districts would have lacked the labor strength of these soldiers if we had put them in prisoner of war camps. In the coming winter not only the townfolk would have had to go hungry but also the country population.
The dismissal of the Greek soldiers was, in my opinion, more than a generous gesture. It proved clearly that the war with Greece was over, that we harbored no hostile attitude against the Greek population. If we remained in the country we only did that in order to shut the gate for an invasion.
Q General, would you please show us the borderline on the map on the right?
A The borderline between the German and Italian troops ran approximately to the northern edge of Thessalia. Everything to the north of that line -- for instance, Saloniki -- was occupied by German troops and the area south of that by Italian troops.
Q Now, what about the occupation forces at that time?
A With the exception of the 10th Air Corps and one Mountain Division which remained on Crete, the bulk of the German troops had been withdrawn from Southern Greece and committed in Russia. I had my official agency in Athens and was subordinated to the armed forces commander southeast. He was at the same time commander in chief of the 12th Army and he and his staff were located in Caphyssia which is a suburb of Athens.
In Fall 1941 towards the end of October the corps headquarters of the 12th Army was transferred to Salonika.
Q I would like again to refer back to Document PS-454, Exhibit 15, on page 55 of the English and page 38 of the German document bock I.
General, will you please comment in detail on this document?
AAccording to this document, the area of Athens and the islands Crete, Cytheria, Anticytheria and Melos were subordinated to me.
Q Will you please show it to us on the map?
A Crete, Cytheria, Anticytheria and Melos. On Melos later on a German naval coastal battery was established while Cytheria and Anticytheria were not occupied by German troops. Under the District of Athens one has to understand the area around the air ports: Tatoy in the north of Athens, Eleuses in the west of Athens, Calamaki in the south of Athens; and localities near there, which were used for the quartering of troops, furthermore, the German tone of occupation comprised the southern part of the Port Pyraeus and the district Laureon where the special staff "F" was accommodated.
The island of Crete was territorially subordinate to me and under my jurisdiction.
Apart from German troops there were on Crete one Italian division which had occupied the eastern part of the island. Territorial supremacy in Southern Greece and in Athens was held by the Italians. According to paragraph 6 of this order, the island of Crete occupied a special position in the southeast area. The commandant there held executive power and all troops on the island were tactically subordinated to him, and from the island of Crete the air warfare in the eastern Mediterranean Sea was to be waged. The organization of the air base and the construction of this air base was the main task.
Q General, did you have anything to do with reprisal measures on Crete?
A No the executive power on Crete, as can be seen from the order, was held by the commandant of Crete. Furthermore, the island was more than 300 kilometers distant from Athens and was separated from Athens by the sea, I as commander Southern Greece did not even dispose of communication lines. When radio messages were to be sent to Crete, the help of the 10th Air Corps had to be asked or the air district had to be asked for help. To the best of my recollection it was only during winter 1941-1942- that is so-called dezimeter telephone connection was established with Crete.
Furthermore, as of November 1941 Field Marshal Kesselring was appointed Commander in Chief South and his official seat was in Italy and he was involved in the questions of air warfare in the southern area and thus also in the ground organization of the air forces. He was interpolated into the organization in Crete and thus he had great authority there which did not make the channels of command any easier.
Q Were German troops stationed in the twon area of Athens?
AApart from two battalions, two infantry battalions, which were subordinated to the German headquarters in Athens, there were in the capital only staffs.
There was my own staff as military commander southern Greece and the staff of the air district, the staff of the Admiral Agean; furthermore, a number of German Army Economy staffs which, however, food depots for the army and the naval agencies. I personally had jurisdiction over the local headquarters in Athens and over the district headquarters Pyraeus and I disposed altogether over three reserve infantry battalions which mainly served the purpose of guarding.
My main task was to regulate and protect all supplies to Crete which was not quite easy because the bulk of the ships necessary for this task had to be put as our disposal by the Italians. There was only very little purely German shipping space in that area.
Q The next document which incriminates you in Document Book I is NOKW_1432, Exhibit 16, page 60 of the English text and page 44 of the German text. This is the regulation for the execution of Directive No. 31, issued by the Chief of the OKW on 15 June 1941.
What can you see from these provisions for the execution of Directive No. 31, General?
A These provisions for the Execution of Directive No, 31 contain purely formal provisions for execution and limitations for the area of the newly created commander in chief Southeast.
PRESIDING JUDGE CARTER: We will take our usual morning recess at this time.
THE MARSHAL: The court will be in recess until eleven fifteen.
(A recess was taken).
THE MARSHAL: Persons in the Courtroom will please find their seats.
The Tribunal is again in session.
PRESIDING JUDGE CARTER: You may proceed, Dr. Mueller-Torgow.
DIRECT EXAMINATION - Continued BY DR. MUELLER-TORGOW:
Q May I, at this point, draw attention to Document NOKW-902, Volume I? It is on page 66 of the English Document Book and page 48 of the German Document Book. It is Prosecution Exhibit No. 18. This document represents the War Diary of the Commanding General in Serbia. It says there under 19 July 1941, on Page 67 in the English Document Book: "During the leave of Field Marshal List, General of the Air Corps Felmy will be Deputy Wehrmacht Commander Southeast."
Q General, did you in actual fact deputize for List when he was on leave? If so, for how long?
A I deputized for Field Marshal List, as the Wehrmacht Commander, from 23 July until 23 August.
Q What did you do in actual fact while you deputized for him?
A I retained my official seat in Athens and simultaneously I looked at the business of the Commander in Southern Greece. In that capacity no deputy had been appointed for me. The Chief of the General Staff with the Wehrmacht Commander, General Foertsch, would call on me twice or three times a week from Caphyssia. Caphyssia is about half an hour from Athens by car. As I said, he came and reported orally to me twice or three times a week, or else he informed me about current affairs by telephone. I still remember that, for instance, Oberkriegsgerichtsrat (Senior Military Judge), Dr. Gruen, called and reported to me orally once or twice. For the rest it was not customary for one to issue orders of a basic character while he deputized for such a short period of time. Moreover, there was no cause to do so.
Q Do you remember who produced those documents covering any special events in Serbia which are concerned with that time of your deputizing?
A No, I think I saw these documents here for the first time. It was well known, generally, that Serbia was not quiet, unlike Greece, where everything was absolutely quiet, but I do not remember incidents mentioned in the documents here. When Field Marshal List returned from his leave I merely informed him of the situation in Southern Greece. That is to say, the situation with respect to my area. I knew that the Field Marshal, on his return, had stopped in Belgrade to inform himself of the situation there.
Q Let me now turn to Document Book II of the Prosecution. There Document NOKW-258, which is Prosecution Exhibit No. 53, has been used to incriminate you. It's on page 67 of the English and page 52 of the German text. This document represents the order given by the Chief of the High Command of the Wehrmacht of 16 September 1941, concerning the Communist insurgent movements in occupied territories, and it lays down the reprisal ratio of 1 to 50 and 1 to 100, as a general rule.
General, did you, at that time, receive this order?
A The distribution list, which is contained in the document, does not mention my agency. I assume that later on somehow or other it came to my knowledge. I certainly know it from hearsay, but from my own memory I could not say when it was submitted to my agency.
Q Do you know at all that it was ever submitted to your agency?
A I don't remember. If I could see any documents where the distribution list of the Army Group might be mentioned, and the list would also mention Commander of Southern Greece, that would be proof of it. But so many orders and directives reached us that any individual ones simply cannot be recalled any more.
Q But you knew the order from hearsay?
A Yes, I knew it from hearsay.
Q The next document is NOKW-1342, which is Prosecution Exhibit No. 68. It's on page 137 of the English Document Book and page 105 of the German Document Book.
This document is a letter by the Wehrmacht Commander Southeast, addressed to what was known as Detachment Rosenberg. The date is 2 October 1941. According to that letter the Rosenberg Detachment is being assigned for rations and for matters of discipline to the Commander Southern Greece.
General, do you recall this order?
A Yes, I recall it for the reason that a lieutenant, who was a wearer of the Knight's Cross, reported to me. And this was the very Lieutenant von Ingram, who is mentioned in the document. He was assigned for rations to one of the reserve infantry battalions and so were the soldiers who were part of his detachment. For the rest they were under my command for disciplinary matters. That is to say, it was my right to punish any member of this detachment if he violated the regulations. That is to say, if he violated the regulations by entering localities which were off limits; if he didn't return to barracks after curfew hour; if he was not properly dressed when walking in the streets; or if he was sloppy in saluting officers, or anything of that type.
Q Did you have any factual relations with the service done by the Detachment Rosenberg and were you in a position to issue orders to it as far as their activities were concerned?
A That the Rosenberg Detachment actually did, and anything connected with it, was beyond my sphere of influence. I did not even know in detail what they were doing. When he reported to me he mentioned the fact that he was going to do research work in the archives, as to whether one could find any symptoms of anti-German tendencies there. Any police or security measures did not come into it.
Q Let me now turn to the next document in this book, which is NOKW-458, on page 138 of the English and 106 of the German book. This is Exhibit 69. This document contains an order by the OKW dated 28 September 1941, that a number of hostages of the various political tendencies should be kept ready all the time and a directive by the Wehrmacht Commander Southeast was also addressed, among others, to the Commander Southern Greece. General, did you receive this order at the time, or were you informed about it orally?
A I could not say that from my memory. It certainly reached my agency, which becomes clear from the letter by the Wehrmacht Commander, which is addressed, among others, to the Commander Southern Greece.
Q Is it known to you, General, whether political hostages of that type were kept ready in actual fact?
A I am afraid I cannot make a statement about that either. I am inclined to think that they were not, because the situation at that time in Southern Greece gave no cause to take measures of that type. The Italians reigned in Athens, who were highly sensitive and jealously guarded their rights.
Q I should now like to turn to Document Book III of the Prosecution. There you are charged with Document NOKW 1074, which is Exhibit 108. We also should concern ourselves with Documents NOKW-1014, Exhibit 109 and NOKW-1663, which is Exhibit 114-D. In the latter two documents you have not been formally incriminated by the Prosecution.
Those three documents coincide, in part, with some incidents which were reported to you during the time when you deputized for Field Marshal List, between 23 July and 23 August, 1941, which we have discussed before. Is there anything special you would like to say about these, General?
A On what page is Exhibit 108, please?
Q Exhibit 108 is on page 79.
A This is an activity report by the 717th Infantry Division. I cannot recall the details of this. The activity report did not reach the Army Corps. What I said about my period of deputizing for List applies here also.
Q May I remark about this, General, while you deputized for the Field Marshal we are concerned only with the second half of the document, on page 80 and 81, up to and including 23 August 1941. Any incidents after that we need not concern ourselves with here.
A I do not recall the individual daily reports.
Q Does the same apply to the other two documents as well, which have not been used to charge you formally, as I said before -- Exhibits 109 and 114-D?
A Yes.
Q Let me touch briefly on Volume V of the Prosecution. I would like to draw attention especially to something which I have explained in a different connection, earlier. I said before that the following documents, at least some of them, are concerned with the period of time when you deputized for Field Marshal List. These are Documents NOKW-123, Exhibit 127, on page 27 of the English and 34 of the German; NOKW-1056, which is Exhibit 130, on page 150-a of the English and page 98-a of the German book. These documents, as I mentioned before, are concerned in part with the period of time when you deputized for Field Marsha List. Is there anything you want to say regarding these documents, for that reason?
A No, there is nothing special I have to say about these. I saw these reports here for the first time and the details concerned I cannot recall from the oral reports by the Chief of Staff.
Q This brings me to Document Book VIII. There, Document NOKW-834, which is Exhibit 211, on page 61 of the English and page 52 of the German, has been used to incriminate you. It is a number of activity reports by the Wehrmacht Commander Southeast, of 1942. In the report for the month of June; 2 attacks with high explosives on Wehrmacht vehicles in Athens and 1 attack on the railway line north of Athens are mentioned. General, do you know what reprisal measures were taken thereupon?
A Having once again seen this document I recall the incident. It was reported to me when I returned from my leave at the beginning of June. These were German motor vehicles - hence the expression "Wehrmacht vehicles." The railway line was supposed to be guarded by the Italians and I know from the report by my Chief of Staff that we and the Italians drew up a warning and announced and published it.
Q In this connection I would like to submit a document in Felmy Volume V, Document No.91, on page 11; it will become Exhibit No. 7. It says there, under II:
"To Daily Report Ia Letter Register No. 40439/42 Secret, of 28 May 1942, II, paragraph, it is reported that 3 Greeks found in possession of explosives, were arrested by Italians. The Italian Army Corps was contacted regarding publication of a regulation, released by press and radio, stating that in case of repetition, hostages would be shot recruited from Greek circles previously convicted of hostile attitude or action."
In other words, this is a report by the Wehrmacht Commander Southern Greece of 29 May 1942 addressed to the Wehrmacht Commander Southeast. This document comes from the Washington material, from the War Diary of the Commander Southern Greece. General, did the public warning which is mentioned here have any success at that time?
A No, the warning issued on 29 May was unsuccessful because, about a week later, the aforementioned attack was carried out and therefore the measure which was threatened in the warning was carried into effect; the perpetrators or the hostages were shot.
I take these statements from the Washington material because, as I say, at that time I was on leave and the Commanding General of Crete deputized for me.
Q. From the same War Diary of the Military Commander Southern Greece I should like to read a report of 5 June 1942, addressed to the Wehrmacht Commander Southeast. It is contained in Felmy Document Book V, Document No. 92, on page 12. It will become Exhibit No. 8. It says there, under II, third paragraph, on page 12:
"As a reprisal for the plot against the railway track Liossia-Athens, A German firing squad shot 8, an Italian one 2 hostages this morning. The hostages of the Germans were already under arrest for intending to depart for Egypt to join the British; the hostages of the Italians were arrested Communists. In today's press a joint proclamation dealing with the shooting was released, reading as follows: 'The High Command of the Italian Forces in Greece and the German Commander Southern Greece announce: As a consequence of the plot perpetrated against railway track Liossia--Athens, on the night of June 3rd, the penalty of death has been executed on a certain number of hostages having been held under arrest by both High Commands of the Occupation Forces. In case of repetition of such plots, increasingly stern measures will be taken'". To round off this picture I would like to remark that this report, from which we have started and which was contained in Document NOKW-834, Exhibit 211, was also contained in NOKW-927, Exhibit 205 which is in the same volume. I shall come back to Exhibit 211 once more. At the end of that document, on page 77 of the English book and on page 65 of the German, the reorganization of the channels of command in Southern Greece is explained. In the paragraph which is headed "Reorganization of the Channels of Command Southern Greece" it says, in the last paragraph, No. 4:
"Commandant Fortress Crete will be subordinated directly to Wehrmacht Commander Southeast.
The supply for Crete will be regulated as before by Commander Southeast. The supply for Crete will be regulated as before by Commander South Greece in accordance with the directives of Wehrmacht Commander Southeast and in detail according to the requisitions of Commandant Crete." General, how did it come about that these regulations were issued?
A. We had one years experience at our disposal. It had become quite clear that even the territorial subordination of the Island of Crete to the Commander Southern Greece was without any significance. I therefore suggested to General Loehr, during a conference mentioned in the document, that this territorial subordination be terminated and this suggestion was adopted. Supply problems to Crete were still in the competence of the Commander Southern Greece. That again had been proved to be a good idea by the experience gathered in one year. We had formed what we called a supply staff and that supply staff included representatives of the Navy, the Air Force and a representative of the Commandant of Crete. As the Air Force and Navy were stationed in Athens anyway, three representatives discussed their mutual interests, adjusted themselves to such shipping as was available, and this was then carried out.
DR. MUELLER-TORGOW: If the Tribunal please, we have now discussed all documents which were concerned with the period of time when General Felmy served in Greece for the first time.
Q. General, what can you tell us, by way of a brief summary, about the situation created by the bands in Southern Greece in this first period of your assignment down there.
A. In the 14 months when I stayed in Southern Greece the situation was entirely calm. I went to Delphi, I went to Mikeni, Laublia, I went to Tyrisk-One would go anywhere without any interference; even in the Peleponnes, which later on became so notorious, you could not find a vestige of band activities. The attack with high explosives in Athens, which we mentioned before, against the Wehrmacht vehicles and the railway, was the only incident of an extraordinary nature which happened in those 14 months. Similar conditions prevailed on Crete. I made sure of that myself. You could move about in the country there without any interference. Bands which no doubt existed there were hiding out in the difficult mountain area - the Ida mountains and to the west of the Island. No noticeable influence was evident at that time.
Q. At that period of time when you served in Greece for the first time - 1941/1942, how did relations between German troops and the Greek population work out?
A. Southern Greece, as I said before, was Italian territory. The few German units in the enclaves on the airdromes, for instance in the southern part of the Piraeus, in Sunion-Laurion area, had one can well say friendly relations with the Greek population. A Greek general once told me: "The fact that the German Wehrmacht had beaten us is an honor to us; that you have admitted the Italians into our country, that we cannot forget." It seems to me that statement is typical of the feelings of a Greek soldier toward a German soldier. On the castle a Greek flag was waving - an order then issued by Field Marshal List. After the Italians had appeared, the Acropolis showed the German and Italian but also the Greek flags next to one another.
Q. Who was responsible to supply the population in Southern Greece?
A. That was the responsibility of the Italians. One must bear in mind here that Greece, since the old days, always depended on imports of grain and wheat; its trade balance had always been a passive one. Supplies had stopped and had become most deficient. War had drained the supplies and the Italian administrative machine did not work in a particularly exemplary manner.
Q. Did German agencies intervene in supply questions concerning the Greek population without being actually competent for it?
A. Yes. Field Marshal List suggested this; in the late summer of 1941 a number of relief measures were taken. Some of them were carried out in connection with the German legation. Above all it was hoped that food supplies for the starving population would come in. The units also made every effort to help as much as they could. It goes without saying that such remnants of supplies as were still available in field kitchens were always fetched by little children. We had our "fixed clientele" so to speak there. The German soldier was given only half of his official army pay in Greek currency; Drachmes that amounted to a sum of 15 marks a month to the German soldier. The other half of his army pay was given to him in canteen vouchers, as we called them, which were regarded as legal tender only in German enterprises.