The next document is List Document No. 120a and this becomes Exhibit No. 119. This is contained in Document Book II, page 83. This is an affidavit by Hermann Haack. I would like to read from the middle of the second paragraph onwards:
"During the campaign in Poland I was intendant-in-chief of the 14th Army, during the campaign in France intendant-in-chief of the 12th Army, and during the campaigns in the Balkans intendant-in-chief of the 12th Army and intendant-in-chief with the Commander-in-Chief of the Wehrmacht Command Southeast. In all these assignments Field Marshal List was my direct superior."
I will only read the last sentence from the next paragraph:
"My opinion is based on a knowledge of his personality of ten years' standings."
Then in the next paragraph I start in the middle:
"In my opinion he was fundamentally unpolitical and just a soldier. His attitude towards the Party was not a favorable one. The ways of the Party with its ostentation of militaristic pageantry were repulsive to him. He was annoyed about the frequent insulting and provocative treatment of the army officers and the obvious favoritism shown to Party supporters especially when they were too young for the tasks assigned to them, as was often the case. I am convinced that he was at heart an opponent of the Party and his only motive for not quitting the service probably was his desire to prevent the Party from corrupting the Army without let or hindrance.
He attached great importance to the population of the enemy country being well treated. I remember that on one occasion when he discussed the famine.
I skip the next paragraph and read from the last paragraph onwards, the last paragraph on this page:
"He attached great importance to the population of the enemy country being well treated. I remember that on one occasion when he discussed the famine in Athens with me he warmheartedly expressed his intention to counter it as far as possible.
He also encouraged the troops to give the population hand outs from their field kitchens.
"Very soon after taking over as Commander in Chief of Army Group 5 in Austria, Field Marshal List managed to inspire the same high esteem and veneration which he enjoyed with the troops both in the civilian population and the civilian authorities which had dealings with the Army Group."
And now I read the very last paragraph:
"It would be incomprehensible to anyone who knew Field Marshal List but slightly, if he were charged with cruelties against the population of the enemy country or other crimes against humanity."
My next document is Document List 142. This becomes Exhibit No. 120. It is contained in Document Book II, page 119. This is an affidavit by another immediate collaborator, General Walter Serini, and I am going to read from the second paragraph onward:
"From 7 November 1939 until 5 May 1942 I was First Adjutant to the XII Army, first as Lt. Colonel and from 1 October 1940 on, as a Colonel.
"Field Marshall LIST's attitude towards the N.S.D.A.P. was very critical. He had unfortunate experiences with the SS in the Polish campaign, about which he spoke bitterly.
"Field Marshall LIST and his immediate staff all held a thoroughly tolerant attitude towards the Jewish question and towards the Church. From his headquarters in Mayen Field Marshall LIST had active connections in winter 1939/1940 with Abbot ILDEFONS of Maria Laach, as he found a kindred spirit in this very cultured man. In the summer of 1941, he discovered in Athens a high dignitary of the Roman Catholic Church, in the person of the Papal Delegate for Turkey and Greece, who held the same views.
And then I turn to the next page and read from the second paragraph:
"When using his supreme judicial authority, Field Marshal List sought my cooperation in almost all important cases connected with the misdemeanors of soldiers because in his scrupulous conscientiousness he was not satisfied with the departmental competent expert opinions of the Army Judges but he also wanted to take into account the views of a soldier who possessed experience of the front in the second World War and the Army Judge had to put up with this whether he liked it or not."
I skip the next sentence and continue:
"Field Marshal List had no indulgence towards people who showed a base attitude."
And then I just read from the last paragraph:
"When Greeks turned to Field Marshal List for help, he received them gladly in order to fulfill the requests they put to him."
The next document is Document List 21 and this receives exhibit number 121. This statement is to be found in Document Book II, page 116. This is an affidavit by Army Judge Gruen and I would like to read from the third paragraph onwards:
"Field Marshal List was a soberly and reasonably thinking military commander, and the last thing he would have done would have been to court the NSDAP. I have heard from remarks of his personal Adjutant that he gave the Party people a wide berth whenever he could. As a soldier he did not want to mix in politics more than he could help it.
"He certainly did not agree with the measures adopted against the Jews. On the contrary it was his endeavour to bring the offenders, who had acted against the Jews, to justice. When during the Polish campaign the Jaslo synagogue had been set on fire he sent me there to institute legal inquiries and to bring the offenders to justice.
"Field Marshal LIST confirmed the judgment at once and gave orders for the execution of the sentence of 5 years of prison and loss of rank, which had been passed by a field court-martial of the 14th army under my presidency shortly after the finish of the Polish campaign against two corporals of the air-force, because they had broken into and plundered the houses of three Jewish families."
And then on page 117 I am going to read the last paragraph:
"When making my reports concerning military court cases, which happened frequently and sometimes more than once a day, I have noticed that the Field Marshal knew perfectly well the value of a well functioning military jurisdiction. It was my principle that in a war legal measures once adopted must be quick and energetic and that military jurisdiction acting rigorously with due consideration of the laws and likewise of the military exigencies would have a preventative effect. The Field Marshal agreed with my standpoint. At the bottom of his heart he was not a hard man by any means, although he sometimes had to assume the appearance of being so. The Field Marshal has never interfered in any pending trial and he has never tried to insist on a definite sentence. No matter whether it was the case of a member of his own troops or of a member of the population of the occupied territories, the Field Marshal's attitude remained the same. He only approved of sentences which he thought to be just. I reported to the Field Marshal personally all heavy sentences and in this respect I assume full responsibility for their legality. Summing up, I can say that Field Marshal LIST has signed only few death sentences against the civilian population."
I skip the first sentence in the next paragraph and continue:
Like many officers of his staff, in the sincere effort to alleviate distress by giving regularly part of their own rations or surpluses of the officers mess to the Greek population, especially to the children, the Field Marshal also did everything he could think of of to alleviate distress and to get the food supplies started for Greece."
The next document I would like to submit is from another collaborator and it is List No. 152. This becomes Exhibit No. 122 and is to be found in Document Book III, page 57. The document is not No. 152 as it says at the top but it is 152a. It is an affidavit by Professor Kittel and I would like to read from the third paragraph onwards:
"From 28 December 1940 to spring 1942 I was a General staff medical officer (Generalstabsarzt) and was detailed to the AOK 12 as a medical officer.
Fieldmarshal LIST was esteemed and honored by his subordinates. He was believed to be a just man. He did not take his responsibility as a commander in chief lightly, and was not the man who would carelessly sign a death-sentence. He was rather sympathetic and soft, and certainly not brutal or cruel. He was a religious man. His attitude towards the Party and its agents was critical and reserved. There was no "Nazi-atmosphere" in the Staff.
The next document is given by his former ADC. It is List Document No. 133 and becomes Exhibit No. 123. It is contained in Document Book II, page 88. It is an affidavit by Friedrich August von Haehling. I am going to read, first of all, the third paragraph:
"From 1 April 1938 until 31 March 1941 I was Captain and Major on the staff of Field Marshal List, originally Army Group 5, Vienna, later AOK 14, or 12 respectively as ADC with the Commander in Chief":
I skip the next paragraph and continue in about the last third of the page.
"All his planning and all his actions were governed only by practical considerations for the good of the army. The Field Marshal was not active in the political field, since he had no opportunities for such activities. His work was concerned only with the army. It is true, however, that he followed the political events with anxiety and great scepticism.
He emphasized that again and again but as far as I could judge the situation he had no possibility of succeeding decisively. He openly distrusted the important leading personalities of State and Party, and he did not conceal this attitude from me or other officers who were on familiar terms with him. The Reich Marshal was in his eyes a charlatan."
I skip the next paragraph and read the second:
"The Field Marshal from inner conviction constantly rejected the imperialistic idea of extending the frontiers by use of force. He did not want to believe in the realization of the campaign against France until he got the final order for this campaign on the preceding evening and was thus confronted with a fait accompli."
I skip the next bit and read the last two sentences on this page from 89 at the bottom, the last two sentences. It is on page 89a.
"He was greatly respected by his associates who trusted him completely and the troops were very fond of him and believed in him. But the Commander-in-Chief refused on principle to show off in any way or to sound his own praises in order to become popular.
Court No. V, Case No. VII.
On page 90, at the top:
"Frau List kept completely aloof from public life. She appeared only when it could not be avoided. Always modest and reserved, she lived only for her family, and readily invited to her home all associates of her husband. Each of us felt and knew that she rejected the system. She did not hide this fact when talking to intimate friends."
The next document is List No. 115, and becomes Exhibit No. 124. It is given by Field Marshal List's ADC. It is contained in Document Book 2, page 91. It is an affidavit by Dr. Otto Campe. I read from the second paragraph onwards:
"As an introduction I declare that I never belonged either to the Party or to any of its affiliations.
"At the beginning of May 1941 I was appointed personal A.D.C. to General Field Marshal List."
I omit the rest, and I would just like to read the sentence before the last:
"Until April 1945 I remained in the position of personal A.D.C. During these years I had plenty of opportunity to get to know Field-Marshal List most intimately.
"Quite intentionally List did not want to be anything but a soldier and therefore kept aloof from politics on principle. His outward attitude to the NSDAP was reserved, but according to his inner convictions, he was increasingly disapproving. To my knowledge he had no contact with any of the big shots of the Party. Already during the years when I was a special-staff officer with the Chief of Staff List had knowledge of my own repudiation of the Party, an attitude which corresponded to that of my predecessor, at that time, Major von Haefling. I am convinced that these circumstances too strengthened List's determination to select me as his personal ADC.
"In view of his position he was very cautious and reserved with regard to his remarks about the Party, but he often severely criticized it in a smaller circle."
Then I turn to the next page and read from the second sentence onward:
"After having laid down the high command of Army Group A in compliance with Hitler's request at the beginning of September 1942 he never applied directly or indirectly for a re-activation.
"Frau List was very frank and clear in her disapproving remarks about the Party; List never objected to that.
"His live for nature and animals was characteristic for the purity of his character. He confided in a man, once he had become to know him as a friend of animals. It was horrible for him to see an animal suffer."
Now I read the last paragraph on this page:
"As supreme judicial authority List was for mild punishment on principle, he liked to make usage of his right of clemency. So, among other things he suspended the death penalty of a former Austrian belonging to the British army and pardoned him although the empowered sub-department-chief did not recommend such pardon.
"After the end of the campaign List was anxious to alleviate the life of the population in the occupied territories.
"List had a positive attitude towards the church. He kept close contact with the Wehrmacht priests of both confessions. He supported both in their tasks on a broad scale, they came often to report to him.
"List rejected the anti-Jewish persecution policy of the Party. In 1941 the Jewish problem was of no significance in the Balkans. In Salonikia the mess of the supreme command as well as of the closer staff were housed in the residence of the couple Sossidi. To my knowledge the Sossidis were Jews.
This did not make any difference with regard to his attitude. They were treated as nicely as every other Greek."
The next document is List No. 159 and becomes List Exhibit 125. It is contained in Document Book 3, page 60. This is an affidavit by Major Kliemann, and I just want to read from Page 61 at the top.
"He was not friendly toward the Party. He refused all interference of Party offices in military matters. In cases of encroachment of Party offices or lack of care of soldiers' wives he stood up for the interests of the latter. He checked the attempt of one of his divisional commanders to install soldiers as confidential agents of the Party within. Whenever Party big wigs appeared at the front he refused them as far as possible any interference and demanded their recall from the army territory. I know that Field Marshal List did not have favorable reputation as far as the highest Party offices were concerned.
"With regard to GFM List's attitude toward the Jewish question an example from Poland might clarify things. All independent action against Jews in the territory of the army was strictly prohibited. When he found out in the fall of 1939 of encroachments by an SS echelon which had been immediately assigned by the Reich Main Security Office in the area of the army, without his knowledge, he took steps immediately ordered the removal of the echelon from his area and demanded of the OKW that the leader of the unit be investigated on the basis of court martial."
And then I continue on page 63 at the bottom, the paragraph before the last:
"At any rate in Greece GFM List was beloved and esteemed by all officials in the administration, economy, church and cultural life and he as well as the German troops subordinate to him enjoyed the affection of the Greek people contrary to the Italian occupation.
"If in conclusion I should give my opinion of GEM List I cannot, if the whole truth should be told, omit his attitude towards the Austrian population and soldiers from Austria.
"It was GFM List, who in 1938 had the German training command, which was first sent to Austria, recalled, because of their bad behavior which completely ignored Austrian characteristics and it was he who stopped all achicanery and unnecessary harshness. At the front, the Austrians who were quite numerous in the 12th army, also knew that in GFM List they had a superior who stopped all humiliation and discrimination of Austrians and their ways, because of their softer more pliable characteristics which inclined to compromises and recognized and valued just these very characteristics of the Austrians which were more to his liking as a South German.
"I know that GFM List was close to the circle around General Olbricht and that he was closely connected with them as well as Admiral Canaris."
As the next exhibit I submit List Document No. 33, and it becomes Exhibit No. 126, and is contained in Document Book 2, page 123. This is an affidavit by General Pemsel, and I just want to read a few sentences from it, from the third paragraph onwards:
"I have known Field Marshal List in peach and wartime. Field Marshal List was a soldier through and through and of an impeccable character. Only military necessities or military judgment were the leading motives for Field Marshal List's measures.
"According to my observations he had no personal connections with the party. Being deeply religious, I have never heard Field Marshal List say one detrimental work about the Jews. He was benevolent and took good care of his soldiers."
The next three documents deal, or rather were given by people from the close acquaintanceship of Field Marshal List.
The first is by Walter Thomas, a man who was his chauffeur for many years. List Document 166a becomes Exhibit No. 127. It is contained in Document Book 3, page 71. It is an affidavit by Walter Thomas. I am going to read from the third paragraph onwards. The number is not 166, but 168a.
"From 1935 to 1942 I was active as Master Sergeant with Generalfeldmarschall List in the capacity of chauffeur.
"The following can be said with regard to his attitude towards the NSDAP:
"The Generalfeldmarschall was very reticent towards the Party. As examples for this it should be mentioned that he avoided any connection with the district president of Saxony, Martin Mutschmann, and also during his stay in Vienna he never even visited the district president Baldur v. Schirach, although he lived very close by.
"In the occupied territories he did not only observe a correct attitude towards the population but a very benevolent attitude. There were SS and Wehrmacht units who molested the population. When the Generalfeldmarschall heard of this, he issued very strict orders to stop the activities of these units."
Then I read on the next page, page 72, from the third paragraph:
"During his stay in Greece there was no animosity in his attitude, but when we drive through the town and there were festivities I was ordered to drive very carefully, so the population would have no occasion to complain that we did not respect patriotic and religious feelings.
"I am ready to describe in a series of individual cases, that the Generalfeldmarschall proved himself to be a soldier of noble bearing in every position."
(Laternser) The next document -
THE PRESIDENT: Pardon me for just a moment. My attention has been called to the fact that Exhibit 127, page 71 of Document Book 3, and page one of the English Document, it is noted as Document 166a, while on the second page of this English translation, the same being page 72 of Document 3, is noted as being Document 72.
DR. LATERNSER: That is a mistake in the copying department. It should be labelled on both sides as List Document No. 166a.
The next document I offer is Document, List No. 147, which becomes Exhibit No. 128. This is contained in Document Book 2, page 104, and is an affidavit given by Gustav Bartusch, who was orderly of Field Marshal List for many years. I read from the second paragraph:
"From April 1938 to April 1943, I worked as orderly for Field Marshal List."
Now I read from the third paragraph, the third sentence:
"At home the family and the domestics formed a unified community. Here nothing was withheld, and there were no secrets. The management of the house was conducted in a very simple manner and was often criticized by the other domestics in conversations with me as being below the station of the family. I was treated as one of their own children, and I lived with them in the house. All family festivals were celebrated together, especially Christmas.
The Hitler salute was unwelcome in the house and was never required."
I turn to the next page and start with the first paragraph:
"I was present at all social parties, which, incidentally were rare.
I never saw any Party chiefs among the invited guests, nor did any of them come to the house regularly. No pictures of the Fuehrer or the like were hanging on the wall.
In the occupied territories the population was friendly disposed towards the Field-Marshal. He did not tolerate treatment which violated the dignity of man. Often he took long walks, even all alone. Our Greek gardener was an invalid and had a long way to walk to his home. One day he asked the Field Marshal to provide him with a beast of burden in exchange for money. After a couple of days the Field-Marshal turned over a mule to him. The Field-Marshal watched diligently in all the territories occupied by his troops, lest the population be deprived of anything.
In Poltava we had a sharpshooters' unit for guard duties. In the mornings the Field-Marshal, would always have a conversation with the guard, mainly about family matters. In this case, an only son was standing guard, while his mother was old and alone. After the guard had been relieved, the Field-Marshal ordered his discharge to return home and a financial support."
The last sentence:
"I shall always think only with gratitude and admiration of the years when I was with the Field-Marshal."
The next document is List 110, and becomes Exhibit No. 129. This affidavit is in Document Book 2 at page 106, and is given by the other orderly of Field Marshal List, and he was called Heinrich Frech: I read from the second paragraph onward:
"From 15 May 1941 to 23 February 1945 I was Lance Corporal (2nd Detachment Mountain Infantry 98, 1st Base Company) and detailed for personal service (orderly) to Herr GeneralFieldmarshal Wilhelm LIST in Garmisch-Partenkirchen."
I will skip the next sentence and start with the next paragraph:
"His attitude toward his subordinates was very decent and friendly. I myself have always been treated by him and by his family most decently, and as a human being, and I retain to this day my deepest respect for him.
His attitude toward the church was positive. He himself and his family belonged to the Evangelical Church and they did not leave it. Moreover, he stuck to the church together with his family. He spoke only with respect of the church and never put obstacles in my way when I wished to go to church. Regarding the Jews I never heard an unpleasant word from him, let alone a vicious one.
His attitude toward the NSDAP was always very critical and reserved. He certainly was no Party man; this emerges alone from the fact that I did not have to greet him with the Hitler salute."
I will skip the next sentence and read the last:
"Since the abortive attempt of the 20 July he was confined to quarters and was not allowed to leave his premises.
I also emphasize that I was not a Party member."
Now I would like to submit List Document No. 6. This becomes Exhibit No. 130, and is contained in Document Book 2, page 97. It is an affidavit of Freiherr v. Czibulka, and I read from the second paragraph onwards:
"In the middle of July 1940 I joined the staff of the 12. army, - which was then situated in Salins, south of Besancon, as Rittmeister. I was to write a short biography of Field-Marshal LIST, as it was the intention of the O.K.W. at that time to publish popular biographies of the individual army leaders.
This was later vetoed, as far as I was told, by an order of HITLER, who prohibited all warriors' biographies -- probably because of jealousy."
Then I omit the first part of the next paragraph and continue in the middle of this paragraph:
"Alone by the fact that he, during frequent and long private talks, told me the story of his life, explained his views, and that I was able to observe him in the most varied situations, it was possible for me to form a conclusive opinion about him. This opinion is the more poignant since I as former old-Austrian officer (1910-1918), looked upon all Prussian-tainted military institutions, but above all upon the important persons of the Wehrmacht of the Third Reich with extreme scepticism, nay, definite prejudice. Nevertheless I arrived at the following conclusion:"
I skip the first sentence of the next paragraph and continue:
"I must especially stress his engaging humanity, his modesty (for a long time he objected to his biography being written), his love of classical music, and his virtually ardent love of nature, which in his youth caused him to hesitate for a long time between becoming an officer or a forester."
Then I skip the next sentence in this paragraph and read the last two sentences in the paragraph:
"The hardships and horrors, which inevitably attend every war and every battle, visibly pained his soul. This was also confirmed by officers, who were his comrades in battle.
In my opinion, he was completely alien to the National Socialist doctrine, as I learned very soon from a gesture, a hint, a glance, or a sarcastic remark, in spite of the restraint imposed on him by his position.
I did not observe any action or order with which he aided National Socialism. To the great delight of most of his associates, he treated representatives of the Party, who for any reasons appeared at the army staff and had to be invited to dinner, with extreme reserve and icy politeness."
Now I continue on page 99, and read from the second paragraph:
"As regards the Jewish question, I can only remember, that LIST strongly deprecated the inhuman treatment of the Poles and the Jews, and furthermore regarded it as a political error.
As far as I remember, his attitude toward the church was definitely positive, and in keeping with the tradition of his family. His paternal grandfather was preacher at the Ulm Cathedral. During the lengthy waiting period in the Eifel, Wilhelm LIST maintained frequent and very friendly relations with the Abbot of the famous Benedictine Abbey Maria Laach.
In dealing with officers and men LIST always showed himself most benevolent and considerate and never acted the officious, unapproachable Field-marshal."
Then I skip the next paragraph and start with the next paragraph, second sentence:
"Frenchmen and Greeks who expressed themselves more frankly to me as an Austrian, repeatedly praised LIST's uncommon friendliness and modesty, and the fact, that he treated the people of the occupied areas not as enemies but as human beings. Even before the entry into Bulgaria, as far as I know, Field-marshal LIST, in a sharp and threatening form unusual for him, forbade officers and men to procure means for buying in excess of their soldier's pay, so that the population of Rumania, Bulgaria, and Greece (no one at that time had any idea of a Serb campaign) would not be bought out."
I omit the rest of this paragraph and start in the middle of the page:
"I consider it out of the question, that Field-marshal List can be successfully charged with looting and robbery. Likewise, the charge concerning the wilful destruction of towns and villages is certainly untenable."
I skip the next part of this paragraph and read the bottom:
"I must most emphatically point out, that one must differentiate between the injustices perpetrated by the Party in the occupied areas and the conduct of the army. At least as long as I was in France and Greece, the relations between the men of the 12. Army and the French respectively the Greeks were good, nay even cordial in Greece."
Now I would like to read from the third paragraph on this page. I would ask the Tribunal to take judicial notice of the rest of this document, and I just read the last paragraph, -- that is, the last paragraph on 103:
"The thought, that of all things a man of the sincerity, honorableness, and kindness of Wilhelm LIST should be convicted as a criminal, is virtually incomprehensible to me."
The next List Document, 108, which becomes Exhibit No. 131, is contained in Document Book 2, page 108. It is an affidavit by Pastor Muenchmeyer Director of the Central Committee for Inner Missions.
"I declare the following under oath:
I became acquainted with Herr Field-Marshal Wilhelm LIST in 1930, when I was transferred to the Garmisch church in Dresden.
At that time he was the commander of the Infantry-school there, where the whole new generation of Reichswehr officers received part of their training. Very soon after my acceptance of the office he had me hold a lecture on the subject of "Christianity and War", in which I represented the Biblical-Reformational point of view, without modifications. Thereupon General LIST introduced the unusual innovation of allowing the garrison pastor regularly to hold compulsory lectures about Christian problems of faiths, of life, and of education, in addition to voluntary discussion evenings. At such lectures he himself participated together with the entire officers' complement which constituted the faculty of the school. He always laid much stress on the Christian indoctrination and training of the rising officer generation, especially also later in the Nazi period. Repeatedly he point ed out expressly to officer candidates and cadets of every academic level the decisive significance of the Christian spirit and morals for the preservation of genuine soldier life. He also took part in divine services together with his confessed Christian family, with whom I became better acquaint ed, together with my wife, through professional dealings and personal visits and also through pastoral conversations. He participated not only for tradition's sake, and not only in order to set a good example, but because, as I well know, it was a matter of inner necessity and of the heart for him and for his family members. He was known as a convinced Christian officer, and he never denied his Christian faith, not even in the Nazi period in any way, but on the contrary, frankly and freely professed his faith repeatedly on public occasions and in addresses before representatives of the NSDAP as such, for example, Himmler and Mutschmann.
It was of great importance to him to preserve and strengthen the Christian spirit in the Wehrmacht in fact of the anti-clerical and anti-Christian tendencies of the Party and of its formations.
In the first several years of Nazi rule I reported to him, now that he was the commanding general in Dresden, regularly and fully about ideological and church problems in general, and in particular with respect to army circles. The then chief of staff General Olbrich, who was executed by firing-squad on 20 July 1944, was sometimes present. At these discussions I was able to become thoroughly familiar with the decidedly anti-Nazi altitude of General List, and for that matter, also with General Olbricht's. In later meetings with General List, even during the war, I determined that this position remained unchanged in keenness and resoluteness.
I do not stress this for the first time now, but have said it several times before this to friends and acquaintances of mine, namely, that I personally owe to two officers for my office an pastor, than I owe to most of my theological teachers. One of these two officers is Field Marshal List. He helped me in the administration of my office, even in the first several years of the Nazi rule, by word and deed in a fatherly and understanding manner, which a pastor is not likely to experience often in laymen. His clear perspective, his wise judgment, his rich experiences, and his delicate gift for acclimating himself to spiritual as well as to other matters, his inner life and goodness of heart, his sincerity of conscience and his consciousness of responsibility have for all time made this truly significant man worthy of admiration to me.
I skip the rest of the affidavit. The next document is Document List No. 154.
It becomes Exhibit No. 132 and is to be found in Document Book III, page 59. This is a statement by the Abbot of Maria Laach: In the winter of 1939/40 Generalfeldmarsshchall List repeatedly honored our abbey with his visit. Private conversations which I hold with him on this occasion gave me the impression that Generalfeldmarschall List was not only a highly intellectual, noble and thoroughly Christian person, but also that he certainly was not favorably inclined toward the war or the NSDAP and its ideologies as well as imperialistic endeavors. On the contrary, Generalfeldmarschall List - at that time still Generaloberst - always represented the Christian ideologies by refusing to accept the basic principles of National Socialism, which was also expressed in the correspondence I had with him since our meeting, and was also confirmed by the fact that in 1942 he was retired. I am convinced that Generalfeldmarschall List never violated international law in his high military position or that he issued orders which were contrary to international law.
Generalfeldmarschall List always had the most benevolent feelings for the abbey and helpfully took our part later at a very critical moment when the abbey was supposed to be suppressed. Therefore we will always be very grateful to him. Dr. Ildefons Herwegen, Abbot of Maria Laach.
The next document I would like to submit is List No. 135 and this becomes Exhibit No. 133. It is contained in Document Book II, page 113. It is an affidavit by Pastor Hans Badtke. I real from the second paragraph onwards: "Towards the end of September 1939 I was attached to the Supreme Command of the 14th Army as the protestant Chaplain."
And then I real the last sentence in this paragraph:
In the fall of 1941 Field Marshal List left Greece. During the aforesaid period I remained on Field Marshal List's staff.
My official duties brought me into contact frequently with the Chiefs of the staff at the time; however, at certain times - about once a month - I made a report to the Field Marshal personally.