Official Transcript of the American Military Tribunal in the matter of the United States of America against Wilhelm List et al, defendants, sitting at Nurnberg, Germany, on 15 October 1947, 0930-1630, Chief Justice Wennerstrum, presiding.
THE MARSHAL: Persons in the Courtroom will please find their seats.
The Honorable, the Judges of Military Tribunal V.
Military Tribunal V is now in session. God save the United States of America and this Honorable Tribunal.
There will be order in the Court.
THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Marshal, will you ascertain if all the defendants are present in the Courtroom?
THE MARSHAL: May it please Your Honors, all defendants are present in the Courtroom except the defendant von Weichs, who is still in the hospital.
THE PRESIDENT: Judge Burke will preside at this day's session.
JUDGE BURKE (Presiding): You may proceed Dr. Rauschenbach.
DEFENDANT HERMANN FOERTSCH DIRECT EXAMINATION (Continued) BY DR. RAUSHENBACH:
Q. Witness before we recessed we had looked at Exhibit 235, which is contained in document book 9. We now turn to the next exhibit, that is exhibit 236, contained in document book 9, it is on page 88 of the German text and page 83 of the English text. This is a so-called "Enemy Intelligence Review", of the 718th Infantry Division. It is rather an extensive document which gives explanations about the appearance and uniforms of the bands, etc. Did you know this document before this trial?
A. I did not know this document prior to this trial.
Q. Did you know that the Tito bands were organized in this manner, the way it is layed down in this document?
A. By and large I was of course informed about the organization of the bands.
Q. In spite of your knowledge of the organization of the bands-you did not regard them as regular belligerents?
A. No.
Q. And why not?
A. Because of the reasons I have already stated here. After the capitulation had been agreed upon, every incident of carrying arms or using them was an illegal action and therefore contrary to International law and the same applies to the fact that the country was occupied. Besides, these bands did not comply with the provisions of the Nague convention, which have been mentioned here frequently.
Q. The bands under Tito's command, were they too not recognizable from a distance and did it apply to them too that they did not carry their arms openly?
A. No, they were not recognizable from a distance and they too did not comply with the regulations of carrying arms openly.
Q. Now let us turn to exhibit 237, this is on page 124 of the German text and on page 117 of the English document book. This is an activity report of the 704 Infantry Division from the period of 1 September 1942 to 31 December 1942. Was this report known to you at the time?
A. No, activity reports from divisions did not reach me.
Q. Was this division subordinate to you?
A. No, no unit of any kind was subordinated to me.
Q. In this activity report in the entry of 24 December, that is on page 13 of the original and on page 7 of the document, an incident concerning Mladenovac is mentioned, it is on page 123 and the following pages in the English document book:
Lieutenant Konig, Executive Officer 11 Battalion 724 Grenadier regiment and 2nd Lt. (Med) Dr. Engelhardt. Battalion physician of the 2nd Battalion 724th Grenadier Regiment were fired on in Mladenovac at 14.30 hours by a 20 year old women who is assumed to be a Communist. They were severely wounded (Shot through lung and stomach) and immediately transferred to the Military Hospital in Belgrade. A former Cetnik leader was also shot to death by the woman while trying to arrest her. Later she shot herself. The 724th-Grenadier regiment has ordered the encirclement and a search of Mladenovac. 72 men and 52 women were arrested. A part of the population fled immediately after the attack on the officers. Local Police and Serbian state-guard participated without causing trouble in the measures of the military. 3 pistols were found. The Division applies for authorization to shoot to death 50 hostages and/or people detailed as retaliation prisoners in reprisal."
Witness, was that incident known to you at the time?
A. During those days from the 19th to the 30th of December, I was absent on an official trip and brief leave. It is possible that I did gain knowledge of the incident after my return.
Q. In the entry of the 27th of December on page 16 of the original, we find a Fuehrer order concerning the attitude in the combatting of bands. It says:
"The Division announces the Fuehrer order pertaining to procedure in the combat against bands. According to this, the fight against the Communist Bands which are operating with all possible means is to be carried on ruthlessly and without any limitations in the sense of soldierly chivalry or of the Geneva Convention.
Consideration of any kind and pity for members of bands or for followers does not exist."
Was this Fuehrer order mentioned here known to you?
A. I cannot say that either because according to the date it falls during the period of my absence.
Q. Could that by any chance be the so-called Commando order?
A. I think that is out of the question because the Commando order was issued at the end of October and it is unlikely that an order or that sort would take two months until it reached the Division. Besides the Commando order did not apply to the combatting of bands.
Q. Do you have any clue concerning the kind and manner of the order?
A. I can only offer assumptions here. Possibly it is a reaction of Hitler to the incident of Mladenovac, but this is only an assumption of mine.
Q. Now, let us turn to exhibit 238, we find it on page 132 of the German text and on page 127 of the English document book. Here again we find daily reports from the Commander Southeast to the O.K.W. Were those reports known to you?
A. Possibly I knew the reports, except when I was absent for a few days.
Q. Are these reports complete in the way they are put down in the document book?
A. No, here too we have to deal with abbreviations in the same manner we have discussed previously.
Q. The next exhibit in this document book 9 is exhibit 242, we find it on page 167 of the German and 171 of the English document book. It is a directive, Instruction No. 47, with the heading, "The Fuehrers Instructions for the divisions of the Southeast Area." For what reason was this instruction issued and what was its purpose?
A. This instruction was to make the armed force commander Southeast to the so-called Commander-in-Chief Southeast.
Q. That was in December 1942?
A. Yes, it was to take effect as of 1 January 1943. The amendment was made in order to prepare the operational controls in case of invasion of the area would take place. As the instruction explains, the idea was in case of invasion, the then Commander Southeast is now Commander-in-Chief Southeast and was to be chief of all German and Allied forces in the Southeastern area.
Q. On the basis of this order did anything change concerning the executive power in the Southeast?
A. No.
Q. Did your authority change?
A. You mean my personal authority?
Q. Yes.
A. No.
Q. Witness, we will now turn to document book 10 of the prosecution and to begin with I shall ask you again whether the survey of the exhibit numbers which you did not know prior to this trial is correct. These are the following: Exhibits 244, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 253, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 262. All these exhibits were charged to you by the prosecution as incriminating; did you know these documents prior to this trial?
A. No, I did not know them prior to this trial.
Q. Now, let us look at exhibit 243, that is the first exhibit in this document. It is on page 1 of both the German and English text. It contains a directive of the Commanding General and Commander in Serbia and its subject is daily reports. It is addressed to the 704 Infantry Division and it reads at the beginning:
"The High Command of Army Group E demands that the daily reports be more precise than hitherto so that a more detailed report can be furnished to the OKW."
Was such a request made by the Group E?
A. Yes, that is correct and can be traced back to the order of the O.K.W. to report in a more detailed manner.
Q. What was your attitude to this request by the O.K.W.?
A. I was not very happy about it. This order to report in a more detailed manner had as its consequence that the superior order would interfere in more detail.
Q. Witness, did you ever see the original of this document?
A. You mean exhibit 243? No.
Q. Witness, under figure 7 of the document, insofar as it is contained in the document book, there is some reference to the Fuehrer orders; which orders are meant?
A. That cannot quite clearly be seen, but I assume that it concerns the previously mentioned order concerning the band combatting at the end of December and possibly it might also refer to the Commando Order.
Q. Under figure 7, it reads in the last sentence which is contained in the document book:
"In case by way of exception shooting is not planned, the report is to read: 'Will not be shot at the moment, as useful for own information reasons.'" Is this formulation not in contrast to the direction of the Armed Forces Commander Southeast when he passed on the order?
A. I don't believe it is. If one knows the connections as they existed at the time, then one interprets the sentences which have just been read correctly. If offered a chance to deviate, which was occasionally made use of.
Q. Will you please repeat what you told us yesterday, what was the additional remarks which the Armed Forces Commander Southeast made to the order?
A. As far as I remember, the additional remarks had the meaning that the so-called Commando order was not applicable to the combatting of bands and I mentioned additionally the other instruction concerning events which might come under the Commando Order. One had to confer with the Armed Forces Commander prior to taking any measures.
Q. And what is the connection with the fact that can be drawn from this sentence of the Armed Forces Commander Serbia:
"In case by way of exception a shooting is not planned, the report is to read: 'Will not be shot at the moment, as useful for own information reasons.'" What could the parson who received this order do with it?
A. He was in a position to avoid and circumvent a shooting if he reported that the person will not be shot at the moment and then quite frequently there was no investigation at a later date and thus it was possible to somewhat obscure the issue.
Q. And now let us turn to exhibit 245. Were the reports contained in this document to the Wehrmacht Commander Southeast known to you?
A. It is likely that I knew those reports.
Q. And now we turn to exhibit 251, that is on page 22 of the German text and on page 28 of the English text. This is an order of the Commander of the German forces in Croatia. This subject is: "Exercise of Executive Power." Will you please turn to Figure IV-A, where it says:
"Rigorous measures are to be taken against the population. In unreliable areas the male population from 15 to 50 years is to be lodged in assembly camps. Deportation to Germany is intended."
What kind of measures have we got here?
A. We have here a measure which was made in consent or rather at the insistance of the Croatian government. In the State of Croatia there was compulsory military service and large parts of the population tried to get around it or rather withdrew from it because of the band terror. The Croatian government at the time, on instructions, or rather in agreement with the German government, wanted to establish so-called legion divisions. Those were divisions with a nucleus of German staff and Croatian enlisted men. These divisions were trained in a training area near Vienna. The able bodied men were sent there, they were examined there regarding their suitability to be taken into such a division. Generally speaking, as far as I recollect, there was never complete transportation of these people there. There were two reasons, first the German units had for the most part not the technical possibilities to transport these people, there was no transportation and no guards, The second reason was that these measures were carried out incompletely and unwillingly. In the areas where the bands were located it was impossible to reach the actual population as the men who felt inclined toward the bands had disappeared for the most part when the German troops got there and the people who were friendly inclined toward the German troops were intended to be spared, therefore, according to my recollection, these measures were carried out on very rare occasions.
Q. Under 4-B of this exhibit we find the following sentences:
"Partisans and partisan suspects, as well as civilians in whose homes arms and ammunitions are found, are to be shot or hanged immediately. Their homes are to be burned down. " I am now interested in learning from you how it was possible to carry out such measures without proceedings.
A. That corresponded with the already mentioned new band regulation which was was issued in November 1942. Therein it was said that contrary to former regulations the bandits were to be shot to death on the spot and that every leader of a unit was responsible for the fact that these measures were carried out immediately. Exceptional cases he would have to report giving his reasons. That about is the contents of the order and this regulation also applied to owners of weapons and ammunition the way it is laid down here.
Q. After the regulations for band warfare had been issued had summary court-martials become superfluous?
A. No, not really. There were summary court martials just as there had been before.
Q. And what was done in connection with the actual combatting? What I mean is, what happened to the band members who were shot in connection with combat operations?
A. They were shot according to the band regulations without any formal procedure.
Q. Did I understand you correctly, that your testimony now concerning summary court martials where shooting was in connection with combat action referred to the time before the band regulations were issued?
A. Yes, that is correct. Up until that time the so-called franc tireur regulation of autumn 1939 was valid.
Q. Exhibit 261, contained on page 72 of the English text, contains some daily reports to the OKW. Did you know those?
A. Probably those reports were known to me insofar as I was not absent at the time.
Q. This Exhibit 263 contained on page 77 of the German and 100 of the English text -- we find a regulation of the commanding general and commander in Serbia dated the 28 of February 1943 concerning reprisals by killing. Was this regulation known to you?
A. This instruction was known to me.
Q. Was this instruction given by the Armed Forces Commander Southeast?
A. No. May I point to my previous testimony. According to which the Armed Forces Commander who later became Commander in Chief Southeast did not order details concerning reprisal measures because he maintained the point of view that only the military commanders in the area concerned could survey the whole picture and could therefore apply the necessary measures.
Q. Now, we will turn to Document Book XI of the Prosecution, According to the survey which we submitted initially, the following exhibits only became known to you during this trial. These are the numbers 264, 265, 266, 276, 268, 269, 270, 272, 273, 275, 276, 278, 279 and 280.
A. Yes, that is quite correct.
Q. Well, then, let's turn to Exhibit 271. It is contained on page 26 of the German text and page 34 of the English text. In this exhibit we find excerpts of a number of reports. Did you know those reports?
A. I did not know these reports with the exception of the report of the 17th of April because at the beginning of April I was absent on leave.
Q. You mean the report which is contained on page 10 of the original -- that is page 6 of the document, page 10 of the original?
A. Yes, that is correct. That is the one I mean. It is dated the 17th of April.
Q. Yes, it is dated the 17th of April and addressed to the Commander in Chief Southeast. On the first page of Exhibit 271 we find a communication from the Commanding General and Commander in Serbia dated the 2nd of April 1943 and addressed to Administrative Subarea Headquarters 610, and I am submitting to you a passage which is contained under figure "3".
"In agreement with the 24th Bulgarian Division, the proposed measures are to be examined and the intention to carry them out is to be reported."
I want to put this question to you. What was the attitude of the Bulgarians concerning reprisal measures for such band attacks?
A. The attitude of the Bulgarians was comparatively strong. In the Serbian area -- that is, in an area of our supremacy -- they had to succumb to the general directives and the orders of the Commanding General and Commander in Serbia were binding for them. Regarding the area of their own supremacy - that is, the Bulgaria proper -- they have occasionally taken much more stringent measures.
Q. Are retaliation or reprisal measures on the part of the Bulgarians known to you which were carried out in the area occupied by the Bulgarians themselves?
A. I recollect one case which happened in Thrace; that is the area which came under the Bulgarian supremacy.
MR. FENSTERMACHER: Your Honors, I think we are not interested in what the Bulgarians stated in their occupation zone. That has not been alleged as a crime by the defendants.
PRESIDING JUDGE BURKE: Upon what do you base your objection?
MR. FENSTERMACHER: On the ground it is irrelevant and immaterial.
PRESIDING JUDGE BURKE: The objection will be overruled.
Q. Will you please continue then?
A. The area concerned is Th race which was under Bulgarian supremacy. Concerning that area I learned once that near the town of Drama heavy acts of sabotage had occurred and the Bulgarians had taken acts one might almost call Balkanese cruelty.
Q. Was the attitude of the Bulgarians made known to you by Bulgarian officers possibly?
A. There was a Bulgarian liaison staff attached to our staff and I have frequently talked to these people. On the whole it was their conception that we were too mild.
Q. Was that only presented in a general manner or did that liaison officer enlarge on his opinion?
A. Occasionally he made rather drastic suggestions or gave examples how these measures could be carried out and these examples and suggestions came close to torture but in all these cases one could only tell him that those were methods which did not correspond with the attitude of a German soldier.
Q. Now, we will deal with Exhibit 274. It is contained on page 40 of the German text and page 48 of the English document book. These again are daily reports addressed to the Armed Forces Commander Southeast. Did you know these reports?
A. It is probable that I knew the report of the 16th of May.
Q. That is the report on the first page?
A. Yes.
Q. And what about the other reports?
A. The answer to the administrative Subarea Headquarters was not made known to me.
Q. Now, we will deal with Exhibit 277 contained on page 46 of the German and 57 of the English text. This contains an instructional pamphlet for the German soldiers serving in Montenegro. I believe you have already mentioned this pamphlet yesterday in a different context and there is some talk about the so-called "Whites," the Cetniks, and the so-called "Greenes," the autonomists, and the situation in Montenegro is described. This is for the information of the troops serving in Montenegro. Does this pamphlet describe the situation correctly?
A. Yes, I believe it does and I believe it is typical for the rather complex conditions in Montenegro. It gives a brief excerpt from the total picture of the Southeastern area. Furthermore, this pamphlet shows that German soldiers who entered a new area was informed concerning prevailing conditions and, as can be seen from individual passages in this pamphlet, he was repeatedly instructed to take into consideration the rather unique conditions. For instance, it reads here:
"The religious customs of the Moslems have to be considered under all circumstances" -- and then there is some hint concerning the attitude of Europeans in Mohameham countries and this only gives an example for the total altitude which prevailed.
Q. Now, we will turn to Exhibit 281 on page 54 of the German and 69 of the English text. That is an OKW order of the 20th of June concerning combating of bands. What did this order intend to achieve? Mas that order issued again?
A. I believe it is not an order concerning combating of bands. It is an order concerning designation of bands.
Q. That is correct.
A. This order shows clearly that the OKW concerning its attitude of band warfare and of the illegality of the opponents maintained its attitude because in this order it is prohibited that German military concepts are applied to these bands just in order not to give the troops the wrong picture about these bands.
Q. What do you mean -- give them the wrong impression and the wrong conception?
A. I mean that wrong conception in this sense would have been, for instance, if those band units had been designated in regular divisions or batallions or units of that kind. Therefore, it was ordered here that in future only those expressions were allowed: small bands, mediumsized bands and large bands. The OKW intended to emphasize its opinion that these units were definitely illegal.
Q. And now please turn to Exhibit 282. You find it on page 57 of the German and page 71 of the English text. These again are a number of reports. Did you know them.
A. It is probable that I knew them.
Q. Turn to the report of the Commanding General and Commander in Serbia addressed to the Commander in Chief Southeast. This is the second report in this exhibit and it is dated the 29th of June. It reads here under I:
"First Royal Bulgarian Occupation Corps, South of Krusevac, SSW Station attacked by medium sized heavily armed band. Amongst them were 15 attackers in German uniform and German speaking; 14 SSW men dead. Quarters with corpses burned down."
To begin with, what does the abbreviation "SSW men" mean?
A. That meant Serbian State Guard. This was a legal unit organized by the occupation forces and they were a kind of police.
Q. The incident reported here -- that is, the fact that band members appeared in German uniform -- was this an unusual incident?
A. The appearance of band members in German uniform was quite frequent.
Here, however, it is apparently a deliberate deception because the report shows also that German was spoken and I assume that they called out in the German language, "Don't shoot," or something like that. This was done, I suppose, in order to attack and surprise this station.
Q. Did you know the reports which are contained in Exhibit 283? That is the next exhibit?
A. I believe that I did know the report of the 18th of June to the Armed Forces Commander Southeast.
Q. And now we will deal with Exhibit 28 on page 59 of the German and 76 of the English text. This is an activity report of the I-a Branch from the 1st to the 31st of January 1943, diressed to the Commander in Chief Southeast. I believe it has to read "1943."
A. Yes, 1943. That is correct.
Q. It says here under number "2": "New Regulations in the Southeast Area." Can one assume from that that when Army Group E was created the Second Army was eliminated and that the Armed Forces Southeast was changed to the Commander in Chief Southeast. Is this what the new regulation of command meant?
A. Yes, that is the new regulation of command which I indicated previously.
Q. And after this regulation of command, as described on the same page, we find a reproduction from page 7 of the document: "Reprisal Measures Against the Population of Teslic." That is on the next page in the English text, page 77, and then in the last paragraph of the document we find a passage: "Reprisal Measures against Sabotage Acts." Both passages mention OKW orders.
What kind of OKW orders are they?
A. These two notes are examples for the fact that the OKW, as I mentioned previously, was always inclined to interfere in details, always attempted to give detailed orders; they wanted to hasten things up and they thus expressed their suspicions concerning the handling of matters by the Commander in Chief Southeast.
Q. Then you mean that the OKW did not only issue basic instructions concerning the dealing with the bands but even concerning individual attacks in individual areas, interfered and gave orders regarding the reprisal measures to be taken?
A. Yes, that happened frequently and, as I mentioned before; the reason for this request of a detailed report was based on the desire to be able to interfere occasionally.
Q. Did the OKW also interfere in this rather detailed manner if they had been able to rely on the fact that the Armed Forces Commander Southeast would on his own initiative take stringent enough measures in compliance with the wishes of the OKW?
A. Then such orders would not have come in because in that case the OKW would have been under the impression that Hitler's wishes are being acted upon.
Q. Witness, we will how pass on to Document Book XII of the prosecution. Here again first of all I will read to you the numbers of the exhibits which, according to my survey, you only got to know in the course of this trial. These are the following exhibits: 285, 286, 287, 288, 292, 294, 296, 298, 299, 300, 303, 304, 307, 308.
A. That is correct.
A That is correct.
Q In Exhibit 289, contained on Page 12 of the German and Page 19 of the English text, we again find Daily Reports to the OKW by the Commander of the Southeast. Did you know these reports?
A It's likely that I knew these reports.
Q One report is contained there which is dated the 16th of June 1943, and this report is contained on Page 26 of the original, and Page 18 of the German text, and possibly Page 25 of the English text. It is a reproduction from Page 26 of the original. That's Page 25 of the English text, Daily Report of the 26th of June 1943. And amongst others it says here "During Italian mopping-up operations best of Levadia and 40 KM Northwest of Theben, two commanders of bands arrested; several bandit houses burned down." In accordance with whose order were those bandits' houses burned down?
A On the basis of the order of some Italian authority commander.
Q And in the next report of the 27th of June 1943, on the next page, there is some reporting under MontenegroAlbania, "In reprisal for shooting of Italian officer in the area of Berane-Portorice, the area 100 KM Northwest of Novi-Pazar, 150 Communist prisoners in all were shot dead." Who occupied Montenegro-Albania?
A In June, 1943 it was occupied by the Italians.
Q And on whose order were those 150 Communist prisoners shot to death?
A I cannot say that with certainty, but in any case on the order of some Italian office.
Q And now, the next report of the 28th of June 1943, we find under the Daily Report for Greece: "During Italian mopping-up of the area Fast of Trikkala and South of Joannina two bandit Villages were destroyed, arms and ammunition and material were secured."
Does this toe concern a measure which was carried out on the basis of an order issued by an Italian Commander?
A Yes, certainly because it reads "During Italian mopping-up in such and such an area." And probably it was reported through our liaison officers by Italian Commanders.
Q Will you then turn to Exhibit 290 please? That is contained on Page 27 of the German and Page 33 of the English text. This is concerning suggestions of the Commander of the Fourth Brandenburg Regiment, Regimental Combat Post, and the subject is: "Proposals of the future employment for special purposes of the Fourth Brandenburg Regiment." This document is addressed to the Commander in Chief Southeast/Ia, through Commander of the German Troops is Croatia. And next to it we have a receipt stamp, or rather just the impression of the stamp, but it is not filled in. Did this document ever reach the Commander in Chief Southeast?
A I don't believe so. The stamp is one of the Commanders of German Troops in Croatia. I found that out by comparing it with other documents.
Q And then have a look at the distribution list on the last page of the document.
A Yes, according to the distribution list that would have to have been the second copy, and I am sure it is the second copy. The first copy was to go to the Commander in Chief Southeast. But in the address here it reads "Commander in Chief Southeast, through Commander of the German Troops in Croatia." One would think that the Commander of the German Troops in Croatia kept the document and did not pass it on, which was something that he was entitled to do. I cannot remember that document.
Q Now, concerning the suggestions and proposals which the Commander of the Fourth Brandenburg Regiment makes, were they made known to the Commander in Chief Southeast in any other way?
A Not in that form. I know that so-called Brandenburg-units..
Q Will you please repeat?
A The Brandenburg units were subordinates for tactical purposes, that is for the usual employment, to the command authorities in the area where they were committed. For the so-called special disposal committment, they received their orders from their own division staff. This division staff was immediately subordinate to the OKW and had its seat with or near the OKW.
Q In this suggestion of the Commander of the Fourth Brandenburg Regiment the intentions contained were to get hold of all of Tito's staff and to use former partisans for this purpose. What considerations do you think led him to this proposal?
A The so-called special disposal commitment had as its basic idea the idea to fight the bands with their own means and methods. And so one thought of the attempt to fight the bands by bands and to get hold of Tito's staff by bands too.
Q Did this proposed employment of the Fourth Brandenburg Regiment ever take place?
A Not to the best of my recollection. During my time, as far as I remember, no action against Tito's staff was carried out, at least it was not known to me.
Q Now, we will turn to Exhibit 291. It is contained on Page 32 of the German and Page 37 of the English text. It contains an order by the Commander in Chief Southeast concerning security and reprisal measures against the enemy population. Who issued that order?
A That order was issued by General Loehr, Chief Southeast.
Q That order starts with the following sentence: "In the event of enemy landing attacks we must reckon with the most far-reaching participation of hostile parts of the population on the side of the enemy." Will you briefly tell us what was the conception of the Commander in Chief Southeast regarding the fights in the event of enemy landings?
First of all, I would like you to tell us what facts were available so that one counted at all on enemy landing.
AAs I briefly touched upon yesterday, there were come very clear reports available concerning the intentions of the Allies in the Serbian area. And these reports said that they intended to land on the Peloponnesus or on the western coast of Greece, respectively. These reports were sent to us by OKW, and they also contained the corresponding directions. These directions said we had to prepare ourselves for that likelihood and to give the necessary orders in good time. Besides, from the general supervision of our own area, we knew that the attitude of the population in the event of a landing would doubtlessly be hostile to us. Far this fact I believe there are some reports in Document Book XXIV of the Prosecution by the commander of Southern Greece and concerning the period of June or July, 1943. These reports are significant because in my mind they give a very clear an correct picture of the situation at the time.
Q Now, how about your own forces which were available for the combating of a possible landing of the enemy?
A There were only very few forces of our own, and it was by no means certain that they would be adequate to counter such an attack.
Q Under Figure 4 of this order it says "As soon as such forces have arrived the setting up of an evacuation zone etc. is to be carried out."
A These forces never arrived because later on the landing did not take place either.