(Menzel) It is a report to the OKW, from Wehrmacht Commander Southeast, dated 29 January 1942. I read from Figure 3:
"3) Cooperation with Croatian troops satisfactory. Croatian liaison officers well trained and energetic, Croatian troops cannot be used independently because of lack of training and equipment, as well as lack of officers and serviceable non-commissioned officers. Cooperation with Croatian air force satisfactory.
Cooperation on Italian side so long as fighting is not involved. Use of Italian airmen led to our own losses as reported, further use of them was accordingly dispensed with. Promised Italian operation on the south wing did not come off because of non-arrival of the Italian division."
I shall omit the next sentence and shall proceed with Section 4:
"The insurgents again retreated cleverly into their locations in the distant areas of the difficult territory before the advancing German troops. This cannot be prevented by the Croatian troops remaining in the area which has been mopped up, as they are inferior in combat."
I shall then omit a few sentences, and at the end:
"The overwhelming majority of the Serbian people behave in a friendly way to the German troops and are anxious when they march away, since they fear the continuation of excesses by Ustasha. Thousands of Serbian refugees have arrived near Kos. Mitrovies and south of Zvornik without food or lodging; danger of disease and danger of new unrest in Serbia."
"5) Lasting pacification cannot be brought about without intensive occupation at the same time, since the insurgents, who are firmly rooted in the population, retreat skillfully and vanish into their houses as the situation may be.
Effective operations only possible in favorable weather waste of troops now committed is too great in comparison with results obtained.
Following agreement with Croatian government an attempt is being made to bring about tranquility in Eastern Bosnia. For this purpose the entire area remains a zone of operations. Commander of 718th Div., who is in command of all Croatian and German troop units, is exercising executive power upon order of the Plenipotentiary Commanding General in Serbia. An attempt is being made in close connection with the Croatian government to build up a new administration in the country.
At present an operation is proceeding against Ozren Mountains, from which about the same result may be expected.
The following would be necessary for effective pacification measures:
1) Unified supreme command of all German, Italian and Croatian troops.
2) More or less simultaneous operations in the entire Croatian area in order to prevent the insurgents from disappearing into unoccupied or only slightly occupied areas, as has been repeatedly established up to now.
3) Fundamental change in the Italian attitude, who up to now have avoided any conflict with insurgents.
Active fighting is necessary.
4) Substantial reinforcement of the German troops for the German occupation army area, since 1 div. or 2 regiments are not enough.
5) No toleration whatsoever of the Ustasha in territory inhabited by Serbs.
Only under these conditions can a final pacification be brought about of the areas and transport roads so important to the German war economy. Otherwise with present forces only local mopping up in very narrow districts is possible without safe supply routes to and from."
This document shows that the enemy did not feel strong enough to oppose the occupation power, but that they always took evasive action; that the Serbian population was not hostile towards the Germans, but was rather afraid of the Ustasha.
The difficulties in enforcing the occupation consisted, as this document shows, in the failure of the Italians and the Croatians in mopping up their areas. It is apparent from the document how strong the position of the Germans was as compared with the Ustasha.
So much for this document.
I now have to revert to Document Book 3, Document 64, pages 4 to 6 in German and English, to be Exhibit 7. It is an excerpt from the War Diary, Marcy 1942. I shall read from page 5:
First, report of the 1 March 1942.
"Section 3: Acts of sabotage and surprise attacks have decreased in numbers as compared to the previous period of report, however, they extended over the entire eastern area of Croatia and Serbia. The total number of the reported incidents amounts to 45."
Then, Section 4, the second sentence:
"The formation of new bands and increased activities by those which already have been reported, as well as increased Communist propaganda, make a new revolt early in the year increasingly likely."
This report is particularly important regarding the revolt which was to be expected in the spring, and to which the order of the 19 March is to be attributed. This order threatens the necessary stringent measures which later were not enforced, as will have to be established by the plea.
Now reading from the same page, under Section II:
"An Insurgent Infantry Division inflicted heavy casualties upon the enemy in numerous skirmishes and, during a search, arrested a number of suspected persons who were detained for court martial investigation."
The next excerpt, IV:
"594 seriously injured and sick Serbian prisoners of war arrived in Belgrade from Germany. They were distributed to the Military Hospitals in Belgrade and Kragujevac for further medical care by Serbian medical personnel."
It is evident from this page that suspects were dealt with by court martial; that there were no reprisals ordered for acts of sabotage, and that medical care was accorded to Serbian prisoners.
The next page, that is page 6 -
MR. FULKERSON: I do not want to be discourteous, but I would like to ask for more matter and less argument. We have a time allotted for us to make our argument in which we draw our conclusions from this testimony; as I understand it, we are now simply supposed to be presenting it.
DR. MENZEL: I am endeavoring, if the Tribunal please, to be as succinct as possible, and to make such statements as are absolutely necessary to make it intelligible while this very document is being presented. All other matters will, of course, be dealth with in my plea.
THE PRESIDENT: If you will kindly make your explanatory remarks just as brief as possible, it will be helpful to the Tribunal.
DR. MENZEL: I will now road from the next page, that is page 6.
The German losses were:
"Germans: 25 killed, 61 wounded, 13 missing Croatians:
42 killed, 92 wounded, 15 missing Bulgarians:
17 killed, 24 wounded Total:
84 killed, 177 wounded, 28 missing."
These figures are necessary in order to determine at a later stage the ratio of the reprisals to the losses.
I shall then read from Section 6, merely a breif excerpt:
"The Serbian Government, with the approval of the administrative staff, arranges for meetings in which the population is informed about the situation by prominent persons, is warned not to commit any rash acts and in which an attempt is made to win their loyal cooperation."
That is, a warning not to commit sabotage acts.
DR. LATERNSER: If the Tribunal please, I beg your pardon, but with the agreement of my colleague, I wish to offer one more document which I omitted previously. I regret the inconvenience caused but I would like to do it now.
It is document List, 157, which is to be Exhibit 139. It is in Document Book 3, page 41. I merely wish to read one paragraph, the 4th paragraph, It is an affidavit of the Judge Advocate Gruen.
The passage reads:
"While I served with the Staff of the Military District South East it did not come to my attention that partisans, who had been captured in combat or in between operations, were executed without judgment from either courts-martial or a military court.
I informed the army judges under my command to the effect that the provisions of International Law were to be observed also in the fight against partisans and that all captured partisans would have to be brought before the courts. This point was also discussed in talks held by the judges. The judges were advised to inform their convening authorities accordingly. During my repeated official trips when, I checked the activities of the military courts and the courtsmartial I did not notice in Serbia any infringements in this direction."
I thank the Court for its indulgence.
DR. MENZEL: May I now proceed with document No. 38, Kunze, in Document Book 2, pages 15 and 16, in the German text, and 15 and 16A in the English text. If these document books are constantly changing, then it is due to the fact that I wish to present these reports in their proper chronological sequense in order to cover the whole period of time.
THE PRESIDENT: This is Exhibit 8 is it not?
DR. MENZEL: Exhibit 8.
THE PRESIDENT: We will not be able to complete the reading of this during this afternoon's session, and with the identification of the document we will adjourn at this time until 9:30 tomorrow morning.
(Tribunal in recess until 0930 hours January 3, 1948)
Official transcript of Military Tribunal V, Case VII, in the matter of the United States of America against Wilhelm List, et al, defendants, sitting at Nurnberg, Germany on 8 January 1948 , 0930, hours, Justice Carter 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 of the defendants are present in the Courtroom?
THE MARSHAL: May it please Your Honor, all of the defendants are present in the Courtroom.
THE PRESIDENT: Judge Carter will preside at this day's session.
PRESIDING JUDGE CARTER: You may proceed.
DR. MENZEL: May it please the Tribunal, I wish to proceed with the presentation of documents. The Court will recall that we stopped yesterday with Exhibit No. 8 that was Document 38, in Document Book 2 Kunze, Pages 15 and 16 in the German, and Pages 15 to 16a in the English.
These documents, generally, are documents designed to prove that contrary to the assertions made in the trial brief of the Prosecution, the occupation was effective. This document in particular from page 15 will be submitted as proving that in Serbia there were only small bands, and that the insurgents in Eastern Croatia did not stand up and fight, but took evasive action.
It is a report by the Commanding General in Serbia, addressed to Military Commander Southeast, dated the 10th of February, '42. May I now read from Section 1:
I. Enemy Situation
1.) Serbian area: It was now possible to get a fairly clear picture concerning the bands appearing around Nish and Kursumlja.
There are 3 groups in the region between the Suvaplanina and Babikagora, as well as south and north of the Toplica.
I shall omit the next sentence and proceed with the first sentence of Section 2:
2.) Croatian area: Operation Ozren Area also confirmed the enemy picture expected there. The enemy never took up a position for a decisive battle, but after slight local resistance withdrew into impassable terrain so as to assemble again afterwards.
I shall omit the next sentence and proceed with the next paragraph:
Insurgents mobilized northeast and northwest of Doboj. At present their strength can be assumed to be more than 2500 men. They are threatening the Doboj-Bosnia Brod railroad.
The southern part of the Croatian east area is being disturbed by bands which are appearing again after the conclusion of the operation of the 342nd Inf. Div.
I shall omit the remainder of Section 2.
Under Section 3:
3.) Acts of sabotage and attacks have increased considerably during the period of the report in Serbia, especially in the area east of Nish, in contrast to which they remained on about the same level in the Croatian east area as in the period of the previous report. The number of cases reported amounts to a total of 63.
That finishes page 15 and 15a. I shall now proceed with page 16. This document is designed to prove that in general law and order prevailed in Serbia but that a new insurrection was possible, and that attacks were carried out everywhere where bands were reported.
The document will also be submitted as proving that suspects were subjected to summary courts martial. Again it is a report by the Commanding General in Serbia, to the Armed Forces Commander Southeast in the proper chronological sequence, dated 20 February '42.
I shall read from 3:
3. Acts of sabotage and attacks.
The number of acts of sabotage and attacks comprised in Serbia and in the Croatian east area has again increased in comparison with the period of the last report, especially in east Serbia where some serious acts of sabotage on transport cars and telephone lines between Nish-Loskovac and Nish-Kursumlija are to be noted.
The total number of cages reported amounts to 73.
I shall omit one sentence and proceed with Section 4:
If in general it was comparatively quiet in the Serbian area during the period of the report, nevertheless it should not be overlooked that this circumstance is mostly to be attributed to unfavorable weather. The appearance of smaller or larger bands is reported by almost all subordinate units. The possibility continues to exist that the insurgents are secretly making preparations on a larger scale for a new rising.
I shall omit the first part of the next paragraph II regarding the 714th Infantry Division, and shall proceed in the middle of the paragraph:
Besides this, the Division successfully carried out several moppingup operations against a number of villages, during which a number of suspects were arrested who are being brought before a court-martial investigation.
So much for Document 38.
May I now turn to the adjoining document, that is Document 39 in Document Book II on pages 17 and 18 of the German text, and 17 and 18 in the English, to be Exhibit No. 9. It is in Document Book 2. This document is submitted as establishing attacks on unoccupied communities, and setting forth that a mopping-up operation was necessary to protect the civilian population. It is a report by the Armed Forces Commander in Serbia to the Armed Forces Commander Southeast, dated the 21 of February, 1942. I shall read from 2 (b):
"Apparently a larger number of insurgents in the Vlasotinca area, 13-17 February, attacks on Rutevca and Vrelo near Aloksinac, Luzeno, etc."
That is the report dated the 21st of February.
The next page, page 18 of the same document, contains a similar report dated the 23rd of February, 1942, submitted as establishing that Jewish partisans were also participating in the insurrection. I read figure 2a:
"Communist Jewish special messenger with Serbian, Italian and Albanian identification papers arrested in Podujevo. Interrogation in progress."
That finishes Exhibit No. 9.
May I now proceed with Document Book 3, Document 65, on pages 7 to 10 in the German; pagination the same in the English text, to be Exhibit No. 10.
This document is designed to establish that the occupation was effective; that there was law and order, but that there were possibilities of an insurrection during the spring. It is to be established then that acts of sabotage and raids remained unchanged, and that no reprisals were either ordered or enforced.
It is a report by the Commanding General in Serbia to the Armed Forces Commander Southeast, dated 10 of March, '42. I shall read Sections 1, 3 and 4:
1. Serbian Area An operation plan of the Communist party was found in Belgrade with directions for the revolt early in the year, which presumably is to begin in the middle of March.
The revolt is to be introduced by acts of sabotage on oil transports on the Danube and blowing up the Save railroad bridge.
3. General In comparison with the period of the previous report the recruiting activity of the Communists and Nationalist has increased throughout the entire country.
Energetic propaganda is being made for the annexation of Eastern Bosnia to Serbia.....
4. Acts of Sabotage and Attacks The number of acts of sabotage and attacks has not changed substantially in comparison with the period of the preceding report.
A total of 43 cases was reported.
I shall omit the first paragraph under Section III, and shall read for the purpose of later reference in my plea, Section V:
The German losses from the period from the 26th of February to the 5th of March '42:
Dead: Germans 13 Croats 14 Others 4 a total of 31 dead and 113 Germans wounded.
That was page 8. The document continues on pages 9 and 10.
The document on page 9 is to establish the same points, namely, that law and order prevailed in Serbia, but that in East Croatia, there was band activity by communists bands, from the Italian occupied area; that acts of sabotage were continued, without any reprisals being either ordered or enforced, and that in addition, statements regarding the enemy losses overlap, This is the report by the Commanding General in Serbia to the Armed Forces Commander Southeast, dated the 20 March '42.
I shall read from 3: General.
Parts of proletarian brigades have pushed forward out of Montenegro a cross the demarkation line into the East Bosnian area; the advance of other Montenegrin bands across the demarkation line into the Serbian area can be counted on. In general a certain calm has descended on Serbia: In Croatia, on the other hand, further increasing activity of the insurgents is to be noted.
MR. RAPP: I have a question, if you please. I am just wondering whether Dr. Menzel was paraphrasing paragraph 3,-I did not catch the first line, or whether he said that he wanted to skip that.
If I may ask Dr. Menzel to repeat that again.
DR. MENZEL: May I compare the English text with the German? Section 3 in my document book, on page 9 begins with "General: Parts of proletarian brigades out of Montenegro into East Bosnia ... etc."
That is the translation I read into the record.
MR. RAPP: May I ask Dr. Menxel again to please tell us whether he has read the first paragraph. I understand him to say that the partisans had crossed the demarkation line into the East Bosnia area, That is about what I understood, or whether he read verbatim what the report, as such, said.
DR. MENZEL: I read the whole of paragraph 3. I think that counsel has overlooked that there are two sentences of similar content.
MR. RAPP: All right.
DR. MENZEL: May I proceed with Section 4. "Sabotage Attacks: The number of 36 acts of sabotage and attacks keeps with the same limits as in the period of the preceding report.
I have now read from Section V. Our losses in the period from the 6th o 3rd month to the 15th of March, Germans, 25 dead; 29 wounded, 10 missing.
I read the last sentence I must add that the enemy losses then follow, according to German reports; dead and captured according to Serbian reports are divergent. According to Croatian reports there is again a discrepancy. I read the last sentence:
As a result of joint fighting these figures may in part overlap".
I would now like to proceed with page 10. This document is designed to prove that there was law and order in Serbia; that in spite of the acts of sabotage and raids, retaliatory measures were not ordered. I should like to point out the number of partisans as proving that the terms, "persons apprehended" and "prisoners" are again used intermittently, so that there is no unequivocal definition of these terms.
MR. RAPP: Your Honors, the word Dr. Menzel has reference to distinguish appears in my document book as being "captured", "256" being "captured". I thought that he had reference to 256 being arrested. I am just wondering whether or not the German word could be read into the record and the interpreter could be asked whether this is "captured", "arrested" or just what it is. As it appears in the English translation it does not follow Dr. Menzel's paraphrasing.
PRESIDING JUDGE CARTER: I think that Dr. Menzel intends to read it eventually. I think, Dr. Menzel, if you would read these self-explanatory report without so much comment ahead of time, that it would be just as clear to the Tribunal. Most of them are self-explanatory.
DR. MENZEL: I shall now proceed with the report. It is on page 10, again a report of the Commanding General to the Armed Forces Commander Southeast, dated the 31st of March, '42:
1. General Generally quiet in Serbian area.
Communist tendencies seem to be gaining constantly more ground in the entire Croatian area.
The number of 49 acts of sabotage and attacks has increased in comparison with the period of the preceding report.
V. Losses (16.
- 25. 7 each) Ours:
Germans: 0 dead 3 wounded 1 missing Croats:
40 dead 68 wounded 98 missing Enemy:
504 dead, 84 wounded, 256 captured.
It is not a question of prisoners but of prisoners captured.
MR. RAPPL Your Honor, from a substantive point of view, it is highly argumentative whether or not these were prisoners, or arrested people. I am merely interested to have the interpreter translate from the English into the German, as he feels the word should be translated, and anything beyond that I believe the Tribunal should decide.
PRESIDING JUDGE CARTER: All right, submit the original.
TRANSLATOR: It first says, "Festgenommene", which would be "Persons arrested".
PRESIDING JUDGE CARTER: All right. You may proceed.
DR. MENZEL: This finishes Exhibit No. 10.
May I now proceed with Document Book 2, in order to preserve the chronological sequence. It will be Document 50, on pages 38 to 40, German and English, Exhibit 11. It is an excerpt from the War Diary dated March, 1942, of the Commanding General in Serbia.
This document which comes from the Washington material is also to establish that there was still in general law and order in Serbia, that in Croatia there was an increasing insurgent movement. Then we have to note the confusion of the terms "partisans" and "Communists", and that the latter shot a prisoner Dangik Chetnik Staff. The document is further submitted as establishing that the partisans carried out forcible recruitments. It is a situation report of the Commanding General from the 20th of March 1942.
If the heading states that the situation report covers the 11th of March until the 30th, then that must be due to a clerical error in the original as the report is dated 20th of March 1942.
I shall omit the first paragraph and shall proceed with the second paragraph:
"In general a certain calm can be noticed in Serbia after the successful operations against the bands and the Communist urban organizations; in Croatia, however, a continuous increase of the insurrection."
"Sabotage and attacks: The number of acts of sabotage did not increase as compared with the preceding reporting period. Total of acts of sabotage: 40.
"Enemy situation: Serbian area: Belgrade: The investigations made on the occasion of the attempt on the life of a district head resulted in the discovery of an important Communist center in Belgrade. Numerous arrests of leading Communists were made.
"Danube area: In the Pozarevac and Palanka area sporadic attacks on communities and railroad stations, otherwise quiet."
I shall omit Section "c". Then "d":
"Prokuplje area: In the villages at the southern side of the Jastrebac Mountains compulsory recruitments are carried out by Partisans."
Then Section II:
"Croatian area: In Borika a Dangic Staff was taken prisoner and shot dead by Partisans.
"Insurgents convoked meetings at several villages in Serbia and tried to induce the farmers by threats to leave their land uncultivated."
So much for Exhibit 11. May I now turn back in Volume II to Document 41 on pages 21 and 22. German & English, this to be Exhibit No. 12. It is an Enemy Situation Report dated 7 April 1942 of the 714th Infantry Division. I just note that according to the distribution it was not addressed to the Commanding General and not to the Wehrmachts Commander Southeast. The document is submitted as establishing the necessity for regular mopping up operations; that persons were captured in combat and that an adequate occupation was in fact in existence. I shall begin with Section II, "Western Area:"
"16-20 March. About 300 insurgents in the area RadanovciBrezovica driven back by three combat groups II. Battl. of Infantry Regiment 741 towards Sipovica and pursued up to Ravnje-Prijezdic-Mrutisic. In the course of this brief contact with the enemy during which 3 men were captured. The pursuit of the enemy was resumed in the northern direction. Another combat group was employed from the north for the purpose of blocking up. The insurgents, however, succeeded in evading the pursuit by withdrawing in groups of 5 to 8 men towards Prijezdic protected by a terrain full of ravines and also protected by darkness. 4 of the insurgents were taken prisoner.
"Rudnik and surrounding districts were searched by the II. Battalion of Infantry Regiment 721. 23 suspected persons arrested, 1 rifle, 1 bayonet and ammunition confiscated" I shall omit the next paragraph.
"18.-19. March. Russian factory guards detained 5 insurgents among them the Chetnik leader Rajko Markovic."
Then the 21st of March:
"Battalion of Infantry Regiment 741 together with Chetniks captured 7 insurgents among them the political commissar and former commander of Mihailovic."
Page 22:
"Russian factory guards brought in 5 insurgents as prisoners in the course of reconnaissance operations in the area of Cvetulja.
...........
22. March. During reconnaissance operations in the direction of Komoric-Bukov 9 insurgents were captured by Russian factory guards.
23. March. Russian factory guards brought in an armed insurgent as prisoner near Lipovaca."
There are further report capture of insurgents.
I shall read Section III:
"Other events.
"In Obrenovac 1 soldier was assaulted by 2 Serbs and injured through stabbing. Both perpetrators could be arrested."
Having concluded this document. I wish to return to Document Book III. Document No. 69, pages 17 and 18, to be Exhibit 13. It is a survey of the situation in the area of the Wehrmachts Commander Southeast addressed to OKW. This document will be submitted as establishing that there was law and order in Serbia, activity of bands in Croatia; that however on the part of the German occupation authorities the fight against the Croatians was not in any way fomented, but that was the case on the part of the Italians who enlisted the National Serbian Cetniks.
The document is further to illustrate care accorded to the Serbian population.
MR. RAPP: Your Honor, if you please. I just wonder whether the Tribunal feels that it is necessary to paraphrase to the extent of practical argumentation in presenting these documents.
PRESIDING JUDGE CARTER: I think, Dr. Menzel, that most of these exhibits are self-explanatory, as I said a while ago, and that is isn't necessary to review them before you read them. A brief statement, I think, would suffice.
DR. MENZEL: May it please the Tribunal, I shall try to be as succinct as possible and only prepare a short introduction to make the documents intelligible. May I proceed?
"Overall Situation:
"In Serbia local actions only during intensive patrol activity of our own.
In Croatia unchanged intensive guerilla activity in Bosnia. Preparations for a German-Italian-Croatian operation in Eastern Bosnia take the planned course."
Then "D": "In detail.
"Serbia.
In Belgrade we succeeded in eliminating several Communist leaders.
Intensive patrol activity by our troops in Northern and Central Serbia only seldom encountered enemy resistance. Successful fights by our troops near Zvernik. A few surprise attacks near Pozarevac by Communist bands.
Successful Bulgarian operation west of Nisch routed a larger band causing considerable losses to the enemy.
...........
Croatia.
28 to 29 March the first briefing by General Roatta took place in Laibach for Combat Group General BADER."
"Result:
"Agreement in tactical matters "Diverging opinions with regard to negotiations with the insurgents.
On the part of the Germans insistence on the Susak Protocol:" No negotiations." General ROATTA, however, declared that he would try to prevent a participation of national Serbian insurgents in the battle for Eastern Bosnia by negotiations, in order to fight then later on. An order of the Commando Supreme to the contrary has not yet come to the attention of this office.
"IV. GREECE.
"Food situation continues slightly improved. Just as before the government does not take measures against black marketing.
"Bridge over the Bralo finished on 28 March 1942. By this an important prerequisite was created for an improvement of the prerequisite was created for an improvement of the traffic from Salonica to Athens. Thereby the supply conditions for Southern Greece were alleviated. Of course, in a limited measure only, since the line has only one set of tracks and goes through a mountainous area. The highest possible number of trains is 5. The high importance of coastal traffic remains unchanged."
That was document 69 in Document Book III.
I shall now turn to Document 66 on page 11 in the same document book to be Exhibit 14. It is submitted as regarding the same topic, to wit, that prisoners were taken during combat and that no reprisals were taken It is again a report by the Commanding General in Serbia to the Wehrmacht Commander Southeast dated 30 April 1942. May I read Section 1, "General";
"Generally quiet in Serbian area. Isolated attacks on communities are further to be noted, the majority in the area occupied by the Bulgarians. In the area of Eastern Bosnia after the retreat of the proletarian brigades after raising the siege of Rogatica most of the mass withdrew in time in a southerly direction before the pressure of the mopping up operation.
"Losses and Booty for the period from 15 April to 24 April 1942: Germans dead 2; Serbian Auxiliary Police 4, wounded 2; missing 4; Enemy losses 11 dead 2 wound; 159 captured." That was Exhibit 140.
I shall now return to Document Book II, Document 42 on pages 23 and 24 German and English to be Exhibit 15. It is submitted as coning within the same scope as previous documents especially welfare for the peculation. Page 23 contains a survey of the situation in the area of the Wehrmacht Commander southeast, concluded 7 May 1942. I shall read:
"East Bosnia:
"Pacification has been started north of the German-Italian demarcation line. Inhabitants are returning at some planes and resuming their work. Booty of cattle and supplies were distributed among the population. German and Croatian units patrol the cleaned-up areas. Cleaning-up operations of Ozren-Planina and the Majevica mountains where insurgent groups are still holding out, after the area is cleaned up plans are made for the area north of Foca."
Page 24, Situation Report, Wehrmacht Commander Southeast to the OKW, to be submitted as showing the provisions made for the population:
"718th Division, pacification of Eastern Bosnia with the bulk of the forces in the old operational area around Sarajevo and Doboj. So far, about 11.000 refugees have been returned from Sarajevo to their home towns. As a result the cultivation of the fields has started. Number of typhus infected persons who had remained near Sarajevo reduced as a result of measures taken by the Germans."