Further there is a testimony of the dean of KIEV_PETCHORSKY Monastery, who related about the plundering of the peaceful population. Supreme Command of the German Armed Forces, the satellites of Hitlerite Germany also took part in plundering and other crimes. of their German masters, together with German Armed Forces, plundered this flourishing city. The report of the Extraordinary State Commission concerning "the crimes committed in Odessa"reads in part as follows:
"Rumanians have caused great damages to municipal economy of Odessa during their occupation.... and co-operative farmers and removed to Germany 1,042,013 centners of grain, 45,227 horses, 87,646 head of cattle, 31,821 pigs, and so forth."
In the Report of the Extraordinary State Commission on the "damages caused by the German fascist aggressors to industry, municipal economy, and cultural educational institutions of the Stalino Province", presented to the Tribunal as Document No. USSR-2, gives also numerous data on the plunder and removal to Germany of the various factory equipment of this very important industrial region. With the Tribunal's permission, I shall not quote any excerpts from this report of the Extraordinary State Commission, and I omit those parts. For the benefit of the interpeters: I pass to page 55. Extraordinary State Commission on certain Ukraine regions. This flourishing republic was subjected to unrestrained looting by the Hitlerites. The Hitlerite conspirators considered the Ukraine as one of the "choicest bits" and plundered her with an exceptional greed.
I wish to read several documents as a proof of the above:
Rosenberg's letter to the Reichsleiter Bormann dated 17 October 1944. United States Prosecution under No. USA-338, states that "Eastern Central Trading Co. of the rural supply and demand" sent to Germany in the period of 1943 up to 31 March 1944 only the following, and I quote:
"Cereals - 9,200,000 Tons Meat & meatproducts - 622,000 Tons Thus reported the defendant Rosenberg to Hitler's closest assistant on his "Agricultural Achievements."
of the Hitlerites in plundering the Ukraine was so great, that it awakened a certain misgiving even among themselves. in the Ukraine, addressed to the General of Infantry, Thomas, Chief of the Armament Section OKH. The letter is dated 2 December 1941. This document has been submitted to the Tribunal by the United States Prosecution on 14 December under the No. U.S.A. 290. I read a short excerpt:
"The exportations of agricultural surplus from the Ukraine for the c onsumption in the Ukraine is brought down to the minimum.
This can be attained by the following measures:
1. Extermination of surplus consumers (Jews, the populations of large Ukrainian towns, which, like Kiev, receive no food supplies anyway). 2. Through a itants of other towns.
3. Reduction of food consumption by the peasant population."
Having outlined this program, the author explains further:
"If the Ukrainian is needed for work, we must provide for his of rational business necessity."
I omit the next paragraph of this to carry out the policy of ruthless plundering of the Ukraine.
In due course I will submit to you numerous new documents also originals, to substantiate the above. The policy of Koch met with full approval of the Hitlerite Government. of the occupied territories of the USSR was organised in accordance with the directives contained in the "Green File" already mentioned. 6 September 1941, on the "subject: Inspection concerning seizure and utilization of raw materials", in which he wrote, among other things, as follows: The Tribunal will read it in the Document Book.
"The war situation demands that the supplies of raw materials which have been found in the recently captured Eastern territories, be made available for the German war economy with the utmost speed. "The directives for the management of economy in the Eastern occupied territores" (green file) will be the guide for this purpose. I omit the last part of this quotation. and organised a number of special economic bodies in several occupied territories, and in particular in the Ukraine, a squabble began between the numerous German military and civil bodies and organisation, each of which was engaged in plundering the occupied territories. began to insist that all military and economic organizations in the Ukraine were to be liquidated and their functions transferred to German Civil Administration. for State Secretary Koerner, dated 3 December 1943, as Exhibit USSR-180.
"1. Economic administration in the occupied Eastern territories.
"2. General economic staff for the occupied territories. 1. In a letter to the Reich Marshal, dated 20 November 1943, copies of which were sent to the Chief of Staff of the OKW, and the Director of the Party Chancellory, Minister Rosenberg has made the following demands;
"a. Dissolution of the military economic offices still in existence.
"b. Abolition of the office of Leader of the Army Group Economic Departments "c. In case the office of the Leaders of the Army Group Economic Departments is not abolished:
to discontinue the practice of the same specialists Army Group Economic Departments."
I omit part of the quotation, which is in the memorandum for the report; and further in the same memorandum, there are several objections which were sent by General Keitel. General Stapf, in his objections, criticizes Rosenberg's suggestion and suggests retaining the economic leaders in the east. another original document which is a covering letter by the "Permanent Deputy of the Reich Minister for the Occupied Eastern Territories," addressed to State Secretary Koerner on the same subject. Written suggestions of Rosenberg were appended to this letter in which, once again, Rosenberg insisted that the entire economic activities be placed under his control. In as much as this is a rather long document, and I present it in the original, I ask your permission not to read it in as much as in substance it is exactly what I already reported to the Tribunal I omit two pages of my presentation and I will pass on to page 62. and, therefore, on 24 January, Rosenberg again approached Goering with a letter on the same subject. I offer this letter in evidence as Exhibit USSR 179. In this letter Rosenberg suggests: I shall read into the record a short quotation. The Tribunal will find this on page 151 in the document book.
"...in the interest of the most frictionless and personnel-saving work possible, to dissolve the Economic Staff East with its subordinate agencies and to transfer to the administration under me the economic administration in the occupied eastern territories...."
evidence as part of the same exhibit USSR-179. I quote:
"Dear Party Member Rosenberg:
"Your letter of 24 January 1944 in regard to the economic administration in the occupied eastern territories has reached me in the meantime. Since the Reich Commissariat Ukraine in particular has become almost exclusively army territory," --I am talking about the Red Army offense which was started in this period -- "I believe it advisable to postpone our conference on the future formation of the economic administration until the operational situation is completely clarified."
Thus, your Honors, Rosenberg's ambitions met with resistance on the part of other German authorities who stubbornly refused to give up such an attractive "economic activity." demands. I now offer in evidence the following document as Exhibit USSR 173, which is a letter from Rosenberg to Goering of 6 March 1944. In this letter, Rosenberg, referring to his experience in Bielo Russia, once again insists on his proposals. It is a long text. I shall not read it in as much as it was presented to the Tribunal in toto, but Goering still continued to have his doubts and he would not decide the question in favor of Rosenberg; and under the circumstances, the latter has in his letter on 6 April 1944, once again addressed a communication to Goering with reference to the experience had in Bielo Russia. This document I submit to the Tribunal as Exhibit USSR 176. are certain motives mentioned in this letter which are not of great interest to us now. I omit page 65 and pass on to page 66. crippling blows on the German fascist hordes, but the Hitlerite brigands continue their crontroversy in their frenzy of dividing the spoils. territories were feverishly looted by the German authorities, both military and civil. of the Extraordinary State Commission, concerning the crimes committed by the Hitlerite invaders in Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic which too were subjected to merciless plundering.
Soviet prosecution. The report of the Extraordinary State Commission on the crimes of the Hitlerites in the Lithuanian Socialist Republic, among other things, is mentioned, and I quote:
"As the result of the managment of the Hitlerite invaders, according to incomplete data, from only 14 districts of the Lithuanian SSR, the number of livestock and poultry decreased by 136,140 horses, 565,995 cattle, 463,340 pigs, 594,492 sheep, 996,000 chickens, and 424,178 geese and ducks "as compared to the years 1940, 1941 ..." on the crimes committed by the German invaders in the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic. The quotation is on page 68, second paragraph:
"The Germans plundered the Tractor and Farm Machinery Stations throughout Latvia and according to figures which are far from complete, sent away into Germany 700 tractors, 180 motor vehicles, 4,057 ploughs, 2,815 cultivators, 3,532 harrows ..." " and so forth. away to Germany 107,000 horses, 31,000 cows, 214,000 pigs, and 790,000 head of poultry. State Commission relative to crimes in Estonia, and I read:
"The German invaders plundered the rural population of Estonia without restrain This plunder took the form of imposing of the peasants the compulsory deliveries of various kinds of farm products." tremendous."
"The Germans confiscated and drove away to Germany 107,000 horses, 31,000 cows, 214,000 pigs, 790,000 head of poultry. They plundered about 50,000 bee hives."
"The Hitlerites took away 1,000 threshing machines, 500 threshing machine motors 700 motors for driving belts, 350 tractors and 24,781 other agricultural machines which belonged to the individual peasants."
property was carried out by the German Fascist invaders also in the occupied territories of Byelorussia, Moldavia, the Karelo-Finnish SSR and the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic. at all stages of the war employed the same methods of plunder in accordance with the same criminal plan and pursuing the same criminal aims. This plan was mapped out; these aims were determined; these crimes were organized by the major war criminals who are now in the dock. documents exposing the crimes of the Hitlerites in plundering collective and state farms, villages and towns, as well as the peaceful population of the German occupied territories.
The presentation of all these numerous documents to the Tribunal would require such a long period of time that it would only complicate the trial. For this reason, with the Tribunal's permission, I will not quote any further decrees or reports of the Extraordinary State Commission or individual regions in the Republic, but I shall pass on to reading into the record the resume report by the Extraordinary State Commission relative to the material damage done by the German Fascists to the state enterprises and establishments, collective farms, public organizations and individual citizens of the USSR. This document is being presented to the Tribunal, and it is USSR-35. which have a direct bearing on the subject of my presentation. It is stated in the document, page 71:
"The German Fascist aggressors pillaged 98,000 collective farms, 1,876 state farms and 2,890 machine and tractor stations. There were killed and shipped to Germany 7 million horses, 17 million head of cattle, 20 million pigs, 27 million sheep and goats and 110 million head of poultry. The State Extraordinary Commission has reckoned the damage done to the national economy of the Soviet Union and to individual villagers and townspeople at 679 milliard roubles reckoned at the official prices current in 1941 as this:
1. State concerns and institutions 287 2. Collective farms 181 3. Villagers and townspeople 192 4. Cooperatives, trade unions, and other public organizations 19."
is stated how this damage is divided among separate Soviet Republics, and I pass on to the fourth paragraph, in which it is stated about the destruction of collective farms, state farms, and machine tractor stations.
In order to shorten the presentation, I select out of this part only a few separate excerpts. plundered the inhabitants of these villages completely. Podolsk, in the Kursk region, and the collective farm for the labor in the region of Krasnodar, and the labor in collective farms was started in the Mortkovo and Toltchkovo districts and others. It is also mentioned in this report about the damage which was suffered by the Soviet farms, that is, to state-owned farms, and in particular it was indicated that the German Fascist intruders shipped out of collective farms stores of agricultural products, destroyed farm buildings, and other excerpts.
"No, 62 horse farm in the Poltava district, as a result of the German occupation, lost its stock of Russo-American trotting brood mares. Up to the war, this stud farm had 670 brood mares. The Germans acted in the same way in regard to other breeding farms." on to paragraph 6, which deals with the mass looting of Soviet citizens' property by the Germans.
"In all the republics, districts and territories of the Soviet Union which were occupied, the Fascist German invaders looted the property of the rural and city population, stealing valuables, property, clothing, and household articles and imposing fines, taxes and forced payments on the peaceful population." robbing the Soviet citizens in Smolensk in the Orel, in Leningrad Province, Demyansk and Litchkovsk Provinces, and so forth. With the Tribunal's permission, I omit two pages of my presentation and at the end of page 76 I read the following paragraph.
"The plundering of the Soviet population by the German aggressors was being carried on in all of the Soviet territory which was occupied without limit.
"The Extraordinary State Commission has undertaken the task of estimating the damage done to the Soviet citizens by the occupation authorities, and has established that the German Fascist invaders had burnt down and destroyed approximately 4,000,000 dwelling houses, which represented the personal property of members of collective farms, workers and employees, had confiscated from them one and onehalf million horses, 9 million head of cattle, 12 million hogs, 13 million sheep and goats, and had also taken away an enormous quantity of all kinds of household goods and chattels." State Commission show the crimes committed by the Hitlerites in the occupied territories of the USSR. These crimes had been organized by the Defendants. Trustee for the Four Year Plan of the Hitlerite Government, was directly in charge of all the operations of the German military and civil authorities for the preparation and the execution of despoliation of the occupied territories, has been clearly shown by the documents already presented by me. Nevertheless, I beg the indulgence of the Tribunal to read the final document on this matter, that is, the decree issued by Hitler on 29 June 1941. Prosecution, and it has not been presented before; and therefore I present it to the Tribunal as USSR-287. It is the Fuehrer's decree, and it will read as follows. I read.
"Fuehrer's Decree concerning the Organization of Economy in the recently occupied Eastern Territories of 29 June 1941. 1. In the newly occupied eastern territories, Reich Marshall Hermann Goering, as the Trustee of the Four Year Plan, will, for the benefit of the German war economy, employ within his respective powers all means necessary for the all most exploitation of the supplies discovered and economic potentials as well as for the development of economic forces.
2. For this purpose he is also authorised to give direct orders to military authorities in the nearly occupied eastern territories. 3. The present decree will become effective as from today. It will be made public by special order as on 29 June 1941." in any way, mean that the other Defendants took part only passively in the organization of the plunder of the occupied territories. All of then, jointly and severally, feverishly worked to attain these aims. Frank robbed the Polish people; Rosenberg managed things in the Ukraine and in the other occupied territories of the USSR, Sauckel and Seyss-Inquart were busy here and there; Speer and Funk made schemes for and carried out the predatory measures within the fields of the Ministries of Economics, and Keitel within the field of the armed forces. more documents relating to Keitel's economic activity. These documents, your Honor in the original are being presented to the Tribunal as Exhibit USSR-175.
On 29 August 1942, Keitel, in his capacity of Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, issued the following order under No. 002865/42-CC regarding procurement of supplies for the armed forces: I shall read only two short excerpts from this order. Your Honor will find that on page 181 in the document book. I read:
"The supply situation of the German people requires that the Armed Forces do everything possible in order to alleviate it.
The "As a first requirement, it must be stated that far more up to now."
The second excerpt:
"The attainment of this aim at whatever the cost, i.e., that also honorable duty of all the administrative departments."
In the memorandum of the section chiefs (Referenten) Klare and Dr. Dr. Bergmann, dated 19 November 1942, under the heading "Most Secret Subject; Procurement of Supplies for the Armed Forces", I submit this memorandum in the original to the Tribunal under the same number, USSR-175, and we come across the following examination of the results achieved by the above-mentioned order by Keitel. I now read into the record only the first paragraph of this memorandum. You will find, Your Honor, the document on page 186:
"By order of the Fuehrer, the Chief of Staff of the Armed of such supplies for the Reich.
As the result of this order the tunately become closer."
Now with Your Honor's permission, I will read into the record one more document, namely, the telegram by Keitel on 8 September 1944. I offer this document in evidence, produced by the American Prosecution as Exhibit PS-743. It was not presented to the Tribunal before, therefore I offer it as USSR No. 286, and I quote:
"1. To General Staff of the Army (attention Chief of Supply and Administration), Office of Chief of Staff.
"2. To General Staff of the Army (attention Chief of Supply and Administration), Army Administration Office.
"3. To Commanding General, Army Group North.
"4. To Commanding General, Army Group Center.
"5. To Economic Staff 'Ost.'
"6. To First Service Command."
I read this text as follows:
"1. The Fuehrer entrusted Gauleiter Koch with utilization of local resources in the parts of Reichkommissariat 'Ostland' occupied by troops of Army Group Center.
Furthermore, the Fuehrer has be subordinated to Gauleiter Koch.
In confiscating economic "2. All authorities of the Armed Forces will in every way possible assist Gauleiter Koch in executing this order."
the Red Army and its Allies Hitlerite Germany precipantly rushed forward to its final defeat and there remained only a few months before it entirely collapsed, both militarily and politically Hitler, Keitel, Koch, and many others continued to stretch out their rapidly stiffening fingers to grab other peoples property and riches. petrated by the Hitlerite hordes in the occupied territories of the Soviet Union. But they plundered not only the living, they also plundered the dead. My colleague, Colonel Smirnov, has already presented comprehensive evidence on this question. I do not wish to quote it again. I quote only to show how closely interlocked and all-embracing was the circle of their crimes.
the Soviet original to the Tribunal -- Hitler once said:
"I need people with strong fists who will not stop to think sion they swipe a watch or a jewel, I don't care a tinker's dam."
numerous accomplices. Among them, as proved by the documents I have presented, is the defendant Goering, because of the position he occupied in Hitler's government as Reichsmarshal and Plenipotentiary for the Four-Year Plan, and as head of the whole criminal system for the plundering of the occupied territories. of German administration (Reichskommissars) in occupied countries and districts, which took place 6 August 1942. Goering was presiding. This document, as many other original documents which I had already presented to the Tribunal, was found by Soviet Military authorities in the archives of Goering in September 1945, in the City of Vienna, which was hidden in one of the municipal buildings.
The contents of this extraordinary document, Goering's speech in detail, and the remarks of the Hitlerite masters of occupied countries, and among the members of the conference there were many of the people, who are sitting in the dock now, the contents are such that any commentary on my part is unnecessary. Therefore, if it please the Tribunal, I should proceed to read from this document:
"The conference took place on Thursday, 6 August, 1942, at 4 p.m. in the Hermann Goering Hall in the Air Ministry.
"Reichsmarshal Goering: Yesterday the Gauleiters expressed opinions hers. Although theremay have been variations in emphasis and demeanor, it was evident that they all feel that the German people have too little to eat. Gentlemen, the Fuehrer has given me general powers exceeding any hitherto granted within the Four-Year Plan."
(Second excerpt)
"Germany at present commands the richest granaries that ever existed in the European area, from the Atlantic ocean to the Volga and the Cauacasus, lands more highly developed and fruitful than ever before, even if there are certain countries included which cannot be regarded as graneries.
I need only refer to the fabulous fertility of the Netherlands, the unique paradise that is France; Belgium too f extraordinarily fruitful, an is also the province of Posen. Then, above all, what is to a large extent the storehouse of tye and other grains for Europe, the Government General, to which are attached such tremendously fruitful regions as Lemberg and Galacia, where the harvest is exceptionally good.
Then there comes Russia, the black earth of the Ukraine on either side of the Dnieper, the area of the Don, with its remarkably fertile and only slightly damaged districts. Our troops have now already occupied or are in the process of occupying the excessively fertile districts between the Don and the Caucasus.
"God knows, you are not sent out there to work for the welfare of the people in your charge, but to get the utmost out of them, so that the German people can live. That is what I expect of your exertions. This everlasting concern about foreign peoples must cease now, once and for all.
"I have here before me reports on what you are expected to deliver. It is nothing at all when I consider your territories. It makes no difference to me in this connection if you say that your people will starve.
"One thing I shall certainly do: I will make you come across with the deliveries with which you are entrusted and if you will not be able to meet my demands, then I will wake up some agencies that will get it out of you whether it suits you or not."
(Third excerpt)
"Before the gates of the Ruhr district lies the wealth of Holland. It could send many more vegetables into this stricken area now than it has. What the Dutchman think about it is all the same to me.
"In general in the occupied regions I am interested only in those people who work to provide armaments and food supplies. They must receive just enough to enable them to continue working. It is all one to me whether Dutchmen are Germanic or not. If they are, they are only all the greater blockheads, and it has already been demonstrated in the past by greater persons, how Germanic numskulls often have to be treated. Even if you are abused from every quarter, you will have acted rightly for it is the Reich alone that counts."
And now I come to the next excerpt:
"I am still discussing the western territories. Belgium has taken care of herself extraordinarily. That was very sensible of Belgium. But there, too, gentlemen rage incarnate could seize me. When every piece of ground in Belgium is planted with vegetables then they must surely have vegetable seed.
When last year we wanted to start a big campaign for utilizing barren land, we did not have nearly as much seed as was needed. It was delivered neither from Holland nor from Belgium nor from France, although I myself was able to count 170 sacks of vegetable seed on a single street in Paris. It is all very well that the French should plant vegetables for themselves, they are accustomed to doing this. But gentlemen, these people are all our enemies and by your humane measures you will win over none of them. The people are now polite toward us because they have to be polite. But let the English force their way in there and then you will see the real face of the Frenchman. The same Frenchmen who dines with you and in turn invites you to dine with him will quickly bring home to you that the Frenchman is a German-hater. That is the situation and we do not want to see it any other way except as it is.
"It is also a matter of indifference to me if the table of the Belgium king is set with so many courses every day. The king is a prisoner of war and if he is not treated according to the rules for prisoners of war, I will see to it that he is brought to a place where this is made clear to him. I am really fed up with the matter...
"I have forgotten one country because there is nothing to be obtained there except fish; that is Norway.
"I assert with regard to France, that it is still not cultivated to the utmost. France can be cultivated far differently if the peasants there are forced to work in a different manner. Secondly, right in France itself the population is gorging in such a way that it is a dirty shame.
"Besides, God have mercy if a German car stands outside a French tavern in Paris, it is reported. But that a whole row of French gasoline driven vehicles stands there doesn't bother anyone.
"I would say nothing at all, onthe contrary, I would think ill of you if we didn't have a fabulous restaurant in Paris where we can provide ourselves properly with the best food. But I do not want the French to be able to saunter into it. Maxim must have the best food for us."
Mr. President, I see one of the German Defense Counsel wishes the floor.
DR. THOMA (Counsel for Defendant Rosenberg): I only have a short question.
document book and what number it has. He only said on which page the Court can find that document.
COLONEL SHEYNIN: This document was presented to the Tribunal as USSR Exhibit 170. The photostatic copy was turned over to Defense Counsel.
May I continue, Mr. President?
THE PRESIDENT: It comes from the archives of the defendant Geering, does it not? You have so stated.
COLONEL SHEYNIN: Yes.
"For German officers and men and not for French at all, there should be three or four first class restaurants. The French do not need this kind of food....
"Furthermore, you should be like bloodhounds on the track of anything that German people can still use; that stuff should be brought here out of the warehouses with lightning speed. Whenever I have issued a decree, I stated repeatedly soldiers may buy as much as they want to, whatever they want, whatever they can carry...
"Now you tell me -- Lavel's foreign policy. Herr Lavel calms down Herr Abbetz and for all I care Herr Lavel may enter Maxims, although it is off limits.
But the French soon will understand. They show an impudence of which you can have no idea.
"When our friends hear a German is interested they charge fantastic prices. They charge three times the normal price and if they hear that the Reichsmarshal is in the market, they charge five times the normal value. I wanted to buy a tapestry. Two million francs was asked forit. The woman was told that the buyer wanted to see the tapestry. She said she did not wish to let it out of her hands. Well, then she would have to travel there. She was told that she was going to see the Reichsmarshal. When she arrived the tapestry was priced at three million francs. I reported it to French courts. Do you think anything happened? I submitted the case to the French court and they taught the grand lady that such profiteering is not appropriate when dealing with me.....
"I am especially interested as to what we can squeeze out of the territory now under our control with the utmost application and by straining every effort, and how much of that can be channeled into Germany. I don't give a damn about import and export statistics of former years.
"Now, as for shipments to the Reich, last year France shipped 550,000 tons of grain, and now I demand 1,200,000 tons. Two weeks from now a plan will be submitted as to how it can be handled. There will be no more discussion about it. What happens to the Frenchmen does not make any difference to me. One million two hundred thousand tons will be delivered. Fodder last year was 550,000, now 1,000,000. Meat last year was 135,000, now 350,000. Fats last year were 23,000, this year 600,000." And so forth. in different countries, like the Netherlands and Belgium and the Government General. I omit one page and I go on to the next:
"Goering: How about fats?
"Neuhausen: I have supplied the Wehrmacht up to now. It has received 250,000 kilograms in the past year. I also supply Greece, and I have to supply the German troops in Croatia, too.
"Goering: What can you give to the German people, in spite of that? Fifteen thousand?
"Neuhausen: I shall get them out. As far as oil is concerned, I again give 25,000 to 30,000 tons of oil fruit to the Reich.
"Goering: In general, that takes care of the West. There will be special order issued concerning the purchasers who buy clothes, shoes, etc., everything there is.
"Now comes the question of the East. Here I agree with the Wehrmacht. The Wehrmacht renounces the requirements it ordered from the home country. What was it for hay?
"Backs: 1,500,000 tons, straw over onemillion, oats more than one and a half million tons. We can't deliver that.
"Goering: Now, gentlemen, only one thing has to be added to this discussion of supplying the Wehrmacht: until further notice, I do not want to hear anything from you, no requests. After all, the country here -- with its sour cream, apples and white bread -- will feed us richly. The Don District (Don-Bogen) will take care of the rest."
Skipping to the next remark:
"Berger: It is a matter of course that the Wehrmacht in France will be supplied with food by France. That is a matter of course, and I did not even mention it before.
"But now Russia: About her fertility there is no doubt. There the stand is inconceivably good."
In the next excerpt:
"I heard with pleasure that the Reich Commissioner in the East (Ostland) is enjoying just such a fat livelihood, and the people are just as rounded and fat of figure and suffer a slight asthma when they perform their work. Nevertheless, I shall see to it, in spite of the careful treatment which certain groups are to experience, that something can still be turned in from the inexhaustible fertility of this area."
After this Lohse addressed the conference:
"May I express briefly my opinion? I would like to give more but the necessary conditions must be created. The harvest was excellent indeed, but on the other hand in most of Byelo-Russia, where sowing had been done, I doubt if the crops could be harvested, unless the rampage of bandits and partisans is finally suppressed.