Paragraph 2 reads:
"In view of our military and political power in comparison with that of the Scandinavian States, the force to be employed in the Fall Weseruebung will be kept as small as possible. The numerical weakness will be balanced by daring actions and surprise execution. On principle we will do our utmost to make the operation appear as a peaceful occupation, the object of which is the military protection of the neutrality of the Scandinavian States. Corresponding demands will be transmitted to the Governments at the beginning of the occupation. If necessary, demonstrations by the Navy and the Air Force will provide the necessary emphasis. If, in spite of this, resistance should be met with, all military means will be used to crush it."
There follows, in paragraph 2 on the next page:
"I put in charge of the preparations and the conduct of the operation against Denmark and Norway the Commanding General of the 21st Army Corps, General von Falkenhorst."
Paragraph 3: "The crossing of the Danish border and the landings in Norway must take place simultaneously. I emphasize that the operations must be prepared as quickly as possible. In case the enemy seizes the initiative against Norway, we must be able to apply immediately our own counter-measures.
"It is most important that the Scandinavian States as well as the Western opponents should be taken by surprise by our measures. All preparations, particularly these of transport and of readiness, drafting and embarkation of the troops, must be made with this factor in mind.
"In case the preparations for embarkation can no longer be kept secret, the leaders and the troops will be deceived with fictitious objectives."
Then paragraph 4 on the next pare, "The Occupation of Demark", which is given the code name of "Weseruebung Sued"."The task of Group XXI:
Occupation by surprise of Jutland and of "Added to this, haveing secured the most important places, the and to the east coast."
Paragraph 5: "Occupation of Norway, Weseruebung Nord".
"The task of the Group XXI: Capture by surprise of the most "The Navy will take over the preparation and carrying out of the transport by sea of the landing troops."
And there follow a reference Court's attention to that reference.
This is paragraph 5 on pare 3 of Hitler's directive:
"The Air Force, after the occupation has been completed, will ensure Britain."
decision of Hitler
THE PRESIDENT: Did you draw our attention to the Defendant by whom it was initialled on the first page?
MR. ELWYN JONES: Fricke, that's right, on the first page of that document; that is an initial by Fricke.
THE PRESIDENT: Is this a different name - Fricke?
MR. ELWYN JONES: That is a different person altogether. That is a high functionary in the German Admiralty, and has no connection with the Defendant who is before the Tribunal. reports were coming in through Rosenburg's organization from Quisling, and if the court will again turn for the last time to Exhibit 007-PS, which is Rosenburg's report, the Tribunal will observe the kind of information which Rosenburg's organization was supplying at this time. The third paragraph, Quisling reports -- that is in Annx I in Rosenburg's report, the section dealing with Norway, on my copy, referring to the second page of the Annex, the paragraph beginning with:
"Quisling's reports, transmitted to his representative in Germany, Hagelin, and dealing with the possibility of intervention by the Western Powers in Norway with tacit consent of the Norwegian Government, became more urgent by January. These increasingly better substantiated communications were in sharpest contrast to the views of the German Legation in Oslo, which relied on the desire for neutrality of the then Norwegian Nygardszvold Cabinet, and was convinced of that government's intention and readiness to defend Norway's neutrality. No one in Norway knew that Quisling's representative for Germany maintained closest relations to him; he therefore succeeded in gaining a goothold within governmental circles of the Nygardszvold cabinet and in listening to the cabinet members' views. Hagelin transmitted what he had heard to the Bureau (Rosenburg's bureau), which conveyed the news to the Fuehrer through Reichsleiter Rosenburg. During the night of the 16th. to 17th. of February, English destroyers attacked the German steamer 'Altmark' in Jessingjord."
by the British destroyer Cossack against the German naval auxiliary vessel "Altmark," which was carrying three hundred British prisoners, captured on the high seas, to Germany through Norwegian territorial waters. The position of the British delegation with regard to that episode, is that the use that was being made by the "Altmark" of Norwegian territorial waters was in fact a flagrant abuse in itself of Norwegian neutrality, and the action taken by H.M.S. Cossack, which was restricted to rescuing the three hundred British prisoners on board. No attempt being made to destroy the "Altmark" or to capture the armed guards on board her was fully justified under international law. ment of the British view on the "Altmark" episode -- The Rosenburg report continues:
"The Norwegian Government's reaction to this question permitted the conclusion that certain agreements had been covertly arrived at between the Norwegian Government and the Allies. Such assumption was confirmed by reports of Section Scheidt, who in turn derived his information from Hagelin and Quisling. But even after this incident the German Legation in Oslo championed the opposite view, and went on record as believing in the good intentions of the Norwegians." reports of the traitor Quisling to the considered judgment of German diplomatic representatives in Norway. The result of the receipt of reports of that kind was the Hitler decision to invade Norway and Denmark. The culminating details in the preparations for the invasion are again found in Jodl's diary, which is the last document in the document book. I will refer the Court to the entry of the 3rd of March:
"The Fuehrer expressed himself very sharply on the necessity of a swift entry into N, which is Norway, with strong forces.
"No delay by any branch of the armed forces. Very rapid acceleration of the attack necessary."
Then the last entry on March 3: "Fuehrer decides to carry out 'Weser Exercise' before case 'Yellow' with a few days interval." the German High Command for some time had been decided by this date, and the fate of Scandinavia was to be sealed before the fate of the Low Country; and the Court will observe from those entries of March 3 that by that date Hitler had become an enthusiastic convert to the idea of a Norwegian aggression.
The next entry in Jodl's diary of the 5th of March: "Big conference with the three commanders-in-chief about 'Weser Exercise.' Field Marshal in a rage because not consulted till now. Won't listen to anyone and wants to show that all preparations so far made are worthless.
Result: (a) Stronger forces to Narvik.
(b) Navy to leave ships in the ports (Hipper or Luetzow in Trondheim).(c) Christians and can be left out at first.
(d) Six divisions envisaged for Norway.
(e) A foothold to be gained immediately in Copenhagen."
Then the next entry which I desire to draw the Court's attention "Fuehrer does not give order yet for 'W' (Weser Exercise).He is still looking for an excuse."
flagrant aggression. It reads:
"English keep vigil in the North Sea with fifteen to sixteen submarines; doubtful whether reason to safeguard own operations or prevent operations by Germans.
Fuehrer has not yet decided what reason to give for 'Weser Exercise.
'" "Misgivings of Task Force 21"--the Court has seen from documents that I have put in already that Task Force 21 was Falkenhorst's Force, which was detailed to conduct this invasion--"Misgivings of positions at 05.
30 hours and close of diplomatic negotiations.
for help go out to England and America. If resistance is put up it must be ruthlessly broken.
The political plenipotentiaries them."
Comment upon that entry is, I think, unnecessary. The next entry, sentence:
"Individual naval officers seem to be lukewarm concerning the Weser Exercise and need a stimulus.
Also Falkenhorst and none of their business.
Franke sees more disadvantages than "In the evening the Fuehrer visits the map room and roundly declares that he won't stand for the Navy clearing out of the Norwegian ports right away.
Narvik, Trondheim and Oslo will have to remain occupied by naval forces."
Then April 2nd:
"Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force, Commander-in-Chief All confirm preparations completed.
Fuehrer orders carrying out of the Weser Exercise for April 9th."
"Fuehrer drafts the proclamation. Piepenbrock, Chief of talks with Quisling in Copenhagen."
operation orders that were issued in connection with the aggression against Norway and Denmark, but I propose only to draw the Court's attention to two of them to illustrate the extent of the secrecy and deception that was used by the defendants and their confederates in the course of that aggression. I would now draw the court's attention to Exhibit C-115 which, for the purposes of the record, will be Exhibit G.B. 90. First of all, I will draw the court's attention to the second paragraph, "General Orders," with a date, the 4th of April, 1940:
"The barrage-breaking vessels, Speerbreechers, will penetrate inconspicuously and with lights on into Oslo Fjord disguised as merchant steamers.
"Challenge from coastal signal stations and lookouts are to be answered by the deceptive use of the names of English steamers. I lay particular stress on the importance of not giving away the operation before zero hour." dated the 24th of March 1940: "Behavior during entrance into the harbor." The third paragraph is the part that I wish to draw the court's attention to. "The disguise as British craft must be kept up as long as possible. All challenges in morse by Norwegian ships will be answered in English. In answer to questions a text with something like the following content will be chosen:
"Calling at Bergen for a short visit; no hostile intent.
"Challenges to be answered with names of British warships:
Koeln -- H.M.S. Cairo;
Koenigsberg -- H.M.S. Calcutta;
Bromso -- H.M.S. Faulkner;
Karl Peters -- H.M.S. Halcyon;
Leopard -- British destroyer;
Wolf -- British destroyer;
"Arrangements are to be made enabling British war flags to be illuminated. Continual readiness for making smoke." Annex three to Flag Officer Reconnaissance Forces; most secret. Next page, page two: "Following is laid down as guiding principle should one of our own units find itself compelled to answer the challenge of passing craft. To challenge in case of the 'Koeln' H.M.S. Cairo. Then to order to stop: (1) Please repeat last signal (2) Impossible to understand your signal. In case of a warning shot: Stop firing. British ship. Good friend. In case of an inquiry as to destination and purpose: Going Bergen. Chasing German steamers."
Then I would draw the court's attention to C-151, which for the purposes of the record will be G.B. 91, which is Doenitz's order in connection with this operation. If the Court will observe, it is headed "Top Secret, Operation Order 'Hartmut.' Occupation of Denmark and Norway. This order comes into force on the codeword 'Hartmut.' With its coming into force the orders hitherto valid for the boats taking part lose their validity.
"The day and hour are designated as 'Wesser-Day' and 'Weser-Hour', and the whole operation is known as 'Weseruebung'.
"The operation ordered by the codeword has its objective the rapid surprise landing of troops in Norway. Simultaneously Denmark will be occupied from the Baltic and from the land side." by Doenitz to this process of deception: "The naval force will as they enter the harbor fly the British flag until the troops have landed, except presumably at Narvik." of April 1940 the Nazi onslaught on unsuspecting and almost unarmed people of Norway and Denmark was launched. When the invasions had already begun a German memorandum was handed to the governments of Norway and Denmark attempting to justify the German action, and I would like to draw the Court's attention to Exhibit T.C.55.
That is at the beginning of the book of documents; the sixth document of the book. I am not proposing to read the whole of that memorandum. I have no doubt the defending counsel will deal with any parts which they consider relevant to the defense. The Court will observe that it is alleged that England and France were guilty in their maritime warfare of breaches of international law; and that Britain and France are making plans themselves to invade and occupy Norway, and that the government of Norway was prepared to acquiesce in such a situation.
The memorandum states--and I would now draw the Court's attention to page three of the memorandum; to the paragraph just below the middle of the page beginning "The German Troops"--"The German troops therefore do not set foot on Norwegian soil as enemies. The by German troops as bases for operations against England.
So long as it is not forced to do so by measures taken by England and France.
German forces."
Britain. That is the 1st of March. And this is the memorandum which was produced as an excuse on the 9th of April.
The last two paragraphs of the Nazi combination of diplomatic hypocracy and military threat.
They read:
"The Reich Government thus expects that the Royal Norwegian Govern German measures and offer no resistance to it.
Any resistance would have can take place without friction and difficulty.
In the spirit of the good independence of the Kingdom of Norway now or in the future."
What the Nazis meant by "protection of the kingdom of Norway" was shown by their conduct on the 9th of April.
I now refer the Court to Document Exhibit TC-56, which would be GB-93, which is a report by the Commander in Chief of the Royal Norwegian Forces. It is as the beginning of the Document Book, the last of the TC documents.
I will not trouble the Court with the first page of the report. If the Tribunal will turn to the second page, it reads:
"The Germans, considering the long lines of communications and the threat of the British Navy, clearly understood the necessity of complete surprise and speed in the attack. In order to paralyse the will of the Norwegian people to defend their country and at the same time to prevent allied intervention it was planned to capture all the more important towns along the coast simultaneously. Members of the Government and Parliament and other military and civilian people occupying important positions were to be arrested before organized resistance could be put into effect and the King was to be forced to form a new government with Quisling as the head." in his speech and I will only refer to the last paragraph but one:
"The German attack came as a surprise and all the invaded towns along the coast were captured according to plan with only slight losses. In the Oslofjord, however, the cruiser 'Blucher', carrying General Engelbrecht and parts of his division, technical staffs and specialists who were to take over the control of Oslo, was sunk. The plan to capture the King and members of the Government and Parliament failed in spite of the surprise of the attack, resistance was organized throughout the country." the Royal Danish Government, a copy of which I hand in as Exhibit GE-94, and an extract from which is in D-628, which follows the TC documents.
"Extracts from the Memorandum concerning Germany's attitude towards Denmark before and during the occupation, prepared by the Royal Danish Government.
"On the 9th of April, 1940 at 4.20 hours" -- in the morning, that is -- "the German Minister appeared at the private residence of the Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs accompanied by the Air Attache of the Legation. The appointment had been made by a telephone call from the German Legation to the Secretary General of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs at 4.00 o'clock the same morning. The Minister said at once that Germany had positive proofs that Great Britain intended to occupy bases in Denmark and Norway. Germany had to safeguard Denmark against this. For this reason German soldiers were now crossing the frontier and landing at various points in Zealand including the port of Copenhagen; in a short time German bombers would be over Copenhagen; their orders were not to bomb until further notice. It was now up to the Danes to prevent resistance as any resistance would have the most terrible consequences. Germany would guarantee Denmark territorial integrity and political independence. Germany would not interfere with the internal government of Denmark, but wanted only to make sure of the neutrality of the country. For this purpose the presence of the German Wehrmacht in Denmark was required during the war.
"The Minister for Foreign Affairs declared in reply that the allegation concerning British plans to occupy Denmark was completely without foundation; there was no possibility of anything like that. The Minister for Foreign Affairs protested against the violation of Denmark's neutrality which according to the German Minister's statement was in progress. The Minister for Foreign Affairs declared further that he could not give a reply to the demands, which had to be submitted to the King and the Prime Minister, and further observed that the German Minister knew, as everybody else, that the Danish armed forces had orders to oppose violations of Denmark's neutrality so that fighting presumably already took place. In reply the German Minister expressed that the matter was very urgent, not least to avoid air bombardment." Minister in Copenhagen to the British Foreign Secretary, which the Tribunal will find in D 627, the document preceding the one which I have just read. That document, for purposes of the record, will be GB-95.
That dispatch reads:
"The actual events of the 9th April have been pieced together by subsequently received and are given below.
Early in the morning towards 5 o'clock three small German transports steamed into the approach to Copen hagen harbour, whilst a number of airplanes circled overhead.
The north planes when it was seen that they carried German markings.
Apart from fastened alongside the quays in the Free Harbor.
Some of these airplanes calm and cooperate with the Germans.
I enclose a specimen of this leaflet, disregard of detail, together with a translation.
Approximately 800 fortress of Copenhagen and now a barracks.
The door was locked, so the completely by surprise.
One officer tried to escaps in a motor car, but his chauffeur was shot before they could get away.
He died in hospital two days later.
After seizing the barracks, a detachment was sent to Amalienborg, the King's palace, where they engaged the Danish sentries on guard, wounding three, one of them fatally.
... Meanwhile, a large fleet of bombers flew over the city at low altitudes."
Then, the last paragraph of the dispatch reads:
"It has been difficult to ascertain exactly what occurred, in Jutland...
suffered casualties.... The chances of resistance were weakened by the extent to which the forces appear to have been taken by surprise.
The one of his own men.
It took a bullet, which passed through the lapels of his coat, to disillusion him."
I will close by drawing the Court's attention to two documents which I will first draw the Courts attention to an entry in Jodl's Diary which "Renewed crisis.
Envoy Braver is recalled: since Norway is at war with us, the task of the Foreign Office is finished.
In the Fuehrer's opinion, force has to be used.
It is said that Gauleiter Terboven will be given a post.
Field Marshall" -- which, as the Court will see from the other entries, is presumably a reference to the Defendant Goering -- "is moving in the same direction.
He criticizes as defents that we didn't we could have seized electrical plant, that the Navy didn't supply enough troops.
The Air Force can't do everything."
course, has no connection with the Defendant Frick. Fricke was at that then.
That is why, as the Tribunal noticed, he came to be initialing the "These problems are pre-eminently of a political character which it is not the Navy's province to answer, but they also "It is too well known to need further mention that Germany's present position in the narrows of the Heligoland the future of Greater Germany.
If, over and above this, one "The solution could perhaps be found among the "1) The territories of Denmark, Norway and "This solution will recommend itself for areas where the enemy and where a gradual 'Germanizing' of the "2) The taking over and holding of areas which have no direct connection with Germany's main body, permanently as an enclave in the hostile State.
Such "3) The power of Greater Germany in the strategic Germany.
If the following results are achieved--that expansion is undertaken (on a scale I shall describe later) by means of the military measures for occupation (popular unity, mineral resources, industry, Armed Forces) are so broken that a revival must be considered will be achieved."
Then Fricke recommends:
"The solution given in 3), therefore, appears to be Denmark and Norway to exist on the basis indicated above."
as follows:
"Time will show how far the outcome of the war with England will make an extension of these demands possible." which have been submitted to the Court tear apart the veil of the Nazi pretenses. These documents reveal the menace behind the good-will of Goering; they expose as fraudulent the diplomacy of Ribbentrop; they show the reality behind the ostensible political ideology of tradesmen in treason like Rosenberg, and finally and above all, they render sordid the professional status of Keitel and of Raeder.
THE PRESIDENT: The Tribunal will now adjourn.
(Whereupon at 1115 hours a short recess was taken.)
MR. G. D. ROBERTS: Hay it please the Tribunal: It is my duty to present that part of Count II which relates to the allegations with regard to Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. In Charges 2, 3, 4, 9, 11, 13, 14, 18, 19, and 23 there are charges of violating certain treaties and conventions and violating certain assurances. So far as the treaties are concerned, some of them have been put in evidence already, and I will indicate that when I come to them. May I, before I come to the detail, remind the Tribunal of the history of these unfortunate countries, the Netherlands and Belgium, Belgium especially, who for so many centuries was the cockpit of Europe. remember, in 1839 by the great European powers. That guarantee was observed for seventy-five years, when it was shamelessly broken by the Germans in 1914, who brought all the horrors of war to Belgium, and all the even greater horrors of German occupation of Belgium. History was to repeat itself in a still more shocking fashion some twenty-five years after, in 1940, as the Tribunal already knows. Convention of 1907. They have been put in by my learned friend, Sir David, and I think I need say nothing about them at all.
ciliation Convention, of 1935. My Lord, that was between Germany and Belgium. That was put in by Sir David. It is GB 15, and I think I need say nothing more about that.
Belgium's independence and neutrality was guaranteed by Germany in that document. May, 1926, between Germany and the Netherlands. That document I ought formally to put in. It is in the Reichsgesetzblatt, which perhaps I may call RGD in the future, for brevity; and it no doubt will be treated as a public document. But in my bundle of documents, which goes in the order in which I propose to refer to them, I think it is more convenient for the presentation of my case. That is the second or third document, TC 16.
THE PRESIDENT: It is Book 4, is it?
MR. ROBERTS: It's Book 4, My Lord. This is the Convention of Arbitration and Conciliation between Germany and the Netherlands, signed at The Hague in May 1926. Your Lordships have the document; perhaps I need only read Article I:
"The contracting parties"-- these are the Netherlands and the German Reich -- "undertake to submit all disputes of any nature whatever which may arise between them which it has not been possible to settle by diplomacy, and which have not been referred to the Permanent Court of International Justice, to be dealt with by arbitration or conciliation as provided." merely with the machinery of conciliation, which are unnecessary for me to read. May I just draw attention to the last Article, Article 21, which provides that the Convention shall be valid for ten years, and then to remain in force for successive periods of five years until denounced by either party. And this treaty never was denounced by Germany at all.
