Now, the Hitler order of 18 October 1942 was actually carried out in a number of instances, of which we have the documentary proof for several. Document 508 PS shows that during the night of 19-20 November 1942 a British freight glider crashed near Egersund. The glider carried a British commando unit of 17 men, of which three were apparently killed in the crash. All were in uniform. Fourteen survivors were executed in accordance with the Hitler order the evening of 20 November. In proof of this I will read certain extracts from 508 PS, beginning on page 1 of the translation, the paragraph numbered (1):
"1) Following supplementary report is made about landing of a British freight glider at Hegers and in the night of --" original it was November 20; that is a typographical error.
"a) No firing on the part of German defense.
"b) The towing plane (Wellington) has crashed after touching the ground; 7 man crew dead. The attached freight glider also crashed; of the 17-man crew 14 alive. Indisputably a sabotage force. Fuehrer order has been carried out." teletype messages. I wish to read the first two paragraphs at the top of that page.
"On November 20, 1942 at 5:30 an enemy plane was found 15 KM NE of Egersund. It is a British aircraft (towed glider) made of wood without engine. Of the 17 member crew three are dead, six are severely, the others are slightly wounded.
"All were English khaki uniforms without sleeve-insignia. Furthermore, following items were found; 8 Knapsacks, tents, skis and radio sender, exact number is unknown. The glider carried rifles, light machine guns and machine pistols, number unknown. At present the prisoners are with the Battalion in Egersund."
Passing to the second teletype message, the first paragraph:
"Beside the 17 member crew extensive sabotage material and work equipment were found.
Therefore the sabotage purpose was absolutely proved. The 280th Infantry Division (J.D.) ordered the execution of the action according to the Fuehrer's order. The execution was carried out toward the evening of November 20. Some of the prisoners were blue ski-suits under their khaki uniforms which had no insignia on the sleeves. During a short interrogation the survivors have revealed nothing but their names, ranks and serial numbers." of the translation:
"In connection with the shooting of the 17 members of the crew, the Armed Forces Commander of Norway has issued an order to the district commanders, according to which the interrogations by G-2--" That was Ic in the German -- "and by BDS" -- police -- "are important before the execution of the Fuehrer order; in case of Paragraph No. 4 of the Fuehrer order the prisoners are to be handed over to the BDS."
Your Lordship, the next document is 512-PS, US 546. This document recites three specific instances where the Hitler order was carried out in Norway and especially emphasizes the desirability of taking individual commandos prisoner for interrogation. I read from Document 512-PS, dated 13 December 1942:
"According to the last sentence of the Fuehrer order of 18th October, individual saboteurs can be spared for the time being in order to keep them for interrogation. The importance of this measure was proven in the cases of Glomfjord, Twoman torpedo Drontheim, and glider plane Stavanger, where interrogations resulted in valuable knowledge of enemy intentions. Since in the case of Egersund the saboteur was liquidated immediately and no clues were won; therefore, Armed Forces Commander referred to above mentioned last sentence of the Fuehrer order calling for liquidation only after short interrogation."
THE PRESIDENT: Colonel Taylor, what does the R C cross mean, "R C" in the last paragraph? The first words of the last paragraph?
COLONEL TAYLOR: Rote Kreuz, Red Cross.
THE PRESIDENT: It means the Red Cross?
COLONEL TAYLOR: Yes, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: So they had a protest from the Red Cross?
COLONEL TAYLOR: Yes, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: And "BDS"?
COLONEL TAYLOR: That is "Befehlshaber der SIPO.
526 PS, which is US 502. This document, dated 10 May 1943, Colonel Storey has already brought to the Tribunal's attention in connection with the presentation against the Sicherheitsdienst.
"On the 30.3.1943 in Toftefjord, an enemy cutter was sighted; cutter was blown up by the enemy. Crew: 2 dead men, 10 prisoners.
"Cutter was sent from Scalloway (Shetland Is.) by the Norwegian Navy."
Passing to the word "Purposes":
"Construction of an organization for sabotaging of strong-points, battery positions, staff and troop billets and bridges.
"Assigner of Mission in London: Norwegian, Major Munthe.
"Fuehrer order executed by S. D. (Security service).
"Wehrmacht Report of 6.4 announces the following about it:
"'In Northern Norway an enemy sabotage unit was engaged and destroyed on approaching the coast.'" Now, shifting to the Italian theater of war, I call the Court's attention to 509-PS, which will be US 547.
This document is dated 7 November 1943, and is a telegram from the Supreme Commander in Italy to OKW, and it shows that on 2 November 1943 three British commandos, taken prisoner near Pascara in Italy, were given "special treatment" -- sonderbehandelt, which as the Court knows from previous evidence in the case, meant death. What happened to the nine remaining prisoners of war in the hospital, we do not know. This specifically shows the carrying out of the Hitler order. It consists of an affidavit dated 7 November 1945 by Frederick W. Roche, a Major in the Army of the United States.
Major Roche was the Judge Advocate of an American Military Commission which tried General Anton Dostler, formerly commander of the 75th German Army Corps, for the unlawful execution of fifteen members of the United State Armed Forces. I will read from this affidavit:
"Frederick W. Roche being duly sworn deposes and says:
"I am a Major in the Army of the United States.
"I was the Judge Advocate of the Military Commission which tried Anton Dostler for ordering the execution of the group of fifteen United States Army personnel who comprised the 'Ginny Mission.' This Military Commission consisting of five officers was appointed by command of General McNarney, by Special Orders No. 269, dated 26 September 1945, Headquarters, Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army, APO 512.
"The Military Commission met at Rome, Italy, on 8 October 1945 and proceeded with the trial of the case of the United States v. Anton Dostler. The trial of this case consumed four days and the findings and sentence were announced on the morning of 12 October 1945. The charge and specification in this case are as follows:
"Charge: Violation of the law of war.
"Specification: In that Anton Dostler, then General, commanding military forces of the German Reich, a belligerent enemy nation, to wit the 75th Army Corps, did, on or about 24 March 1944 an the vicinity of La Spezia, Italy, contrary to the law of war, order to be shot summarily, a group of United States Army personnel consisting of two officers and thirteen enlisted men who had then recently been captured by forces under General Dostler, which order was carried into execution on or about 26 March 1944, resulting in the death of the said fifteen members of the Army of the United States identified as follows:" --and a list of names follows.
"I was present throughout the entire proceeding. I heard all the testimony, and I am familiar with the record in this case. The facts developed in this proceeding are as follows: On the night of 22 March 1944, two officers and thirteen enlisted men of the 2677th Special Reconnaissance Battalion of the Army of the United States disembarked from some United State.
*---* *---* *---* *---* *---* Navy Boats and landed on the Italian coast near Stasione di Framura. When they landed on the Italian coast they were all properly dressed in the field uniform of the United States Army and they carried no civilian clothes. Their mission was to demolish a railroad tunnel on the main line between La Spezia and Genoa. That rail line was being used by the German Forces to supply their fighting forces on the Cassino and Anzio Beachhead fronts. The entire group was captured on the morning of 24 March 1944 by a patrol consisting of Fascist soldiers and a group of members of the German Army. All fifteen men were placed under interrogation in La Spezia and they were held in custody until the morning of 26 March 1944 when they were all executed by a firing squa These men were never tried nor were they brought before any court or given any hearing; they were shot by order of Anton Dostler, then General Commanding the 75th German Army Corps. that he ordered the fifteen American soldiers to be shot pursuant to the Hitler order of 18 October 1942 on commando operations, which provided that commandos were to be shot and not taken prisoners of war, even after they had been interrogated. He also testified that he would have been subject to court-martial proceedings if he did not obey the Hitler order. the United States v. Anton Dostler, as these findings and sentence appear in the original record of the trial and as they were announced in open court at Rome, Italy on 12 October 1945:
"FINDINGS: General Dostler, as president of this commission it is my guilty, finds you of the specification and of the charge:
SENTENCE: And again in closed session and upon secret written ballot, concurring, sentences you:
TO BE SHOT TO DEATH BY MUSKETRY."
the end of the war. I wish to offer 506-PS, which will be U.S. 549. This document is dated 22 June 1944. It is initialed by Warlimont, andin it the OKW made it clear that the Hitler order was to be applied even in cases where the commando operation was undertaken by only one person. I will read the single paragraph of the order:
"The Operations Staff agrees with the view taken in the letter of the Army Group Judge to the Supreme Commander Southwest of May 20, '44.
person for a task. Therefore, it does not make any difference if concept of usage and customs of (land) warfare."
large-scale airborne operations took place, raised among the Germans the question as to how far the Hitler order would be applied in Normandy, and in France behind the German lines. I direct the Court's attention to Document 531-PS, which will be U.S. 550. The memorandum is dated 23 June 1944 and is signed by Warlimont. Warlimont's memorandum starts by quoting a teletype from the Supreme Command in the West, inquiring what should be done about applying the Hitler order to airborne troops and commandos. beginning:
"Supreme Command West reports by teletype message Top Secret 23 June 1944:
"The treatment of enemy commando groups has so far been carried out according to the order referred to."
(If I may interpolate here, the Fuehrer of 18 October 1942.)
"With the large-scale landing achieved, a new situation has arisen.
(such as large-scale landing operations and undertakings) are not to be treated according to paragraphs 3 and 4. It must be established in a form easily understood by the troops how far the concept 'within the limits of normal combat operations' is to be extended."
of that sub-paragraph.
THE PRESIDENT: I think you ought to read the latter part of "C".
COL. TAYLOR: Your Honor, I think it is all summarized in the one sentence.
THE PRESIDENT: The last sentence is the one that I mean.
COL. TAYLOR: "Considerable reprisals against our own prisoners must be expected if its contents become known."
Then, continuing on with "D":
"The application of number 5 for all enemy soldiers in uniform penetrating from the outside into the occupied Western areas is held by the Supreme Command West to be the most correct and clearest solution." West directed that paragraph 5, which is the paragraph under which the orders for execution are not to be applied, should he utilized in the West. Operational Staff, the recommendation they were making:
"1. The commando order remains basically in effect even after the enemy landing in the West.
2. Number 5 of the order is to be clarified to the effect that the order is not valid for those enemy soldiers in uniform, who are captured in open combat in the immediate combat area of the beachhead by our troops committed there, or who surrender. Our troops committed in the immediate combat area means the divisions fighting on the front line as well as reserves up to and including Corps Headquarters.
3. Furthermore, in doubtful cases, enemy personnel who have fallen into our hands alive are to be turned over to the SD, upon whom it is encumbent to determine whether the commando order is to be applied or not.
4. Supreme Command West is to see to it that all units committed in its zone are orally acquainted in a suitable manner with the order concerning the treatment of members of commando undertakings of 18 October '42 along with the above explanation."
becomes U.S. 551. This is the actual order of 25 June 1944, constituting OKW's reply to the inquiry from the Supreme Command West, signed by Keitel, initialed by Warlimont and Jodl. We will read beginning with:
"Subject: Treatment of Commando Participants.
1. Even after the landing of Anglo-Americans in France, the order of the Fuehrer on the destruction of terror and sabotage units of 18 October 1942 remains fully in force. bridgehead, that is, in the area of the divisions fighting in the most forward lines as well as of the reserves up to the Corps Commands, according to No. 5 of the basic order of 18 October 1942, remain exempted.
2. All members of terror and sabotage units, found outside the immediate combat area, who include fundamentally all parachutists, are to be killed in combat. In special cases, they are to be turned over to the SD.
"3. All troops, committed outside the combat area of Normandy, are to be informed about the duty to destroy enemy terror and sabotage units briefly and succinctly according to the directives issued for it.
"4. Supreme Commander West will report immediately daily, how many saboteurs have been liquidated in this manner. This applies especially also to undertakings by the military commanders. The number is to be published daily in the Armed Forces Communique to exercise a frightening effect, as had already been done toward previous commando undertakings in the same manners". with this order, this basic order, that was that in July, 1944 the question was raised within the German High Command as to whether the order should be applied to members of foreign military missions with special regard to British, American and Soviet military missions which were cooperating with Allied Forces in South-eastern Europe, notably in Jugoslavia.
A long document signed by Warliment, which is 1279-PS, and becomes U.S. 552, embodies the discussions which were had at OKW. I think I need not read from this document, and merely wish to point out that the Armed Forces Operational Staff recommended that the order should be applied to these military missions and drew up a draft to this effect. I would, however, like to read 537-PS, which is U.S. 553. This is the order which actually resulted from these discussions. It is dated 30 July 1944. I will read that in full.
"Subject: Treatment of members of foreign "Military Missions", west members of foreign so-called "Military Missions" (Anglo-American as well as Soviet-Russian) captured in the course of the struggle against partisans shall not receive the treatment as speculated in the special orders regarding the treatment of captured partisans. Therefore they are not to be treated as PW's but in conformity with the Fuehrer's order are the elimination of terror and sabotage troops of 18 October 1942.
"This order shall not be transmitted to other units of the Armed Forces via the High Commands and equivalent staffs and is to be destroyed after being made record.
"The Chief of the High Command of the Wehrmacht "KEITEL."
military mission to Slovakia were executed in January, 1945, as is shown by Document L-51, which is already in the record as U.S. 521, and which has been read in full by Lieutenant Harris. I will not read it again. order of the 18th of October, 1942, and its subsequent enforcement and application. I can pass from here to another subject.
THE PRESIDENT: We will adjourn for ten minutes now.
(Whereupon a recess was taken from 1120 to 1130 hours).
COL. TAYLOR: Your Lordship, the order I have just been discussing operated chiefly in the western theater of war. This was natural, since Germany occupied almost the entire western coast of Europe from 1940 until the end of the war, the last year of the war, and during that period land fighting in western Europe was largely limited to commando operations. land fighting in Poland and the Soviet Union from 1941 on. Here the German forces were fighting among a hostile population and had to face extensive partisan activities behind their lines. I propose to show here that the activities of the German armed forces against partisans and other elements of the population became a vehicle for carrying out Nazi political and racial policies, and a vehicle for the massacre of Jews and numerous segments of the Slav population which were regarded by the Nazis as undesirables. I will show that it was the policy of the German armed forces to behave with the utmost severity to the civilian population of the occupied territories, and that its military operations, particularly against partisans, were so conducted as to advance the Nazi policies to which I have referred. cooperation with the SS groups to which reference has been made in the presentation by Major Farr and Colonel Storey. the Eastern Front. That will be done by the Soviet delegation. Nor do I plan to retrace the ground covered by Colonel Storey and Major Farr during their presentation of the evidence against the SS, SD, and Gestapo, except to the extent necessary to clarify the relations between these organizations and the German armed forces, and to demonstrate their close collaboration in the occupied territories of Eastern Europe. will be US 554, and it will show these policies of severity were determined upon and made official even before the invasion of the Soviet Union took place. This document consists of an order by Hitler, dated 13 May 1941, and two covering transmittal sheets of subsequent date. I ask the Tribunal to note on page 4 of the translation that the order is signed by Keitel, the Chief of the Supreme Common of the Armed Forces, and also to note the distribution, which appears at the foot of the second sheet, showing the distribution to the principal staff sections.
The order itself begins on the third page, and that is where I propose to read. The document is entitled "Order concerning the exercise of martial jurisdiction and procedure in the area 'Barbarossa' and special military measures."
"The application of martial law aims in the first place at maintaining discipline. battle strategy which this necessitates, and the peculiar qualities of the enemy, confront the courts-martial with problems which, being short-staffed, they cannot solve while hostilities are in progress, and until some degree of pacification has been achieved in the conquered areas, unless jurisdiction is confined, in the first instance, to its main task. any threat from the enemy population. area Barbarossa (Area of operations, army rear area, and area of political administration):
I. Treatment of offences committed by Enemy Civilians.
1. Until further notice the military courts and the courts martial will not be competent for crimes committed by enemy civilians.
2. Guerillas should be disposed of ruthlessly by the military, whether they are fighting or in flight.
3. Likewise all other attacks by enemy civilians on the Armed Forces, its members and employees, are to be suppressed at once by the military, using the most extreme methods, until the assailants are destroyed.
4. Where such measures have been neglected or were not at first possible; persons suspected of criminal action will be brought at once before an officer. This officer will decide whether they are to be shot. Battalion Commander, collective despotic measures will be taken without delay against localities from which cunning or malicious attacks are made on the Armed Forces, if circumstances do not permit of a quick identification of individual offenders.
5. It is expressly forbidden to keep suspects in custody in order to hand them over to the courts after the reinstatement of civil courts.
6. The C-in-Cs of the Army Groups may by agreement with the competent Naval and Air Force Commanders reintroduce military jurisdiction for civilians, in areas which are sufficiently settled. given by the Chief of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces.
7-M-WAH-5
II. Treatment of offences committed against inhabitants 1. "With regard to offences committed against enemy civilians by members of the Wehrmacht and its employees prosecution is not obligatory even where the deed is at the same time a military crime or offence.
2. When judging such offences, it must be borne in mind, whatever the circumstances, that the collapse of Germany in 1918, the subsequent sufferings of the German people and the fight against National Socialism which cost the blodd of innumerable supporters of the movement, were caused primarily by Bolshevik influence and that no German has forgotten this fact.
3. Therefore the judicial authority will decide in such cases whether a disciplinary penalty is indicated, or whether legal measures are necessary. In the case of offences against inhabitants it will order a court martial only if maintenance of discipline or security of the Forces call for such a measure. This applies for instance to serious offences originating in lack of self control in sexual matters, or in a criminal disposition, and to those which indicate that the troops are threatening to get out of hand. Offences which have resulted in senseless destruction of billets or stores of other captured material to the disadvantage of our Forces should as a rule be judged no less severely. the signature of the Judicial Authority.
4. Extreme caution is indicated in assessing the credibility of statements made by enemy civilians.
III. Within their sphere of competence Military Commanders are personally responsible for seeing that:
1. Every commissioned officer of the units under their command is instructed promptly and in the most emphatic manner on principles set out under I above.
2. Their legal advisers are notified promptly of these instructions and of verbal information in which the political intentions of the High Command were explained to C-in-Cs.
3. Only these court sentences are confirmed which are in accordance with the political intentions of the High Command.
IV. Security Once the camouflage is lifted this decree will be treated as "Most Secret". End of Document.
Your Lordship, the next document will be C-148, US 555. Less than three months after the invasion of the Soviet Union, the instructions which I have just read were amplified and made even more drastic. Document C-148 is an order dated 16 September 1941, signed by Keitel, widely distributed, as is shown on the second sheet where the distribution is listed. This order is of general application in all theaters of war, but from its contents it is clearly of primary importance for the Eastern Front. I read beginning at the start of the order:
"Subject: Communist Insurrection in occupied territories.
"1. Since the beginning of the campaign against Soviet Russia, Communist insurrection movements have broken out everywhere in the area occupied by Germany. The type of action taken is growing from propaganda measures and attacks on individual members of the armed forces, into open rebellion and widespread guerilla warfare.
"It can be seen that this is a mass movement centrally directed by Moscow, who is also responsible for the apparently trivial isolated incidents in areas which up to now have been otherwise quiet.
"In view of the many political and economic crises in the occupied areas, it must, moreover, be anticipated that nationalist and other circles will make full use of this opportunity of making difficulties for the German occupying forces by associating themselves with the Communist insurrection.
"This creates an increasing danger to the German war effort, which shows itself chiefly in general insecurity for the occupying troops, and has already led to the withdrawal of forces to the main centers of disturbance.
"2. The measures taken up to now to deal with the general insurrection movement have proved inadequate. The Fuehrer has now given orders that we take action everywhere with the most drastic means in order to crush the movement in the shortest possible time.
"Only this course, which has always been followed successfully throughout the history of the extension of influence of great peoples, can restore order.
"3. Action taken in this matter should be in accordance with the following general directions:
"a. It should be inferred, in every case of resistance to the German occupying forces, no matter what the individual circumstances, that it is of Communist origin.
" "b. In order to nip these machinations in the bud, the most drastic measures should be taken immediately on the first indication, so that the authority of the occuyping forces may be maintained and further spreading prevented. In this connection it should be remembered that a human life in unsettled countries frequently counts for nothing, and a deterrent effect can be attained only by unusual severity. The death penalty for 50-100 Communists should generally be regarded in these cases as suitable atonement for one German soldier's life. The way in which sentence is carried out should still further increase the deterrent effect.
"The reverse course of action, that of imposing relatively lenient penalties, and of being content, for purposes of deterrence, with the threat of more severe measures, does not accord with these principles and should not be followed."
End of quote. the very end of the document, paragraph No. 4:
"The commanding officers in the occupied territories are seeing to it that these principles are made known without delay to all military establishments concerned in dealing with Communist measures of insurrection." Signed "Keitel." it has been given the number "D" -- "D" as in David -- 411, and it is the last document in Document Book 2. It also has the designation UK 81. It is the last document in Document Book 2. This is a set of documents which includes a directive dated 10 October 1941, by Field Marshal von Reichenau, who was the Commander-in-Chief (Oberbefehlshaber) of the German 6th Army, then operating on the Eastern Front. Reichenau, who died in 1942, was therefore a member of the group as defined in the Indictment, and here is what he had to say. I begin reading at page 5 of the translation:
"Subject: Conduct of Troops in Eastern Territories."
"Regarding the conduct of troops towards the bolshevistic system, vague ideas are still prevalent in many cases. The most essential aim of war against the Jewish-bolshevistic system is a complete destruction of their means of power and the elimination of Asiatic influence from the European culture. In this connection the troops are facing tasks which exceed the one-sided routine of soldiering. The soldier in the eastern territories is not merely a fighter according to the rules of the art of war but also a bearer of ruthless national ideology and the avenger of bestialities which have been inflicted upon German and racially related nations.
"Therefore, the soldier must have full understanding for the necessity of a severe but just revenge on subhuman Jewry. The Army has to aim at another purpose, that is, the annihilation of revolts in the hinterland, which, as experience proves, have always been caused by Jews.
"The combatting of the enemy behind the front line is still not being taken seriously enough.
Treacherous, cruel partisans and unnatural women are still being made prisoners of war, and guerilla fighters dressed partly in uniforms or plain clothes and vagabonds are still being treated as proper soldiers and sent to prisoner-of-war camps. In fact, captured Russian officers talk even mockingly about Soviet agents moving openly about the reads and very often eating at German field kitchens. Such an attitude of the troops can only be explained by complete thoughtlessness, so it is now high time for the commanders to clarify the meaning of the present struggle.
"The feeding of the natives and of prisoners of war who are not working for the armed forces from army kitchens is an equally misunderstood humanitarian act, as is the giving of cigarettes and bread. Things which the people at home can spare under great sacrifices and things which are being brought by the command to the front under great difficulties should not be given to the enemy by the soldier, not even if they originate from booty. It is an important part of our supply.
"When retreating the Soviets have often set buildings on fire. The troops should be interested in extinguishing of fires only as far as it is necessary to secure sufficient numbers of billets. Otherwise, the disappearance of symbols of the former bolshevistic rule even in the form of buildings is part of the struggle of destruction. Neither historic nor artistic considerations are of any importance in the eastern territories.
"The command issues the necessary directives for the securing of raw materials and plants essential for war economy. The complete disarming of the civil population in the rear of the fighting troops is imperative considering the long and vulnerable lines of communication. Where possible, captured weapons and ammunition should be stored and guarded. Should this be impossible because of the situation, the weapons and ammunition will be rendered useless. If isolated partisans are found using firearms in the rear of the army, drastic measures are to be taken. These measures will be extended to that part of the population who were in a position to hinder or report the attacks. The indifference of numerous apparently anti-soviet elements which originates from a "Wait-and-see" attitude must give way to a clear decision for active collaboration.
If not, no one can complain about being judges and treated as members of the Soviet system.
"The fear of the German counter-measure must be stronger than the threats of the wandering bolshevistic remnants. Being far from all political considerations of the future the soldier has to fulfill two tasks:
"1. Complete annihilation of the false bolshevistic doctrine of the Soviet State and its armed forces.
"2. The pitiless extermination of foreign treachery and cruelty and thus the protection of the lives of military personnel in Russia.
"This is the only way to fulfill our historic task to liberate the German people once for ever from the Asiatic-Jewish danger.
"Commander in Chief "Signed von Reichenau, Field Marshal."
The Tribunal will note the sheet immediately preceding Reichenau's order. That is Sheet Number 4 of the translation, which is a memorandum dated 28 October 1941, and which shows that Reichenau's order met with Hitler's approval and was thereafter circulated by order of the Commanderin-Chief of the German Army. sheet in the several ensuing, that Reichenau's order was thereafter circulated down to divisional level, and was received by the 12th Infantry Division on 27 November 1941. military leaders, it is no wonder that the Wehrmacht jointed in the monstrous behavior and activities of the SS and SD on the Eastern Front.
Mr. Storey described to the Tribunal the formation of units known as Einsatzgruppen by the SIPO and SD, which was sent out to operate in and behind the operational areas on the Eastern Front, in order to combat partisans and to cleanse and pacify the civilian population. Major Farr and Colonel Storey both presented to the Tribunal a large amount of evidence showing the manner in which these units operated. order to trace the participation of the armed forces in those circumstances. dated 19 March 1943, which is a directive from the Commanding Officer of one of these groups. This directive praised and justified such activities as the shooting of Hungarian Jews, shooting of children, and the total burning of villages, and directed that in order not to obstruct the procuring of slave labor for the German armament industry, "as a rule no more children will be shot." ing the work of the Einsatzgruppen in the German occupied territories of the Soviet Union during the month of October 1941. This report states cynically on page 4: "Spontaneous demonstrations against Jewry followed by pogroms on the part of the population against the remaining Jews have not been recorded on account of the lack of adequate indoctrination.
anti-partisan activity became mere code words for extermination of Jews just asmuch as "Weserubung" was the code word for the invasion of Norway and Denmark. German Army received some similar policies and directives. It only remains to show that in the field the Army and the SS worked hand in glove. already in evidence as US 275, which describes the destruction of the Warsaw Ghetto, and at this time I merely want to call attention to one paragraph of this document appearing at page 6 of the translation, page 6 of 1061-PS, the third paragraph from the bottom of the page, where the author of the document stresses the close cooperation between the SS and the Army. I read that one paragraph:
"The longer the resistance lasted, the tougher the men of the Waffen SS, Police and Wehrmacht became; they fulfilled their duty indefatigably in faithful comradeship and stood together as models and examples of soldiers. Their duty hours often lasted from early morning until late at night. At night, search patrols with rags wound round their feet remained at the heels of the Jews and gave them no respite. Not infrequently they caught and killed Jews who used the night hours for supplementing their stores from abandoned dug-outs and for contacting neighboring groups or exchanging news with them." report dated 5 June 1943, by the German General Commissioner for Minsk. Major Farr read from this report, describing an anti-partisan operation in which 4500 enemies were killed, 500 suspected partisans, 59 Germans. The cooperation by the German Army is shown in the following excerpt, and I will begin reading at the bottom of page 3 of the translation:
"The figures mentioned above indicate that again a heavy destruction of the population must be expected. If only 492 rifles are taken from 4,500 enemy dead, this discrepancy shows that among these enemy dead were were numerous peasants from the country.