The attention of the Tribunal is invited to Document 116-PS, USA Exhibit No. 685, which I now offer in evidence. This is a letter from the Defendant Bormann to the Defendant Rosenberg, dated 24 January 1939, enclosing, for Rosenberg's cognizance, a copy of Bormann's letter to the Reich Minister for Knowledge and Education. In the enclosed letter, Bormann informs the Minister as to the Party's position in favor of restricting and suppressing theological faculties. Bormann states that owing to war conditions it had become necessary to reorganize the German high schools, and in view of this situation he requested the Minister to restrict and suppress certain theological faculties. of Document 116-PS, which reads as follows:
"I would appreciate it very much if you would restrict the theological faculties in so far as they cannot be wholly suppressed in accordance with the above statement. I request in this instance the omission of any expressed declaration to the churches to other places, as well as avoiding of a public announcement of these measures. Complaints and the like must be announced, if they are to be replied to, in the fashion that these measures are being executed in the course of the economic plan of re-organization and that similar things are happening to other faculties. I would appreciate it very much i f professorial chairs thus vacated can be then turned over to the newly created fields of inquiry of the last years, such as national research, archeological studies, etc.
"Martin Bormann". "Please close down the religious faculties and substitute in their place Nazi faculties and university chairs, with the mission of investigating racism, cultism, Nazi archeology," the sort of thing done in the Hohe Schule, which was so clearly demonstrated in the Prosecution's case against the plundering activities of the Einsatzstab Rosenber. viously put in as USA Exhibit No. 362. The Tribunal will recall that 122-PS is a letter from the Defendant Bormann to the Defendant Rosenberg, dated 17 April 1939, transmitting to Rosenberg a photostatic copy of the plan of the Reich Minister of Science, Education and Training for the combining and dissolving of certain specified theological faculties.
In his letter of transmittal, Bormann requested Rosenberg to take "cognizance and prompt action" with respect to the proposed suppression of religious institutions.
I next offer in evidence Document 123-PS, USA Exhibit 686. This is a confidential letter from the Defendant Bormann to the Minister of Education, dated 23 June 1939, in which Bormann sets forth the Party's decision to order the suppression of numerous theological faculties and religious institutions. The Tribunal will note that the letter lists 19 separate religious institutions with respect to which Bormann ordered dissolution or restriction. with the various theological faculties, Bormann stated as follows -- and I quote from the next to last paragraph of page 3 of the English translation of Document 123-PS, which reads as follows:
"In the above I have informed you of the Party's wishes after thorough investigation of the matter with all Party offices. I would be grateful if you would initiate the necessary measures as quickly as possible, in regard to the great political significance for the Gau concerned, which will be the result of every single case of such a combination." Exhibit 687. In summary, without quotation therefrom, this is a letter from the Defendant Bormann to the Defendant Rosenberg, dated 12 December 1939, relating to the suppression of seven professorships in the near-by University of Munich. confiscation of religious properties and cultural property. Bormann used his paramount power and position to cause the confiscation of religious property and to subject the Christian churches and clergy to a discriminatory legal regime.
I offer in evidence Document 099-PS, USA Exhibit 688. This is a copy of a letter from Bormann to the Reich Minister for Finance, dated 19 January 1940, in which Bormann demanded a great increase in the special war tax imposed on the churches.
I quote from the first two paragraphs of page 2 of the English translation of Document 099-PS, which read as follows:
"As it has been reported to me, the war fund of the churches has been specified from the 1 November 1939 on, at first for the duration of three months at RM 1,800,000 per month, of which RM 1,000,000 are to be paid by the Evangelical church, and RM 800,000 by the Catholic church per month. The establishment of such a low amount has surprised me. I construe from numerous reports that the political communities have to raise such a large war fund that execution of their tasks, partially very important, for example, in the field of public welfare, is endangered. In consideration of that, a larger quota from the churches appear to be absolutely appropriate."
The question may arise: Of what criminal effect is it to demand larger taxes from churchly institutions? Taking this demand of Bormann's by itself, the prosecution would not suggest that it had criminal effect, but when viewed within the larger frame of Bormann's demonstrated hostility to the Christian Church and his efforts, not merely to circumscribe but to eliminate it, we suggest that this document has probative value in showing Bormann's hostility and his concrete measures to effectuate that hostility against the Christian churches and clergy. USA Exhibit No. 360. The Tribunal will recall that this was a latter from Bormann to Reichsleiter Amann, dated 8 March 1940, in which Bormann instructed Amann, Reichsleiter of the Press, to make a sharper restriction in paper distribution against religious writings in favor of publications more acceptable to the Nazi ideology.
I next offer in evidence Document 066-PS, as USA Exhibit 689. This is a letter from the Defendant Bormann to the Defendant Rosenberg, dated 24 June 1940, transmitting a draft of a proposed discriminatory church law for Danzig and West Prussia. This decree on the states is a direct abridgement of religious freedom, for in paragraph 1 -- I do not quote but briefly and rapidly summarize -- the approval of the Reich Deputy for Danzig and West Prussia is required as a condition for the legal competence of all religious organizations.
organizations and congregations to state or municipal subsidies and prohibited religious organizations, from exercising their right of collecting dues without the approval of the Reich Deputy. organizations was made subject to the approval of the Reich Deputy. All credit rights acquired by religious organizations prior to January 1, 1940 were required to be ratified by the Reich Deputy in order to become actionable.
I now offer in evidence Document 1600-PS, USA Exhibit 690. This comprises correspondence of Bormann during 1940, and 1941 relating to the confiscation of religious art treasures. I quote the text of the second letter set forth on page 1 of the English translation of Document 1600-PS, which is a letter from the Defendant Bormann to Dr. Posse of the State Picture Gallery in Dresden, dated 16 January 1941, which reads as follows, and I quote:
"Dear Dr. Posse:
"Enclosed herewith I am sending you the pictures of the altar from the convent in Hohenfurther near Kruman. The convent and its entire property shall be confiscated in the immediate future because of the attitude, hostile towards the state, of its inhabitants. It shall be up to you to decide whether the pictures shall remain in the convent at Hohenfurther or be transferred to the museum at Linz after the latter shall be completed.
"I shall await your decision in the matter.
"Bormann."
The Tribunal may know that in what is described as Hitler's last will and testament, he makes a bequest of all the art treasures he had in the museum at Linz, and from a legal point of view-he uses the euphemism "art treasures which I have bought."
properties, the cultural art treasures in the museum at Linz were acquired. armed forces, the defendant Bormann took measures to exclude and exorcise all religious influence from the troops. The attention of the Tribunal is invited to Document 101-PS, previously put in as USA Exhibit No.361. The Tribunal will recall that this is a letter from the Defendant Bormann dated 17 January 1940, in which Bormann pronounced the Party's opposition to the circulation of religious literature to the members of the German armed forces. In this letter Bormann stated that if the influence of the church upon the troops was to be effectively fought, this could only be done by producing, in the shortest possible time, a large amount of Nazi pamphlets and publications.
I now offer in evidence Document 100-PS, as USA Exhibit No.691. This is a letter from the Defendant Bormann to Rosenberg, dated 18 January 1940, in which Bormann declares that the publication of Nazi literature for army recruits as a counter-measure to the circulation of religious writings was the "most essential demand of the hour."
I forebear from quoting from that document. Its substance is indicated. publication entitled "Decree of the Deputy of the Fuehrer", edition of 1937, and I quote from pare 235 of this Volume, the pertinent and important decree issued by the Defendant Bormann to the Commissioner of the Party Directorate, dated 7 January, 1936, the English version of which is set forth in the English translation of our Document 2346-PS. In this one sentence Bormann aims and directs the terror of the Gestapo against dissident church members, who crossed the conspirators, and I quote:
"If parish priests or other subordinate Roman Catholic leaders adopt an attitude of hostility towards State or Party, it shall be reported to the Secret State police (Gestapo) through official channels. (Signed) Bormann." the Defendant Bormann for the persecution of the Jews. Again, the Prosecution seeks not to rehash the *--* copious evidence in the record on the persecution of the Jews, but rather to limit itself to evidence fastened on the Defendant Bormann, his individual responsibility for the persecution of the Jews. Bormann shares the deep guilt of the Nazi conspirators for their odious program in persecution of the Jews. It was the Defendant Bormann, we would note, who was charged by Hitler with the transmission and implementation of the Fuehrer's orders for the liquidation of the so-called Jewish problem. November, 1938, in the course of which a large number of Jews were killed and harmed and Jewish shops pillaged and wrecked, and synagogues set ablaze all over the Reich; the Defendant Bormann, on orders from Hitler, instructed the Defendant Goering to proceed to the "final settlement of the Jewish question" in Germany. That is Hitler to Bormann, Bormann issuing the instructions to Goering. put in as U.S.A. Exhibit 261. The Tribunal is well acquainted with this document. It has frequently been referred to. The Tribunal knows the Document 1816-PS is the minutes of a conference on the Jewish question, held under the direction of Goering on the 12th of November 1938.
I quote only the first sentence of Document 1816-PS, which fastens the responsibility open Bormann and which reads as follows:
"Goering: (speaking) Today's meeting is of a decisive nature. I have received a letter written on the Fuehrer's orders by the Chief of Staff of the Fuehrer's Deputy, Bormann, requesting that the Jewish question be now, once and for all, coordinated and solved one way or another." actions taken in this conference that constituted the so-called "settlement of the Jewish question." measures were issued and adopted by the Nazi conspirators. I offer in evidence Document 069-PS, U.S.A. Exhibit 589. This is a decree of Bormann, dated 17 January, 1939, in which Bormann demands compliance with the new anti-Jewish regulations, stemming and flowing from the Goering conference just referred to, under which Jews were denied access to housing, travel, and other facilities of ordinary life. I quote the Bormann order, which appears at page one of the English translation of Document 069-PS, which reads as follows:
"After a report of General Field Marshal Goering, the Fuehrer has made some basic decisions regarding the Jewish question. The decisions are brought to your attention in the enclosure. Strict compliance with these directives is requested. (Signed) Bormann," temptation to quote extensively from the enclosed order in Bormann's letter of transmittal. In effect, the crux of it is that Jews are denied sleeping compartments in trains, the right to give their trade to certain hotels in Berlin, Munich, Nurnberg, Augsburg and the like. They are banned and excluded from swimming pools, certain public squares, resort towns, mineral baths and the like. The stigma and the degradation and inconvenience in the ordinary affairs of life promoted by this decree is plain on its face. 1938, 1938 Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, page 1709, well familiar to this Tribunal, for it was the decree which excluded Jews from economic life. This decree forbade Jews to operate retail shops and it was a decree which went far to eliminate the Jews from German economic life.
economic existence of large sections of the Jewish population. In that respect I request the Tribunal to notice judicially the authoritative Nazi publication entitled. "Decree of the Deputy of the Fuehrer", edition of 1937, our Document 3240-PS. At page 383 of this publication there appears a decree of the Defendant Bormann, dated 8 January, 1937, reproducing an order of the Defendant Frick, issued at Bormann's instigation, denying any financial assistance to government employees who employed the services of Jewish doctors, lawyers, pharmacists, morticians and other professional classes. I shall forbear from quoting the text of that decree. Its substance is as given.
Bormann decreed, quoting a Frick decree, issued at Bormann's instigation, government employees who employ the services of Jewish professional classes will get no reimbursement or compensation. The decree is signed by Bormann. intensity and brutality. If I may intrude, if it please the Tribunal, for the aid of the translators may I state I am now discussing from page 25 of the manuscript.
intensity and brutality. Thus, the Defendant Bormann participated in the arrangements for the deportation to Poland of 60,000 Jewish inhabitants of Vienna, in cooperation with the SS and the Gestapo. I have no doubt that the Tribunal received this document in connection with the case against von Schirach. It is our Document 1950-PS and on its face it points out and Lammer says -- Bormann has informed me and von Schirach of your proposal to bring about the deportation. I limit myself to pointing out that single, solitary fact. Chancery, he used his vast powers in such a way that he was a prime mover in the program of starvation, degradation, spolioation and extermination of the Jews, and we use those terms advisedly, subject to the draconian rule of the conspirators. Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, page 297, which was signed by the Defendant Bormann and which extended the discriminatory Nurnberg laws to the an nexted Eastern Territories. I request the Tribunal to notice judicially the Eleventh Ordinance under the Reich Citizen Law of 25 November, 1941, Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, page 722, signed by the Defendant Bormann, which ordered the confiscation of the property of all Jews who had left Germany voluntarily or who had been deported.
I request the Tribunal to notice judicially an order of Bormann's dated 3 October, 1941.
THE PRESIDENT: You have not given us the PS numbers of either the 31 of May, 1941 or the one after that.
LT. LAMBERT: I confess delinquency of duty there. These decrees, in translated form, are all in the Document Book. I do not have, in my manuscript, their PS citation. However, in the brief now filed with, or soon to be delivered to the Tribunal, these decrees are given with their PS numbers opposite.
THE PRESIDENT: C-354 PS and 3241 PS.
LT. LAMBERT: That is very good of you sir, thank you.
Bormann, dated 3 October, 1941, Volume II of the publication "Decrees, Orders, Announcements", page 147. This is our document, I rejoice to be able to say, 3243-PS, which announces a Ministry of Foods decree, issued at Bormann's instigation, which deprived Jews of many essential food items, all special sickness and pregnancy rations for expectant mothers and ordering confiscation of food parcels sent to the beleaguered Jews from the sympathetic outside world. Ordinance under the Reich Citizenship Law of 1 July, 1943, 1943 Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, page 372, signed by the Defendant Bormann, under which all Jews were completely withdrawn from the protection of the ordinary courts and handed over to the exclusive jurisdiction of Himmler's police. This is cur Document 1422-PS. opportunity to underline the significance of that decree. In a society which desires to live under the rule of law men are judged only after an appearance before and adjudication by a Court of law. The effect of this decree was to remove all alleged Jewish defendants from the jurisdiction of the Courts of law and to turn them over to the police. The police were to have jurisdiction ever alleged Jewish offenders, not the Tribunals of law. Defendant Bormann shares the responsibility. On July 3, 1943 Himmler issued a decree, our Document 3085-PS, which I respectfully request the Tribunal take judicial notice of -- 1943 Ministry of Interior Gazette, page 1085, which charged the Himmler police and Gestapo with the execution of the foregoing ordinance closing the courts to the Jews and entrusting them to Himmler's police.
Finally, with respect to Bormann's responsibility for the persecution of the Jews, I request the Tribunal to notice judicially a decree of Bormann's dated 9 October, 1942, Volume II, Decrees, Regulations and Announcements, page 131-132, which declared that the problem of eliminating forever the millions of Jews from Greater German territory could no longer be solved by emigration merely, but only by the application of ruthless force in special camps in the East.
THE TRIBUNAL (Mr. Biddle): What are you referring to there?
LT. LAMBERT: That, sir, is Document 3244-PS. irrefutable answer to a question put by defense counsel some days ago in cross-examination, as to whether or not the anti-semitic policies of the conspirators were the policies merely of certain demented or deviational members of the conspiracy itself. Time does not permit the full quotation of this decree, but with the indulgence of the Tribunal, if I may offer the essence of this decree in a brief sentence or two. been stimulated throughout the Reich as to violent things we are doing with respect to the Jews. These rumors are being brought back to the Reich by our returning soldiers, who have eye-witnessed them in the East. If we are to combat the effect of these rumors, then our attitude, as I now outline it to you officially, must be communicated to the German civil population. Bormann then reviews what he terms the two thousand years old struggle against Judaism and he divides the Party's program into two spheres: the first the effort of the Party and the conspirators to excommunicate and expel the Jews from the economic and social life of Germany. Then he adds -- when we started rolling with our war, this measure by itself was not enough; we had to resort to forced emigration and get up our camps in the East. He then goes on to say that as our armies advanced in the East, we have overrun the lands to which we have sent the Jews and now these emigration measures, our second proposal, are no longer sufficient.
Party Chancery--we must transport these Jews eastward and place them in special camps for forced labor, and I quote now merely the last sentence of Bormann's decree:
"It lies in the very nature of the matter that these problems which in part are very difficult, can be solved only with ruthless severity in the interest of the final security of our people. Bormann."
THE PRESIDENT: It is signed by Bormann? It does not appear to be. I thought you said, "Bormann."
LT. LAMBERT: That is what I said, true, sir. that this is a Bormann decree, issued from the Office of the Deputy of the Fuehrer. It is true, in this translation of the decree Bormann's name is not affixed but in the original volume it is very clear that this is a decree of Bormann's, issued from the Party Chancery. The Prosecution so assures the Tribunal and accepts responsibility for that submission. the Defendant Bormann for overt acts, for the commission and planning of a wide variety of crimes in furtherance of the conspiracy. The Tribunal knows the powers that Bormann possessed; that has been put in -- vast powers. Our point is that he issued these powers, buttressed by his position as Secretary to the Fuehrer, attending all the conferences at the Fuehrer's headquarters; that he used these vast powers in the planning, the authorization and the participation in overt acts denominated war crimes, crimes against humanity. put in as U.S.A. Exhibit 317. The Tribunal knows that this document is a comprehensive report, dated 16 July, 1941, made by the Defendant Bormann just three weeks after the invasion of the territory of the Soviet Union by Germany.
It is a report of a twenty-hour conference at Hitler's field headquarters with the Defendants Goering, Rosenberg, Keitel, and with Reich Minister Lammers. This conference resulted in the adoption of detailed plans and directives for the enslavement, depopulation, Germanization and annexation of extensive territories in the Soviet Union and other countries of Eastern Europe. included numerous proposals of his own for the effective execution of these plans. conspiratorial program. The attention of the Tribunal is invited to Document 072-PS, previously put in as U.S.A. Exhibit 357. The Tribunal will recall that this is a letter from the Defendant Bormann to the Defendant Rosenberg, dated 19 April, 1941, dealing with the confiscation of cultural property in the East. I quote merely the last two paragraphs of the English translation of Document 072-PS, which reads as follows:
"The Fuehrer emphasized that in the Balkans the use of your experts" (I parenthetically insert that is the experts of the Einsatzstab Rosenberg organization, the plundering organization) -- "the use of your experts would not be necessary, since there were no art objects to be confiscated. In Belgrade only the collection of Prince Paul existed, which would be returned to him completely. The remaining material of the lodges, etc. would be seized by the organs of Gruppenfuehrer Heydrich.
"The libraries and art objects of the monasteries, confiscated in the Reich, were to remain for the time being in these monasteries, insofar as the Gauleiters had not determined otherwise. After the war, a careful examination of the stock could be undertaken. Under no circumstances, however, should a centralization of all the libraries be undertaken; the Fuehrer has repeatedly rejected this suggestion. Signed Bormann."
I now offer in evidence Document 061-PS, U.S.A. Exhibit 692. This is a secret letter from Bormann, dated 11 January, 1944, in which Bormann discloses and we stress this, very important as it seems to us, the existence of largescale operations to drain off commodities from German-occupied Europe for delivery to the bombed-out population in Germany.
The Tribunal knows that the Hague Regulations and the laws of war permit the requisitioning of goods and services only for the use of the army of occupation and for the needs of the administration of the area occupied. This proposal and this action represents the requisitioning of materials in occupied areas for the use of the folk at home, of the homefront. Bormann's letter of 11 January, 1944, set forth in the English translation of our Document 061-PS, which reads as follows:
"Since the supply of textiles and household goods for the bombed populations is becoming increasingly difficult, the proposition was made repeatedly to affect purchases in the occupied territories in greater proportions. Various district leaders (Gauleiter) proposed to let these purchases be handled by suitable private merchants who know these districts and have corresponding connections.
"I have brought these proposals to the attention of the National Economic Minister and am quoting his reply of 16 December 1943 on account of its fundamental importance: 'I consider it a specially important task to make use of the economic power of the occupied territories for the Reich. You are aware of the fact that since the occupation of the Western territories the buying out of these countries has been affected in the greatest proportion. Raw materials, semi-finished products and stocks of finished goods have been rolling to Germany, for many months, valuable machines were sent to our armaments industry. Everything was done at that time to increase our armament potentialities. Later on the shipments of these important economic goods were replaced by the so-called distribution of orders from industry to industry."
I shall end the quotation there. The rest is not material to the point. view of the prosecution -
THE PRESIDENT: Is it clear that was confiscation?
LT. LAMBERT: It was not suggested, sir, that this was confiscation. Our point was that that the Hague Regulations allow requisitions in return for payment only for the needs of the army of occupation and for the needs of administration of the occupied area. This represents, as it seems to us, a requisitioning program for the need of the home front. It was on that point that we offer it. against the defendant Bormann. In the course of the war Bormann issued a series of orders establishing Party jurisdiction over the treatment of prisoners of war, especially when employed as forced labor.
The Tribunal knows that under the Geneva Convention of 1929 relating to prisoners of war, prisoners of war are the captives, not of the troops who take them or even of the army which captures them, but of the captive power; and it is the captive power which has jurisdiction over and responsibility for them.
lishes Nazi Party jurisdiction over Allied prisoners of war. In the exercise of that Party jurisdiction he called for excessively harsh and brutal treatment of Allied prisoners of war.
I now offer in evidence Document 232-PS as USA Exhibit 693. This is a decree of the defendant Bormann, dated 13 September 1944, addressed, will the Tribunal please note, to all Reichsleiter, Gauleiter, and Kreisleither, and leaders of the Nazi affiliated organizations -- numerous levels, that is, of the Leadership Corps of the Nazi Party -- a decree establishing Nazi Party jurisdiction over the use of prisoners of war for forced labor.
I quote the first three paragraphs of Bormann's order set forth on Page 1 of the English translation of Document 232-PS, which reads as follows:
"The regulations, valid until now, on the treatment of prisoners of war, and the tasks of the guard units are no longer justified in view of the demands of the total war effort." exigencies of the war effort repeal or modify the provisions of international law? End of our intrusion.
"Therefore, the Supreme Command, (OKW) of the Armed Forces, on my suggestion, issued the regulation, a copy of which is enclosed.
"The following is cited for its contents:
"1. The understanding exists between the Chief of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces (OKW) and myself, that the cooperation of the party in the commitment of prisoners of war is inevitable. Therefore, the officers, assigned to the prisoner of war system, have been instructed, to cooperate most closely with the bearers of sovereignty (Hoheitstraeger). The commandants of the prisoner of war camps have to detail immediately liaison officers to the Kreisleiters.
"Thus the opportunity will be afforded the Hoheitstraegers to alleviate existing difficulties locally, to exercise influence on the behaviour of the guard units" -- and this is the point we underline -- "and to better assimilate the commitment of the prisoners of war to the political and economic demands."
it is addressed to Reichsleiter, Gauleiter, and Kreisleiters, addressed to these officials of the Leadership Corps, and in the temrs of the order itslef Hoheitstraeger are referred to as cooperating measures in this scheme.
THE PRESIDENT: Will you go a little bit more slowly?
LT. LAMBERT: Certainly, sir. decree is addressed to Reichsletier, Gauleiter, Kreisleiter, and to the leaders of the affiliated and controlled Nazi organizations. As the Tribunal knows, within the Leadership Corps of the Nazi Party, the Kreisleiter is a pretty low level. That is a county leader. On the face of the decree the cooperation of the Hoheitstraeger is directed, and the Tribunal knows under the evidence presented against the Leadership Corps that Hoheitstraeger range all the way from the Reichsleiter on the top, down to and including the 500,000 or so Blockleiters implicated.
I next offer in evidence Document D-163-PS, as U.S.A. Exhibit 694 This is a letter of the Defendant Bormann, dated 5 November 1941 -
THE PRESIDENT: D-163?
LT. LAMBERT: That is D-163 -- addressed, the Tribunal will please note, to all Reichsleiter, Gauleiter, and Kreisleiter, the last just mere county leaders, transmitting to these officials of the Leadership Corps of the Nazi Party the instructions of the Reich Minister of the Interior prohibiting decent burials with religious ceremonies for Russian prisoners of war. I quote the pertinent portions of these instructions, beginning with the next to the last sentence of page 1 of the English translation of D-163, which reads as follows:
"To save costs, Service Departments of the army will generally be contacted regarding transport of corpses (furnishing of vehicles) whenever possible. No coffins will be indented for the transfer and burial. The body will be completely enveloped with strong paper (if possible, oil, tar, asphalte paper) or other suitable material. Transfer and burial is to be carried out unobtrusively. If a number of corpses have to be disposed of the burial will be carried out in a communal grave. In this case, the bodies will be buried side by side (but not on top of each other) and in accordance with the local custom regarding depth of graves. Where a graveyard is the place of burial a distant part will be chosen. "No" -- we repeat -- "No burial ceremony or decorations of graves will be allowed."
I now offer in evidence Document 228-PS, USA Exhibit 695. This is a Bormann circular, dated 25 November 1943, issued from the headquarters of the Fuehrer, demanding harsher treatment of prisoners of war and the increased exploitation of their manpower. I now quote the Bormann circular which is set forth on page 1 of the English translation of Document 228-PS, which reads as follows:
"Individual Gau-administrations often refer in reports to a too indulgent treatment of PW's on the part of the guard personnel. In many places, according to these reports, the guarding authorities have even developed into protectors and caretakers of the PW'S.
"I informed the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces of these reports, with the comment that the productive German labor population absolutely cannot understand it, if, in a time in which the German people is fighting for existence or non-existence, PW's - hence our enemies - are leading a better life than the German working man, and that it is an urgent duty of every German who has to do with PW's, to bring about a complete utilization of their manpower.
"The Chief of PW affairs in the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces has now given out the unequivocal order, attached hereto in copy form, to the commanders of PW's in the military districts. I request that this order be brought orally to the attention of all party office holders in an appropriate manner.
"In case that in the future complaints about unsuitable treatment of PW's still come to light, they are to be immediately communicated to the commanders of the PW's with a reference to the attached order." instructs that these orders be communicated orally to all party officials, and that surely must include the members of the Leadership Corps of the Nazi Party.
THE PRESIDENT: Speaking for myself, I don't see anything particularly wrong in that communication.
LT. LAMBERT: On that point, sir, we submit that if you take a document which says, "We wish to utilize all the labor power of PW's in our control possible, and to get this result by suitable means,"probably it tends to appear unexceptional. But viewing this document in relation to the other evidence in and to be presented, which show a concerted and settled policy by Bormann and his conspirators to -
THE PRESIDENT: Well, it isn't necessary to argue it.
LT. LAMBERT: Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. put in as USA Exhibit 339. The Tribunal will recall that this is a secret Bormann circular transmitting instructions of the Nazi High Command of 29 January 1943, providing for the enforcement of labor demands on Allied prisoners of war through the use of weapons and corporal punishment.