And by that decree Sauckel was given authority as well as responsibility subordinate only to that of Hitler and Goering, who was the head of the Four Year Plan, but subordinate only to those two for all matters relating to recruitment, allocation, and handling of foreign and domestic manpower. abolished the recruitment and allocation agencies of his Four Year Plan and delegated their powers to the Defendant Sauckel, and placed his farreaching authority as deputy for the Four Year Plan at Sauckel's disposal. of March, 1942, I ask the Tribunal to take judicial notice of this original decree which, is published in the 1942 Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, at Page 180:
"In pursuance of the Fuehrer's Decree of 21 March 1942, I decree as fallows:
"1. My manpower-sections are hereby abolished (circular letter of 22 October 1936). Their duties (recruitment and allocation of manpower, regulations for labor conditions) "2. The Plenipotentiary General for Arbeitseinsatz will be responsible for regulating the conditions of labor (wage policy) employed in the Reich.
Territory, having regard to the requirements of "3. The Plenipotentiary General for Arbeitseinsatz is part of the Four Year Plan.
In cases where new legislation is required, or existing "4. The Plenipotentiary General for Arbeitseinsatz will have at and heads of the civil administrations.
In the case of ordinances and in advance."
military authority of the territories occupied by Germany. We ask that is published in Volume II, Page 510, of the Verfuegungen/Anordnungen Bekanntgaben, published by the Party Chancellory.
This decree states as follows:
"I herewith authorize the Deputy General for the Arbeitseinsatz, Reich-governor and district-leader (Gauleiter) Fritz Sauckel to take all General for the Arbeitseinsatz of 21 March 1942 (Reichsgesetzblatt I, page 179) according to his own judgment in the Greater German Reich, in the regulated deployment of labor for the German war economy.
For this civilian administration.
These are subordinated directly to Deputy General for the Arbeitseinsatz.
In order to carry their tasks, they "More detailed directives will be issued by the Deputy General for "Fuehrer-Headquarters, 30 September 1942.
The Fuehrer, signed Adolph Hitler."
sent Defendant Rosenberg his "Labor Mobilization Program." This pro Page VI of the English text of that document.
It is Page 9, Paragraph 2, of the German text, and I quote as follows:
"It must be emphasized, however, that an additional tremendous number of foreign labor has to be found for the Reich.
The greatest pool for that purpose are the occupied territories of the East.
Con conquered Soviet Territory to the fullest extent.
Should we not succeed mobilization."
Page 17, Paragraph 4 of the German text, I quote as follows directly:
"The complete employment of all prisoners of war as well as the of labor program in this war."
submitted with certain basic directives. He provided that if voluntary Document 3044-PS is the Defendant Sauckel's Regulation Number 4, dated the 7th of May, 1942.
We ask that the Tribunal take judicial 527 of the Verfuegungen/Anordnungen Bekanntgaben, to which I have pre viously referred.
Reading from Page 1, Paragraph 3, of theEnglish text:
"The recruitment of foreign labor will be done on the fundamental basis of volunteering.
Where, however, in the occupied territories the appeal for volunteers does not suffice, obligatory service and drafting must, under all circumstances, be resorted to.
This is an indisputable requirement of our labor situation." order of its importance to the Nazi war machine. We refer to Document 3044- (A)-PS, which is the Defendant Sauckel's Regulation Number 10, and ask that the Court take judicial notice of the original regulation, published in Volume II, Verfuegungen/Anordnungen/Bekanntgaben, at Pages 531 to 533. Paragraph 3 of this regulation I quote as follows:
"The resources of manpower that are available in the occupied territories are to be employed primarily to satisfy the requirements of importance for the war in Germany itself. In allocating the said labor resources in the Occupied Territories, the following order of priority will be observed:
"(a) Labor required for the troops, the occupation authorities, and the civil authorities.
"(b) Labor required for the German armaments.
"(c) Labor required for food and agriculture.
"(d) Labor required for industrial work other than armaments.
"(e) Labor required for industrial work in the interests of the exclusive authority over the recruitment of workers from every area in Europe occupied by, controlled by, or friendly to the German nation. He affirmed, himself-- the Defendant Sauckel did-- this authority in a decree, Document No. 3044-PS, already in evidence as United States Exhibit No. 206. I refer to paragraph 5 on page 1 of the English text of that document, and I am quoting it directly:
"The recruitment of foreign labor in the areas occupied by Germany, in allied, friendly or neutral states will be carried out exclusively by my commissioners, or by the competent German military or civil agencies for the tasks of labor mobilization."
THE PRESIDENT: Haven't you read that already?
MR. DODD: No, I have not, if Your Honor please. We have referred to that decree before, but we have not referred to this portion of it. directly:
"For the carrying out of recruitment in allied, friendly, or neutral foreign countries, my commissioners are solely responsible." of the quotas of foreign laborers which he required, collaborated with Sauckel and his agents in filling these quotas: Command-who collaborated with Sauckel.
We refer now to Document No. 3012-PS-1, which is USA Exhibit No. 190. This document is the record of a telephone conversation of the Chief of the Economic Staff East of the German Army, and it is dated March 11, 1943. I wish to quote from the first two paragraphs of the document as follows:
"The plenipotentiary for the Arbeitseinsatz, Gauleiter Sauckel, points out to me, in an urgent teletype, that the Arbeitseinsatz in German agriculture, as well as all the most urgent armament programs, ordered by the Fuehrer, make the most rapid procurement of approximately one million women and men from the newly occupied territories an imperative necessity. For this purpose, Gauleiter Sauckel demands the shipment of 5,000 workers daily beginning 15 March; 10,000 workers male and female beginning 1 April from the newly occupied territories."
I am passing down to the next paragraph:
"In consideration of the extraordinary losses of workers, which occurred in German war industry because of the developments of the past months, it is now necessary that the recruiting of workers be taken up again everywhere with all emphasis.
The tendency momentarily noticeable in that territory, to limit and/or entirely stop the Reich recruiting program, is absolutely not bearable in view of this state of affairs. Gauleiter Sauckel, who is informed about these events has, because of this, turned immediately to General Fieldmarshal Keitel on 10 March 1943, in a teletype, and has emphasized on this occasion that, as in all other occupied territories, there, where all other methods fail, by order of the Fuehrer a certain pressure must be used." interrogation under oath of the Defendant Sauckel. The English only of the transcript of the interrogation has been seen by the counsel for the Defendant Sauckel. He has had it, however, for some time, and the excerpts upon which we intended to rely were furnished to him as well in German. Would be necessary for us to have furnished the entire record in German.
THE PRESIDENT: I think you might use this interrogation, as the excerpts have been submitted in German.
MR. DODD: Yes, they have, Your Honor, and the entire English text as well.
THE PRESIDENT: Very well.
MR. DODD: I refer to a transcript of an interrogation, under oath, of the Defendant Sauckel, held on the morning of the 5th of October 1945. That is the very last document in the document book. I wish to quote from the bottom of page 1 of the English text, and page 1, paragraph 11 of the German text, as follows:
"Q. Was it necessary in order to accomplish the completion of the quotas given to have liaison with the OKW?
"A. I remember that the Fuehrer had given directives to Marshal Keitel, telling him that my task was a very important one, and I, too, have often conferred with Keitel after such discussions with the Fuehrer, when I asked him for his support.
"Q. It was his task to supervise the proper performance of the military commanders in the occupied countries in carrying out their missions, was it not?
"A. Yes, the Fuehrer had told me that he would inform the Chief of the OKW, and the Chief of the Reichs Chancellery, as to these missions. The same applies to the Foreign Minister." interrogation of the Defendant Alfred Rosenberg. There is this distinction insofar as this record is concerned: while we have supplied the counsel with the German translation of those parts of it which we propose to use, we have not had an opportunity to supply the whole text to counsel. However, they have been supplied with the German of the parts which we propose to use and to offer to this Tribunal.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, you intend to do it hereafter, I suppose?
MR. DODD: Yes, we will, Your Honor, as soon as we can get these papers down to that information center.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
MR. DODD: May I -
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
MR. DODD: The next document is rather lengthy, and I wonder what the Tribunal's pleasure is.
THE PRESIDENT: That clock is wrong.
MR. DODD: Oh, I see.
Do I Understand that I may proceed with that interrogation?
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
MR. DODD: I wish to refer to the Defendant Alfred Rosenberg, the Reich Minister for the Occupied Eastern Territories, as one who also collaborated with the Defendant Sauckel, and specifically, to refer to a transcript of an interrogation under oath of the Defendant Rosenberg, on the afternoon of the 6th of October 1945. That record may be found about the third from the last of the interrogation records in the document book, and I wish to read from page 1 of the transcript:
"Q. Isn't it a fact that Sauckel would allocate to the various areas under your jurisdiction the number of persons to be obtained fo labor purposes?
"A. Yes.
"Q. And that, thereafter, your agents would obtain that labor in order to meet the quota which had been given; isn't that right?
"A. Sauckel, normally, had very far-reaching desires, which one couldn't fulfil unless one looked very closely into the matter.
"Q. Never mind about Sauckel's desires being far-reaching or not being far-reaching. That has nothing to do with it. You were given quotas for the areas over which you had jurisdiction, and it was up to you to meet that quota?
"A. Yes; it was the responsibility of the administrative officials to receive this quota and to distribute the allotments over the districts in such a way, according to number and according to the age groups, so they would be most reasonably met.
"Q. These administrative officials were part of your organization, isn't that right?
"A. They were functionaries or officials of the Reichskommissar for the Ukraine, but, as such, they were placed in their office by the Ministry for the Eastern Occupied. Territories.
"Q. You recognized, did you not, that the quotas set by Sauckel could not be filled by voluntary labor, and you didn't disapprove of the impressment of forced labors isn't that right?
"A. I regretted that the demands of Sauckel were so urgent that they could not be met by a continuation of voluntary recruitments, and thus I submitted to the necessity of forced impressment."
Then, passing a little further down on that page:
"Q. The letters that we have already seen between you and Sauckel did not indicate, did they, any disagreements on your part with the principle of recruiting labor against their will? They indicate, as I remember, that you were opposed to the treatment that was later accorded these workers, that you did not oppose their initial impressment."
THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Dodd, I think you ought to read the next two answers, in fairness to the Defendant Rosenberg, after the one where he said he submitted to the necessity of forced impressment.
MR. DODD: Very well, I shall read those, your Honor.
THE PRESIDENT: "Did you ever argue with Sauckel".
MR. DODD: Yes.
"Did you ever argue with Sauckel that perhaps in view of t he fact that quotas could not be met by voluntary labor, the labor recruiting program be abandoned, except for what recruits could be voluntarily enrolled?
"A. I couldn't do that because the numbers or allotments that Sauckel had received from the Fuehrer to me were absolutely binding for him, and I couldn't do anything about that." question and the answer at the bottom of the page--that is, the question which I have already read--the answer is as follows:
"That is right. In those matters I mostly discussed the possibility of finding the least harsh methods of handling the matter, whereas in no way I placed myself in opposition to the orders that he was carrying out for the Fuehrer."
THE PRESIDENT: I think the Tribunal might adjourn now.
MR. DODD: Very well, Your Honor.
(Whereupon at 1700 hours the hearing of the Tribunal adjourned to reconvene on 13 December, 1945, at 1000 hours.)
Military Tribunal, in the matter of: The
MR. THOMAS A. DODD: May it please the Tribunal, at the close of yesterday's session, we were discussing and had just completed reading the excerpts from the interrogation of the 6th day of October 1945 wherein the Defendant Alfred Rosenberg was questioned. have read excerpts from them. The Tribunal will recall that they are letters written by the Defendant Sauckel to the Defendant Rosenberg, requesting the assistance of the Defendant Rosenberg in the recruitment of additional foreign laborers. I refer to them in passing, by way of recapitualtion, with respect to the Defendant Sauckel's participation in this slave labor program, and also the assistance of the Defendant Rosenberg, Also the Defendant Sauckel received help from the Defendant Seyss-Inquart, who was the Reichskommisar for the Occupied Netherlands. Defendant Sauckel, which was read from yesterday, and I now refer to another part of it. The transcript of this interrogation will be found in the rear of the Document Book. It is the very last document and I wish to quote particularly from it. It is the first question:
"Q. For a moment, I want to turn our attention to Holland. It is my understanding that the quotas for the workers from Holland were agreed upon, and then the numbers given to the Reichskommisar Seyss-Inquart to fulfill, is that correct?
"A. Yes, that is correct.
"Q. After the quota was "given to Seyss-Inquart, it was his mission to fulfill it with the aid of your representatives; was it not?
"A. Yes, This was the only possible thing for me to do and the same applied to other countries."
ernment General of Poland, participated in the filling of Defendant Sauckel's quota requirements. 1 of the excerpts from the transcript of this interrogation, as it appears in the Document Book:
"Q. Was the same procedure substantially followed of allocating quotas in the General Government Poland?
"A. Yes. I have to basically state again that the only possibility I had in carrying through these missions was to get in touch with the highest German military authority in the respective country and to transfer to them the orders of the Fuehrer and ask them very urgently, as I have always done, to fulfill these orders.
"Q. Such discussions in Poland, of course, were with the General Governor Frank?
"A. Yes. I spent a morning and afternoon in Krakov twice or three times, and I personally spoke to General Governor Frank. Naturally, there was also present Secretary Dr. Goebble." also extended its assistance. We refer to Document No. 1292-PS, which is USA Exhibit No. 225. This document, 1292-PS, is the report of the Reichschancellor Lammers of a conference with Hitler, which was attended by, among others, the Defendant Sauckel, the Defendant Speer, and Himmler the Reichsfuehrer SS. I turn to Page 2 of the document, beginning with the third line from the top of the page of the English text; and it is Page 4, Paragraph 2 of the German text. The quoting reads as follows:
"The Plenipotentiary for Employment and Labor, Sauckel, declared that he will attempt with fanatical determination to obtain these workers. Until now, he has always kept his promises as to the number of workers to be furnished. With the best of intentions, however, he is unable to make a definite promise for 1944. He will do everything in his powers to furnish the requested manpower in 1944. Whether it will succeed depends primarily on what German enforcement agents will be made available. His project cannot be carried out with domestic enforcement agents."
There are additional quotations, as the. Tribunal may observe, in this very part from which I have been reading, but I intend to refer to them again a little further on. Labor requirements for Germany and passed out quotas to be filled, by and with the assistance of the individuals and agencies referred to, in the certain knowledge that force and brutality were the only means whereby his demands could be met. Turning to Document 1292-PS again, and quoting from Page 1:
"A conference took place with the Fuehrer today which was attended by: the Plenipotentiary for the Employment of Labor, Gauleiter Sauckel; the Secretary for Armament and War Production, Speer; the Chief of the Supreme Command of the Army, General Field Marshal Keitel; General Field Marshal Milch; the Minister of the Interior, Reichsfuehrer of the SS, Himmler, and myself. (The Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister of National Economy hah repeatedly asked to be permitted to participate prior to the Conference, but the Fuehrer did not wish their attendance.)
"The Fuehrer declared in his introductory remarks:
'I want a clear picture:
(1) How many workers are required for the maintenance of German War Economy?
(a) For the maintenance of present output?
(b) To increase its output?
(2) How many workers can be obtained from Occupied Countries, means (increased output)? For one thing, it is this matter fluctuation of workers, and so forth; and further it is a matter of procuring additional workers.
' "The Plenipotentiary for the Employment of Labor, Sauckel, declared that, in order to maintain the present pool of workers, he would have to add at least 2 1/2 but probably 3 million new workers in 1944.
Otherwise production would fall off. Reichsminister Speer declared that he needs an additional 1.3 million laborers. However, this would depend on whether it will be possible to increase production of iron ore. Should this not be possible, he would need no additional workers. Procurement of additional workers from occupied territory would, however, be subject to the condition that these workers will not be withdrawn from armament and auxiliary industries already working there. For this would mean a decrease of production of these industries which he could not tolerate. Those, for instance, who are already working in France in industries mentioned above, must be protected against being sent to work in Germany by the Plenipotentiary for the Employment of Labor. The Fuehrer agreed with the opinions of Reichminister Speer and emphasized that the measures taken by the Plenipotentiary for the Employment of Labor should order no circumstances, which would lead to the withdrawal of workers from armament and auxiliary industries working in occupied territories, because such a shift of workers would only cause disturbance of production in occupied countries.
"The Fuehrer further called attention to the fact that at least 250,000 laborers will be required for preparations against air attacks in the field of civilian air raid protection. For Vienna alone 2000 2500 are required immediately. The Plenipotentiary for the Employment of Labor must add at least 4 million workers to the manpower pool, considering that he requires 2 1/2 million workers for maintenance of the present level, that Reich Minister Speer needs 1.3 million additional workers, and that the above-mentioned preparations for security measures against air attacks call for 0.25 million laborers." text of this document; and Page 5, Paragraph 1 of the German text:
"The Reichfuehrer SS explained that the enforcement agents put at his disposal are extremely few, but that he would try helping the Sauckel project to succeed by increasing them and working them harder. The Reichfuehrer SS made immediately available 200 to 2500 men from concentration camps for air raid preparations in Vienna." the paragraph entitled "Results of the Conference," and quoting it directly after the small figure 1:
"The Plenipotentiary for Employment of Labor shall procure at least four million new workers from occupied territories." as USA Exhibit 190, revealed, the Defendant Sauckel in requesting the assistance of the Army for the recruitment of one million men and women from the occupied Eastern territories, informed the Defendant Keitel that prompt action was required and that, as in all other occupied countries, pressure had to be used if other measures were not successful. Again, as revealed by Document 018-PS, which has been offered, and from which excerpts have been read, the Defendant Sauckel was informed by the Defendant Rosenberg, that the enslavement of foreign labor was achieved by force and brutality. Notwithstanding his knowledge of conditions, the Defendant Sauckel continued to request greater supplies of manpower from the areas in which the most ruthless methods had been applied. Indeed, when German Field Commanders on the Eastern Front attempted to resist or restrain the Defendant Sauckel's demands, because forced recruitment was swelling the ranks of the partisans and making the Army's task more difficult, Sauckel sent a telegram to Hitler, in which he implored him, Hitler, to intervene.
I make reference to Document No. 401 II PS, which bears USA Exhibit No. 226. This document is a telegram from the Defendant Sauckel to Hitler, dated the 10 day of March, 1943. It is a father long message, but I wish to call particularly to the attention of the Tribunal the last paragraph on Page 1 of the English text. It is Page 2, Paragraph 5 of the German text.
Quoting the last paragraph of the English text:
"Therefore, my Fuehrer, I ask you to abolish all orders, which oppose the obligation of foreign workers for labor, and to report to me kindly whether the concept of the mission presented here is still right." find these words, quoting them directly:
"If the obligation for labor and the forced recruiting of workers in the East is not possible any more, then the German war industries and agriculture cannot fulfill their tasks to the full extent."
The next paragraph:
"I myself have the opinion that our Army leaders should not give credence under any circumstances to the atrocity and propaganda campaign of the partisans. The Generals themselves are greatly interested that the support for the troops is made possible in time. I should like to point out that hundreds of thousands of excellent workers going into the field as soldiers now, cannot possibly be substituted by German women not used to work, even if they are trying to do their best. Therefore, I have to use the people of the eastern territories."
THE PRESIDENT: I think you should read the next paragraph.
MR. DODD: "I myself report to you that the workers belonging to all foreign nations are treated humanely and correctly, and cleanly, are fed and housed well and are even clothed. On the basis of my own services with foreign nations, I go as far as to state that never before in the world were foreign workers treated as correctly as is now happening, in the hardest of all wars, by the German people." civilian labor by force, Defendant Sauckel was responsible for the conditions under which foreign workers were deported to Germany and for the treatment to which they were subjected within Germany.
imported persons were transported to Germany, and we have read from Document 2241-PS-3 to show that Sauckel knew of these conditions. Yesterday we referred at length to the brutal, degrading, and inhumane conditions under which these laborers worked and lived within Germany. We invite the attention again of the Tribunal to Document 3044-PS, already offered as USA Exhibit No.206. It is Regulation No. 4 of 7 May 1942, issued by Sauckel, as the Plenipotentiary General for the Mobilization of Labor, concerning recruitment, care, lodging, feeding and treatment of foreign workers of both sexes. By this decree, Defendant Sauckel expressly directed that the assembly and operation of rail transports and the supplying of food therefor was the responsibility of his agents until the transports arrived in Germany. By the same regulation, Defendant Sauckel directed that within Germany the care of foreign industrial workers was to be carried out by the German Labor Front, and that the care of foreign agricultural workers was to be carried out by the Reich Food Administration. By the terms of the regulation, Sauckel reserved for himself ultimate responsibility for all aspects of care, treatment, lodging and feeding of foreign workers while in transit to and within Germany. 3044-PS, USA Exhibit No. 206, and the part of it that I make reference to is at the bottom of page 1 in the English text, and it appears at page 518 of the volume in the German text. Quoting directly from the English text:
"The care of foreign labor will be carried out.
"a) up to the Reich border mobilization agencies.
Care of the labor will be "b) Within the area of the Reich
1) By the German Labor Front in the cases of
2) By the Reich Food administration in the case "The German Labor Front and the German Food Administration are bound by my directives in the carrying out of their tasks of caring for the workers.
"The agencies of the labor mobilization administration are to give far-reaching support to the German Labor Front and the German Food Administration in the fulfilment of their assigned tasks.
"My competence for the execution of the care for foreign labor is not prejudiced by the assignment of these tasks to the German Labor Front and the Reich Food Administration."
THE PRESIDENT : Mr. Dodd, don't you think that that sort of passage is the sort of passage which might be summarized and not read, because all that it is really stating is that Sauckel, his department and commissioners, were responsible, and that is what he is saying.
MR. DODD: Yes, indeed, Your Honor, we spelled it out, thinking that perhaps under the rule of getting it into the record, it must be read fully. I quite agree.
THE PRESIDENT: A summary will be quite sufficient, I think.
MR. DODD: In the same document, I should like to make reference to the data on page 3, paragraph III of the English text, which indicates, under the title of "Composition and operation of the transports," that this function is the obligation of the representatives of the Defendant Sauckel; and in paragraph "c", on page 5 of the English text, under the title of "Supply for the Transport," after setting out some responsibility for the office of the German Workers Front, the Defendant Sauckel states that for the rest, his offices effect the supply for the transport.
German Labor Front, Dr. Robert Ley, and in this agreement, the Defendant Sauckel emphasized his ultimate responsibility by creating a central inspectorate, charged with examining the working and living conditions of foreign workers. We refer to Document 1913-PS, USA Exhibit No. 227. This agreement between the Defendant Sauckel, and the then chief of the German Labor Front, is published in the 1943 edition of the Reichsarbeitsblatt, Part I, at page 588. It is a rather lengthy agreement, and I shall not read it all, or any great part of it, except such part as will indicate the basic agreements between the Defendant Sauckel and Ley, with respect to the foreign workers and their living conditions and working conditions.
On the first page of the English text:
"The Reichsleiter of the German Labor Front, Dr. Ley, in collaboration with the Plenipotentiary General for the Arbeitseinsatz, Gauleiter Sauckel, will establish a 'central inspection' for the continuous supervision of all measures concerning the care of the foreign workers mentioned under 1. This will have the designation:
'Central inspection for care of foreign workers.'" text, states:
"The offices of the administration of the Arbeitseinsatz will be constantly informed by the 'central inspection for the care of foreign workers' of its observations, in particular, immediately in each case in which action of State organizations seems to be necessary." paragraph, which is quoted on the same page. It is the fourth paragraph down, after the small number 2, and it begins with the words:
"The authority of the Plenipotentiary General for the untouched."
Sauckel was responsible for compelling citizens of the occupied countries, against their will, to manufacture arms and munitions, and to construct military fortifications for use in war operations against their own country and its allies.