Those are rules which every society has found necessary in order to reach men, like these defendants, who never get blood on their own hands but who lay plans that result in the shedding of blood. All over Germany today, in every zone of occupation, little men who carried out those criminal policies under orders are being convicted and punished.
It would present a vast and unforgiveable caricature of justice if the men who planned these policies and directed these little men should escape all penalty.(149) to this program of crime, nor was their connection with it remote or obscure. We find them in the very heart of it. The positions they held show that we have chosen defendants of self-evident responsibility. They are the very top surviving authorities in their respective fields and in the Nazi State. No one lives who, at least until the very last moments of the war, outranked Goering in position, power, and influence. No soldier stood above Keitel and Jodl, and no sailor above Raeder and Doenitz. Who can be responsible for the duplicitous diplomacy if not the Foreign Ministers, von Neurath and Ribbentrop, and the diplomatic handy man, von Papen? Who should be answerable for the oppressive administration of occupied countries if Gauleiters, Protectors, Governors and Commissars such as Frank, Seyss-Inquart, Frick, von Schirach, von Neurath, and Rosenberg are not? Where shall we look for those who mobilized the economy for total war if we overlook Schacht and Speer and Funk? Who was the master of the great slaving enterprise if it was not Sauckel? Where shall we find the hand that ran the concentration camps if it was not the hand of Kaltenbrunner? And who whipped up the hates and fears of the public, and manipulated the Party organizations to incite these crimes, if not Hess, von Schirach, Fritzsche, Bormann and the unspeakable Julius Streicher? The list of defendants is made up of men who played indispensable and reciprocal parts in this tragedy. The photographs and the films show them again and again together on important occasions. The documents show them agreed on policies and on methods, and all working aggressively for the expansion of Germany by force of arms.
Each of these men made a real contribution to the Nazi plan. Each man had a key part. Deprive the Nazi regime of the functions performed by a Schacht, a Sauckel, a von Papen, or a Goering, and you have a different regime. Look down the rows of fallen men and picture them as the photographic and documentary evidence shows them to have been in their days of power. Is there one who did not substantially advance the conspiracy along its bloody path towards its bloody goal? Can we assume that the great effort of these men's lives was directed towards ends they never suspected?
guilt from their activities, the defendants are almost unanimous in one defense. The refrain is heard time and again: these men were without authority, without knowledge, without influence, without importance. Funk summed up the general self-abasement of the dock in his plaintive lament that "I always, so to speak, came up to the door.
But I was not permitted to enter."
(150) the familiar blank wall: nobody knew anything about what was going on. Time after time we have heard the chorus from the dock, "I only heard about those things here for the first time."
(151) These men saw no evil, spoke none, and none, and none was uttered in their presence. This claim might sound very plausible if made by one defendant. But when we put all their stories together, the impression which emerges of the Third Reich, which was to last a thousand years, is ludicrous. If we combine only the stories from the front bench, this is the ridiculous composite picture of Hitler's government that emerges. It was composed of:
A No. 2man who knew nothing of the excesses of the Gestapo which he created, and never suspected the Jewish extermination program although he was the signer of over a score of decrees which instituted the persecutions of that race;
A No. 3 man who was merely an innocent middleman, transmitting Hitler's orders without even reading them, like a postman or delivery boy; foreign policy; of the results they would have in practice; of his Gestapo and SD were somewhat on the order of directing traffic; no idea of the violence which his philosophy was inciting in the Twentieth Century;
A Governor General of Poland who reigned but did not rule;
writings about the Jews, but who had no idea that anybody would read them; of his own office, much less the interior of his own department, and nothing at all do out the interior of Germany; of the vaults of his bank; entire economy for armament, but had no idea it had anything to do with war. actually be obliged to conclude if you were to acquit these defendants.
They do protest too much. They deny knowing that was Common knowledge. They deny knowing plans and programs that were as public as "Mein Kampf" and the Party program. They deny even knowing the contents of documents they received and acted upon. Let us illustrate the inconsistencies of their positions by the record of one defendant -- who, if pressed, would himself concede that he is the most intelligent, honorable and innocent man in the dock. That is Schacht. And this is the effect of his own testimony -- but let us not forget that I recite it not against him alone, but because most of its self-contradictions are found in the testimony of several defendants: openly desert it until it had lost. He admits that he never gave it public opposition, but asserts that he never gave it private loyalty. When we demand of him why he did not stop the criminal course of the regime in which he was a Minister, he says he had not a bit of influence. When we ask why he remained a member of the criminal regime, he tells us that by sticking on he expected to moderate its program. Like a Brahmin among untouchables, he could not bear to mingle with the Nazis socially, but never could he afford to separate from them politically. Of all the Nazi aggressions by which he now claims to have been shocked(152), there is not one that he did not support before the world with the weight of his name and prestige. Having armed Hitler to blackmail a continent, his answer now is to blame England and France for yielding.
despise. He sometimes disagreed with his Nazi confederates about what was expedient in reaching their goal, but he never dissented from the goal itself. When he did break with them in the twilight of the regime, it was over tactics, not principles. From then on he never ceased to urge others to risk their positions and their necks to forward his plots, but never on any occasion did he hazard either of his own. He now boasts that he personally would have shot Hitler if he had had the opportunity, but the German newsreel shows that even after the fall of France, when he faced the living Hitler, he stepped out of line to grasp the hand he now claims to loath and hung upon the words of the man he now says he thought unworthy of belief. Schacht says he steadily "sabotaged" the Hitler government.(153) Yes, the most relentless secret service in the world never detected him doing the regime any harm until long after he knew the war to be lost and the Nazis doomed. Schacht, who dealt in hedges all his life, always kept himself in a position to claim that he was in either camp. The plea for him is as specious on analysis as it is persuasive on first sight. Schacht represents the most dangerous and reprehensible type of opportunism -- that of the man of influential position who is ready to join a movement that he knows to be wrong because he thinks it is winning. ranks of power, and unable to deny that the crimes I have outlined actually happened, know that their own denials are incredible unless they can suggest someone who is guilty. blame on other man, sometimes on one and sometimes on another. But the names they have repeatedly picked are Hitler, Himmler, Heydrich, Goebbels and Bormann. All of these are dead or missing. No matter how hard we have pressed the defendants on the stand, they have never pointed the finger at a living man as guilty. It is a temptation to ponder the wondrous workings of a fate which has left only the guilty dead and only the innocent alive. It is almost too remarkable. via with each other in producing appropriate epithets -- is Hitler. He is the man at whom nearly every defendant has pointed an accusing finger.
dead and missing men shared the guilt. In crimes so reprehensible that degrees of guilt have lost their significance they may have played the most evil parts. But their guilt cannot exculpate the defendants. Hitler did not carry all responsibility to the grave with him. All the guilt is not wrapped in Himmler's shroud. It was these dead men whom these living chose to be their partners in this great conspiratorial brotherhood, and the crimes that they did together they must pay for one by one.
It may well be said that Hitler's final crime was against the land he had ruled. He was a mad messiah who started the war without cause and prolonged it without reason. If he could not rule he cared not what happened to Germany. As Fritzsche has told us from the stand, Hitler tried to use the defeat of Germany for the self-destruction of the German people.(154) He continued the fight when he knew it could not be won, and continuance meant only ruin. Speer, in this courtroom, has described it as follows:
"...The sacrifices which ware made on both sides after January 1945 were without sense. The dead of this period will be the accusers of the man responsible for the continuation of that fight, Adolf Hitler, just as much as the destroyed cities, destroyed in that last phase, who had lost tremendous cultural values and tremendous numbers of dwellings.... The German people, he said, remained faithful to Adolf Hitler until the end. He has betrayed them knowingly. He has tried to throw it into the abyss..."(155) into death by his own hand. But he left lifeas he lived it, a deceiver; he left the official report that he had died in battle.
This was the man whom these defendants exalted to a Fuehrer. It was they who conspired to get him absolute authority over all of Germany. And in the end he and the system they created for him brought the ruin of them all. As stated by Speer on cross-examination:
"...the tremendous danger, however, contained in this moment when we were approaching the end.
It was then any criticism.
Everything... you have seen in the did after all turn out to be mistakes.
.. This Hitler's principle.
The combination of Hitler and this to this world."
(156) But let me for a moment turn devil's advocate.
I admit that Hitler was the chief villain. But for the defendants to put all blame on him is neither manly nor true. We know that even thehead of a state has the same limits to his senses and to the hours of his day as do lesser men. He must rely on others to be his eyes and ears as to most that goes on in a great empire. Other legs must run his errands; other hands must execute his plans. On whom did Hitler rely for such things more than upon these men in the dock? Who led him to believe he had an invincible air armada if not Goering? Who kept disagreeable facts from him? Did not Goering forbid Fieldmarshal Milch to warn Hitler that in his opinion Germany wasnot equal to the war upon Russia?(157) Did not Goering, according, to Speer, relieve General Gallant of his air force command for speaking of the weaknesses and bungling of the air force?(158) Who led Hitler, utterly untraveled himself, to believing in the indecision and timidity of democratic peoples if not Ribbentrop, von Neurath, and von Papen? Who fed his illusion of German invincibility if not Keitel, Jodl, Raeder and Doenitz? Who kept his hatred of the Jews inflamed more than Streicher and Rosenberg? Who would Hitler say deceived him about conditions in concentration camps if not Kaltenbrunner, even as he would deceive us? These men had access to Hitler and often could control the information thatreached him and on which he must base his policy and his orders. They were the Praetorian Guard, and while they were under Caeser's orders, Caesar was always in their hands.
been said against them, we might have a less distorted picture of the parts played by these defendants. Imagine the stir that would occur in the dock if it should behold Adolf Hitler advancing to the witness box, or Himmler with an armful of dossiers, or Goebbels, or Bormann with the reports of his Party spies, or the murdered Roehm or Canaris. The ghoulish defense that the world is entitled to retribution only from thecadavers, is an argument worthy of the crimes at which it is directed. criminating documents which are sufficient, if unexplained, to require a finding of guilt on Count One against each defendant. In the final analysis, the only question is whether the defendant's own testimony is to be credited as against the documents and other evidence of their guilt. What, then, is their testimony worth? the foundations out from under their own defenses. Lying has always been a highly approved Nazi technique. Hitler, in "Mein Kampf", advocated mendacit as a policy. Von Ribbentrop admits the use of the "diplomatic lie". (159) Keitel advised thatthe facts of rearmament be kept secret so that they could be denied at Geneva. (160) Raeder deceived about rebuilding the German navy in violation of Versailles. (161) Goering urged Ribbentrop to tell a "legal lie" to theBritish Foreign Office about the Anschluss, and in so doijg only marshaled him the way he was going.(162) Goering gave his word of honor to the Czechs and proceeded to break it.(163) Even Speer proposed to deceive the French into revealing the specially trained among their prisoners, (164) Nor is the lie direct the only means of falsehood.
They all speak with a Nazi doubletalk with which to deceive the unwary. In the Nazi dictionary of sardonic euphemisms "Final solution" of the Jewish problem was a phrase which meant extermination; "Special treatment" of prisoners of war meant killing; "Protective custody" meant concentration camp; "Duty labor" meant slave labor; and in order to "take a firm attitude" or "take positive measures" meant to act with unrestrained savagery. Before we accept their word at what seems to be its face, we must always look for hiddenmeanings.
Goering assured us, on his oath, that the Reich Defense Council never met "as such".(165) When we produced the stenographic minutes of a meeting at which he presided and did most of the talking, he reminded us of the "as such" and explained this was not a meeting of the Council "as such" because other persons were present.(166) Goering denies "threatening Czechoslovakia he only told President Hacha that he would "hate to bomb the beautiful city of Prague." (167) circumventions of truth in the nature of fantastic explanations and absurd professions. Streicher has solemn maintained that his only thought with respect to the Jews was to resettle them on the island of Madagascar. (168) His reason for destroying synagogues, he blandly said, was only because they were architecturally offensive. (169) Rosenberg was stated by his counsel to have always had in mind a "chivalrous solution" to the Jewish problem. (170) When it was necessary to remove Schuschnigg after the Anschluss, Ribbentrop would have had us believe that the Austrian Chancellor was resting at a "villa". It was left to cross-examination to reveal that the "villa" was Buchenwald Concentration Camp. (171) The record is full of other examples of dissimulations and evasions. Even Schacht showed that he, too, had adopted the Nazi attitude that truth is any story which succeeds. Confronted on cross-examination with a *---* record of broken vows and false words, he declared in justification - and I quote from the record:
"I think you can score many more successes when you want to lead someone if you don'ttell them the truth than if you tell them the truth."
(172) This was the philosophy of the National Socialists.
When for years they have deceived the world, and masked falsehood with plausibilities, can anyone be surprised that they continue the habits of a lifetime in this dock? Credibility is one of the main issues of this trial. Only those who have failed to learn the bitter lessons of the last decade can doubt that men who have always played on the unsuspecting credulity of generous opponents would not hesitate to do the same, now. Tribunal to say that they are not guilty of planning, executing, or conspiring to commit this long list of crimes and wrongs. They stand before the record of this trial as blood-stained Gloucester stood by the body of his slain King.
He begged of the widow, as they beg of you; "Say I slowthem not." And the Queen an replied, "Then say they werenot slain. But dead they are ...." If you were to say of these men that they a re not guilty, it would be as true to say that there has been no war, there are no slain, there has been no crime.
THE PRESIDENT: I call upon the Chief Prosecutor for the United Kingdom of Great Britain.
MR. JUSTICEJACKSON: Would it be agreeable, Your Honors, if Sir Hartley Shawcross should start his address after the recess?
THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Then we will sit again at a quarter to two.
MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: And may I add this for thepurpose of the record. I have filed with the Tribunal and furnished to Counsel copies of the summation with footnotes to the record. Those footnotes are designed, of course, to direct the attention of adversaries and of the Tribunal to the supporting data in the record. I thought they might be helpful in reading it.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
Footnote 1. English transcript, p. 5844.
2. Goering, Reconstruction of a Nationa, 1934. (2344-PS, USA 233, Tr.p. 1399) 3. Primte Minister Goering's Press Conference, published in p.1 (2494-PS, USA-F, Tr.p. 255). Goering has admitted excesses in connection with the seizure of power (Tr.p.5838) 4. Law about changing rules of Criminal Law and Crinimal Part I, p.34 (2548-PS, USA-F, Tr. -.255). (Tr. 0. 5838).5. Decree of the Reich President for protection against treacher 21 March 1933.
1933 Reichsgestzblatt, Part I, p. 135, (1652-PS, USA-F, Tr.p. 255).6. Decree of the Reich President for the Protection of the Part I, p. 83 (1390-PS, USA-B-Tr.p.255). "Section 114, 115, man Reich are suspended until further notice.
Thus, res otherwise presecribed.
..Whoever provokes or incites to an with imprisonment of not less than three months."
7. Law to change the Penal Code of 28 June 1935, 1935 Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, p. 839.
(1962-PS, USA-F, Tr.p;
255). "Any person who commits an act which the law declares popular feeling, shall be punished.
If these is no penal conception".8. Extract from "Germany's Road to Freedom", as published in Documents of German Politics, Vol.
3 (2549-PS, USA-F, Tr.
P. 255) "National Socialism substitutes for the conception attack against the welfare of the people's community, every wrong.
Therefore wrong may be committed in the future in ment.
Even withouth the threat of punishment, every vio itself is a wrong". Footnote 9. Affidavit of Dr. Hans Anschuetz, 17 November 1945 (2967-PS, USA-756, Tr. p. 255). Ten Years of Security police and SA.
(1680-PS, USA-477; Tr.p.1892).
10. Transcript p. 6073. This bureau was camouflaged under the name of "Research Office of the Airforce". (Tr. p.5880).11.
Decree of the Reich President for the Protection of the People 83 (1390-PS, USA-F, Tr. p. 255). Supra, Note 5.12.
Organizationbuch der NSDAP, 1943 edition, pp.99-104 (1893-PS, USA-323, Tr. p. 1578).13.
Meaning and Tasks of the Secret State Police, published in The Archives, January 1936, Vol.
23-24, p. 1342 (1956-PS, USA-F, Tr. p.255).14.
Original Protective Custody Order served on Dr. R. Kempner, 15 March 1935 (2499-PS, USA-232, Tr. p. 1399). Extract from article "Legislation and Judiciary in Third Reich" from Journal of the Acadamy for German Law, 1936, pp.
141-142 (2533-PS, USA-F, Tr. p.235).15.
Law on the Secret State Police of 10 February 1936, Prussian Gesetzemhhung, p. 21.
"Orders in matters of the Secret State Police are not subject to review of the administrative Courts".(2107-PS, Tr.p.1904). Summary of decisions of the Supreme Ad ministrative Court, 1935 Reichsverwaltungsblatt, Vol.
56, No.
29, pp. 577-578, 20 July 1935 (2347-PS, Tr.-. 1904).
16. Affidavit of Dr. Hans Anschuetz, 17 November 1945 (2967-PS, USA-756, Tr.p.255).17.
Letter from Guertner to Mutschmann, 18 January 1935, concerning Camp Hohnstein (783-PS, USA-731, Tr.p.255). Letters from Minis companions because of inflicting bodily injury on duty (784-PS, USA-732, Tr.p.255). Memorandum of Guerner concerning legal pro stein (785-PS, USA-733, Tr.p.255). Minister of Justice memoran (786-PS, USA-734, Tr.p.255).18 Affidavit of Dr. Hans Anschuetz, 17 November 1945 (2967-PS, USA-756, Tr.p.255).19.
Affidavit of Dr. Hans Anschuetz, 17 November 1945 (2967-PS, USA-756, Tr.p.255). Law amending regulations of criminal law Part I, p. 341 (2014-PS, USA-C, Tr.p.255). Law on People's 1936 Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, p. 169 (2342-PS, USA-C, Tr.p.255).20.
"The Nazi Plan", excerpt of script of a motion picture composed of captured German film.
(3054-PS, USA-167, Tr.p.1264).
21. Decree of the Government concerning formation of Special Courts, 21 March 1933, 1933 Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, pp.
136-137, (2076-PS, USA-C, Tr.p. 255). Decree concerning the extension 1938 Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, p. 1632, (2056-PS, USA-C, Tr.p.255).Affidavit of Dr. Hans Anschuetz, 17 November 1945 (2967-PS USA 756, Tr.p.255). Footnote Edition A, No.42, 16 October 1942.
"The judge is therefore ministration of the State.
He is responsible to the leader ship of the State (Staatsfuhring) within his sphere of duty for the conservation of the national community.
By protec ting the national values (Volkische Werte) and eliminating (dangerous elements from the community of the people) he is, haltung). This point of view must be decisive for the judge.
facilitated." (2482-PS, USA-C, Tr.p.255). Extract from pam hlet, "Judges Letters", concerning judgement of Lower Court (D-229, USA-C, Tr.p.255).23.
Lecture of Major-General Thomas delivered 24 May 1939, at the Foreign Office (EC-28, USA-760, Tr.pp.
275, 5124).
24. The treaties and assurances applicable to each are specified 25.
English transcript p. 5980. "The Hague Convention was for land warfare.
When I scanned it over on the eve of the Poli I had not studied them much sooner.
If I had done so I would changed in order to have a new type of warfare," 26.
English Transcrip p. 6016.
Footnote 27.
Memorandum of 15 September 1941, from Canaris to Keitel prisoners-of-war (EC-338, USSR-366, Tr.p.4441). "The Gene on the treatment of prisoners-of-war apply.
Since the 18th solely protective custody (Sicherheitsschart) the only pur further participation in the war.
This principle was helpless people; this is also in the interest of all belli 27.
(cont'd). soldiers in case of capture.....The instructions are very general.
standing." 28. Hitler Commando Order, 18 October 1942 (498-PS, USA-501, Tr. p. 1944, 2173). Night and Fog Decrees, 7 and 12 December 1942 (L-90, USA-503, Tr. p. 1945). Minister of Labor Order on employment of French prisoners of war in armament industry, August 1941 (3005-PS, USA-213, Tr. p. 3010). Himmler order to protect lynchers of allied fliers, 10 August 1943 (R-110, USA-333, Tr. p. 1624). 29.
Decree appointing Sauckel General Plenipotentiary for Manpower, Sauckel, 27 March 1942, 1942 Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, pp.
179-180 (1666-PS, USA-208, pp.
1337, 4063). 30. Speer's conference minutes of Central Planning Board, 1942-44, concerning labor supply.
"Our best now engine is made 88% by Russian prisoners of war and the other 12% by German men and women.
... The list of the shirkers should be entrusted to Himmler's trustworthy hands who will make them work all right."
(Hilch, p. 26) R-124, USA-179, Tr. pp.
1313, 1320. 31. Top secret memorandum signed by Brautigam, 25 October 1942, concerning conditions in Russia (294-PS, USA-195, Tr. p. 1293). 32.
Speer's conference minutes of Central planning Board, 1942-44, concerning labor supply.
(R-124, p. 22, USA 179, Tr. pp. 1286, 1293, 1309, 2989,) By an official directive, "Estates of those who refuse hostages and to be brought to forced labor camps", and the burning of considered culpable.
Letter from Rosenberg Ministry, 12 November 1943, concerning burning of houses in Mueller's district.
(290-PS, USA-189, Tr. p. 1304). The burning down of houses was a method used to force citizens in occupied territories into Reich labor.
Letter from Rabb to Reichminister for Occupied Eastern Territories.
7 June 1944, concerning burning of houses in Wassilkow district.
(254-PS, USA 188, Tr. p. 1300). Forced labor agents caught persons attending churches and theaters and transported them to the Reich.
Lammers Government General (2220-PS, USA-175, Tr. p. 1275). 33.
Report to Reich Ministry for Occupied Eastern Territories, 7 October 1942, concerning treatment of Ukrainian Specialists (054-PS, USA-198, Tr. p. 1314). Interdepartmental report of Ministry for Occupied Eastern laborers.
"In this train women gave birth to babies who thrown on the railroad emba*---*. The same must have occurred in ether returning transports."
(084-PS, USA-199, Tr. p. 1317). 34. Sauckel's labor Mobilization Program 20 April 1942. "Apart from mobilization."
p. 7 (016-PS, USA-168, Tr. p. 1319). 35. Affidavit of Edward L. Deuss, 1 November 1945, concerning approximate number of foreign workers for German War Effort in Old Reich (2520-PS, USA-197, Tr. p. 1312). 36.
Memorandum to Mr. Hupo, 14 March 1942, concerning employment of Russians, (D-316, USA-201, Tr. p. 1320). 37.
Affidavit of Dr. Wilhelm Jaeger, 15 October 1945. "Conditions in all of those camps were extremely bad.
The camps were greatly overcrowded.
conditions permitted...Camp Humboldstrasse has been inhabited by Italian prisoners of war.
After it had been destroyed by an air raid, There was no doctor in attendance at the Camp.
There were no medical supplies in the Camp.
They had no shoes and went about in their bare foot.
The sole clothing of each consisted of a sack with holes for their arms and head.
Their hair was shorn. The Camp was surrounded by barbed wire and closely guarded by SS guards."
pp. 1, 5, (D-288, USA-202, Tr. p. 1322). 38.
Secret Order of Reichsfuehrer SS, 20 February 1942, concerning commitment of manpower from the East.
"In severe case, that is in means.
Accordingly, they will be treated, as a rule, only with special treatment.
..Special treatment is hanging." (3040-PS, USA-207, Tr. p. 1336). 39.
Order signed Christiansen, 19 March 1943, to all group leaders of 11 March 1943 (3012-PS, USA-190, Tr. pp.
1304. 12200). Letter of Terbeven to Goering, dated 1 May 1942.
(R. 134, RD-293, Tr.p.6235).
Goering has admitted the excesses in occupied territories: I considered as excesses."
(Tr. p. 5932). 40. Excerpts from Frank's Diary (USSR-223) (English translation p.43). 41. Stenographic report on conference between Goering Reich Commission ers for Occupied Territories, 8 August 1942.
(USSR-170, Tr. p. 5720;
EC-317, Tr. pp. 5903, 5904). 42. Report to Fuehrer regarding confiscated art treasures, 20 March 1941.
(014-PS, USA-784, Tr. p. 6213). Field Marshal Kesselring, Goering's spot.
(Tr. p. 5775).
43. Hague Convention IV, Articles 43, 46, 47, 50, 52. 44. Affidavit of Dr. Rudolf Kastner, former president of the Hungarian Zionist Organization, 13 September 1945.
(2605-PS, USA-242, Tr. pp.
1408, 1409). 45. Affidavit of Dr. Wilhelm Hoettl, 5 November 1946. (2738-PS, Tr. p. 1502). Affidavits of Hermann Graebe.
"Moennikes and I wont direct to the pits.
Nobody bothered us. Now I heard rifle shots in quick succession, from behind one of the earth mounds.
The riding or dog whip.
They had to put down their clothes in fixed places, sorted according to shoes, top clothing.
I saw a heap of clothing.
Without screaming or weeping those people undressed, with a whip in his hand.
During the 15 minutes that I stood near the pit I heard no complaint orplea for mercy.
I watched a family of with delight.
The couple were looking on with tears in their eyes.
speaking to him softly; the boy was fighting his tears. The father something to him.
At that moment the SS-man at the pit shouted something to his comrade.
The latter counted off about 20 persons and instructed them to go behind the earth mound.
Among them was the family, which I have mentioned.
I well remember a girl, slim and 45 who, as she passed close to me, pointed to herself and said, "23". (Cont'd) grave.
People were closely wedged together and lying on top of eac other so that only their heads were visible.
Nearly all had blood running over their shoulders from their heads.
Some of the people shot were still moving.
Some were lifting their arms and turning their heads to show that they were still alive.
The pit was alread 2/3 full.
I estimated that it already contained about 1000 people.
I looked for the man who did the shooting. He was an SS-man, who pit.
He had a tommy gun on his knees and was smoking a cigarette.
lying there, to the place to which the SS-man directed them. They down in front of the dead or injured people; some caressed those were still alive and spoke to them in a low voice.
Then I heard a series of shots.
I looked into the pit and saw that the bodies we* that lay before them.
Blood was running from their necks. I was surprised that I was not ordered away, but I saw that there were t* or three postmen in uniform nearby.
The next batch was approaching already.
They went down into the pit, lined themselves up against the previous victims and were shot.
When I wlaked back, round the This time it included sick and infirm persons.
An old, very thin naked, while two people held her up.
The woman appeared to be para lyzed.
The naked people carried the woman around the mound. I lef with Moennikes and drove in my car back to Dubno."
(2992-PS, pp. 2,3; USA-494, Tr. p. 1922 ). 46. SD Inspector Bierkamp's letter, 12 December 1941, to RSHA, enclosing cop of secret decree signed by Bormann, entitled, "Relationship of National Socialism and Christianity."
(D-75, USA-348,Tr. p. 1637).
47. Extracts from "The Myth of the 20th Century", by Alfred Rosenberg, 1941.
"A German religious movement which would like to develop into a folk feguarding of the folkdom."
p. 608 (2349-PS, USA-352, Tr. p. 1642). 48. Documents on RSHA meeting concerning the study and treatment of church positions.
(1815-PS, USA-510, Tr. p. 1956). 49. Secret letter, 21 April 1942, from SS to all concentration camp command concerning treatment of priests (1164-S, USA-736, Tr. p. 255). Report (1521-PS,USA-740, Tr. p. 255). Letter from Kerrl to Minister of States (849-PS,USA-354,Tr. p. 1644). Gestapo telegram from Berlin to Nurnberg burg (848-PS, USA-353,Tr. p. 1642). Goering has admitted the policy of sending clergyment to concentration camps.
(Tr.p. 5858). 50. Gestapo order, 20 January 1938, dissolving and confiscating property of Catholic Youth Women's Organizations in Bavaria, (1481-PS,USA-737, Tr. p. 255). See also Tr. p. 5846.
51. Order of Frick, 6 November 1934, addressed inter alios to Prussian Gest po prohibiting publication of Protestant Church announcements.
(1498-PS USA-739, Tr.p. 255). 52.
Bormann's letter to Rosenberg enclosing copy of letter, 24 January 193 logical faculties.
(116-PS,USA-685, Tr. p. 2792). Bormann's letter to sities.