The initial function of the SS - that of acting as their private army and personal police force - was thus completed. But its mission was in fact really just begun. That mission is described in the Organization Book of the NSDAP for 1943. The pages from that book dealing with the SS - pages 417 to 428 - are translated in our Document No. 2640-PS. The organization's book has already been offered in evidence as USA Exhibit 303. The passage to which I refer appears on page 417 of the original, and on page, paragraph 2 of the translation, our Document 2640-PS:
"Missions "The most original and most eminent duty of the SS is to serve enlarged to include the internal security of the Reich."
was somewhat more colorfully defined by Himmler in his pamphlet "The SS as an Antibolshevist Fighting Organization", published in 1936. It is our document No. 1851-PS. I offer this document in evidence as U.S. Exhibit No. 440. The definition to which I refer appears in the original at the bottom of page 29 of the original, on the third page of the translation, middle of the paragraph:
"We shall unremittingly fulfill our task, the guaranty of and the peace of the Reich from the exterior.
We shall without.
Without pity we shall be a merciless sword of justice for all those forces whose existence and activity; we know on the day of the slightest attempt, may it be today, may it be in decades or may it be in centuries." the SS into many fields It involved, of course, the performance of police functions. But it involved more. It requirad participation in the suppression and extermination of all internal opponents of the regime. It meant participation in extending the regime beyond the borders of Germany, an, therefore, came to mean eventually participation in every type of activity designed to secure a hold over those territories and populations which, through military conquest, had come under German domination. of several branches and numerous departments and the eventual development of a highly complex machinery. Those various branches and departments cannot be adequately described out of the context of their history. That description I hope will emerge fully as evidence of the activities of the SS is presented. But it may be appropriate to anticipate, and at this point to say a word about the structure of the SS. of the SS as it appeared in 1945 may be helpful. There is being handed to the Tribune 1 small copies of this chart, two in English, one in French and one in Russian. In addition, there is handed up eight larger copies of the chart in the original German, bearing on it the photostat of the affidavit ox Gottlieb Berger, formerly Chief of the SS Main Office, who examined the chart, and stated that it correctly represented the organization of the SS. of the SS, as U.S. Exhibit No 445. commanded the entire organization. Immediately below-running across the chart and down the right hand side, embraced within the heavy line - are the twelve main departments constituting the Supreme Command of the SS.
Some of these departments have been broken down into the several offices of which they were composed - as indicated by the boxes beneath them. Other departments have not been so broken down. It is not intended to indicate that there were not subdivisions of these latter departments as well. The breakdown is shown only in those cases where the constituent offices of some department may have a particular significance in this case. Nazi publications: the first is the Organizations Book of the NSDAP for 1943 (our Document No. 2640-PS) already introduced in evidence as U.S. Exhibit No. 323. The description, which I shall not now read, appears on pages 419-420 of the original and pages 2 to 4 of the translation. The second is an SS manual, which bears the title:"The Soldier Friend Pocket Diary for the German Armed Forces - Edition D: Waffen SS." It was prepared at the direction of the Reichsfuehrer SS, and issued by the SS Main Office for the year ending 1942. It is our Document No. 2825-PS. I offer it in evidence as U.S. Exhibit No.441. The description to which I refer appears on pages 20 to 22 of the original and pages 1 and 2 of the translation. I will later have occasion to read the description of the functions of some of the departments in full. But I assume that the court will take judicial notice of the entire passages to which I have referred. In addition, the departments are listed in a directory of the SS, published by one of the Main Departments of the SS. This docu was found in the files of the Personal Staff of the Reichsfuehrer SS, the first department from the left of the chart. It is entitled "Directory for the Schutzstaffel of the NSDAP, 1 November 1944". It is marked "Restricted" and bears the notation "Published by SS Fuehrungshauptamt, Kommandant of the General SS", which is the 5th box from the left. It is our document 2679-PS. I offer it in evidence as U.S. Exhibit No.442. It is simply a list of the names of the departments and offices with their addresses and telephone numbers, and corroborates the statements in the two earlier publications to which I referred.
Reichsfuehrer SS to the regional level, we come to the Higher SS and Police Leader, commonly known as HSSPF, the supreme SS commander in each region. I shall refer to his functions at a later point. Immediately below him i the breakdown of the organization of the Allgemeine or General SS. To the left are indicated two other branches of the SS the Death Head Units (Totenkopf Verbaende) and the Waffen SS. To the right, under the HSSPF, is the SD. All of these components, together with the SS Police Regiments, are specifically named in the IndictmentAppendix B, page 36 - as being included in the SS.
Now a word as to these components. Up to 1933, there were no such specially designated branches. The SS was a single group - a group of "volunteer political soldiers." It was out of this original nucleus that the new units developed. main stem out of which the various branches grew. It was composed of all members of the SS who did not belong to any of the special branches.
It was the backbone of the entire organization. The personnel and officers of the Main Departments of the SS Supreme Command were members of this branch. Except for high ranking officers and those in staff capacities in the Main Offices of the SS Supreme Command, its members were part-time volunteers. As the evidence will show, its members were utilized in about every phase of SS activity; They were called upon in the anti-Jewish pogroms of 1938; they took over the task of guarding concentration camps during the war; they participated in the colonization and resettlement program. In short, the term "SS" normally meant the General SS. ranging from distinct (Oberabschnitt) and sub district (Abschnitt) down through the regiment, battalion, company, to the platoon. Until after the beginning of the war it constituted numerically the largest branch of the SS In 1939 d'Alquen, the official SS spokesman, said, and 1 quote from his book, our Document No.2284-PS, page 9, paragraph 3 of the English translation, and page 18 of the original document:
"The strength of the General SS, 2*0,000 men, is sub-divided today and medical units.
This General SS stand fully and wholly on call as in the fighting years."
be found in Himmler's speech "Organization and Obligations of the SS and the Police", our Document No. 1992A-PS, at page 4 of the translation, and in the Organizations Book of the NSDAP for 1943, our Document No. 2468-PS, personnel - were subject to compulsory military service.
As the result during the war.
Older SS men and those working in or holding high position in the Main Departments of the Supreme Command of the SS remained.
Its Reichsfuehrer SS - almost always referred to as the S.D. Himmler des cribed it in his speech, "Organization and Obligations of the SS and the Police" - our Document No. 1992A-PS.
I quote a passage from page 8, last paragraph 3:" Now come to the Security Service (SD), it is the great the SS.
At that time we had, for quite natural reasons, an companies."
- "I interpolate he refers there to the regiments, battalions and companies of the General SS" We had to and similar things.
I separated this service already in 1931 from the troops".- "I note that it appears in the mimeographed next pages of the translation, it was 1931 to.
which he was referring."
- from the units of the General SS, because I considered it to be wrong.
For one thing, the secrecy is en too likely to discuss everyday problems."
it became a much more important organization promply thereafter. It had I refer in support of that statement to d'Alguen's book, Die SS, our Document No. 2284-PS, at Page 11 of the translation.
I shall not pause to quote that passage.
The organization and numbers of the SD, as they ment No. 1992A-PS at page 9 of the translation, second paragraph, page 151 of the original, paragraph 4:"The Security Service was already separated from the troop in 1931 and separately organized.
Its higher headquarters, coin cide today with the Oberabschnitte and Abschnitte.
I refer to and men strong, at least when it is built up."
Up to 1939, its headquarters was the SS Main Security Office (Sicher heitshauptamt), which - as I shall shortly show - became amalgamated in Gestapo.
The SD was, of course, at all times an integral and important aggressive war.
The reason underlying the creation of this combat branch Party for 1943.
It appears on page 427A of the original; page 5, paragraph 7 of the translation:
"The Armed SS originated out of the thought: to create for the special missions.
It should make possible for members of the unified groups, partly within the framework of the Army."
The term "Waffen SS" did not come into use until after the begin ning of the war.
Up to that time there were two branches of the SS the SS Totenkopf Verbaende - The Death Head Units.
After the beginning of strength, and new divisions were added to them.
Parts of the SS Death All these divisions then came to be known collectively as the "Waffen SS".Let me now trace that development.
I quote again from the Organiza tion Book of the Nazi Party for 1943, out Document No. 2640-PS, page 427b of the original, page 5, last paragraph of the translation:
"The origin of the Waffen SS goes back to the decree of 17 March 1933 establishing the "Stabswache" with the original strength of 120 men.
Out of this small group developed the later-called SS Verfeugungstruppe (SS Emergency Force), relatively the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler.
In the course of the war, these
THE PRESIDENT: Major Farr, is it necessary to go into this degree of detail about the organization of the SS?
MAJOR FARR: Sir, it seemed to me that it is highly important to know exactly what the organization with which we are dealing is. There has been, I understand, suggestion made to the Court that certain portions of this organization are not criminal. It is contended by some that the part they played was a perfectly innocuous one, and it seems to me that before we can determine whether the organization as a whole is criminal, whether any portion of it is severable, then We must know what the organization is.
THE PRESIDENT: Wouldn't it be possible to leave that question to evidence in rebuttal, if the defendants are setting up that any particular branch of the SS is not criminal?
MAJOR FARR: If we adequately lay the basis for our case now, it may not be necessary for us to make any rebuttal. We may satisfy the defendants that there is nothing to the contention that any portion of the SS is a lawful portion. The point I am particularly trying to make now is: There has been a good deal of contention that the Waffen SS is severable; that whatever may be said, for example, about the SD or the Death Head Unit, the Waffen SS is something different. The Waffen SS is part of the Army. I think it is important to establish at the outset that the Waffen SS is as much a part of the SS, as integral a part of the whole organization, as any of the other branches. I propose, therefore, to show the development of the Waffen SS, growing out of the SS Emergency Troop, and to call to the attention of the Tribunal evidence showing how the Waffen SS is an integral part of the SS as a whole.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, you must take your own course then,
MAJOR FARR: (Continuing) The SS Verfuegungstruppe were described in a top secret Hitler order, dated the 17th of August, 1938. It is our Document No. 647-PS. I offer it in evidence as U. S. Exhibit 443. That document will be found in Volume I of the Document Book. I quote from Section II of that order, which appears on page 2 of the translation, at the top of the page, and also on page 2 of the original.
"II. The Armed Units of the SS.
"A. (The SS Verfuegungstruppe) 1. The SS Verfuegungstruppe is neither a part of the Wehrmacht nor a part of the Police.
It is a standing armed unit exclusively at my disposal.
As such and as and for the Schutzstaffe.
1. Its members are to be their duties in the obligatory labor service.
The service period for volunteers is 4 years.
It may be prolonged for SS Unterfuehrer.
Such regulations are in force for SS leaders.
The regular compulsory military service (par 8 of the law relating to military service)
SS Verfuegungstruppe." be found on page 3 of the translation in the middle of the page and on page 4 of the original order:
"III. Orders for the Case of Mobilization.
"A. The employment of the SS Verfuegunstruppe in case of mobiliza 1. By the Supreme Commander of the Army within the wartime army.
In that case it comes completely under military 2. In case of necessity in the interior according to my "In case of mobilization I myself will make the decision about the time, strength and manner of the incorporation of the SS Verfuegungstruppe into the war-time army, these things will depend on the inner-political situation at that time."
recall it was issued in August of 1938, this militarized force was employed with the Army for aggressive purposes - the taking over of the Sudetenland. Following this action, feverish preparations to motorize the force and to organize new units such as anti-tank, machine gun and reconnaissance battalions were undertaken pursuant to further directives of the Fuehrer. By September 1939, the forces were fully motorized, its units had been increased to division strength and it was prepared for combat. These steps are described in the National Socialist Yearbook for the years 1940 and 1941. I offer in evidence pages 365 to 371 of the 1940 Yearbook.
It is our Document No. 2164-PS. It bears U. S. Exhibit No. 255. I offer pages 191 to 193 of the 1941 Yearbook - which is our Document No. 2163-PS - as US Exhibit No. 444. Since the Yearbook is an official publication of the Nazi Party, edited by Reichs leiter Robert Ley and published by the Nazi Party publishing company, I assume that the Court will take judicial notice of the contents of these exhibits. still further divisions were added. The Organization Book of the Nazi Party for 1943 - our Document No. 2640-PS - lists some eight divisions and two infantry brigades as existing at the end of 1942. I refer to page 427b of the original, page 5, last paragraph of the translation. This was no longer an emergency force. It was an SS army and hence became to be designated as the Waffen SS. Himmler referred to this spectacular development of this SS combat branch in his speech at Posen on 14 October 1943 to SS Gruppenfuchrers. That speech has already been introduced in evidence at an earlier stage in the case, as U.S. Exhibit 170. It is our Document No. 1919-PS. the translation, second paragraph, headed "The SS in War-Time." I quote:
"Now I come to our own development, to that of the SS in the past months. Looking back on the whole war, this development was fantastic. It took place at an absolutely terrific speed. Let us lock back a little to 1939. At that time we were a few regiments, guard units, 8 to 9000 strong -- that is, not even a division, all in all 25 to 28000 men at the outside. True, we were armed, but really only got our artillery regiment as our heavy arm two months before the war began." the English translation and on page 103 of the original. The passage in the translation appears at about the middle of the page.
"In the hard battles of this year, the Waffen-SS has been welded together in the bitterest hours from the most varied divisions and sections, and from these it formed: body-guard units (Leibstandarte), military SS (Verfuengungstruppe), Death's Head Units, and then the Germanic SS.
Although tactically under the Command of the Wehrmacht while in the field, it remained as much a part of the SS as any other branch of the organization. Throughout the war it was recruited, trained, administered and supplied by the main offices of the SS Supreme Command. Ideologically and racially, its members were selected in conformity with SS standards.
Waffen SS published in the SS Manual, "The Soldier Friend", our Document No. 2825-PS, which appears on page 7 of the English translation, first paragraph on page 36, paragraph 2of the original. I quote:
"Today at last is the longed for day of the entrance examina "Everyone has acquainted himself with the comprehensive Manual for the Waffen SS, the principal points are as follows:
"1. Service in the Armed forces SS counts as military ser vice.
Only volunteers are accepted."
THE TRIBUNAL: (Mr. Biddle) What is the purpose of reading all this evidence? What has what you just read got to do with what you are presenting?
MAJOR FARR: Sir, I want to prove, as I said a moment ago, one thing first; that the Waffen SS is an integral, component part of the SS. I want to establish that it is completely administered and controlled by the Supreme Command of the SS. That is one thing.
The second thing I want to prove is this; that service in the Waffen SS is voluntary service, just as membership in the Allgemeine SS or Death's Head Units is voluntary service. It is true that there were some instances towards the close of the war when a few men were conscripted into the Waffen SS but that was the exception and not the rule. In quoting from the Recruiting Standards of the Waffen SS, appearing in this booklet which was published in 1942 and which indicates that at that time service in the Waffen SS was open only to volunteers, I think I am serving the purpose of proving one of the two points which I think ought to be established. tion. I shall read the paragraph indicating that service is voluntary. Now I want to read the third requirement, which shows that service could be had only by persons who meet the ideological and ether standards of the SS as a whole.
SS is essentially voluntary and that the Waffen SS is an integral part of the SS, I do not want to impose further by reading further evidence.
THE PRESIDENT: I think the Tribunal is satisfied on both those points.
MAJOR FARR: I beg your pardon?
THE PRESIDENT: I think the Tribunal is satisfied on both those points, up to the present time.
MAJOR FARR: The Court is satisfied on both those points?
THE PRESIDENT: That it is voluntary and it is an integral part of the SS.
MAJOR FARR: If the Court is satisfied on both those points, I shall not pursue, any further, theintroduction of this particular evidence.
THE PRESIDENT: It may be, as you say, possible to show that there were some members conscripted into it at a later date, but we have not had that evidence yet.
MAJOR FARR: No, your Honor, you have not. and that the Waffen SS is an integral part of the whole organization. If the Court is completely satisfied on that point I shall proceed no further with the description of the Waffen SS. Verbaende, the Death Head Units, which are the fourth component to be mentioned. described by d'Alquen in his book, "The SS", our Document No. 2284-PS, I shall read from page 10 of the English translation, paragraph 5, a passage that appears on page 20 of the original, paragraph 3.
THE PRESIDENT: On what page of the translation?
MAJOR FARR: That is page 10 of the translation. It will be found in the middle of page 10.
"The SS Death Head Units form one part of the garrisoned SS. They arose from volunteers of the General SS who were recruited for the guarding of concentration camps in 1933.
"Their mission, aside from the indoctrination of the armed political soldier, is guarding enemies of the State who are held in concentration camps.
"The SS Death Head Units obligate their members to 12 years service. It is composed mainly of men who have already fulfilled their duty to serve in the Wehrmacht. This time of service is counted completely." composed of well-trained professional soldiers, they were also a valuable nucleus for the Waffen SS. The secret Hitler order of 1? August, 1938, Document No. 647-PS, which has already been introduced in evidence, provided for the tasks of the SS Totenkopf Verbaende in the event of mobilization. The Totenkopf Verbaende were to be relieved from the duty of guarding concentration camps and transferred as a skeleton corps to the SS Verfuegungstruppe. I quote from that order, a passage found on page 5 of the translation, paragraph 4, page 9 of the original. I quote:
"5) Regulations for the case of the Mobilization "The SS Totenkopf Verbaende form the skeleton corps for the reinforcement of the SS Totenkopf Verbaende (police reinforcement) military training."
evidence is to show that the foundation was laid, for having the Allgemeine SS, the general SS, take over the duties of guarding concentration camps after the war. The Totenkopf Verbaende were originally created for that purpose. Then the war came they went into the Waffen SS and their duties were taken over by members of the general SS. Indictment, is the SS Police Regiments. I shall very shortly turn to the steps by which the SS assumed control over the entire Reich Police. Out of the police, special militarized forces were formed, originally known as SS Police Battalions and later expanded to SS Police Regiments.
I shall quote from Himmler's Posen speech, our Document No. 1919-PS, page 3 of the translation, next to the last paragraph, page 58 of the original.
I quote:
"Now to deal briefly with the tasks of the regular uniformed police and the Sipo -- they still cover the same field. I can see that great things have been achieved. We have formed roughly 30 police regiments from police reservists and former members of the police -- police officials, as they used to be called. The average age in our police battalions is not lower than that of the security battalions of the Armed Forces. Their achievements are beyond all praise. In addition, we have formed police Rifle Regiments by merging the police battalions of the savage peoples. Thus, we did not leave these police battalions untouched but blended them in the ratio of about 1 to 3."
The results of this blend of militarized SS police and "savage peoples" will be seen in the evidence which I shall later introduce, relating to extermination actions, conducted by them in the Eastern territories-exterminations which were so eminently successful and ruthlessly conducted that even Himmler could find no words adequate for their eulogy.
THE PRESIDENT: We will adjourn now for 10 minutes.
(Whereupon a recess was taken from 3:20 to 3:30 p.m.)
MAJOR FARR: Each of the various components which I have described played its part in carrying out one or more functions of the SS. The personnel composing each differed. Some were part-time volunteers; others professionals enlisted for different periods of time. But every branch, every department, every member, was an integral part of the whole organization. Each performed his assigned role in the manifold tasks for which the organization had been created. No better witness to this fact could be called upon than the Reichsfuehrer SS whose every endeavor was to insure the complete unity of the organization. I quote his words, taken from his Posen speech, our document 1919-PS, US Exhibit No. 170. I read from page 104 of the original, fourth line from the top of the page, from the English translation, page 8.
"It would be an evil day if the Main Offices, performing their tasks well meaningly but mistakenly made themselves independent by each having a downward chain of command. I really think that the day of my overthrow would be the end of the SS. It must be, and so come about, that this SS organization with all its branches--the General SS which is the common basis of all of them, the Waffen-SS, the regular uniformed police, the SIPO, with the whole economic administration, schooling, ideological training, the whole question of kindred, is, even under the tenth Reichsfuehrer-SS, one bloc, one body, one organization." same page of the translation, and at the bottom of page 104 of the original speech, he says, "The regular uniformed police and SIPO"--I beg the Tribunal's pardon. I think I referred you to the wrong passage. It is about the middle of page 8 of the translation, beginning:
"The regular uniformed police and SIPO, General-SS and Waffen-SS must now gradually amalgamate too, just as this is and must be the case within the Waffen-SS. This applies to matters concerning filling of posts, recruiting, schooling, economic organization, and medical services. I am always doing something towards this end, a bond is constantly being cast around these sections of the whole to cause them to grow together. Alas, if these bonds should ever be loosened - then everything - you may generation, and in a short space of time."
them. To understand this organization the theories, upon which it was based must be kept clearly in mind.
They furnish the key to all its activities.
It is necessary, therefore, to consider them in some that of Blood and Elite.
The SS was to be the living embodiment of into effect of the Nazi conception of a master race.
To put it in Himmler's own words the SS was to be a "National Socialistic Soldierly Order of Nordic Men."
In describing to the Wehrmacht the reasons 138, paragraph 1 of the original:
"Accordingly, only good blood, blood which history has proved to military activities, only Nordic blood, can be considered.
I said its own in all cases of emergency."
were selected:
"They are extremely thoroughly examined and checked. Of 100 men we can use on the average of 10 or 15, no more.
We ask for the physical examination and his records of the Hitler South.
Further, disease exists in his parents and in his family."
THE PRESIDENT (interposing): I don't seem to get the point of this.
We have already been told that the SS was a Corps d'Elite,
MAJOR FARR: That is correct; it is showing the details of the
THE PRESIDENT: But that has nothing to do with its being a criminal organization, has it?
MAJOR FARR: I think it has, Your Honor. I want to make again, if I may, two points. The very essence of this organization was that of race. Its racial standards of selection had two things in mind: One, making it an organization which would be an aristocracy not only for Germany, but which would be in a position to dominate all of Europe. For that purpose, not only were strict racial standards imposed for selection, but a great drive was made to perpetuate the SS stock, to build up a group of men who would be in a position to take over Europe when it was conquered.
There was nothing questionable about that aim. Himmler explicitly said it time and time again, "What we are after is making ourselves the superstratum which will be able to dominate Europe for centuries." That was one of the fundamental purposes of the SS, and it was a purpose which was not kept by Himmler to himself, but a purpose which was explained and publicly announced again and again.
THE PRESIDENT: You haven't yet shown us where it was announced, have you?
MAJOR FARR: I have not, sir, and I am coming to that very shortly, but I wanted first to show Your Honor what the racial basis of selection was. That is one aspect of the racial selective process.
The second is this: The negative side of the racism. Not only did Himmler intend to build up an elite which would be able to take over Europe, but he indoctrinated that elite with hatred for all "inferior" -- to use his words -- races. of the SS, we can't understand the organization. I am quite prepared, if the Tribunal desires, not to go further into a discussion of the detail of the process of selection. I do think it important that I quote to the Tribunal the publicly announced basis for selection.
With the Tribunal's permission then, I would like to quote one passage from the Organization Book for the Nazi Party, which explains the racial basis on which the SS was founded. That is our Document 2640-PS, which has already been introduced in evidence as U.S. Exhibit 323. I quote from page 417 of the German text and from page 1 of the translation, fourth paragraph, entitled "Selection of Members." And I quote this because this is not a hidden pronouncement.