Archive/File: imt/nca/nca-01/nca-01-13-spoliation-03
Last-Modified: 1996/06/18

 Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, Volume One, Chapter Thirteen



                                                 [Page 1040]
                                                            
                         3. THE USSR

 (The Chief Prosecutor for the Soviet Union has assumed the
task of introducing detailed evidence showing the results of
the execution of this program. The American prosecution
confined itself to showing the plan.)

                                                 [Page 1041]
                                                            
The evidence, individual items of which will be discussed
hereafter, shows the following:

A. The conspirators planned to remove to Germany all food
stuffs and raw materials from the south and southeast of the
Soviet Union, over and above the needs of the Nazi invading
forces and the absolute minimum necessary to supply the bare
needs of the people in these particular regions who produced
the materials which were to be removed to Germany. This
region had previously supplied the northern area of the
Soviet Union, which the conspirators called the "Forest
Zone". The latter zone embraced some of the leading
industrial areas of the Soviet Union, including Moscow and
Leningrad.

B. They deliberately and systematically planned to starve
millions of Russians. Starvation was to be accomplished by
the following means:

(1) As indicated under A above, products from the south and
southeast of the Soviet Union which ordinarily were sent to
the industrial regions of the north were to be forcibly
diverted to Germany. Moreover, all livestock in the
industrial regions was to be seized for use by the Wehrmacht
and the German civilian t population. The necessary
consequence was that the population of the northern regions
would be reduced to starvation.

(2) They established the following order of priority in
which food produced by the Russians would be allocated:

First, the combat troops.
Second, the remainder of troops in enemy territory.
Third, troops stationed in Germany.
Fourth, the German civilian population, and
Lastly, the population of the occupied countries.

Thus, even Russians in the food surplus area of the Ukraine,
who were not essential to the production of products for the
German war machine, were systematically to be starved.

C. They planned the permanent destruction of all industry in
the northern area of the Soviet Union in order that the
remnants of the Russian population would be completely
dependent upon Germany for consumer goods.

D. They planned to incorporate a part of Galicia and all of
the Baltic countries into Germany and to convert the Crimea,
an area north of the Crimea, the Volga territory, and the
district around Baku, into German colonies.

By a directive issued by Goering's office for "The Operation
of The Economy in the newly-occupied Eastern Territories,"
there was established the Economic Executive Staff, East,
which was directly responsible to Goering, under which was
created the

                                                 [Page 1042]
                                                            
Economic Staff, East. The Economic Staff, East, in turn was
subdivided into four groups: the Chief of the Economic
Staff, Group LA, Group W, and Group M. The functions of
Group LA were stated to be as follows:

     "Group LA. (Functions: nutrition and agriculture, the
     economy of all agricultural products, provision of
     supplies for the Army, in cooperation with the Army
     groups concerned.)" (EC-472.)

A report was made on 23 May 1941 (which was before the
invasion of the Soviet Union) on the subject, "Economic
Policy Directives for Economic Organization, East,
Agricultural Group." (EC-126). It was prepared by the
Economic Staff, East, Group LA, the Agricultural Group,
which (as shown by EC-472) was an important part of the
organization which Goering had established to formulate
plans for the economic administration of Russia. The report
begins by a recitation of figures pertaining to the
production of agricultural products in the Soviet Union. It
states that the grain surplus of Russia is determined by the
level of domestic consumption and that this fact affords the
basis upon which the planners must predicate their actions
and economic policy. The report continues:

     "The surplus territories are situated in the black soil
     district (that is in the south and southeast) and in
     the Caucasus. The deficit areas are principally located
     in the forest zone of the north. Therefore, an
     isolation of the black soil areas must, in any case,
     place greater or lesser surpluses in these regions at
     our disposal. The consequences will be cessation of
     supplies to the entire forest zone, including the
     essential industrial centers of Moscow and St.
     Petersburg."
                           *******
     "This (the cessation of supplies) means:
     
     "1. All industry in the deficit area, particularly the
     manufacturing industries in the Moscow and Petersburg
     regions as well as the Ural industrial regions will be
     abandoned. It may be assumed that these regions today
     absorb an annual five to ten million tons from the food
     production zone.
     
     "2. The Trans-Caucasian oil district will have to be
     excepted, although it is a deficit area. This source of
     oil, cotton, manganese, copper, silk, and tea must
     continue to be supplied with food in any case, for
     special political and economic reasons.
     
     "3. No further exceptions with a view to preserving one
     or
     
                                                 [Page 1043]
                                                            
     the other industrial region or industrial enterprise
     must be permitted.
     
     "4. Industry can only be preserved so far as it is
     located in the surplus region. This applies, apart from
     the above-mentioned oil field regions in the Caucasus,
     particularly to the heavy industries in the Donets
     district (Ukraine). Only the future will show to what
     extent it will prove possible to maintain in full these
     industries, and in particular the Ukrainian
     manufacturing industries, after the withdrawal of the
     food surpluses required by Germany.
     
     "The following consequences result from this situation,
     which has received the approval of the highest
     authorities, since it is in accord with the political
     tendencies (preservation of the small Russians,
     preservation of the Caucasus, of the Baltic provinces,
     of White Russia, to the prejudice of the Great
     Russians).
     
     "I. For the forest belt:
     
     "a. Production in the forest belt (the food-deficit
     area) will become 'naturalized,' similar to the events
     during the World War and the Communistic tendencies of
     the war, etc., namely: agriculture in that territory
     will begin to become a mere 'home production.' The
     result will be that the planting of products destined
     for the market such as, in particular, flax and hemp,
     will be discontinued, and the area used therefor will
     be taken over for products for the producer (grain,
     potatoes, etc.) Moreover, discontinuance of fodder for
     that area will lead to the collapse of the dairy
     production and pig producing in that territory.
     
     "b. Germany is not interested in the maintenance of the
     productive power of these territories, except for
     supplying the troops stationed there. The population,
     as in the old days, will utilize arable land for
     growing its own food. It is useless to expect grain or
     other surpluses to be produced. Only after many years
     can these extensive regions be intensified to an extent
     that they might produce genuine surpluses. The
     population of these areas, in particular the urban
     population, will have to face most serious distress
     from famine. It will be necessary to divert the
     population into the Siberian spaces. Since rail
     transport is out of the question, this too, will be an
     extremely difficult problem.
     
     "c. In this situation, Germany will only draw
     substantial advantages by quick, nonrecurrent seizure,
     that is, it will be vitally necessary to make the
     entire flax harvest available
     
                                                 [Page 1044]
                                                            
     for German needs, not only the fibers but also the
     oleaginous seeds.
     
     "It will also be necessary to utilize for German
     purposes the livestock which has no fodder base of its
     own, that is, it will be necessary to seize livestock
     holdings immediately, and to make them available to the
     troops not only for the moment, but in the long run,
     and also for exportation to Germany. Since fodder
     supplies will be cut off, pig and cattle holdings in
     these areas will of necessity drastically decline in
     the near future. If they are not seized by the Germans
     at an early date, they will be slaughtered by the
     population for its own use, without Germany getting
     anything out of it."
                           *******
     "It has been demanded by the Fuehrer that the reduction
     in the meat ration should be made good by the fall.
     This can only be achieved by the most drastic seizures
     of Russian livestock holdings, particularly in areas
     which are in a favorable transport situation in
     relation to Germany."
                           *******
     "In future, southern Russia must turn its face toward
     Europe. Its food surpluses, however, will only be paid
     for if it purchases its industrial consumer goods from
     Germany, or Europe. Russian competition from the forest
     zone must, therefore, be abolished.
     
     "It follows from all that has been said that the German
     administration in these territories may well attempt to
     mitigate the consequences of the famine which
     undoubtedly will take place, and to accelerate the
     return to primitive agricultural conditions. An attempt
     might be made to intensify cultivation in these areas
     by expanding the acreage under potatoes or other
     important food crops giving a high yield. However,
     these measures will not avert famine. Many tens of
     millions of people in this area will become redundant
     and will either die or have to emigrate to Siberia. Any
     attempt to save the population there from death by
     starvation by importing surpluses from the black soil
     zone would be at the expense of supplies to Europe. It
     would reduce Germany's staying power in the war, and
     would undermine Germany's and Europe's power to resist
     the blockade. This must be clearly and absolutely
     understood."
                           *******
     "I. Supplies for the Army
     
     "Germany's food situation in the third year of war
     demands
     
                                                 [Page 1045]
                                                            
     it imperatively that the Wehrmacht, in all its
     provisioning must not live of Greater German territory
     or that of incorporated or friendly areas from which
     this territory receives imports. This minimum aim, the
     provisioning of the Wehrmacht from enemy territory in
     the third year, and if necessary in later years, must
     be attained at any price This means that one-third of
     the Wehrmacht must be fully provisioned by French
     deliveries to the army of occupation. The remaining two-
     thirds (and even slightly more in view of the present
     size of the Wehrmacht) must without exception be
     provisioned from the Eastern space."
                           *******
     "Thus it is not important, under any circumstances, to
     preserve what has existed, but what matters is a
     deliberate turning away from the existing situation and
     introducing Russian food resources into the European
     framework. This will inevitably result in an extinction
     of industry as well as a large part of the people in
     what so far have been the food-deficit areas.
     
     "It is impossible to state an alternative in
     sufficiently hard and severe terms."
                           *******
     "Our problem is not to replace intensive food
     production in Europe through the incorporation of new
     space in the East, but to replace imports from overseas
     by imports from the East. The task is two-fold:
     
     "1. We must use the eastern spaces for overcoming the
     food shortages during and after the war. This means
     that we must not be afraid of drawing upon the capital
     substance of the East. Such an intervention is much
     more acceptable from the European standpoint than
     drawing upon the capital substance of Europe's
     agriculture."
                           *******
     "2. For the future new order, the food-producing areas
     in the East must be turned into a permanent and
     substantial complementary source of food for Europe,
     through intensified cultivation and resulting higher
     yields.
     
     "The first-named task must be accomplished at any
     price, even through the most ruthless cutting down of
     Russian domestic consumption, which will require
     discrimination between the consuming and producing
     zones." (EC-126.)

It is submitted that this document discloses, on its face, a
studied plan to murder millions of people through
starvation.

                                                 [Page 1046]
                                                            
It reveals a program of premeditated murder on a scale so
vast as to stagger human imagination. This plan was the
logical culmination of general objectives clearly announced
by Adolf Hitler in Mein Kampf. (See Section 6 of Chapter
IX.)

A top secret memorandum, dated 16 July 1941, of a conference
at the Fuehrer's headquarters concerning the war in the
East, seems to have been prepared by Bormann, because his
initials appear at the top of Pg. one (L-221). The text of
the memorandum indicates that the conference was attended by
Hitler, Lammers, Goering, Keitel, Rosenberg, and Bormann.
This memorandum throws light upon the conspirators' plans to
Germanize conquered areas of the Soviet Union. It also
discloses the fraudulent character of the Nazi propaganda
program; and shows how the conspirators sought to deceive
the entire world; how they pretended to pursue one course of
action when their aims and purposes were to follow precisely
the opposite course. The following portions are particularly
relevant.

     "Now it was essential that we did not publicize our
     aims before the world; also there was no need for that,
     but the main thing was that we ourselves knew what we
     wanted. By no means should we render our task more
     difficult by making superfluous declarations. Such
     declarations were superfluous because we could do
     everything wherever we had the power, and what was
     beyond our power we would not be able to do anyway.
     
     "What we told the world about the motives for our
     measures ought to be conditioned, therefore, by
     tactical reasons. We ought to act here in exactly the
     same way as we did in the cases of Norway, Denmark,
     Holland, and Belgium. In these cases too we did not
     publish our aims, and it was only sensible to continue
     in the same way.
     
     "Therefore, we shall emphasize again that we were
     forced to occupy, administer, and secure a certain
     area; it was in the interest of the inhabitants that we
     provided order, food, traffic, etc., hence our
     measures. Nobody shall be able to recognize that it
     initiates final settlement. This need not prevent our
     taking all necessary measures -- shooting, desettling,
     etc. -- and we shall take them.
     
     "But we do not want to make any people into enemies
     prematurely and unnecessarily. Therefore we shall act
     as though we wanted to exercise a mandate only. At the
     same time we must know clearly that we shall never
     leave those countries.
     
     "Our conduct therefore ought to be:
     
     "1. To do nothing which might obstruct the final
     settlement, but to prepare for it only in secret. ***"
     
     "2. To emphasize that we are liberators.
     
     "In particular: The Crimea has to be evacuated by all
     foreigners and to be settled by Germans only. In the
     same way the former Austrian part of Galicia will
     become Reich territory.
     
     "Our present relations with Roumania are good, but
     nobody knows what they will be at any future time. This
     we have to consider, and we-have to draw our frontiers
     accordingly. One ought not to be dependent on the good
     will of other people. We have to plan our relations
     with Roumania in accordance with this principle.
     
     "On principle, we have now to face the task of cutting
     up the giant cake according to our needs, in order to
     be able
     
     "first, to dominate it;
     "second, to administer it, and;
     "third, to exploit it.
     
     "The Russians have now ordered partisan warfare behind
     our front. This partisan war again has some advantage
     for us; it enables us to eradicate everyone who opposes
     us.
     
     "Principles: Never again must it be possible to create
     a military power west of the Urals, even if we have to
     wage war for a hundred years in order to attain this
     goal. Every successor of the Fuehrer should know:
     security for the Reich exists only if there are no
     foreign military forces west of the Urals; it is
     Germany who undertakes the protection of this area
     against all possible danger. Our iron principle is and
     has to remain: We must never permit anybody but the
     Germans to carry arms."
                           *******
     "The Fuehrer emphasizes that the entire Baltic country
     will have to be incorporated into Germany.
     
     "At the same time the Crimea, including a considerable
     hinterland, (situated north of the Crimea) should
     become Reich territory; the hinterland should be as
     large as possible.
     
     "Rosenberg objects to this because of the Ukrainians
     living there.
     
     "Incidental question: It occurred to me several times
     that
     
                                                 [Page 1048]
                                                            
     Rosenberg has a soft spot for the Ukrainians; thus he
     desires to aggrandize the former Ukraine to a
     considerable extent." "The Fuehrer emphasizes
     furthermore that the Volga Colony, too, will have to
     become Reich territory, also the district around Baku;
     the latter will have to become a German concession
     (military colony)."
     
     "The Finns wanted East Carelia, but the Kola Peninsula
     will be taken by Germany because of the large nickel
     mines there. "The annexation of Finland as a federated
     state should be prepared with caution. The area around
     Leningrad is wanted by the Finns; the Fuehrer will raze
     Leningrad to the ground and then hand it over to the
     Finns." (L-221)

Thus, the program, as outlined by the conspirators at this
meeting of 16 July 1941, called for the unlawful
incorporation of a part of Galicia and all the Baltic
countries into Germany; and for the unlawful conversion of
the Crimea and areas north of it, the Volga territory and
the district around Baku, into German colonies.

This point is reinforced by a directive entitled,
"Instruction for a Reich Commissar in the Baltic Countries
and White Russia," which states:

     "The aim of a Reich Commissar for Esthonia, Latvia,
     Lithuania, and White Russia [last two words added in
     pencil must be to strive to achieve the form of a
     German protectorate, and then transform the region into
     part of the Greater German Reich by Germanizing
     racially possible elements, colonizing Germanic races,
     and banishing undesirable elements. The Baltic Sea must
     become a Germanic inland sea, under the guardianship of
     Greater Germany." (1029-PS)

Even in the food-surplus areas of the occupied regions of
the Ukraine, the conspirators planned to allocate food on a
basis which left virtually nothing for those persons who
were not engaged in the compulsory production of commodities
for the German war machine. This was in violation of the
explicit provision in Article 52 of the Hague Regulations of
1907, that requisitions in kind and services shall not be
demanded from municipalities or inhabitants except for the
needs of the army of occupation. This program was disclosed
in a top secret memorandum, dated 18 September 1941,
concerning a meeting of German military officials presided
over by Goering (EC-3). The memorandum was signed by General
Nagl, liaison officer between Goering's Four ear Plan Office
and the OKW. The memorandum states:

     "At this conference which was concerned with the better
     ex-
     
                                                 [Page 1049]
                                                            
     ploitation of the occupied territories for the German
     food economy, the Reich Marshal (Goering) called
     attention to the following:"
     
     "It is clear that a graduated scale of food allocations
     is needed.
     
     "First in line are the combat troops, then the
     remainder of troops in enemy territory, and then those
     troops stationed at home. The rates are adjusted
     accordingly. The supply of the German nonmilitary
     population follows and only then comes the population
     of the occupied territories." (EC-3)

Another memorandum, dated 25 November 1941, relating to the
general principles of economic policy in the newly-occupied
eastern territories, as prescribed in a conference held in
Berlin on 8 November 1941, also bears out this point. This
memorandum was also written by General Nagl. It is on the
stationery of the Supreme Headquarters Armament Procurement
Office. The following portions are pertinent:

     "I. For the duration of the war the requirements of the
     war economy will be the all-dominant factor of any
     economic measures in the newly-occupied Eastern
     territories.
     
     "II. Seen from a long range point of view the newly-
     occupied eastern areas will be exploited economically
     from the point of view of colonial administration and
     by colonial methods.
     
     "Exceptions will be made only for those parts of the
     East-land which are to be Germanized by order of the
     Fuehrer, but even they are subject to the principle
     expressed in paragraph I.
     
     "III. The main emphasis of all economic work rests with
     the production of food and raw materials.
     
     "The highest possible production surplus for the supply
     of the Reich and of other European countries is to be
     attained by cheap production based on the maintenance
     of the low living standard of the native population.
     Besides covering thereby the European needs for food
     supplies and raw materials as far as possible, this
     measure is intended to create a source of income for
     the Reich which will make it possible to liquidate in a
     few decades, with utmost consideration for the German
     taxpayer, an essential part of the debts incurred in
     the financing of the war." (EC-3)

On 1 July 1941, Hitler and Keitel issued a decree appointing
Rosenberg as Reich Minister for the Occupied Eastern
Territories. This was the day following the meeting at the
Fuehrer's

                                                 [Page 1050]
                                                            
headquarters, which is reported in the document previously
quoted from (L-221). This decree states, inter alia:

     "The Civil Administration in the newly-occupied Eastern
     territories where these territories are not included in
     the administration of the territories bordering on the
     Reich or the Government-General, is subject to the
     Reich Minister for the Occupied Eastern Territories.
                           *******
     "I appoint Reichsleiter Alfred Rosenberg as Reich
     Minister for the occupied Eastern territories. He will
     hold office in Berlin." (1997-PS)

Rosenberg's views well fitted him for his task as one of the
chief executioners of the conspirators' plans in the Soviet
Union. His views were plainly expressed in a speech
delivered on 20 June 1941:

     "The job of feeding the German people, stands, this
     year, without a doubt, at the top of the list of
     Germany's claims on the East; and here the southern
     territories and the northern Caucasus will have to
     serve as a balance for the feeding of the German
     people. We see absolutely no reason for any obligation
     on our part to feed also the Russian people with the
     products of that surplus territory. We know that this
     is a harsh necessity, bare of an feelings." (1058-PS)

These views were implemented in the directives issued by
Rosenberg in his capacity as Reich Minister for the Occupied
Eastern Territories. Among his directives were these:

     "The principal task of the civilian administration in
     the occupied Eastern territories is to represent the
     interest of the Reich. This basic principle is to be
     given precedence in all measures and considerations.
     Therefore, the occupied territories, in the future, may
     be permitted to have a life of their own in a form not
     as yet to be determined. However, they remain parts of
     the Greater German living space and are always to be
     governed according to this guiding principle.
     
     "The regulations of the Hague Convention on Land
     Warfare, which concern the administration of a country
     occupied by a foreign belligerent power, are not
     applicable, since the USSR is to be considered
     dissolved, and therefore the Reich has the obligation
     of exercising all governmental and other sovereign
     functions in the interests of the county's inhabitants.
     Therefore, any measures are permitted which the German
     administration deems necessary and suitable for the
     execution of this comprehensive task." (EC-347)
                                                 [Page 1051]
                                                            
Implicit in Rosenberg's statement that the Hague Regulations
are not applicable to the Soviet Union is the recognition by
him that the conspirators' action in the Soviet Union
flagrantly violated the Hague Regulations and applicable
principles of International Law.
                                                            
A top secret memorandum, dated 6 October 1942, written by
Braeutigam, who was a high official in Rosenberg's Ministry
for the Occupied Eastern Territories, made the following
statements:

     "In the East, Germany is carrying on a three-fold war:
     a war for the destruction of Bolshevism, a war for the
     destruction of the greater Russian Empire, and finally
     a war for the acquisition of colonial territory for
     colonizing purposes and economic exploitation.
     
     "With the inherent instinct of the Eastern peoples the
     primitive man soon found out also that for Germany the
     slogan: 'Liberation from Bolshevism' was only a pretext
     to enslave the Eastern peoples according to her own
     methods." (294-PS)

Certain German industrialists and financiers aided and
abetted Himmler in his relentless program of Germanization,
exploitation, oppression, and destruction. A letter from the
banker, Baron Kurt von Schroeder to Himmler, dated 27 August
1943, stated:

     "My very honorable Reichsfuehrer:
     
     "With great joy I learn of your appointment as
     Reichsminister of the Interior and take the liberty to
     extend my heartiest congratulations to you on assuming
     your new post.
     
     "A strong hand is now very necessary in the operation
     of this Department and it is universally welcomed but
     especially by your friends that it was you who were
     chosen for this by the Fuehrer. Please be assured that
     we will always do everything in, our power at all times
     to assist you in every possible way.
     
     "I am pleased to inform you at this opportunity that
     your circle of friends has again placed at your
     disposal this year a sum slightly in excess of RM 1
     million for 'special purposes.' An exact list showing
     the name of the contributors will be sent to you
     shortly.
     
     "Again all my very best wishes -- as well as those of
     my family -- I remain yours, in old loyalty and esteem.
     
     "Heil Hitler!  Yours truly."  (EC-454)

                                                 [Page 1052]
                                                            
A later letter from von Schroeder to Himmler, dated 21
September 1943, enclosed
the list of contributors. The letter stated:

     "Dear Reichsleader:
     
     "I thank you very much for your kind letter of the 14th
     of this month with which you made me very happy. At the
     same time, I am enclosing a list with the total amount
     of funds made available to you by your circle of
     friends and totalling RM 1,000,000. We are very glad
     indeed to render some assistance to you in your special
     tasks and to be able to provide some small relief for
     you in your still further extended sphere of duties.
     
     "Wishing you, dear Reichsleader, the best of luck, I
     remain in old loyalty and esteem.
     
     "Heil Hitler!    Yours very truly." (EC-453)

The Himmler "circle of friends," it may be noted, was a
relatively small, select group. It did not include all, or
even a majority of the industrialists and financiers in
Germany. These contributions were not like the "Hitler
Spende" or the Winter Relief contributions which were
exacted from all industrialists by the Nazi state. These
were contributions by a small group of very influential
industrialists and financiers who, for selfish reasons, were
anxious to "do everything in our power at all times to
assist you "(Himmler)" in every possible way." By a rather
strange coincidence, firms like I. G. Farben, the Flick
Combine, and the Herman Goering Werke, which are on the list
of contributors to Himmler, were among the chief
beneficiaries of the conspirators' program of plunder of
public and private property in the occupied countries. (EC-
453)

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