The Nizkor Project: Remembering the Holocaust (Shoah)

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Last-Modified: 1996/12/28

In addition, intensive campaigns were conducted to persuade
the public to purchase and read "Der SA-Mann," and various
is-

                                                  [Page 151]
                                                            
sues were posted in public places so that the general public
might read them. "Der SA-Mann" itself contained several
photographs showing particular issues posted upon street
bulletin boards. There are also several photographs showing
advertising displays, one of which reads as follows "Der SA-
Mann belongs in every house, every hotel, every inn, every
waiting room, and every tore" (page 3 of the issue of 31
October 1936). (3050-A-E-PS)

In view of such widespread publicity for the objectives and
methods of the SA, it is inconceivable that volunteers for
membership did not know of the criminal character of this
organization.

(4) Fostering of Militarism. In the final phase of the SA in
the conspiracy -- its participation in the preparation for
aggressive warfare -- the SA was again employed to inculcate
a particular Nazi ideology into the minds of the German
people. It was the function of the SA to prepare Germany
mentally for the waging of an aggressive war.

At all times, and especially during the period from 1933-39,
SA leaders emphasized to SA members the duty and
responsibility of creating and fostering a militaristic
spirit throughout Germany. In 1933, Hitler established the
so-called SA sports program and at that time, according to
Sturmfuehrer Bayer in his pamphlet "The SA,"

     "the SA was "commissioned to obtain an increase of and
     preservation of a warlike power and a warlike spirit as
     the L expression of an aggressive attitude ". (21 68-
     PS)

In 1937, Hitler renewed the so-called sports program and
then declared the program to be a means "for the fostering
of a military spirit" among the German people.

The Organization Book of the Party is to the same effect.
The function of the SA is characterized as follows:

     "While the political organization of the NSDAP has
     carried out the political leadership, the SA is the
     training and education instrument of the Party for the
     realization of the world-philosophical soldier-like
     attitude.
     
     "Consequently, the young German in the SA is being
     inculcated in the first instance from the stand-point
     of world philosophy and character, and trained as the
     bearer of National Socialist armed will."

The contents of a number of articles designed to serve as
war propaganda material may be gained from their titles,
which are very graphic. A number of articles relate to the
Nazi Lebensraum philosophy:

                                                  [Page 152]

          Article entitled: "The German Living Space," 5
          January 1935, p. 13.
          
          Article entitled: "Folk and Space A Geopolitical
          View," 27 April 1935, p. 13.
          
          Article entitled: "The Enlargement of our Living
          Space," 25 April 1936, p. 10.
          
          Article entitled: "Our Right, Our Colonies," 10
          October 1936, p. 15.
          
          Article entitled: "Our Right for Colonies," 18
          December 1937, p. 7.
          
          Article entitled: "Space and Folk," 14 October
          1938, p. 3.
          
          Article entitled: "Colonies for Germany," 2
          January 1937, p. 4. This article reads in part as
          follows:
          
     "The German Ambassador in London, Herr von Ribbentrop,
     recently, on occasion of a reception in the Anglo-
     German Fellowship *** has renewed, in a speech which
     aroused great interest, the unretractable claim of
     Germany for the restitution of its colonies which had
     been snatched away.
     
     "Shortly thereafter the Reichsbank president and Reich
     Minister of Economics, Dr. Schacht, published in the
     English magazine, 'Foreign Affairs,' a detailed article
     on the German colonial problem. ***
     
     "For the rest Dr. Schacht laid out the categorical
     demand that Germany must, in order to solve its raw
     materials problem, get colonies, which must be
     administered by Germany, and in which the German
     standard currency must be in circulation."

The next group consists of articles condemning the
Versailles Treaty:

     Article entitled: "What is the Situation regarding our
     battle for Equal Rights?" 7 April 1934, p. 4.
     
     Article entitled: "The Dictate of Versailles," 30 June
     1934, p. 15. This article reads in part as follows:

          "*** The dictate of Versailles established the
          political, economical and financial destruction of
          Germany in 440 artfully -- one could also say --
          devilishly devised paragraphs; this work of
          ignominy is a sample of endless and partly
          contradictory repetitions in constantly new forms.
          Not too many have occupied themselves with this
          thick book to a great extent, for one could only
          do it with abomination ***"

                                                  [Page 153]
                                                            
     Article entitled: "The Unbearable Limitations of our
     Fleet," 7 July 1934, p. 15.
          
     Article entitled: "Versailles after 15 years," 19
     January 1936, p. 13. This article reads in part as
     follows:

          "This terrible word 'Versailles,' since a blind
          nation ratified it, has become a word of profanity
          for all those who are infatuated in the spirit of
          this enormous production of hatred. The Versailles
          dictate is German fate in the fullest sense of the
          word. Every German stood up under the operation of
          this fate during the past 15 years. Therefore,
          every last German must also grasp the contents of
          this dictate so that one single desire of its
          absolute destruction fills the whole German Volk."

     Article entitled: "How about Germany's fight for Equal
     Rights?" 16 March 1935, p. 1.
     
     Article entitled: "Through Adolf Hitler's Acts: Free
     from Versailles," 30 January 1937, pp. 12-13.
     
     Article entitled: "Versailles will be Liquidated," 13
     February 1937. This article reads in part as follows,
     p. 4:

          "The National Socialist Movement has again
          achieved a victory, for upon its flag since the
          beginning of the fight stands: The liquidation of
          the Versailles Treaty. For this fight the SA
          marched year after year ***"

A third group consists of articles describing preparations
for war allegedly being carried on by other nations:

     Article entitled: "Military Training of the English
     Youth" (showing pictures of Eton students wearing
     traditional Eton dress -- tall hats and frock coats --
     marching with rifles), 26 January 1935, p. 14.
     
     Article entitled: "The Army of the Soviet Union" (with
     pictures of self-propelled artillery and tanks. One
     picture bears the quotation "The Artillery of the Red
     Army is already extensively motorized"), 16 March 1935,
     p. 14.
     
     Photograph of Russian Artillery bearing the notation
     "Soviet Russian Heavy artillery on maneuver," 16 March
     1935, p. 1.
     
     Article entitled: "Armies of Tomorrow" (discussion of
     anticipated developments in motorized and mechanized
     warfare. One section of the article is devoted to
     "plans of foreign countries with respect to motorized
     armies"), 30 March 1935, p. 14.
     
                                                  [Page 154]
                                                            
     Article entitled: "The Red Danger in the East," 4 April
     1936,p. 13.
     
     Article entitled: "The Red Army Today," 4 April 1936,
     p. 13.
     
     Article entitled: "Russia prepares for World War," 29
     August 1936, p. 10.
     
     Article entitled: "Red Terrorism Nailed Down," 19 June
     1937, p.7.
     
     Cartoon bearing title "Stalin Wants World Revolution,"
     26 February 1938, p.

These lists of articles are not exhaustive. These articles
are merely typical of many in similar vein which appear
throughout the issues of "Der SA-Mann."

(5) The Training of German Youth for Aggressive Warfare.

The important responsibility of training the youth of
Germany in the technique of war, and of preparing them
physically and spiritually for the waging of aggressive
warfare, was delegated to the SA. Hitler characterized this
task of the SA in these words:

     "Give the German Nation six million perfectly trained
     bodies in sport, all fanatically inspired with the love
     for the Fatherland and trained to the highest offensive
     spirit and a National Socialist State will, if
     necessary, have created, an Army out of them in less
     than two years." (15-PS)

The military character of the SA is demonstrated by its
organizational structure (2168-PS). As appears from the SA
organizational chart, (Chart Number 8) it was organized into
units closely corresponding to those of the German army. The
organizational scheme consisted of divisions, regiments,
battalions, companies, platoons, and squads. In addition,
there were special units and branches, including cavalry,
signal corps, engineer corps, and medical corps. There were
also three officer training schools (2168-PS). SA members
wore distinctive uniforms adapted to military functions,
bore arms, and engaged in training, forced marches, and
other military exercises. These facts are disclosed in
photographs and articles in "Der SA-Mann".

SA members, moreover, were governed by general regulations
which closely resemble service regulations of an armed force
(2820-PS). According to these regulations, "discipline and
obedience are the foundations as strong as steel for each
military unit." These regulations further provide for
punishment for disobedience. The punishments provided
demonstrate the militaristic character of the SA. They
include the following:
                                                  [Page 155]
                                                            
     Reprimand in private;
     Reprimand in presence of superiors and announcement
     thereof at formations;
     Prohibition of right to wear the service uniform;
     House arrest;
     Arrest and confinement in jail;
     Demotion in rank;
     Prohibition of right to carry weapon. (2820-PS)


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