Archive/File: imt/nca/nca-02/nca-02-16-responsibility-21-01
Last-Modified: 1997/06/19

   Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, Volume Two, Chapter XIV


                                                 [Page 1035]

A. POSITIONS HELD BY FRITZSCHE IN THE NAZI STATE.

Fritzsche's Party membership and his various positions in
the propaganda apparatus of the Nazi State are shown in two
affidavits made by himself (2976-PS; 3469-PS). Fritzsche
became a member of the Nazi Party on 1 May 1933, and
continued to be a member until Germany's collapse in 1945.

Fritzsche began his service with the staff of the Reich
Ministry for People's Enlightenment and Propaganda
(hereinafter referred to as the Propaganda Ministry on 1 May
1933, he remained within the Propaganda Ministry until the
Nazi downfall in the spring of 1945.

Before the Nazis seized political power in Germany, and
beginning in September 1932, Fritzsche was head of the
Wireless News Service (Drahtloser Dienst), an agency of the
Reich Government, which at that time was the government of
von Papen. After the Wireless News Service was incorporated
into Dr. Goebbels' Propaganda Ministry in May 1933,
Fritzsche continued as its head until 1938. Upon entering
the Propaganda Ministry in May 1933, Fritzsche also became
head of the news section of the Press Division of the
Propaganda Ministry. He continued in this position until
1937. In the summer of 1938 Fritzsche was appointed deputy
to Alfred Ingemar Berndt, who was then head of the German
Press Division. (The German Press Division, in the Indict-

                                                [Page  1036]
                                                            
ment, is called the "Home Press Division." Since "German
Press Division" seems to be a more literal translation, it
is referred to as the German Press Division throughout this
section. It is sometimes otherwise known as the Domestic
Press Division.) This Division, as will be later shown, was
the major section of the Press Division of the Reich

In December 1938 Fritzsche succeeded Berndt as the head of
the German Press Division. Between 1938 and November 1942,
Fritzsche was promoted three times. He advanced in title
from Superior Government Counsel to Ministerial Counsel,
then to Ministerialdirigent, and finally to
Mnisterialdirektor.

In November 1942 Fritzsche was relieved of his position as
head of the German Press Division by Dr. Goebbels. In its
place he accepted from Dr. Goebbels a newly created position
in the Propaganda Ministry, that of Plenipotentiary for the
Political Organization of the Greater German Radio. At the
same time he also became head of the Radio Division of the
Propaganda Ministry. He held both these positions in radio
until the Nazi- downfall.

There are two allegations in the Indictment concerning
Fritzsche's positions for which no proof is available. The
first unsupported-allegation states that Fritzsche was
Editor-in-Chief of the official German News Agency, Deutsche
Nachrichten Buero. The second unsupported allegation states
that Fritzsche was head of the Radio Division of the
Propaganda Department of the Nazi Party. Fritzsche, in his
affidavit, denies having held either of these positions, and
these two allegations must fall for want of other proof.

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