Eleventh Day:
Monday, 3rd December, 1945
[Page 23]
(Signed) Keitel."
We will meet again at 2 o'clock.
(A recess was taken until 1400 hours.)
MR. ALDERMAN: May it please the Tribunal.
I might say that my attention has been called to the fact that I
misread a signature on one of the documents to which I adverted
this morning. It is Item 31 of the Schmundt minutes. I read the
name "Jodl" as being the signature on that item. I should have
read Keitel.
In the course of presenting details of the documents which are
being offered in evidence, I think it would be well to pause for a
moment, and recall
[Page 24]
What is being presented to the Tribunal today is the inside story
underlying the Pact of Munich. We are now able to spread upon the
pages of h1story the truth concerning the fraud and deceit
practised by the Nazi conspirators, in achieving their own ends.
The Pact of Munich was a stepping-stone towards further
aggression. One cannot think back without living again through the
dread of war, or the threat to the world, or the fear of war which
seized all peace-loving persons. The hope for peace which came
with the Munich Pact was the result of the snare, the deceitful
trap, carefully set by the defendants on trial. The evil character
of these men who were making preparations in this scheme for
aggression and war is demonstrated by their own documents.
Further discussions were held between the Army and the Luftwaffe
as to the time of day at which the attack should be launched.
Notes initialled by the defendant Jodl, dated 27th September,
reveal the difference in views. These notes are Item 54, on Page
90 in the translation of Document 388-PS. I shall read these first
three paragraphs as follows:
The heading is --
TOP SECRET
Only through Officer
Conference Notes
Berlin, 27th September, 1938.
Time of attack 'Grun'
Co-ordinated time of Attack by Army and Air Forces on X-Day.
As a matter of principle, every effort should be made for a co-
ordinated attack by Army and Air Forces on X-day.
The Army wishes to attack at dawn, that is, about 0615. It
also wishes to conduct some limited operations in the previous
night which, however, would not alarm the entire Czech front.
Air Force's time of attack depends on weather conditions.
These could change the time of attack and also limit the area
of operations. The weather of the last few days, for instance,
would have delayed the start until between 0800 and 1100 hours
due to low ceiling in Bavaria."
Attack by the Army - independent of the attack by the Air
Force at the time desired by the Army (0615) and permission
for limited operations to take place before then, however only
to an extent that will not alarm the entire Czech front.
The Luftwaffe will attack at a time most suitable to them."
On the same date, 27th September, the defendant Keitel sent a most
secret
[Page 25]
THE PRESIDENT: What is the item?
MR. ALDERMAN: It is Item 32 in the Schmundt files at Page 56. This
is the English version:-
Within the framework of these mobilisation measures it is
necessary for the Armed Forces authorities to issue demands to
the various Party authorities and their organisations, which
are connected with the previous issuing of the mobilisation
order, the advance measures or special code names.
The special situation makes it necessary that these demands be
met (even if the code word has not been previously issued)
immediately and without being referred to higher authority.
O.K.W. requests that subordinate offices be given immediate
instructions to this effect, so that the mobilisation of the
Armed Forces can be carried out according to plan."
The Chief of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces.
THE PRESIDENT: Have you got in mind the date of the visit of Mr.
Chamberlain to Germany, and of the actual agreement? Perhaps you
can give it later on.
MR. ALDERMAN: I think it will be covered later, yes.
THE PRESIDENT: Very well.
MR. ALDERMAN: The agreement of the Munich Pact was 29th September,
and this answer was made three days before the Pact, the 26th
September as follows:
[Page 26]
Question by department 'Foreign Countries' whether Czechs are
to be allowed to leave and cross Germany. Decision from Chief
of the Armed Forces High Command: Yes.
1515 hours: The Chief of the Armed Forces High Command informs
General Stumpf about the result of the Godesberg conversations
and about the Fuehrer's opinion. In no case will X-day be
before the 30th.
It is important that we do not permit ourselves to be drawn
into military engagements because of false reports, before
Prague replied.
A question of Stumpf about Y-hour results in the reply that on
account of the weather situation, a simultaneous intervention
of the Air Force and Army cannot be expected. The Army needs
the dawn, the Air Force can only start later on account of
frequent fogs.
The Fuehrer has to make a decision for the commanders-in-
chief, as to who is to have priority.
The opinion of Stumpf is also that the attack of the Army has
to proceed. The Fuehrer has not made any decision as yet about
commitments against Prague.
2000 hours: The Fuehrer addresses the people and the world in
an important speech at the Sportpalast."
The assault units (about 21 reinforced regiments, or 7
divisions) must be ready to begin the operation 'Grun' On 30th
September, the decision having been made one day previously by
1200 noon.
This order was conveyed to General Keitel at 1320 through
Major Schmundt (pencil note by Schmundt)." [Page 27]
I believe that this report clearly includes all the provisions of
Article 21, of the Charter, and is a document of which the Court
will take judicial notice. Article 21 provides:
Nazi agitation in Czechoslovakia dated from the earliest days of
the N.S.D.A.P. of the Nazi Party. In the years following the First
World War, a German National Social1st Workers Party, D.N.S.A.P.,
which maintained close contact with Hitler's N.S.D.A.P., became
active in the Sudetenland. In 1932, ringleaders of the Sudeten
Volkssport, an organisation corresponding to the Nazi S.A. or
Sturmabteilung, openly endorsed the 21 points of Hitler's
programme, the first of which demanded the union of all Germans in
a greater Germany. Soon afterwards they were charged with planning
armed rebellion on behalf of a foreign power and were sentenced
for conspiracy against the Czech Republic.
Late in 1933, the National Socialist Party of Czechoslovakia
forestalled its dissolution by voluntary liquidation, and several
of its chiefs escaped across the border into Germany. For a year
thereafter, Nazi activity in Czechoslovakia continued underground.
On 1st October, 1934, with the approval and at the urging of the
Nazi conspirators, an instructor of gymnastics, Konrad Henlein,
established the German Home Front or Deutsche Heimatfront, which,
the following spring, became the Sudeten German Party, S.D.P.
Profiting from the experiences of the Czech National Socialist
Party, Henlein denied any connection with the German Nazis. He
rejected pan-Germanism and professed his respect for individual
liberties and his loyalty to honest democracy and to the Czech
State. His party, none the less, was built on the basis of the
Nazi Fuehrerprinzip, and he became its Fuehrer.
By 1937, when the powers of Hitler's Germany had become manifest,
Henlein and his followers were striking a more aggressive note,
demanding, without definition, "complete Sudeten autonomy". The
S.D.P. laid proposals before the Czech Parliament which would have
created a State within a State.
After the annexation of Austria by Germany in March, 1938, the
Henleinists, who were now openly organised after the Nazi model,
intensified their activities. Undisguised anti-Semitic propaganda
started in the Henlein Press.
The campaign against Bolshevism was intensified. Terrorism in the
[Page 28]
On 24th April, 1938, in a speech to the Party Congress in Karlovy
Vary, Henlein came into the open with what he called his Karlsbad
Programme. In this speech, which echoed Hitler in tone and
substance, Henlein asserted the right of the Sudeten Germans to
profess German political philosophy, which, it was clear, meant
National Socialism.
As the summer of 1938 wore on, the Henleinists used every
technique of the Nazi fifth column. As summarised in Pages 12 to
16 of the Czech Government official report, these techniques
included:
(b) Nazification of German organisations in Czechoslovakia. The
Henleinists systematically penetrated the whole life of the
German population of Czechoslovakia. Associations and social
cultural centres regularly underwent "Gleichschaltung", that
is purification, by the S.D.P. Among the organisations
penetrated by the Henleinists were sports societies, rowing
clubs, associations of ex-service men, and choral societies.
The Henleinists were particularly interested in penetrating as
many business institutions as possible, and bringing over to
their side the directors of banks, the owners or directors of
factories, and the managers of commercial firms. In the case
of Jewish ownership or direction, they attempted to secure the
co-operation of the clerical and technical staffs of the
concerns.
(c) German direction and leadership. The Henleinists
maintained permanent contact with the Nazi officials
designated to direct operations within Czechoslovakia.
Meetings in Germany, at which Henleinists were exhorted to and
instructed in fifth column activity, were camouflaged by being
held in conjunction with "Sanger Feste" or choral festivals,
gymnastic shows, and assemblies, and commercial gatherings
such as the Leipzig Fair. Whenever the Nazi conspirators
needed incidents for their war of nerves, it was the duty of
the Henlein1sts to supply them.
(d) Propaganda. - Disruptive and subversive propaganda was
directed at Czechoslovakia in German broadcasts and was echoed
in the German Press. Goebbels called Czechoslovakia a "nest of
Bolshevism" and spread the false report of Russian troops and
aeroplanes centred in Prague. Under direction from the Reich,
the Henleinists maintained whispering propaganda in the
Sudetenland which contributed to the mounting tension and to
the creation of incidents. Illegal Nazi literature was
smuggled from Germany and widely d1stributed in the border
regions. The Henlein Press, more or less openly, espoused Nazi
ideology to the German population in the Sudetenland.
(e) Murder and terrorism. - Nazi conspirators provided the
Henleinists, and particularly the F.S., with money and arms
with which to provoke incidents and to maintain a state of
permanent unrest. Gendarmes, customs officers, and other Czech
officials were attacked. A boycott was established against
Jewish lawyers, doctors, and tradesmen. [
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(Part 5 of 8)
[MR ALDERMAN continues]
It is left to the O.K.H. to assemble as far as possible, first of
all the sections to march and, subsequently, the remaining
sections of the divisions in marshalling areas behind the Western
fortifications.
THE PRESIDENT: I think this would be a good time to adjourn.
Before the Tribunal adjourns, the Tribunal would be very grateful
if the officers in charge of the Court could reduce the heat.
"MOST SECRET
Then I will skip to the last two paragraphs on Page 91:-
4 copies
1st copy
"Thus it is proposed:
The initial at the end of that order is " J," meaning, I think,
clearly "Jodl".
"As a result of the political situation the Fuehrer and
Chancellor has ordered mobilisation measures for the Armed
Forces, without the political situation being aggravated by
issuing the mobilisation (X) order, or corresponding code
words.
Then I shall skip to the last paragraph:-
"The Supreme Command of the Armed Forces further requests that
all measures not provided for in the plans which are
undertaken by Party organisations, or Police units, as a
result of the political situation, be reported in every case
and in plenty of time to the Supreme Command of the Armed
Forces. Only then can it be guaranteed that these measures can
be carried out in practice.
Two additional entries from the defendant Jodl's files reveal the
extent to which the Nazi conspirators carried out all their
preparations for an attack; even during the period of negotiations
which culminated in the Munich Agreement. I quote the answers in
the Jodl diary for 25th and 27th September, from Page 7 of the
translation of Document 1780-PS. The 26th September -
KEITEL." "Chief of the Armed Forces High Command, acting through the
Army High Command, has stopped the intended approach march of
the advance units to the Czech border, because it is not yet
necessary and because the Fuehrer does not intend to march in
before the 30th in any case. Order to approach towards the
Czech frontier need be given on the 27th only.
Then the entry on the 27th September:
"1320 hours: The Fuehrer consents to the first wave of attack
being advanced to a line from which they can arrive in the
assembly area by 30th September."
The order referred to by General Jodl was also recorded by the
faithful Schmundt, and appears with Item 33 at Page 57 of the
file. I will read it in its entirety. It is the order which
brought the Nazi Army to a jumping off point for unmitigated
aggression.
"28.9.38. MOST SECRET. MEMORANDUM: At 1300, 27th September, the
Fuehrer and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, ordered the
movement of the assault units from their exercise areas to
their jumping off points.
At this point with the Nazi Army poised in a strategic position
around the body of Czechoslovakia, we shall turn back for a moment
to examine another phase of the Czech aggression. The military
preparations for action against Czechoslovakia had not been
carried out in vacuo. They had been preceded by a skilfully
conceived campaign designed to promote several incidents in
Czechoslovakia. Using the tactics they had already developed by
underhand methods, the Nazi conspirators over a period of years
used many methods of propaganda and force to instil in the minds
of Czechoslovakians the programme of the Nazi might, forcing their
intentions of the present German decision on those living in
Sudetenland, and the areas bounded thereto on the North-west and
the South. I invite attention to the verbatim report in Document
998-PS and offer it in evidence as Exhibit USA 91.
"The Tribunal shall not require proof of facts of common
knowledge but shall take judicial notice thereof. It shall
also take judicial notice of official governmental documents
and reports of the United Nations, including the accounts and
documents of the committees set up in the various Allied
countries for the investigation of war crimes and the records
and findings of military or other tribunals of any of the
United Nations."
Since, under that provision, the Court will take judicial notice
of this governmental report by the Czech Government, I shall, with
the leave of the Tribunal, merely summarise Pages 9 to 12 of this
report to show the background of the subsequent Nazi intrigue
within Czechoslovakia.
(a) Espionage. - Military espionage was conducted by the
S.D.P., the F.S. and by other members of the German minority
on behalf of Germany. Czech defences were mapped and
information on Czech troop movements was furnished to the
German authorities.