Sixteenth Day:
Monday, 10th December, 1945
[Page 250]
I acknowledge receipt of the copy of the Fuehrer's Decree in
which the Fuehrer appointed Reichsleiter Alfred Rosenberg as
his Commissioner for the Central Control of Questions
connected with the East European Region. I have named General
of the Artillery Jodl, Head of the Armed Forces Operational
Staff, as my permanent deputy, and Major General Warlimont as
his deputy."
Our document numbered 1030-PS is a memorandum, dated 8th May,
1941, entitled "General Instructions for all Reichskommissars in
the Occupied Eastern Territories." I offer that in evidence as
Exhibit USA 144.
In these instructions to his chief henchmen, Rosenberg outlines
the political aims and purposes of the attack. In the second and
third paragraphs of the English translation, which appear on Page
2 of the German, the following remarks appear:
[Page 251]
Therefore this huge area must be divided, according to its
historical and racial conditions, into 'Reichskommissariats',
each of which bears within itself a different political aim.
The Reichskommissariat Ostland (Eastland), including White
Ruthenia, will have the task of preparing, by way of
development into a Germanised Protectorate, a progressively
closer cohesion with Germany. The Ukraine will become an
independent State in alliance with Germany, and Caucasia, with
the contiguous Northern Territories, a Federal State with a
German plenipotentiary. Russia proper must put her own house
in order for the future. These general viewpoints are
explained in the following instructions for each
Reichskommissar. Beyond that there are still a few
considerations which possess validity for all
Reichskommissars." [Page 252]
The aim of a Reichskommissar for Esthonia, Latvia, Lithuania
and White Russia" - last 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
Germanising racially possible elements, colonising Germanic
races and banishing undesirable elements. The Baltic Sea must
become a Germanic inland sea under the guardianship of Greater
Germany.
For certain cattle-raising products the Baltic region is a
land of surplus, and the Reichskommissar must endeavour to
make this surplus once more available to the German people,
and, if possible, to increase it. With regard to the process
of Germanising or resettling, the Esthonian people are
strongly Germanised to the extent of 50 per cent. by Danish,
German and Swedish blood, and can be considered as a kindred
nation. In Latvia, the section capable of being assimilated is
considerably smaller than in Esthonia. In this country
stronger resistance will have to be reckoned with, and
banishment on a larger scale will have to be envisaged. A
similar development may have to be reckoned with in Lithuania,
for here too the emigration of racial Germans is called for in
order to promote very intensive Germanisation (on the East
Prussian border)."
This report is Numbered 1039-PS, and I now offer it in evidence as
Exhibit USA 146. To me the most interesting things about this
report are its disclosures concerning the number of these
defendants who worked with and assisted Rosenberg in the planning
and preparation for this phase
[Page 253]
A conference took place with Admiral Canaris, to the effect
that under the given confidential circumstances my office
could in no way deal with any representatives of the people of
the East-European area. I asked him to do this in so far as
the Military Intelligence required it, and then to name
persons to me who could count as political personalities over
and above the military intelligence in order to arrange for
their eventual commitment later. Admiral Canaris said that
naturally also my wish not to recognise any political groups
among the emigrants would be considered by him, and that he
was planning to proceed in accordance with my indications.
Later on I informed General Field Marshal von Brauchitsch and
Grossadmiral Raeder about the historical and political
conceptions of the Eastern problem. In further conferences we
agreed to appoint a representative of my office to the Supreme
Commander of the Army, to the Chief Quartermaster and to the
Army Groups respectively for questions relative to political
configuration and requests of the O.K.W. In the meantime this
has been done.
Already at the outset there was a discussion with Minister of
Economics (Reichswirtschaftsminister) Funk" - the defendant
Funk - "who appointed as his permanent deputy
Ministerialdirektor Dr. Schlotterer. Almost daily conferences
were then held with Dr. Schlotterer with reference to the war
economic intentions of the Economic Operational Staff East. In
this connection I had conferences with General Thomas, State
Secretary Korner, State Secretary Backe, Ministerial Director
Reicke, General Schubert, and others.
Far-reaching agreement was reached in the Eastern questions as
regards direct technical work now and in the future. A few
problems regarding the relationship of the proposed Reich
ministry toward the
[Page 254]
After notification of the Reich Foreign Minister, the latter
appointed Geheimrat Grosskopf as permanent liaison man to my
office. For the requested representation in the political
department of my office (headed by Reichsamtsleiter
Dr.Seibbrandt), the Foreign Ministry released Consul General
Dr. Braeutigam, who has been known to me for many years,
speaks Russian, and worked for years in Russia. Negotiations
which, if necessary, will be placed before the Fuehrer, are
under way with the Foreign Office regarding its wishes for the
assignment of its representatives to the future Reich
Commissioners or 'Kommissars'.
The Propaganda Ministry" - that is Goebbels - "appointed State
Secretary Gutterer as permanent liaison man, and a complete
agreement was reached to the effect that the decisions on all
political and other essays, speeches, proclamations, et
cetera, would be made in my office; a great number of
substantial works for propaganda would be delivered and the
papers prepared by the Propaganda Ministry would be modified
here, if necessary. The whole practical employment of
propaganda will indisputably be subject to the Reich Ministry
of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda. For the sake of closer
co-operation, the Propaganda Ministry assigns yet another
person directly under my department, 'Enlightenment and
Press', and in addition appoints a permanent Press liaison
man. All these activities have been going on for some time,
and without attracting notice to my office in any way, this
agreement on contents and terminology takes place continually
every day.
Thorough discussions took place with Reichsminister Ohnesorge
concerning future transmission of communications and setting
up of all technical necessities in future occupied
territories; with Reichsminister Seldte on the supply of
labour forces; with Reichsminister Frick" - that is the
defendant Frick - "State Secretary Stuckart, in detailed form
on the assignment of numerous necessary officials for the
Kommissariats. According to the present estimate there will be
four Reich Kommissariats, as approved by the Fuehrer. I shall
ask the Fuehrer for political and other reasons to set up a
suitable number of General Kommissariats (24), Main
Kommissariats (about 80), and Regional Kommissariats (over
900). A General Kommissariat would correspond to a former
General Government; a Main Kommissariat to a Main, Government.
[Page 255]
MR. ALDERMAN: Yes, sir.
THE PRESIDENT : This is merely a detailed report on that.
MR. ALDERMAN: Quite true. I should like merely to point out two or
three other individual defendants who are referred to in this
document and as to whom the document shows that they were in
immediate complicity with this whole scheme. The first of those,
about three paragraphs further down, the Reich Youth Leadership.
That is the defendant Baldur von Schirach. Then, of course,
Gruppenfuehrer S.S. Heydrich, about the next paragraph -
THE PRESIDENT: Well, he is not a defendant.
MR. ALDERMAN: No, Sir, his organisation is, however, if the
Tribunal please, charged as a Criminal Organisation.
In the next paragraph, the defendant Ministerial Director
Fritzsche, to work under Goebbels.
Without a long discussion of further propaganda material, I might
summarise the individual implication in this fashion. Those of the
individual defendants now on trial which this report personally
involves are Keitel, Jodl, Raeder, Funk, Goering, Ribbentrop,
Frick, Schirach, and Fritzsche. The organisations involved by this
report include the following: O.K.W., O.K.H., O.K.M., Ministry of
the Interior, Ministry of Economics, Reich Foreign Ministry,
Propaganda Ministry, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of
Communications, The Reich Physicians Leader, Ministry of Munitions
and Armaments, Reich Youth Leadership, Reich Organisational
Leader, German Labour Front, the S.S., the S.A. and the Reich
Press Chief.
At a later stage in the trial, and in other connections, I should
like to ask the Tribunal to consider that the document with which
I have just been dealing be considered a part of the record to the
extent that it involves these individuals.
THE PRESIDENT: I think you can treat it as all being in evidence.
MR. ALDERMAN : At a later stage in the trial and in other
connections, evidence will be introduced concerning the manner in
which all of this planning and preparation for the elimination of
the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics as a political factor was
actually carried out. The planned execution of intelligentsia and
other Russian leaders was, for example, but a part of the actual
operation of the programme to destroy the Soviet Union
politically, and make impossible its early resurrection as a
European Power.
Having thus elaborately prepared on every side for the invasion of
the Soviet Union, the Nazi conspirators proceeded to carry out
their plans, and on 22nd June, 1941, hurled their armies across
the borders of the U.S.S.R.
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(Part 4 of 9)
[MR. ALDERMAN continues]
"Dear Reich Minister,
And the letter to Reichsleiter Rosenberg on the same date
"The Head of the Reich Chancellery has sent me a copy of the
Fuehrer's Decree, by which he has appointed you his
Commissioner for the Central Control of Questions connected
with the East European Region. I have charged General of the
Artillery Jodl, Head of the Armed Forces Operational Staff and
his deputy, Major General Warlimont, with the solving of these
questions, as far as they concern the Supreme Command of the
Armed Forces. Now I ask you, as far as your office is
concerned, to deal with them only."
Immediately upon receipt of the order from Hitler, Rosenberg began
building his organisation, conferring with the various ministries,
issuing his instructions, and generally making the detailed plans
and preparations necessary to carry out his assigned mission.
Although Rosenberg's files, which were captured intact, were
crowded with documents evidencing both the extent of the
preparation and its purpose, I believe that the citation of a
small number which are typical should be sufficient for the
Tribunal and the record. All of those I shall now discuss were
found in the defendant Rosenberg's files.
"The only possible political goal of war can be the aim to
free the German Reich from the 'grossrussisch' pressure for
centuries to come.
The fifth paragraph of the English translation, Page 7 of the
German, presents a fascinating rationalisation of a contemplated
robbery. It reads:
"The German people have achieved, in the course of centuries,
tremendous accomplishments in the Eastern European area.
Nearly its entire real estate property has been confiscated
without indemnification; hundreds of thousands (in the South,
on the Volga) have been starved or deported, or, as in the
Baltic territories, have been cheated out of the fruits of
their cultural work during the past 700 years. The German
Reich will now have to proclaim the principle, that after the
occupation of the Eastern Territories, the former German
assets have become the property of the people of Greater
Germany, irrespective of the consent of the former individual
proprietors, where the German Reich may reserve the right
(assuming that this has not already been done during
resettlement) to arrange a just settlement. The manner of
compensation and restitution of this national property, will
be subject to different treatment by each Reichskommissariat."
Document 1029-PS in our series is an "Instruction for a
Reichskommissar in the Baltic Countries and White Russia." It is
typical of the type of instruction which was issued to each of the
appointed commissioners or "Kommissars", and is amazingly frank in
outlining the intentions of the Nazi conspirators toward the
country they intended to occupy in the course of their aggression.
I offer this document in evidence as Exhibit USA 145. I should
like to read into the record the first three paragraphs. It
begins:-
"All the regions between Narva and Tilsit have constantly been
in close relationship with the German people. A 700-year-old
history
Omitting a paragraph, the next paragraph is also interesting and
reads as follows:
"The task of a Reichskommissar with his seat of office in Riga
will therefore largely be an extraordinarily positive one. A
country which 700 years ago was captured by German Knights,
built up by the Hanseatic League, and by reason of a constant
influx of German blood, together with Swedish elements, was a
predominantly Germanised land, is to be established as a
mighty German borderland. The preliminary cultural conditions
are available everywhere, and the German Reich will be able to
guarantee the right to a later emigration to all those who
have distinguished themselves in this war, to the descendants
of those who gave their lives during the war, and also to all
who fought in the Baltic campaign, never once lost courage,
fought on in the hour of despair and delivered Baltic
civilisation from Bolshevism. For the rest, the solution of
the colonisation problem is not a Baltic question, but one
which concerns Greater Germany, and it must be settled on
these lines."
These two directives are, I think, sufficiently typical of the
whole to show the Tribunal the extent of the planning and
preparation for this phase of the aggression, as well as the
political purpose it was hoped would be achieved thereby. However,
on 28th June, 1941, less than a week after the invasion, Rosenberg
himself prepared a full report of his activities since his
appointment on 20th April, One might almost think he had so
meticulously recorded his activities in order to be of assistance
to this prosecution.
"Immediately after the notification of individual Supreme
Reich offices regarding the Fuehrer's decree of 20th March,
1941, a conference with the Chief of the O.K.W. (Armed Forces
High Command) took place" - that is the defendant Keitel.
"After presentation of the various political alms in the
proposed Reichskommissariats and presentation of personal
requirements for the East, the chief of the O.K.W. explained
that a deferment (U.K.-Stellung) would be too complicated in
this case and that this matter could be carried out best by
direct cancellation (Abkommandierung) by command of the Chief
of the O.K.W. General Field Marshal Keitel then issued an
appropriate command which established the basis for the coming
requirements. He named as deputy and liaison officer General
Jodl and Major General Warlimont. The negotiations which then
commenced relative in all questions of the Eastern Territory"
- relative to, I suppose it is - "were carried on by the
gentlemen of the O.K.W. in collaboration with officials of my
office.
THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Alderman, speaking for myself, I do not
understand why it is necessary to read this document in full. You
have already shown that there was a plan for dividing Russia up
into a number of Kommissariats.