war crimes within the meaning of Article 6 (B) of the charter of the
International Military Tribunal. Two general observations should be made
at the outset. In the first place, the pertinent provisions of the Hague
Regulations (_3737-PS_) are controlling. The Germans entered into an
Armistice Agreement with only one of the countries under discussion
(France), and the Franco-German Armistice Agreement of 22 June 1940
contains nothing which purports to confer on the occupant powers broader
than those which may be exercised under the Hague Regulations. Article 3
of the Armistice reserves to Germany in the occupied zone “all the
rights of the occupying power.” No other provision is material here. The
language of Article 3 plainly does not purport to qualify in any way the
otherwise binding terms of the Hague Regulations. The German position
(_EC-113_) that “the rights of Article 3 are more extensive than the
rights of the occupation power in the Hague Regulations” and permitted
Germany to base thereon “all measures which are, according to her own
judgment, necessary for the continuation of the war against England,” is
therefore plainly untenable.
Secondly, the collaboration of certain French, Dutch, and Belgian
officials is legally immaterial and does not serve to shield the Nazi
conspirators from responsibility for the acts done in the territory
under German control. Belgium, Holland, and a large part of France were
under German occupation throughout the period in question and, after 10
November 1942, so-called Vichy France was overrun and occupied as well.
It is accepted doctrine that governmental authority is completely,
albeit temporarily, vested in the occupant during the period of its
control. Whether the occupant elects to employ the existing
administrative machinery and personnel or substitute its own, is solely
a question of political and administrative convenience; the choice is
without legal significance. The civil administration of an occupied
country, it may be confidently asserted, has no independent legal status
whatever.
(1) _The acts of the Nazi conspirators as revealed by the evidence are
prohibited by the Hague Regulations._
(_a_) _The forcible removal of machinery, foodstuffs, and raw
materials._ It has been shown above that the Nazis forcibly removed
large quantities of machinery, foodstuffs, and raw materials to Germany,
including even church bells and the strategic metals contained in the
transmission systems of the occupied countries. Articles 52 and 53 of
the Hague Regulations (the only pertinent provisions) provide no basis
for such action.
Article 52 of the Hague Regulations declares that requisitions in kind
and services shall not be demanded except for “the needs of the
occupation army,” a limitation deliberately substituted for the less
restrictive one of “military necessity” which had previously been
contained in the Brussels Declaration of 1874 (_Conference
Internationale de la Paix, La Haye_, 1899, Part I, p. 60; Part III, pp.
45, 181). It is settled that requisitions for export to the country of
the occupying power is violative of Article 52 (see Feilchenfeld, _The
International Law of Belligerent Occupation_, Washington, 1942, pars.
148-149, and cases cited).
The argument, advanced by the Germans in defense of such requisitions
during the first World War (see Garner, _International Law and World
War_, Vol. II, p. 126, n.) and frequently again during the recent
conflict (_EC-344-7_; _ECH-16_), that the limitations of Article 52 may
be disregarded in case of military necessity, is not well founded.
Article 23g, which permits the destruction of private property when
“imperatively demanded by the necessities of war,” is included among the
provisions relating to the rights of belligerents in the conduct of
military operations, and has no relation to the powers of a belligerent
in an occupied area in which conflict has ceased (see Garner, _loc. cit.
supra_). The latter are governed, so far as material here, by Articles
42-56.
Apart from Article 23g, there is no basis whatever for the German
position. The Hague Regulations are limitations on the powers which may
be exercised under the plea of military necessity (II, Oppenheim,
_International Law_, 6th Edition Revised, edited by Lauterpacht, p. 185,
n.1). An exception for cases of alleged military necessity, therefore,
cannot be implied. The deliberate substitution of the present
terminology in lieu of the vague limitations of “military necessity” as
contained in the Brussels Declaration of 1874, moreover, would seem to
remove all basis for a contrary construction.
Article 53 provides no better support for the Nazis’ action. The second
paragraph, relating to private property, states:
“All appliances, whether on land, on sea, or in the air, adapted
for the transmission of news, or for the transport of persons or
things, exclusive of cases governed by naval law, depots of arms
and, generally, all kinds of munitions of war, may be seized
even if they belong to private individuals, but must be restored
and compensation fixed when peace is made.”
This Article, it may be conceded, authorizes not only the sequestration
but the use of all matters within its reach. The term “munitions of
war,” however, clearly refers only to chattels (Feilchenfeld, _supra_,
par. 351). It does not, therefore, include machinery affixed to the
realty. The German legal advisors uniformly so conceded during this war
(_EC-560_; _EC-84_; _EC-263_; _EC-344-7_). The suggestion that Article
53 is subject to an implied exception in the case of military necessity
(_EC-344-7_) is, for reasons noted above, untenable. It is equally clear
that the deliberate removal of the metal content of the transmission
systems in the occupied areas is without legal basis. Article 53 in
terms requires restoration when peace is made and, whatever exceptions
may be implied in case of munitions which are necessarily consumed by
use, no basis can be found for the deliberate destruction of
transmission facilities.
The question as to the class of chattels included within the
deliberately general term “munitions of war” is not free from doubt. The
right of seizure is based on military necessity, namely, the danger of
leaving at large things which are peculiarly adapted to warlike purposes
(Spaight, _War Rights on Land_, p. 512). It should accordingly be
limited to those things which are “susceptible of direct military use”
(see British Manual of Military Law, 1929, Amendment No. 12, par. 415;
U. S. Army Basic Field Manual on Rules of Land Warfare, FM 27-10, 1940,
par. 332). Article 53, which contains no limitation restricting seizures
to the needs of the occupation army, would otherwise completely nullify
the deliberate limitations on the right of requisition imposed in
Article 52. In this view, raw materials and even semi-finished goods,
save perhaps such goods as are normally part of military equipment,
would seem outside the reach of Article 53.
(_b_) _The control and direction of production and distribution in the
German interest._ The planned control and direction of the economy of
the occupied countries in the interest of the German war effort
constitute a violation of Article 52. This seems clearly true to the
extent that production and sale for export to Germany were ordered by
the _Ruestungsobmann_ pursuant to Speer’s directive late in 1943. It
would seem equally true of the earlier method of control by prohibitions
and restrictions. For the net effect of the priority system was to leave
no alternative to producing in the German interest save to cease
operations. And even this alternative was not available, since the power
to appoint a commissar in case of recalcitrant plants was expressly
reserved.
Article 53, which is limited to chattels and has no relation to the
demanding of personal services in any event, provides not even a remote
basis for the imposition of the controls in question.
In what has been said, it is not meant to be suggested that an occupant
is without power to institute a system of rationing for articles in
short supply with the aim of securing an equitable distribution among
the population of the occupied area. Such a measure is plainly related
to the promotion of economic order and there is nothing in the Hague
Regulations which restricts even requisition for the needs of the local
population. The Nazi controls, however, were exercised, not in the
interest of the local population, but to fulfill the general war
requirements of Germany, in the Reich as well as in the occupied area.
(_c_) _Levy of occupation charges for purposes not related to the needs
of the occupation army._ Article 49 of the Hague Regulations limits the
levy of occupation charges to the “needs of the army or of the
administration of the territory in question.” The only purpose for which
such contributions may be levied (other than for the financing of the
costs of administration, a matter not material here), is to supply the
needs of the army of occupation (_Conference Internationale de la Paix,
La Haye_, 1899, Pt. I, p. 60; Feilchenfeld, _supra_, par. 167; Spaight,
_supra_, pp. 384-392). The power to levy contributions is reserved in
order to permit an equitable distribution among the entire community of
costs which, if supplies were requisitioned, would fall directly and
solely on the owners of the requisitioned property (Spaight, _supra_,
pp. 387-389). Accordingly, the levy of contributions to finance exports
or for other purposes unrelated to the needs of the army in the
territory in question would seem plainly forbidden (Feilchenfeld,
_supra_, par. 167; Spaight, _supra_, pp. 384-392).
Moreover, as Article 49 refers to the occupation army only, the levy of
contributions to support the troops engaged in military operations
against an enemy located outside the boundaries of the occupied country
or to finance other general war expenses would seem prohibited.
(_d_) _Forced loans._ Forced loans can be justified only as
contributions and are therefore subject to the same limitations
(Feilchenfeld, _supra_, par. 185). The forced loans under the
Belgian-German and Franco-German clearing arrangements, were executed
largely to finance exports to Germany, that is, for nonoccupation
purposes.
(_e_) _The exchange of reichsmarks for gulden by the Netherlands Bank._
These transactions, whether viewed as resulting in a loan or merely in
an exchange, constitute a contribution of money for nonoccupation
purposes. It may be assumed that they were carried out “voluntarily”
while the Netherlands Bank was under the immediate direction of Rost Van
Tonningen. This circumstance is immaterial, however, since Van Tonningen
was a civil official appointed by Seyss-Inquart, and his authority, like
that of civilian officials in occupied areas generally, was derived
solely from that of the occupant.
(_f_) _The taking over of gold of the National Bank of Belgium and the
Netherlands Bank._ That the gold of the National Bank of Belgium was
private property is not disputed; the Nazi conspirators proceeded on
this view in the original decision to requisition under Article 52
(_EC-401, second enclosure_). Confiscation under Article 53, first
paragraph, therefore, was not open to the Nazi conspirators; so far as
appears they never considered such a step.
It may be assumed for purposes of argument that gold is subject to
requisition under the Hague Regulations. Requisition may be made,
however, only for the needs of the occupation army. It cannot be
resorted to to relieve the “considerable straining of the reserves” of
Germany.
The gold reserve of the Netherlands Bank, it is believed, is private
property, no less than that of the National Bank of Belgium. In this
view, the taking over of the gold of the Netherlands Bank was likewise
illegal. There is, of course, no basis in law for exacting a
contribution for the so-called “war against Bolshevism,” to use the
Nazis’ phrase. And, for the reasons indicated above, it is immaterial
whether these “contributions” were “voluntarily” made by Van Tonningen.
(_g_) _The compulsory surrender of gold and foreign exchange._ The
requirement of surrender of gold and foreign exchange for ultimate
delivery to the Reichsbank amounts in substance to a requisition and
cannot be supported because obviously done solely to maintain the
reserves of foreign exchange for the total war effort, not for the needs
of the occupation army alone.
(_h_) _The acquisition of business interests._ The Nazis’ acquisition of
Belgian, Dutch, and French participations was unlawful. That this is so
in the case of the sales ordered by the Ministry of Economics is clear
(_EC-43_). The conclusion should be the same even when sale was not
expressly ordered. These purchases were financed through the clearing
system (which, as shown above, constituted a forced loan) and out of
occupation cost funds. Since such expenditures bore no relation to the
needs of the occupation army or, indeed, served any purpose other than
to enrich the Nazi conspirators and their nominees, the Nazi program for
acquisition of participations was in plain violation of Article 49 of
the Hague Regulations.
(2) _Such acts constitute “plunder of public or private property” within
the meaning of Article 6 (B) of the Charter of the International
Military Tribunal._ Save as they may be authorized by International Law
(and hence “consented” to by the occupied countries), the acts
complained of are of a character condemned by the criminal code of the
occupied countries and, indeed, of all civilized nations. Absent such
authority, the forcible permanent taking of money or other property
whether from Government agencies or private persons, constitutes larceny
or, as known in the international law of belligerent occupation,
“pillage” (Garner, _supra_, pp. 472-473). The question of which court or
courts may try and punish for the offense is one of jurisdiction only
(see Garner, _supra_, pp. 475-480) and has been resolved by the
Agreement and Charter of the International Military Tribunal.
* * * * *
LEGAL REFERENCES AND LIST OF DOCUMENTS RELATING TO GERMANIZATION AND
SPOLIATION
Document │ Description │ Vol. │ Page
│ │ │
│Charter of the International Military │ │
│ Tribunal, Article 6, especially 6 (b, │ │
│ c). │ I │ 5
│ │ │
│International Military Tribunal, │ │
│ Indictment Number 1, Sections III; │ │ 15, 43,
│ VIII (E, J). │ I │ 51
│ │ │
3737-PS │Hague Convention of 1907 respecting the │ │
│ Laws and Customs of War on Land, │ │
│ Annex, Articles 49, 52, 53, 55. │ VI │598, 599
│ ————— │ │
│Note: A single asterisk (*) before a │ │
│document indicates that the document was│ │
│received in evidence at the Nurnberg │ │
│trial. A double asterisk (**) before a │ │
│document number indicates that the │ │
│document was referred to during the │ │
│trial but was not formally received in │ │
│evidence, for the reason given in │ │
│parentheses following the description of│ │
│the document. The USA series number, │ │
│given in parentheses following the │ │
│description of the document, is the │ │
│official exhibit number assigned by the │ │
│court. │ │
│ ————— │ │
*061-PS │Secret Bormann letter, 11 January 1944, │ │
│concerning large-scale organization for │ │
│withdrawal of commodities from occupied │ │
│territories for use of bombed-out │ │
│population in Germany. (USA 692) │ III │ 105
│ │ │
*294-PS │Top secret memorandum signed by │ │
│Brautigam, 25 October 1942, concerning │ │
│conditions in Russia. (USA 185) │ III │ 242
│ │ │
*661-PS │Secret thesis from the Academy of German│ │
│Law, January 1940, on Resettlement. (USA│ │
│300) │ III │ 472
│ │ │
*686-PS │Decree of the Fuehrer and Reich │ │
│Chancellor to strengthen German Folkdom,│ │
│7 October 1939, signed by Hitler, │ │
│Goering, Lammers and Keitel. (USA 305) │ III │ 496
│ │ │
*862-PS │Memorandum by General Friderici, │ │
│Plenipotentiary of the Wehrmacht to the │ │
│Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia, │ │
│initialled by Keitel, Jodl and │ │
│Warlimont, 15 October 1940, concerning │ │
│plan to Germanize Czechoslovakia. (USA │ │
│313) │ III │ 618
│ │ │
*910-PS │Notes on Himmler’s plan for │ │
│Germanization of Poland, 27 and 30 March│ │
│1942, from the Main Office, Interior │ │
│Administration, initialled “Dr. S. H.”. │ │
│(USA 310) │ III │ 639
│ │ │
997-PS │Top secret report by Seyss-Inquart │ │
│concerning the situation in the │ │
│Netherlands—Exploitation and │ │
│Nazification in period 29 May to 19 July│ │
│1940. │ III │ 641
│ │ │
*1029-PS │Paper entitled “Instructions for a Reich│ │
│Commissar in the Baltic States”, 8 May │ │
│1941, found in Rosenberg’s “Russia │ │
│File”. (USA 145) │ III │ 690
│ │ │
*1058-PS │Excerpt from a speech, 20 June 1941, by │ │
│Rosenberg before people most intimately │ │
│concerned with Eastern Problem, found in│ │
│his “Russia File”. (USA 147) │ III │ 716
│ │ │
*1352-PS │Reports concerning the confiscation of │ │
│Polish agricultural properties, 16 and │ │
│29 May 1940, signed Kusche. (USA 176) │ III │ 916
│ │ │
1445-PS │Report on conference at Ministry of │ │
│Economics regarding use of Belgian and │ │
│Dutch capital investments in │ │
│southeastern European enterprises, 15 │ │
│June 1940. │ IV │ 20
│ │ │
*1456-PS │Thomas memorandum 20 June 1941; Keitel │ │
│consulted about resources of USSR. (USA │ │
│148) │ IV │ 21
│ │ │
1741-PS │Collection of documents relating to the │ │
│French Armistice. │ IV │ 228
│ │ │
1765-PS │Report of the Commissioner for the Four │ │
│Year Plan Plenipotentiary for Special │ │
│Missions on Black Market Activities, 15 │ │
│January 1943. │ IV │ 325
│ │ │
*1918-PS │Speech by Himmler to SS officers on day │ │
│of Metz. (USA 304) │ IV │ 553
│ │ │
1991-PS │Sixth report on activity and final │ │
│report of the German Armistice │ │
│Delegation for Economy, and of Delegate │ │
│of Reich Government for Economic and │ │
│Financial Questions with French │ │
│Government, 1 July 1943 to 17 August │ │
│1944. │ IV │ 605
│ │ │
*1997-PS │Decree of the Fuehrer, 17 July 1941, │ │
│concerning administration of Newly │ │
│Occupied Eastern Territories. (USA 319) │ IV │ 634
│ │ │
2149-PS │Letter, 11 December 1942, to Foreign │ │
│Office, enclosing statement of German │ │
│Reichsbank concerning question of an │ │
│increase of French contributions to │ │
│Occupation expenses. │ IV │ 758
│ │ │
*2233-D-PS │Frank Diary. Regierungsitzungen. 1941. │ │
│October-December. Entry of 16 December │ │
│1941 at pp. 76-77. (USA 281) │ IV │ 891
│ │ │
*2233-G-PS │Frank Diary. 1939. 25 October to 15 │ │
│December. (USA 302) │ IV │ 903
│ │ │
*2233-H-PS │Frank Diary. Tagebuch. 1941. Part II. │ │
│Entry of 19 April 1941. (USA 311) │ IV │ 904
│ │ │
*2749-PS │Title page of publication of Academy for│ │
│German Law, 7th year, 1940. (USA 301) │ V │ 390
│ │ │
*2915-PS │Extracts from German Labor, June-July │ │
│1942. (USA 306) │ V │ 580
│ │ │
*2916-PS │Commitment of Manpower │ │
│Doctrines-Orders-Directives, published │ │
│by Office of Reich Commissioner for │ │
│strengthening of National Character of │ │
│German People, December 1940. (USA 307) │ V │ 581
│ │ │
3602-PS │Report on conversation (interview) │ │
│between Mr. Hemmen and Mr. de Boisanger,│ │
│4 October. │ VI │ 314
│ │ │
3603-PS │Report on conversation between Mr. │ │
│Hemmen and Mr. de Boisanger, 10 October.│ VI │ 314
│ │ │
3604-PS │Decree concerning rationing of │ │
│industrial goods from Official Gazette │ │
│of Military Commander in Belgium and │ │
│Northern France, 1940-41, p. 37, Sec. 1.│ VI │ 315
│ │ │
3605-PS │Rationing decree, 27 May 1940, from │ │
│Official Gazette of Military Commander │ │
│in Belgium and Northern France, 1940-41,│ │
│p. 37, Sec. 4. │ VI │ 315
│ │ │
3606-PS │Rationing decree, 27 May 1940, from │ │
│Official Gazette of Military Commanders │ │
│in Belgium and Northern France, 1940-41,│ │
│p. 38, Sec. 10. │ VI │ 316
│ │ │
3607-PS │Public Notice on Board of Directors of │ │
│Reichskreditkasse, from Official Gazette│ │
│of Military Commander in Belgium and │ │
│Northern France, 1940-41, p. 65. │ VI │ 316
│ │ │
3608-PS │Public Notice of Establishment of a │ │
│Clearing system between Belgium and │ │
│German Reich, 10 July 1940, from │ │
│Official Gazette of Military Commander │ │
│in Belgium and Northern France. │ VI │ 317
│ │ │
3609-PS │Decree for execution of rationing decree│ │
│in Belgium, 5 November 1940, from │ │
│Official Gazette of Military Commander │ │
│in Belgium and Northern France. │ VI │ 318
│ │ │
3610-PS │Decree regarding Plant Commissars, 29 │ │
│April 1941, from Official Gazette of │ │
│Military Commander in Belgium and │ │
│Northern France, 1940-41, p. 599. │ VI │ 319
│ │ │
3611-PS │Decree on economic measures against │ │
│Jews, 31 May 1941, from Official Gazette│ │
│of Military Commander in Belgium and │ │
│Northern France, 1940-41, p. 620, Sec. │ │
│17. │ VI │ 320
│ │ │
3612-PS │Decree regarding prohibition of │ │
│manufacturing of certain products, 6 │ │
│August 1942, from Official Gazette of │ │
│Military Commander in Belgium and │ │
│Northern France, 1942, p. 986, Sec. 1. │ VI │ 321
│ │ │
3613-PS │Proclamation to Netherlands population, │ │
│25 May 1940, from Official Gazette for │ │
│Occupied Dutch Territory, No. 1, 5 June │ │
│1940. │ VI │ 321
│ │ │
3615-PS │Report by Ostrow on examination of │ │
│records of Reichskreditkasse, 29 │ │
│September 1945. │ VI │ 322
│ │ │
3616-PS │Decree on prohibition to establish and │ │
│enlarge enterprises and on shutting down│ │
│enterprises, 30 March 1942, from │ │
│Official Gazette of Military Commander │ │
│in Belgium and Northern France, 1942, p.│ │
│865. │ VI │ 388
│ │ │
*EC-3 │Letter of Liaison Staff at Supreme │ │
│Headquarters, Armament Procurement │ │
│Office directed to General Thomas, Chief│ │
│of Wi Rue Amt, Berlin, 25 November 1941.│ │
│(USA 318) │ VII │ 242
│ │ │
EC-21 │Memorandum of Posse, 8 January 1940. │ VII │ 249
│ │ │
EC-34 │Report No. 1 on activities of Military │ │
│Administration for month of November │ │
│1940. │ VII │ 254
│ │ │
EC-41 │Notice concerning seizure of security │ │
│properties of Dutch and Belgian │ │
│holdings, 23 May 1940. │ VII │ 255
│ │ │
EC-43 │Report on conferences at Ministry of │ │
│Economics, 20 August 1940, regarding │ │
│acquisition of shares in important │ │
│foreign enterprises in Southeast Europe.│ VII │ 258
│ │ │
EC-69 │Memorandum of General Holder, 13 │ │
│December 1939, regarding treatment of │ │
│economical questions at the OKH. │ VII │ 262
│ │ │
EC-84 │Report of Lt. Colonel Helder on │ │
│reconversion of the economy, 7 December │ │
│1940. │ VII │ 263
│ │ │
EC-86 │Report on financial contributions of the│ │
│Occupied Areas. │ VII │ 264
│ │ │
EC-87 │Report on contribution of Netherlands │ │
│for German War economy. │ VII │ 278
│ │ │
EC-101 │Affidavit by Schmid-Lossberg, 21 │ │
│September 1945, concerning Holland, │ │
│Belgium and France. │ VII │ 280
│ │ │
EC-113 │Covering letter, 8 July 1940, to letter │ │
│from Supreme Command of Armed Forces, │ │
│concerning decision of Fuehrer in │ │
│Armistice questions, and memorandum of │ │
│Goering, 5 July 1940. │ VII │ 291
│ │ │
*EC-126 │Economic Policy Directive for Economic │ │
│Organization, East, Agricultural Group, │ │
│23 May 1941. (USA 316) │ VII │ 295
│ │ │
EC-137 │Memorandum of Goering, 2 August 1940, │ │
│regarding extension of German interests │ │
│in foreign enterprise, and covering │ │
│letter. │ VII │ 309
│ │ │
EC-155 │Collection of planned decrees on │ │
│economic matters, from Military │ │
│Administration-Economy, pp. 50-74. │ VII │ 312
│ │ │
EC-256 │Letter from Dr. Lammers to Goering and │ │
│Funk, 12 October 1937. │ VII │ 346
│ │ │
EC-261 │Letter from Funk to all Ministries, 14 │ │
│March 1938, regarding appointment of │ │
│Sarnow, deputy of Plenipotentiary for │ │
│War Economy. │ VII │ 371
│ │ │
EC-263 │Note on draft of decree on confiscation │ │
│of private Polish property. │ VII │ 373
│ │ │
EC-267 │Development and Position of French │ │
│Industry in area of Military Commander, │ │
│France, in 1941, from Report on Economy │ │
│by Military Commander, France. │ VII │ 376
│ │ │
*EC-305 │Minutes of meeting on 12 February 1940, │ │
│under Chairmanship of Goering concerning│ │
│labor supply in the East. (USA 303) │ VII │ 402
│ │ │
EC-323 │Telegram signed Schleier, dated Paris 26│ │
│April 1941. │ VII │ 406
│ │ │
EC-335 │Report of the Military Administration in│ │
│Belgium and Northern France, │ │
│January-March 1943. │ VII │ 407
│ │ │
EC-336 │Report of the Reich Minister for │ │
│Occupied Eastern Territories, 26 │ │
│November 1942, concerning treatment of │ │
│Poles under his jurisdiction. │ VII │ 408
│ │ │
EC-344-7 │Report on Armament Economy in │ │
│Poland, 1939-1940. │ VII │ 416
│ │ │
*EC-344 16 and │Thomas report, 20 August 1940, │ │
17 │summarizing experience with German │ │
│Armament Industry in Poland 1939-40 and │ │
│extract from report by Captain Dr. │ │
│Varain on same subject. (USA 297) │ VII │ 419
│ │ │
*EC-347 │Directives for operation of the Economy │ │
│in Occupied Eastern Territories. (USA │ │
│320) │ VII │ 421
│ │ │
EC-401 │Letter from Office Four Year Plan, 8 │ │
│July 1942, on seizure of Belgian gold. │ VII │ 439
│ │ │
*EC-410 │Appendix to Goering’s directive of 19 │ │
│October 1939 concerning the economic │ │
│administration of Occupied Territories. │ │
│(USA 298) │ VII │ 466
│ │ │
*EC-411 │Order by Hess concerning the │ │
│reconstruction of certain industrial │ │
│enterprises in Poland, 20 November 1939.│ │
│(USA 299) │ VII │ 469
│ │ │
EC-422 │Extracts from History of the War │ │
│Economy—and Armament Staff in France. │ VII │ 481
│ │ │
EC-427 │Letter from Lammers to Reichsbank │ │
│Directorate, 20 January 1939, on │ │
│appointment of Funk as President of │ │
│Reichsbank. │ VII │ 484
│ │ │
*EC-453 │Letter to Himmler, 21 September 1943, │ │
│and list of contributions by his │ │
│friends. (USA 322) │ VII │ 510
│ │ │
*EC-454 │Letter to Himmler, 27 August 1943, │ │
│regarding contributions by his friends. │ │
│(USA 321) │ VII │ 512
│ │ │
EC-465 │Letter from Commissar with the │ │
│Netherlands Bank, 9 December 1940, with │ │
│November report to Fuehrer. │ VII │ 518
│ │ │
EC-468 │Letter from Commissar at the Netherlands│ │
│Bank, 10 February 1941, with report for │ │
│January 1941 to Fuehrer. │ VII │ 524
│ │ │
EC-469 │Memorandum on meeting in Duesseldorf, 25│ │
│May 1940. │ VII │ 536
│ │ │
EC-470 │Special Events in the field of │ │
│procurement of means of production, raw │ │
│material, semi-finished products. │ VII │ 538
│ │ │
EC-471 │Armament Inspectorate Netherlands—War │ │
│Diary for time from 1 January-31 March │ │
│1943. │ VII │ 538
│ │ │
*EC-472 │Directives of Reich Marshal Goering │ │
│concerning economic organization of │ │
│Occupied Eastern Territories. (USA 315) │ VII │ 539
│ │ │
EC-472-A │War Diary of Armament Inspectorate from │ │
│10 April 1940-30 September 1942. │ VII │ 540
│ │ │
EC-473 │Extract from History of Armament │ │
│Inspectorate—Netherlands. │ VII │ 542
│ │ │
EC-474 │Letter, 1 June 1940, enclosing report of│ │
│Armament Inspectorate Netherlands. │ VII │ 542
│ │ │
EC-485 │Minutes on Goering Meeting, 1 October │ │
│1940, on the economic exploitation of │ │
│Occupied Territories. │ VII │ 543
│ │ │
EC-560 │Extract from War Diary of Armament │ │
│Inspectorate—Belgium 21 January 1941, │ │
│regarding right to remove machinery. │ VII │ 584
│ │ │
EC-604 │Letter from Military Commander in │ │
│Belgium and Northern France, 1 May 1942.│ VII │ 584
│ │ │
EC-605 │Letter of the Commissar with the │ │
│Emission Bank in Brussels, 29 October │ │
│1942, with enclosure. │ VII │ 585
│ │ │
EC-606 │Minutes concerning conference with Field│ │
│Marshal Goering at Karinhall, 30 January│ │
│1940. │ VII │ 588
│ │ │
EC-613 │Memorandum on contributions of French │ │
│economy in favor of France performed at │ │
│instigation of Military Commander in │ │
│France. │ VII │ 602
│ │ │
EC-614 │Memorandum of the Military Commander in │ │
│France. │ VII │ 602
│ │ │
EC-615 │Notes by General Thomas on Meeting with │ │
│Colonel General Keitel, 1 December 1939.│ VII │ 603
│ │ │
EC-616 │Interference of War Economy and Armament│ │
│Staff with raw material rationing boards│ │
│from Situation Report of War Economy and│ │
│Armament Staff of France. │ VII │ 603
│ │ │
EC-617 │Extracts from Situation Report of War │ │
│Economy and Armament Staff of France. │ VII │ 604
│ │ │
EC-618 │Service instructions for Economic │ │
│Squads. │ VII │ 604
│ │ │
EC-619 │Clearing agreement of 14 November 1940, │ │
│for French-German payments. │ VII │ 608
│ │ │
EC-620 │Directive of Goering on exploitation of │ │
│the Occupied Western Territories, 26 │ │
│August 1940. │ VII │ 608
│ │ │
ECH-1 │Final report of Military Commander │ │
│Belgium, Part 10, Section I, concerning │ │
│German-Belgian trade. │ VII │ 609
│ │ │
ECH-2 │Report on Economic Planning of Military │ │
│Commander Belgium and Northern France, │ │
│13 September 1940. │ VII │ 610
│ │ │
ECH-3 │Final Report of Chief of Military │ │
│Administration in Belgium and Northern │ │
│France. │ VII │ 611
│ │ │
ECH-4 │Annual report of Military Commander of │ │
│Belgium and Northern France, 15 July │ │
│1941. │ VII │ 613
│ │ │
ECH-5 │Final Report of Military Commander in │ │
│Belgium and Northern France. │ VII │ 615
│ │ │
ECH-6 │Final report of Military Commander in │ │
│Belgium and Northern France. │ VII │ 620
│ │ │
ECH-7 │Final Report of Supervisory Office with │ │
│Military Commander in Belgium and │ │
│Northern France on legalized │ │
│exploitation of black market in Belgium │ │
│and Northern France. │ VII │ 622
│ │ │
ECH-9 │Circular of Military Commander, 19 June │ │
│1943, concerning prohibition of black │ │
│market purchase. │ VII │ 629
│ │ │
ECH-10 │Final Report of Military Commander on │ │
│machinery clearing. │ VII │ 629
│ │ │
ECH-11 │Final Report of Military Commander on │ │
│Church Bell drive in Belgium. │ VII │ 631
│ │ │
ECH-12 │Report of Activity Department for │ │
│“Protection of Art” of Military │ │
│Commander Belgium and Northern France. │ VII │ 632
│ │ │
ECH-14 │Letter from Speer, 23 June 1943, with │ │
│covering letter. │ VII │ 632
│ │ │
ECH-15 │Draft of letter to Falkenhausen, 22 May │ │
│1944. │ VII │ 634
│ │ │
ECH-16 │Memorandum from Military Administration │ │
│Department for Culture, 17 May 1944, │ │
│concerning requisition of scientific │ │
│instruments. │ VII │ 635
│ │ │
ECH-19 │Final Report of Military Commander │ │
│showing total picture of consolidation │ │
│of Belgian Textile Industry. │ VII │ 636
│ │ │
ECH-21 │Letter from Military Commander in │ │
│Belgium and Northern France to General │ │
│Falkenhausen, 12 October 1940, and │ │
│annexes. │ VII │ 637
│ │ │
ECH-22 │Final Report of Military Commander, │ │
│concerning foreign exchange and gold. │ VII │ 639
│ │ │
ECH-23 │Report of Military Commander on supplies│ │
│in the German interest in Belgium and │ │
│Northern France in 1941. │ VII │ 641
│ │ │
ECH-24 │Introduction to Final Report of Military│ │
│Commander by Dr. Beyer. │ VII │ 642
│ │ │
ECR-14 │Memorandum from Commissar at the Belgian│ │
│National Bank on Clearing Transfers, 24 │ │
│March 1941. │ VII │ 642
│ │ │
ECR-24 │Annual report of the Commissar at the │ │
│National Bank of Belgium, covering │ │
│period May 1940-May 1941. │ VII │ 642
│ │ │
ECR-32 │Memorandum from Reich Marshal of the │ │
│Greater German Reich Commissioner for │ │
│the Four Year Plan, 11 June 1941, on │ │
│occupation costs in Belgium and covering│ │
│letters. │ VII │ 667
│ │ │
ECR-35 │Memorandum from Special Commissioner │ │
│West of the Reichskreditkassen, 2 August│ │
│1941. │ VII │ 670
│ │ │
ECR-39 │Memorandum from Military Commander in │ │
│Belgium and Northern France, 2 August │ │
│1941, concerning procurement of │ │
│Occupation Costs in Belgium, and │ │
│covering letter. │ VII │ 671
│ │ │
ECR-59 │Memorandum from Military Commander in │ │
│Belgium and Northern France, 2 October │ │
│1941, on contributions from Belgium to │ │
│the limit of its capacity, and covering │ │
│letter. │ VII │ 676
│ │ │
ECR-72 │Memorandum from Special Commissioner │ │
│West of RKK, 22 December 1941, ordering │ │
│Emission Bank to pay out clearing │ │
│transfer. │ VII │ 681
│ │ │
ECR-89 │Letter from Military Commander in │ │
│Belgium and Northern France, 2 March │ │
│1942, concerning payment for German │ │
│Military Expenditures in Belgium through│ │
│clearing; and letter of transmittal. │ VII │ 682
│ │ │
ECR-104 │Letter from Military Commander in │ │
│Belgium and Northern France, 24 April │ │
│1942, concerning payment of expenses of │ │
│German Armed Forces in Belgium in │ │
│clearing. │ VII │ 685
│ │ │
ECR-106 │Memorandum from Commissar at the │ │
│National Bank of Belgium, 1 May 1942, on│ │
│use of occupation funds for black market│ │
│purchases and political purposes. │ VII │ 686
│ │ │
ECR-115 │Teletype, 27 July 1942, on position of │ │
│Reichsbank regarding requisition of │ │
│Belgian gold. │ VII │ 689
│ │ │
ECR-132 │Report of the Commissar at the National │ │
│Bank of Belgium, 1 December 1942, │ │
│covering period August-October 1942. │ VII │ 690
│ │ │
ECR-142 │Letter from Military Commander in │ │
│Belgium and Northern France, 22 February│ │
│1943, on exchange of RKK notes in │ │
│Belgium. │ VII │ 695
│ │ │
ECR-149 │Third Annual Report of the Commissar at │ │
│the National Bank of Belgium, 5 June │ │
│1943. │ VII │ 700
│ │ │
ECR-155-A │Memorandum from Special Commissioner │ │
│West of Reichskreditkassen, 7 December │ │
│1943, on occupation costs. │ VII │ 716
│ │ │
ECR-166 │Memorandum from Special Commissioner │ │
│West of Reichskreditkassen, 10 May 1944,│ │
│concerning cash situation of Chief │ │
│Paymaster at Military Commander in │ │
│Belgium and Northern France. │ VII │ 718
│ │ │
ECR-172 │Letter from Reichskommissar for Occupied│ │
│Territories of Belgium and Northern │ │
│France, 21 July 1944, concerning │ │
│equalization of monthly balance in giro │ │
│traffic of Reichskreditkassen. │ VII │ 720
│ │ │
ECR-173 │Report of Commissar at the National Bank│ │
│of Belgium, 15 August 1944, on total │ │
│occupation charges and Belgium clearing │ │
│balance. │ VII │ 721
│ │ │
ECR-174 │Report of the Commissar of the │ │
│Netherlands Bank for the month May 1941,│ │
│dated 12 June 1941. │ VII │ 726
│ │ │
ECR-175 │Letter from RKK Amsterdam to Central │ │
│Administration of RKK Brussels, 18 May │ │
│1941, concerning occupation costs. │ VII │ 732
│ │ │
ECR-176 │Letter from RKK Amsterdam to Central │ │
│Administration of RKK Brussels, 27 May │ │
│1941, concerning occupation costs. │ VII │ 733
│ │ │
ECR-177 │Letter from RKK Amsterdam to Central │ │
│Administration of RKK Berlin, 30 June │ │
│1941, concerning occupation costs. │ VII │ 735
│ │ │
ECR-178 │Letter from RKK Amsterdam to Central │ │
│Administration of RKK Berlin, 25 July │ │
│1941, concerning occupation costs. │ VII │ 735
│ │ │
ECR-179 │Letter from RKK Amsterdam to Central │ │
│Administration of RKK Berlin, 28 August │ │
│1941, concerning occupation costs. │ VII │ 735
│ │ │
ECR-180 │Letter from RKK Amsterdam to Central │ │
│Administration of RKK Berlin, 30 │ │
│September 1941, concerning occupation │ │
│costs. │ VII │ 736
│ │ │
ECR-181 │Letter from RKK Amsterdam to Central │ │
│Administration of RKK Berlin, 28 October│ │
│1941, concerning occupation costs. │ VII │ 737
│ │ │
ECR-182 │Letter from RKK Amsterdam to Central │ │
│Administration of RKK Berlin, 29 │ │
│November 1941, concerning occupation │ │
│costs. │ VII │ 737
│ │ │
ECR-183 │Letter from RKK Amsterdam to Central │ │
│Administration of RKK Berlin, 6 January │ │
│1942, concerning occupation costs. │ VII │ 738
│ │ │
ECR-184 │Letter from RKK Amsterdam to Central │ │
│Administration of RKK Berlin, 30 January│ │
│1942, concerning occupation costs. │ VII │ 739
│ │ │
ECR-185 │Letter from RKK Amsterdam to Central │ │
│Administration of RKK Berlin, 27 │ │
│February 1942, concerning occupation │ │
│costs. │ VII │ 740
│ │ │
ECR-186 │Letter from RKK Amsterdam to Central │ │
│Administration of RKK Berlin, 28 March │ │
│1942, concerning occupation costs. │ VII │ 740
│ │ │
ECR-187 │Letter from RKK Amsterdam to Central │ │
│Administration of RKK Berlin, 30 April │ │
│1942, concerning occupation costs. │ VII │ 741
│ │ │
ECR-188 │Letter from RKK Amsterdam to Central │ │
│Administration of RKK Berlin, 13 July │ │
│1942, concerning occupation costs. │ VII │ 742
│ │ │
ECR-189 │Letter from RKK Amsterdam to Central │ │
│Administration of RKK Berlin, 13 August │ │
│1942, concerning occupation costs. │ VII │ 743
│ │ │
ECR-190 │Letter from RKK Amsterdam to Central │ │
│Administration of RKK Berlin, 31 August │ │
│1942, concerning occupation costs. │ VII │ 743
│ │ │
ECR-191 │Letter from RKK Amsterdam to Central │ │
│Administration of RKK Berlin, 30 │ │
│September 1942, concerning occupation │ │
│costs. │ VII │ 744
│ │ │
ECR-192 │Letter from RKK Amsterdam to Central │ │
│Administration of RKK Berlin, 6 November│ │
│1942, concerning occupation costs. │ VII │ 744
│ │ │
ECR-193 │Letter from RKK Amsterdam to Central │ │
│Administration of RKK Berlin, 7 December│ │
│1942, concerning occupation costs. │ VII │ 745
│ │ │
ECR-194 │Letter of Commissar at the Netherlands │ │
│Bank Amsterdam, enclosing report on │ │
│contributions of Holland for Germany │ │
│during the first year of occupation, 28 │ │
│May 1941. │ VII │ 745
│ │ │
ECR-195 │Letter from RKK Amsterdam to Central │ │
│Administration of RKK Berlin, 21 April │ │
│1942, concerning Dutch East Help. │ VII │ 747
│ │ │
ECR-196 │Report of the Commissar of the │ │
│Netherlands Bank, 9 May 1941. │ VII │ 748
│ │ │
ECR-197 │Circular of the Reichsminister of │ │
│Economics in foreign exchange matters, │ │
│31 March 1941. │ VII │ 749
│ │ │
*L-70 │Speech by Himmler at Bad Schachen, 14 │ │
│October 1943, on the Question of │ │
│Security. (USA 308) │ VII │ 818
│ │ │
*L-221 │Bormann report on conference of 16 July │ │
│1941, concerning treatment of Eastern │ │
│populations and territories. (USA 317) │ VII │ 1086
│ │ │
*R-92 │Instruction for internal use on │ │
│application of law concerning property │ │
│of Poles of 17 September 1940; copy of │ │
│monthly report 31 May 1942 with │ │
│statistics on farms and estates seized │ │
│and confiscated in the Incorporated │ │
│Eastern Territories; copy of letter from│ │
│SS officer to Himmler, 20 November 1940.│ │
│(USA 312) │ VIII │ 61
│ │ │
*R-112 │Orders issued by Reich Commissioner for │ │
│the Consolidation of German nationhood, │ │
│16 February 1942, 1 July 1942, 28 July │ │
│1942. (USA 309) │ VIII │ 108
│ │ │
*R-114 │Memoranda of conferences, 4 and 18 │ │
│August 1942, concerning directions for │ │
│treatment of deported Alsatians. (USA │ │
│314) │ VIII │ 122
Chapter XIV
THE PLUNDER OF ART TREASURES
1. THE EINSATZSTAB ROSENBERG
A. _Formation, Purpose, Powers._
On 29 January 1940 Hitler issued a decree in the following terms:
“The ‘Hohe Schule’ is supposed to become the center for national
socialistic ideological and educational research. It will be
established after the conclusion of the war. I order that the
already initiated preparations be continued by Reichsleiter
Alfred Rosenberg, especially in the way of research and the
setting up of the library.
“All sections of Party and State are requested to cooperate with
him in this task.” (_136-PS_)
What began as a project for the establishment of a research library
developed into a project for the seizure of cultural treasures.
(_141-PS_)
On 1 March 1942 Hitler issued a decree in which he asserted that Jews,
Freemasons, and affiliated opponents of National Socialism are the
authors of the War against the Reich, and that a systematic spiritual
battle against them is a military necessity. The decree thereupon
authorized Rosenberg to search libraries, archives, lodges, and cultural
establishments, to seize relevant material from these establishments as
well as cultural treasures which were the property or in the possession
of Jews, which were ownerless, or the origin of which could not be
clearly established. The decree directed the cooperation of the
_Wehrmacht_ High Command and indicated that Rosenberg’s activities in
the West were to be conducted in his capacity as Reichsleiter and in the
East in his capacity as Reichsminister. (_149-PS_)
This decree was implemented by a letter from Dr. Lammers, Reichsminister
and Chief of Chancellory, directed to the “Highest Reich Authorities and
the Services directly subordinate to the Fuehrer.” The letter reiterated
the terms of the Hitler decree and requested support of the Reich
authorities in Rosenberg’s fulfillment of his task. (_154-PS_)
B. _Scope of Activities._
Rosenberg’s activities in fulfillment of the above decrees were
extended, in the West, to France (_138-PS_), Belgium (_139-PS_), the
Netherlands (_140-PS_), Luxembourg (_137-PS_), and Norway and Denmark.
(_159-PS_)
In the East activities were carried out throughout the Occupied Eastern
Territories (_153-PS_), including the Baltic states and the Ukraine
(_151-PS_), as well as in Hungary (_158-PS_), Greece (_171-PS_), and
Yugoslavia. (_071-PS_)
The function of the Rosenberg Organization included not only the seizure
of books and scientific materials specified in the original Hitler Order
(_171-PS_), but the seizure of private art treasures (_1015-B-PS_),
public art treasures (_055-PS_), and household furnishings. (_L-188_)
C. _Cooperating Agencies._
On 5 July 1940 Keitel (Chief of the OKW) informed the Chief of the Army
High Command (OKH) and the Chief of the Armed Forces in The Netherlands
that the Fuehrer had ordered that Rosenberg’s suggestion be followed, to
the effect that certain libraries and archives, chancelleries of high
church authorities, and lodges be searched for documents valuable to
Germany or indicating political maneuvers directed against Germany, and
that such material be seized. The letter further stated that Hitler had
ordered the support of the Gestapo and that the Chief of the Sipo
(Security Police), SS-Gruppenfuehrer Heydrich, had been informed and
would communicate with the competent military commanders. (_137-PS_)
Keitel issued a further order to the Chief of the OKH, France, on 17
September 1940, providing:
“The ownership status before the war in France, prior to the
declaration of war on 1 September 1939, shall be the criterion.
“Ownership transfers to the French state or similar transfers
completed after this date are irrelevant and legally invalid
(for example, Polish and Slovak libraries in Paris, possessions
of the Palais Rothschild or other ownerless Jewish possessions).
Reservations regarding search, seizure and transportation to
Germany on the basis of the above reasons will not be
recognized.
“Reichsleiter Rosenberg and/or his deputy
Reichshauptstellenleiter Ebert has received clear instructions
from the Fuehrer personally governing the right of seizure; he
is entitled to transport to Germany cultural goods which appear
valuable to him and to safeguard them there. The Fuehrer has
reserved for himself the decision as to their use.
“It is requested that the services in question be informed
correspondingly.” (_138-PS_)
The above order was extended to Belgium on 10 October 1940 (_139-PS_),
and an identical order was issued by the Chief of the OKH to the Armed
Forces Commander in The Netherlands on 17 September 1940. (_140-PS_)
Hitler’s order of 1 March 1942 stated:
“Directions for carrying out this order in cooperation with the
Wehrmacht will be issued by the Chief of the Wehrmacht High
Command in agreement with Reichsleiter Rosenberg.” (_149-PS_)
Dr. Lammers’ order of 5 July 1942 declared that the Chief of the OKH, in
agreement with Keitel, would issue regulations governing the cooperation
with the Wehrmacht and the Police Services for assistance in making
seizures. (_154-PS_)
An official of the Rosenberg Ministry for the Occupied East declared the
Wehrmacht to be one of the primary agencies engaged in removing art
treasures from Russia. (_1107-PS_)
Cooperation of the SS and the SD was indicated by Rosenberg in a letter
to Bormann on 23 April 1941:
“* * * It is understood that the confiscations are not executed
by the regional authorities but that this is conducted by the
Security Service as well as by the police. * * * it has been
communicated to me in writing by a Gauleiter, that the chief
office of the Reich Security (RSHA) of the SS has claimed the
following from the library of a monastery: * * *.” (_071-PS_)
The above letter also points out that there has been
“* * * close cooperation on the widest scale with the Security
Service and the military commanders. * * *
“This affair (Operations in Salonika) has already been executed
on our side with the Security Service (SD) in the most loyal
fashion.” (_071-PS_)
The National Socialist Party financed the operations of the _Einsatzstab
Rosenberg_. (_090-PS_; _145-PS_)
In a letter to Goering, 18 June 1942, Rosenberg voiced the opinion that
all art objects and other confiscated items should belong to the
National Socialist Party because the Party has been bearing the brunt of
the battle against the persons and forces from whom this property was
taken. (_1118-PS_)
D. _Cooperation of Hermann Goering._
On 5 November 1940, Goering issued an order specifying the distribution
to be made of art objects brought to the Louvre. The order lists as
second in priority of disposition, “Those art objects which serve to the
completion of the Reichsmarshal’s collection” and states that the
objects will “be packed and shipped to Germany with the assistance of
the Luftwaffe.” (_141-PS_)
On 1 May 1941 Goering issued an order to all Party, State, and Wehrmacht
Services requesting them:
“* * * to give all possible support and assistance to the Chief
of Staff of Reichsleiter Rosenberg’s Staff,
Reichshauptstellenleiter Party Comrade Utikal, and his deputy
DRK-Feldfuehrer Party Comrade von Behr, in the discharge of
their duties. The above-mentioned persons are requested to
report to me on their work, particularly on any difficulties
that might arise.” (_1117-PS_)
On 30 May 1942, Goering claimed credit for the success of the
_Einsatzstab_:
“* * * On the other hand I also support personally the work of
your _Einsatzstab_ wherever I can do so, and a great part of the
seized cultural goods can be accounted for because I was able to
assist the _Einsatzstab_ by my organizations.” (_1015-I-PS_)
E. _Method of Operation._
The staff of the _Einsatzstab Rosenberg_ seized not only “abandoned” art
treasures but also treasures which had been hidden, or were left in the
custody of depots or warehouses, including art treasures that were
already packed for shipment to America. (_1015-B-PS_)
Robert Scholz, Chief of the Special Staff for Pictorial Art, described
the thoroughness with which the _Einsatzstab_ conducted investigations
and seizures:
“* * * These seizures were carried out on the basis of
preliminary exhaustive investigations into the address lists of
the French Police authorities, on the basis of Jewish handbooks,
warehouse inventories and order books of French shipping firms
as well as on the basis of French art and collection catalogs.
“* * * The seizure of ownerless Jewish works of art has
gradually extended over the whole French territory.”
(_1015-B-PS_)
In the East, members of Rosenberg’s staff operated directly behind the
front in close cooperation with the infantry. (_035-PS_)
Von Behr, in a progress report dated 8 August 1944, described the method
of seizing household furnishings:
“The confiscation of Jewish homes was effected in most cases in
such a way that the so-called confiscation officials went from
house to house when no records were available of the addresses
of Jews who had departed or fled, as was the case for example,
in Paris * * * They drew up inventories of these homes and
subsequently sealed them . . . . . . . . .
“The goods are dispatched first, to large collecting camps from
where they are turned over, sorted out and loaded for Germany.
“* * * work shops were established for cabinet-makers,
watchmakers, shoemakers, electricians, radio experts, furriers,
etc. All incoming goods were diligently sorted out and those not
ready for use were repaired. Moreover special boxes were
dispatched for the use of special trades * * *
“For the sorting out of the confiscated furniture and goods on
the invisible assembly line and for the packing and loading,
exclusive use was made of interned Jews. Because of its
experience as to confiscation, as to working systems within the
camps, and as to transportation, the Office West was able to
reorganize their entire working system and thus to succeed in
providing for the use in Germany of even things which appeared
to be valueless such as scrap paper, rags, salvage, etc. * * *”
(_L-188_).
F. _Nature, Extent, and Value of Property Seized._
(1) _Books, manuscripts, documents, and incunabula._ A report on the
library of the “_Hohe Schule_,” prepared by Dr. Wunder, lists the most
significant book collections belonging to the library and confiscated by
the _Einsatzstab Rosenberg_ in accordance with the orders of the
Fuehrer, as follows (_171-PS_):
(approx.)
Alliance Israelite Universelle 40,000 Vols.
Ecole Rabbinique 10,000 Vols.
Federation de Societé des Juifs de France 4,000 Vols.
Lipschuetz Bookstore, Paris 20,000 Vols.
Rothschild Family, Paris 28,000 Vols.
Rosenthaliana, Amsterdam 20,000 Vols.
Sefardischen Jewish Community, Amsterdam 25,000 Vols.
Occupied Eastern Territories 280,000 Vols.
Jewish Community, Greece 10,000 Vols.
“Special Action”, Rhineland 5,000 Vols.
Other sources 100,000 Vols.
———
552,000
An undated report on the activities of the _Einsatzstab_ Working Group,
Netherlands, lists Masonic Lodges and other organizations whose
libraries and archives have been seized. The report states that 470
cases of books had already been packed and reports materials seized from
92 separate lodges of the “_Droit Humain_”, the “_Groot Oosten_”, the
“IOOF” and the “Rotary Club”. An additional 776 cases containing
approximately 160,000 volumes were seized from the International
Institute for Social History at Amsterdam. An additional 170 cases were
seized from the “Theosophischen Society” and other organizations.
(_176-PS_)
The report further states that the value of the above works is between
30 million and 40 million Reichsmarks. Additional materials to be
derived from other sources, including 100,000 volumes from the
“Rosenthaliana” collection, are estimated to have a value of three times
that of the above, or an additional 90 million to 120 million
Reichsmarks. The estimated over-all value is thus between 120 and 160
million Reichsmarks. (_176-PS_)
(2) _Household furnishings._ The entire furniture seizure action, known
as “Action M”, is summarized in a report of Von Behr, Chief of the
Office West, dated 8 August 1944. The report furnishes the following
statistics on results up to 1 July 1944:
Jewish homes confiscated 71,619
Loading capacity required cu. ms. 1,079,373
Railroad cars required 26,984
Foreign currency and securities
confiscated RM 11,695,516
Scrap metal, scrap paper, and textiles
dispatched kgms. 3,191,352
(_L-188_)
The report goes on to list in detail the number of boxes of
miscellaneous items seized, including china (199 boxes), curtains (72
boxes), coat hangers (120 boxes), toys (99 boxes), bottles (730 boxes),
etc. The report concludes with an itemized statement of the number of
wagons dispatched to various cities throughout Germany, to German camps,
to SS Divisions, the German State Railways, the Postal Service, and the
Police. (_L-188_)
(3) _Works of Art (East)._ With reference to the work of the
_Einsatzstab_ in the Eastern Territories, Robert Scholz reported as
follows:
“In the course of the evacuation of the territory several
hundred most valuable Russian ikons, several hundred Russian
paintings of the 18th and 19th centuries, individual articles of
furniture and furniture from castles were saved in cooperation
with the individual Army Groups, and brought to a shelter in the
Reich.” (_1015-B-PS_)
In August 1943, just prior to the loss of Charcow by the Germans, 300
paintings of West European masters and Ukrainian painters, and 25
valuable Ukrainian carpets, mostly from the Charcow museum, were packed
and shipped by the _Einsatzstab_. (_707-PS_)
Reporting on the withdrawal from the Ukraine, Staff Director Utikal
accounted for the removal of the following materials:
From the Museum of Art at Charcow:
Ukrainian paintings 96
Western European paintings 185
Wood carvings and etchings 12
Carpets and tapestries 25
From the Ukrainian museum in Kiev:
Textiles of all sorts.
Collection of valuable embroidery patterns.
Collection of brocades.
Numerous items of wood, etc. (_035-PS_)
In addition Utikal reported shipment of a total of 131 cases containing:
10,186 books, the catalog of the “East” library, art folios, samples of
magazines, Bolshevist pictures, and Bolshevist films. Utikal also
stated:
“Moreover an essential part of the prehistoric museum was
transported away.” (_035-PS_)
Another report on the shipment of works of art from the Ukraine, 12
September 1944, indicated the value of the contents of 85 chests of art
objects:
“There are a great many of the oldest ikons, works of famous
masters of the German, Dutch and Italian schools of the 16th,
17th and 18th centuries, as well as works of the best Russian
artists of the 18th and 19th centuries. On the whole, the
contents include the most valuable works of the known Ukrainian
art possession, which in themselves represent a value of many
millions after a cursory appraisal.” (_055-PS_)
Attached to the above report is a detailed inventory listing hundreds of
individual objects.
Additional evidence as to the extent of material seized in Kiev is found
in a secret note, 17 June 1944, dealing with measures taken prior to the
Russian Occupation. The note reported the taking of materials from
museums, archives, institutions, etc., during the autumn of 1943 on the
order of the _Einsatzstab_ and of the Reichs-commissar. During October
there were sent to the Reich 40 railway trucks, carrying mostly goods
belonging to the Central Research Institute of the Ukraine. The report
concluded with the statement that when the Soviets entered the town
nothing of value was left. (_1109-PS_)
On 28 September 1941, the General Commissar for White Ruthenia reported
the seizure of art treasures in the area of Minsk, destined for
Konigsberg and Linz. The value of these confiscations was stated to
amount to millions of marks. (_1099-PS_)
(4) _Works of Art (West)._ The Robert Scholz report declared that:
“During the period from March 1941 to July 1944, the Special
Staff for Pictorial Art brought into the Reich:
_29 large shipments_ including _137 freight cars_ with _4,174
cases of art works_.” (_1015-B-PS_)
The report stated that a total of 21,903 art objects of all types had
been counted and inventoried, and stated:
“With this scientific inventory of a material unique in its
scope and importance and of a value hitherto unknown to art
research, the Special Staff for Pictorial Art has conducted a
work important to the entire field of art. _This inventory work
will form the basis of an all-inclusive scientific catalog in
which should be recorded history, scope and scientific and
political significance of this historically unique art
seizure._” (_1015-B-PS_)
The following is a summary of the inventory attached to the report:
Paintings 10,890
Plastics 583
Furniture 2,477
Textiles 583
Hand-made art objects 5,825
East Asiatic objects 1,286
Antiquities 259
———
Total 21,903
(_1015-B-PS_)
The report stated that the above figures would be increased since
seizures in the West were not yet completed and it had not been possible
to make a scientific inventory of part of the seized objects because of
the lack of experts. (_1015-B-PS_)
As early as 28 January 1941, Rosenberg stated, with reference to
properties seized in France alone:
“* * * the value involved will come close to a billion
Reichsmarks.” (_090-PS_)
Scholz, in his report on activities from March 1941 to July 1944,
expressed the value of the seizures as follows:
“The extraordinary artistic and material value of the seized art
works cannot be expressed in figures. The paintings, period
furniture of the 17th and 18th Centuries, the Gobelins, the
antiques and renaissance jewelry of the Rothschild’s are objects
of such a unique character that their evaluation is impossible,
since no comparable values have so far appeared on the art
market.
“A short report, moreover, can only hint at the artistic worth
of the collections. Among the seized paintings, pastels and
drawings there are several hundred works of the first quality,
masterpieces of European art, which could take first place in
any museum. Included therein are absolutely authenticated signed
works of Rembrandt Van Rijn, Rubens, Frans Hals, Vermeer van
Delft, Valasquez, Murillo, Goya, Sebastiano del Piombo, Palma
Vecchio, etc.
“Of first importance among the seized paintings are the works of
the famous French painters of the 18th Century, with
masterpieces of Boucher, Watteau, Rigaud, Largielliere, Rattler,
Fragonard, Pater, Danloux and de Troy.
“This collection can compare with those of the best European
museums. It includes many works of the foremost French masters,
who up to now have been only inadequately represented in the
best German museums. Very important also is the representation
of masterpieces of the Dutch Painters of the 17th and 18th
Centuries. First of all should be mentioned the works of Van
Dyck, Saloman and Jacob Ruisdal, Wouvermann, Terborch, Jan
Weenix, Gabriel Metsu, Adrian van Ostade, David Teniers, Pieter
de Hooch, Willem van der Velde, etc.
“Of foremost importance also are the represented works of
English painting of the 18th and early 19th centuries, with
masterpieces of Reynolds, Romney, and Gainsborough. Cranach and
Amberger, among the German masters, should be mentioned.
“The collection of French furniture of the 17th and 18th
centuries is perhaps even more highly to be evaluated. This
contains hundreds of the best preserved and, for the most part,
signed works of the best known cabinet-makers from the period
between Louis XIV to Louis XVI. Since German cabinetmakers
played an important part in this golden age of French cabinetry,
now recognized for the first time in the field of art, this
collection is of paramount importance.
“The collection of Gobelins and Persian tapestries contains
numerous world-famous objects. The collection of handicraft
works and the Rothschild collection of renaissance jewelry is
valuable beyond comparison.” (_1015-B-PS_)
The report refers to 25 portfolios of pictures of the most valuable
works of the art collections seized in the West, which portfolios were
presented to the Fuehrer. Ten additional portfolios are stated to be
attached to the report and additional portfolios are said to be in
preparation. Thirty-nine leatherbound volumes prepared by the
_Einsatzstab_ contain photographs of paintings, textiles, furniture,
candelabra, and numerous other objects of art and illustrate the
magnitude and value of the collection made by _Einsatzstab Rosenberg_.
2. THE GENERAL-GOUVERNEMENT
A. _Confiscatory Laws and Decrees_
In October 1939 Goering issued a verbal order to Dr. Muehlmann asking
him to undertake the immediate securing of all Polish art treasures.
(_1709-PS_)
On 15 November 1939, Hans Frank, Governor-General for the Occupied
Polish Territories, issued a decree providing in part:
“Article 1. 1. All movable and stationary property of the Former
Polish State * * * will be sequestered for the purpose of
securing all manner of public valuables.” (_1773-PS_).
On 16 December 1939, Frank issued a decree providing in part:
“Article 1. All art objects in public possession in the General
Gouvernement will be confiscated for the fulfillment of public
tasks of common interest insofar as it has not already been
seized under the decree on the confiscation of the wealth of the
former Polish State in the General Gouvernement of 15 November
1939 (_Verordnungsblatt GGP_, p. 37).
“Article 2. With the exception of art collections and art
objects which were the property of the former Polish State, art
objects will be considered as owned by the public:
“1. Private art collections which have been taken under
protection by the special commissioner for the seizure and
safekeeping of the art and cultural treasures.
“2. All ecclesiastical art property with the exception of those
objects required for the daily performance of liturgic actions.
“Article 3. 1. In order to determine whether art objects are
public property in the sense of this regulation, every private
and ecclesiastical art possession has to be registered with
exact data on the kind, nature and number of pieces.
“2. Everyone who possessed or at the present time is in
possession of or else is entitled to dispose of such objects of
art since 15 March 1939, is obliged to register the same.”
(_1773-PS_)
In order to implement the above decree, the following registration
decree was issued in the name of the Governor-General by Dr. Muehlmann,
Special Deputy for the Securing of Art Treasures:
“Article 2. 1. Objects of artistic, cultural-historical and
historical value which originate from the time before 1850, have
to be registered.
“2. The registration includes the following:
“_a._ Paintings.
“_b._ Sculpture.
“_c._ Products of handicraft (for instance antique
furniture, chinaware, glass, golden and silver objects,
Gobelins, rugs, embroideries, lacework, paramente,
etc.).
“_d._ Drawings, engravings, woodcuts, etc.
“_e._ Rare manuscripts, musical manuscripts, autographs,
book-paintings, miniatures, prints, covers, etc.
“_f._ Weapons, armors, etc.
“_g._ Coins, medals, seals, etc.
“3. Regarding the art objects mentioned in section 2, detailed
information has to be given if possible, on the master, the time
of production, the contents of the representation, measurements
and material (for instance, wood, canvas, bronze, etc.).”
(_1773-PS_)
The seizures authorized by the above decrees ripened into confiscation
and assumption of ownership by the General Gouvernement, with the
issuance of the following decree by Frank on 24 September 1940:
“Article 1. The property sequestered on the basis of Article 1,
section 1 of the decree on the confiscation of the wealth of the
former Polish State within the General Gouvernement of 15
November 1939 (_Verordnungsblatt GGP_, page 37) will be
transferred to the ownership of the General Gouvernement.”
(_1773-PS_)
Heinrich Himmler, as Reichscommissioner for the Strengthening of
Germanism, issued an “urgent decree” to the regional officers of the
Secret Police in the Annexed Eastern Territories and the Commanders of
Security Service in Krakau (Charkow), Radom, Warsaw, and Lublin. The
decree, 1 December 1939, was circulated on 16 December 1939, the same
date as the promulgation of the decree of Dr. Muehlmann, above referred
to (_1773-PS_). The Himmler decree contained administrative directions
for execution of the Art Seizure program. (_R-143_)
B. _Purpose of Art Seizures._
The purpose of the Seizure Program is indicated in the aforementioned
Himmler decree:
“I
“1. To strengthen Germanism in the defense of the Reich all
articles mentioned in Section II of this decree are hereby
confiscated. This applies to all articles located in the
territories annexed by the Fuehrer’s and Reich Chancellor’s
decree of 12/10/39, and the General Government for the Occupied
Polish Territories. They are confiscated for the benefit of the
German Reich and are at the disposal of the Reich Commissioner
for the Strengthening of Germanism.”
* * * * * *
IV
“All confiscations made before this decree by authorities of the
Reich Fuehrer SS and the Chief of German Police and the Reich
Commissioner for the Strengthening of Germanism are hereby
confirmed. They are to be regarded as made for the benefit of
the German Reich and are at the disposal of the Reich
Commissioner for the Strengthening of Germanism.” (_R-143_)
The methodical nature of the Art Seizure Program, and the existence of a
general policy of confiscation of art treasures, is indicated in section
V of Himmler’s decree:
“In due course the usual questionnaires for cataloguing
confiscated articles are to be sent to the Chief Custodian
East.” (_R-143_)
The intention to enrich Germany by the seizures rather than merely to
protect the seized objects is indicated in a report by Dr. Hans Posse,
Director of the Dresden State Picture Gallery:
“I was able to gain some knowledge on the public and private
collections as well as clerical property in Cracow and Warsaw.
It is true that we cannot hope too much to enrich ourselves from
the acquisition of great Art works, of paintings and sculptures,
with the exception of the Veit-Stoss Altar and the plates of
Hans Von Kulmbach in the Church of Maria in Cracow . . . . . .
and several other works from the National Museum in Warsaw. * *
*” (_1600-PS_)
The avowed purpose of the art treasure seizures was the promulgation of
German Culture throughout the Occupied East:
“* * * the result is put down in the catalogue together with
reproductions, and this is a definite proof of the penetration
of the East by the German Cultural urge.” (_1233-PS_)
C. _Nature, Extent, and Value of Property Seized._
Virtually the entire art possession of Poland, private as well as
public, was seized by the General Gouvernement (_1233-PS_). In a
catalogue of the more important works of art seized by the General
Gouvernement, paragraph 1 of the Foreword contains the following
admission:
“On the basis of the decree of the General Governor for the
Occupied Polish Territories of December 16, 1939, the Special
Delegate for the Safeguarding of Treasures of Art and Culture
was able in the course of six months to secure almost the entire
art treasure of the country, with one single exception: the
Flemish Gobelin series from the castle in Cracow. According to
the latest information, these are kept in France, so that it
will be possible to secure them eventually.” (_1233-PS_)
The nature and extent of materials seized by the General Gouvernement is
indicated in Document _1709-PS_. The document inventories the objects
seized, and divides them into two classifications: those of primary
importance (“Reich-important”), and those of secondary importance.
Articles of primary importance, totaling 521 separate objects, are also
set forth in a descriptive catalogue. (_1233-PS_)
The articles catalogued include paintings by German, Italian, Dutch,
French, and Spanish masters, rare illustrated books, Indian and Persian
miniatures, woodcuts, the famous Veit-Stoss hand-carved altar,
handicraft articles of gold and silver, antique furniture, articles of
crystal, glass and porcelain, tapestries, antique weapons, rare coins,
and medals. The objects were seized from both public and private
sources, including the National Museum in Cracow and the National Museum
in Warsaw, the cathedrals of Warsaw and Lublin, a number of churches and
monasteries, the Chateau of the Kings in Warsaw, university and other
libraries, and a large number of private collections of the Polish
nobility. (_1709-PS_)
Items placed in the second category are of the same nature as those
placed in category I. Approximately 500 separate items are catalogued,
many of the items including a large number of separate objects treated
under a single catalogue heading. (_1709-PS_)
The value of the objects seized from 22 collections is stated to be
9,437,000 Zloty. The materials referred to are only a portion of those
selected as being of secondary importance. No valuation is given as to
the balance of the items of secondary importance or as to the 521
objects selected as being of primary importance. (_1709-PS_)
D. _Evidence That Seizures Were Not Merely for Protective Purposes._
In Dr. Posse’s report (_1600-PS_), a number of items are referred to
which may be found in the catalogue of art objects “made secure”
(_1233-PS_):
“I was able to gain some knowledge on the public and private
collections as well as clerical property in Cracow and Warsaw.
It is true that we cannot hope too much to enrich ourselves from
the acquisition of great Art works, of paintings and sculptures,
with the exception of the Veit-Stoss altar and the plates of
Hans von Kulmbach in the Church of Maria in Cracow, the Raphael,
Leonardo and Rembrandt from the collection Czartoryski, and
several other works from the National Museum in Warsaw, * * *
works of a rather high value of whose existence we in Germany
had already known. Richer and more extensive is the Polish stock
of ‘objects d’art’, such as handicraft in gold and silver, of
German origin to a large part, particularly from the Church of
Maria and the Cathedral of Wawel, tapestries, arms, porcelains,
furniture, bronzes, coins, valuable parchment scrips, books,
etc. * * *”
* * * * * *
“As I said before, I shall not be able to make proposals
regarding the distribution as long as an inventory of the entire
material does not exist. However, I should like to reserve for
the museum at Linz the three most important paintings of the
Czartoryski collection, namely the Raphael, Leonardo and
Rembrandt which are at present in the Kaiser-Frederick Museum in
Berlin. We in Dresden are particularly interested in the
interior decorations of the castle of the Kings in Warsaw since
Saxonian architects and artists have created them; therefore,
the suggestion is made that the salvaged parts of it
(panellings, doors, inlaid floors, sculptures, mirrors,
glass-chandeliers, porcelains, etc.) be used for the interior
decoration of the Pavillion of the ‘Zivinges’ in Dresden.”
(_1600-PS_)
The following items listed in the above report are also listed in the
catalogue:
_Item_ _Catalog No._
Veit-Stoss Altar 241
Hans Vol Kulmbach Works 22
Raphael 141
Leonardo 134
Rembrandt 81
Church of Maria Handicraft 262-265, 279, 280
From Jagellonic Library 166, 167, 186, 199-203, 206,
209, 212, 215-224
(_See 1233-PS_; _1600-PS_.)
Appendix 8 of Document _1709-PS_ lists a large number of objects which
were turned over to Architect Koettgen. The items listed include, in
addition to paintings, tapestries, etc., plates, dishes, cups and
saucers, vases, cream pitchers, glasses, a bread basket, a service tray,
and other items of table service. These objects were turned over to the
architect for the purpose of furnishing the Castle at Cracow and Schloss
Kressendorf for the Governor. (_1709-PS_)
A number of objects were transported out of Poland and placed in Berlin
in the Depot of the Special Deputy or in the safe of the Deutsche Bank
(_1709-PS_). Items at this location are also listed in the catalog
(_1233-PS_) as numbers 4, 17, 27, 35, 42, 45, 47, 51, 138, 141, 145, and
148.
Thirty-one sketches by Durer were taken from the collection Lubomierski
in Lemberg:
“The Special Deputy has personally handed over these sketches in
July 1941 to the Reichsmarshal who took them to the Fuehrer at
headquarters where they remain at the present time. On express
direction of the Fuehrer they will stay in his possession for
the time being.” (_1709-PS_)
All art objects seized were screened for those which were important from
the German point of view:
“The Reich-important pieces were collected in a catalogue of the
so called ‘First Choice’. One copy of this catalogue has been
submitted to the Fuehrer who reserved to himself the first
decision as to location and use of the art objects of the ‘First
Choice’”. (_1709-PS_)
Dr. Muehlmann, the “Special Deputy for the Safeguarding of Art
Treasures” in the General Government, has confirmed that it was the
policy and purpose of the art seizure program to confiscate the art
treasures and to retain them for the benefit of Germany:
“I confirm, that it was the official policy of the Governor General,
Hans Frank, to take into custody all important art treasures, which
belonged to Polish public institutions, private collections and the
Church. I confirm, that the art treasures, mentioned, were actually
confiscated, and it is clear to me, that they would not have remained in
Poland in case of a German victory, but that they would have been used
to complement German artistic property.” (_3042-PS_)
* * * * *
LEGAL REFERENCES AND LIST OF DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE PLUNDER OF ART
TREASURES
Document │ Description │ Vol. │ Page
│ │ │
│Charter of the International Military │ │
│ Tribunal, Article 6 (b). │ I │ 5
│ │ │
│International Military Tribunal, Indictment│ │
│ Number 1, Sections III; VIII (E). │ I │15, 43
│ │ │
3737-PS │Hague Convention of 1907 respecting the │ │
│ Laws and Customs of War on Land, Annex, │ │ 597,
│ Articles 46, 47, 56. │ VI │ 599
│ ————— │ │
│Note: A single asterisk (*) before a │ │
│document indicates that the document was │ │
│received in evidence at the Nurnberg trial.│ │
│A double asterisk (**) before a document │ │
│number indicates that the document was │ │
│referred to during the trial but was not │ │
│formally received in evidence, for the │ │
│reason given in parentheses following the │ │
│description of the document. The USA series│ │
│number, given in parentheses following the │ │
│description of the document, is the │ │
│official exhibit number assigned by the │ │
│court. │ │
│ ————— │ │
*015-PS │Letter and report of Rosenberg to Hitler, │ │
│16 April 1943, concerning seizure of │ │
│ownerless Jewish art possessions. (USA 387)│ III │ 41
│ │ │
035-PS │Report, 26 October 1943, regarding security│ │
│measures by Main Division Ukraine during │ │
│withdrawal of Armed Forces. │ III │ 75
│ │ │
055-PS │Report, 12 September 1944, concerning works│ │
│of art shipped from the Ukraine. │ III │ 99
│ │ │
*071-PS │Rosenberg letter to Bormann, 23 April 1941,│ │
│replying to Bormann’s letter of 19 April │ │
│1941 (Document 072-PS). (USA 371) │ III │ 119
│ │ │
*090-PS │Letter from Rosenberg to Schwarz, 28 │ │
│January 1941, concerning registration and │ │
│collection of art treasures. (USA 372) │ III │ 148
│ │ │
*136-PS │Certified copy of Hitler Order, 29 January │ │
│1940, concerning establishment of “Hohe │ │
│Schule”. (USA 367) │ III │ 184
│ │ │
*137-PS │Copy of Order from Keitel to Commanding │ │
│General of Netherlands, 5 July 1940, to │ │
│cooperate with the Einsatzstab Rosenberg. │ │
│(USA 379) │ III │ 185
│ │ │
138-PS │Copy of Order from Keitel to Commanding │ │
│General of France, 17 September 1940, to │ │
│cooperate with the Einsatzstab Rosenberg. │ III │ 186
│ │ │
139-PS │Reineke order, 10 October 1940, concerning │ │
│instructions to be given to Military │ │
│Administration in Belgium to cooperate with│ │
│Einsatzstab Rosenberg. │ III │ 187
│ │ │
140-PS │Reineke order, 30 October 1940, │ │
│supplementing order of 17 September 1940 │ │
│(Document 138-PS). │ III │ 187
│ │ │
*141-PS │Goering Order, 5 November 1940, concerning │ │
│seizure of Jewish art treasures. (USA 368) │ III │ 188
│ │ │
*145-PS │Order signed by Rosenberg, 20 August 1941, │ │
│concerning safeguarding the cultural goods │ │
│in the Occupied Eastern Territories. (USA │ │
│373) │ III │ 189
│ │ │
*149-PS │Hitler Order, 1 March 1942, establishing │ │
│authority of Einsatzstab Rosenberg. (USA │ │
│369) │ III │ 190
│ │ │
151-PS │Rosenberg Order, 7 April 1942, concerning │ │
│safeguarding of cultural goods, research │ │
│material and Scientific Institutions in │ │
│Occupied Eastern Territories. │ III │ 191
│ │ │
*153-PS │Rosenberg Order, 27 April 1942, for │ │
│formation of central unit for seizure of │ │
│art treasures in occupied Eastern │ │
│Territories. (USA 381) │ III │ 192
│ │ │
*154-PS │Letter from Lammers to high State and Party│ │
│authorities, 5 July 1942, confirming │ │
│Rosenberg’s powers. (USA 370) │ III │ 193
│ │ │
*158-PS │Message, 1 June 1944, initialled Utikal, │ │
│Chief of Einsatzstab, concerning missions │ │
│in Hungary. (USA 382) │ III │ 199
│ │ │
*159-PS │Message, 6 June 1944, initialled Utikal, │ │
│Chief of Einsatzstab, concerning missions │ │
│in Denmark and Norway. (USA 380) │ III │ 199
│ │ │
*171-PS │Undated report on “Library for Exploration │ │
│of the Jewish Question” by the Hohe Schule │ │
│District Office. (USA 383) │ III │ 200
│ │ │
*176-PS │Report on Einsatzstab Rosenberg, Working │ │
│Group Netherlands, signed Schimmer. (USA │ │
│707) │ III │ 203
│ │ │
707-PS │Letters, June-October 1943 concerning │ │
│evacuation of the museum of Charkow. │ III │ 516
│ │ │
1015-B-PS │Report on activities of Special Staff for │ │
│Pictorial Art, October 1940 to July 1944. │ III │ 666
│ │ │
*1015-I-PS │Letter from Goering to Rosenberg, 30 May │ │
│1942. (USA 385) │ III │ 670
│ │ │
1015-GG-PS │Inventory of art objects—attached to a │ │
│report (Document 1015-B-PS). │ III │ 671
│ │ │
1099-PS │Letter from Kube, General Commissar White │ │
│Ruthenia, to Rosenberg, 28 September 1941. │ III │ 781
│ │ │
1107-PS │Office memorandum, 17 May 1944, in │ │
│Rosenberg Ministry concerning the │ │
│Wehrmacht’s function in removing treasures │ │
│from the USSR. │ III │ 789
│ │ │
1109-PS │Note signed by Dr. Ullman, 17 June 1944, │ │
│concerning Bolshevic Atrocity Propaganda. │ III │ 791
│ │ │
*1117-PS │Goering Order, 1 May 1941 concerning │ │
│establishment of Einsatzstab Rosenberg in │ │
│all Occupied Territories. (USA 384) │ III │ 793
│ │ │
1118-PS │Letter from Rosenberg to Goering, 18 June │ │
│1942, and related correspondence. │ III │ 793
│ │ │
*1233-PS │Printed catalog undated, concerning secured│ │
│objects of art in the Government General │ │
│(Poland). (USA 377) │ III │ 850
│ │ │
*1600-PS │Bormann correspondence, 1940-1941, │ │
│concerning confiscation of religious art │ │
│treasures. (USA 690) │ IV │ 128
│ │ │
*1709-PS │Report of Special Delegate for art │ │
│seizures, July 1943. (USA 378) │ IV │ 211
│ │ │
*1773-PS │Decree on sequestration of property of │ │
│former Polish State in the General │ │
│Government, 15 November 1939, published in │ │
│The Law of the General Government, pp. │ │
│E810, E845, E846. (USA 376) │ IV │ 346
│ │ │
*2523-PS │Account of conversation between Goering and│ │
│Bunjes. (USA 783) │ V │ 258
│ │ │
*3042-PS │Affidavit of Dr. Kajetan Muehlmann, 19 │ │
│November 1945. (USA 375) │ V │ 754
│ │ │
3766-PS │Report prepared by the German Army in │ │
│France 1942 concerning removal of French │ │
│art objects through the German Embassy and │ │
│the Einsatzstab Rosenberg in France. │ VI │ 646
│ │ │
3814-PS │Correspondence between Hans Frank, Lammers │ │
│and various witnesses to the conduct of │ │
│Frank, February 1945. │ VI │ 739
│ │ │
*L-188 │Report of 8 August 1944, on confiscation up│ │
│to 31 July 1944. (USA 386) │ VII │ 1022
│ │ │
R-143 │Himmler decree, 1 December 1939, concerning│ │
│procedure for confiscation of works of art,│ │
│archives, and documents. │ VIII │ 246
TRANSCRIBER NOTES
Punctuation and spelling has been maintained except where obvious
printer errors have occurred including missing periods or commas for
periods. American spelling occurs throughout the document. There are
differences in spellings of cities depending on whether the source is
the prosecutor or part of a quoted statement. Multiple occurrences of
the following spellings which differ and are found throughout this
volume are as follows:
Luxemburg Luxembourg
Esthonia Estonia
Kiew Kiev
Roumania Rumania
Czecho-Slovakia Checkoslovakia
Although some sentences may appear to have incorrect spellings or verb
tenses, the original text has been maintained as presented read into the
record and reflects the actual translations of the various national
documents presented as material for the trial(s). This volume had no
German, Polish, Czech, Russian or other eastern European diacritics,
only French diacritics. As a result, Goering and Fuehrer are spelled
without umlauts throughout.
A correction of fact has been made on page 778 regarding “. . . the
Italian invasion of Greece on 28 November 1940. . . .” It should be “28
October 1940”. In this ebook, “November” is marked with overstrike and
“[October]” has been added.
An attempt has been made to produce this ebook in a format as close as
possible to the original document's presentation and layout. As a
result, the reader will find that the quoted texts in the first six
chapters have indented paragraphs and the remaining chapters have
quotations which are not indented, just as in the original document.
[The end of _Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression (Vol. I)_, by Anonymous.]
End of Project Gutenberg's Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression (Vol. I), by Various