In furtherance of the conspiracy to acquire totalitarian control over
the German people, a law was enacted on 1 December 1936 which
incorporated the entire German youth within the Hitler Youth, thereby
achieving total mobilization of the German youth. And I cite Document
1392-PS, containing that law, 1936 _Reichsgesetzblatt_, Part I, Page
993. The law further provided that the task of educating the German
youth through the Hitler Youth was entrusted to the Reichsleiter of the
German youth in the NSDAP. By this law a monopoly control over the
entire German youth was placed in the hands of the top official, a
Reichsleiter of the Leadership Corps of the Nazi Party, the Defendant
Von Schirach.
On 4 February 1938 the Führer of the Leadership Corps of the Nazi Party,
Hitler, issued a decree in which he took over direct command of the
whole German Armed Forces. I cite Document 1915-PS, 1938
_Reichsgesetzblatt_, Part I, Page 111. Hitler says, “From now on, I take
over directly and personally the command of the whole Armed Forces.”
By virtue of the earlier law of 1 August 1934 Hitler combined the
offices of the Reich President and the Chancellorship. In the final
result, therefore, Hitler was Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, the
Head of the German State, and the Führer of the Nazi Party. With respect
to this, the Party manual states as follows, and I quote from Page 19 of
Document 1893-PS:
“The Führer created the National Socialist German Workers’
Party. He filled it with his spirit and his will, and with it he
conquered the power of the State on 30 January 1933. The
Führer’s will is the supreme law in the Party. . . .
“By authority of the law about the Chief of State of the German
Reich, dated 1 August 1934, the office of the Reich President
has been combined with that of the Reich Chancellery.
Consequently, the powers heretofore possessed by the Reich
President were transferred to the Führer, Adolf Hitler. Through
this law, the conduct of the Party and State has been combined
in one hand. By desire of the Führer, a plebiscite was conducted
on this law on 19 August 1934. On this day, the German people
chose Adolf Hitler to be their sole leader. He is responsible
only to his conscience and to the German nation.”
A decree of 16 January 1942 provided that the Party should participate
in legislation and official appointments and promotions. I cite as proof
Document 2100-PS, which is the English translation of a directive
concerning the application of the Führer decree relating to the Chief of
the Party Chancellery, 1942 _Reichsgesetzblatt_, Part I, Page 35. The
decree further provided that such participation should be undertaken
exclusively by the Defendant Bormann, Chief of the Party Chancellery and
Reichsleiter of the Leadership Corps. The decree provided that the Chief
of the Party Chancellery was to take part in the preparation of all laws
and decrees issued by Reich authorities, including those issued by the
Ministerial Council for Defense of the Reich, and to give his assent to
those of the Länder and of the Reich governors—the Länder being the
German states. All communications between the State and Party
authorities, unless within the Gau only, were to pass through Bormann’s
hands. This decree is of crucial importance in demonstrating the
ultimate control and responsibility imputable to the Leadership Corps
for governmental policy and actions taken in furtherance of the
conspiracy.
On or about the 26th of April 1942 Hitler declared in a speech that in
his capacity as leader of the nation, Supreme Commander of the Armed
Forces, Supreme Head of the Government, and as Führer of the Party, his
right must be recognized to compel with all means at his disposal every
German, whether soldier, judge, State official, or Party official, to
fulfill his desire. He demanded that the Reichstag officially recognize
this asserted right; and on the 26th of April 1942 the Reichstag issued
a decision in which full recognition was given to the rights of the
Führer which I have just asserted. I cite Document 1961-PS, which is the
English translation of that decision, found in 1942 _Reichsgesetzblatt_,