that on his arrival in Radom, he had found a very unpleasant situation
there. His predecessor, Regierungspraesident Ruediger, had _put himself
into_ strongly opposed the Wehrmacht, and Dr. Lasch had first to bring
about a better understanding. Dr. Lasch introduced SS-Oberfuehrer
Katzmann to the Reichsminister as Senior SS and Police Chief attached
to the District Chief of Radom. Brigadefuehrer Globocznik who had been
nominated to that position in Lublin and was just travelling through,
also reported to Dr. Seyss-Inquart.
Dr. Seyss-Inquart and Dr. Lasch now discussed the plan to establish
a messenger center in Radom in order to remedy the bad communication
system between Cracow and Lublin and between Cracow and Warsaw.
According to this plan, mail for all the three northern districts of
Cracow should be taken in 5 hours to Radom by train and from there,
according to the weather, to the respective places of destination
either by NSKK [Nationalsozialistisches Kraftfahrer (Motorists) Korps]
messenger or otherwise. The same procedure should be used for the
return journey. The agency should be called, perhaps: “Messenger agency
of the Governor General in Radom”.
Next, Dr. Lasch gave a report on the work which had already been
done and on that which should still have to be done in the work
of reconstruction and improvement. Here also, lack of personnel
and difficulties in transportation were particularly prominent.
Furthermore, in the district of Radom, the Polish Squadron was said to
be still roving about. The people in question were said to be men who,
during the day, attend to their occupations in civilian clothes and,
at night, commit excesses in uniform. An encounter with the Wehrmacht
was said to have had no success. With the help of a map given the
Reichsminister, Dr. Lasch then explained the consolidation of the
existing 16 districts into 10. Dr. Lasch will not comply with Governor
Dr. Fischer’s expressed wishes to hand over a few communities on the
border of the northern district, as those were the most fertile ones of
the district which, as a whole, was a shortage area.
Regarding the economic question, it was reported that the gun and
iron works in Stachachowitsche had already been taken over by the
“Hermann-Goering-Werke”. Provision should also be made for the
restarting of the whole economy, not only the war economy. In order to
do that, it was particularly necessary that unemployment pay should
no longer be at the rate of 7 Zloty per day or wages at the rate of
3 Zloty. Such a margin offered insufficient incentive to earn one’s
livelihood through work.
The Governor urgently needed experts and other personnel. A medical
officer was especially urgently needed. There was no German physician
in the entire district. Individual cases of epidemics such as typhus
and dysentery had occurred.
Furthermore, a man for the press and propaganda was necessary. There
were eight Polish newspapers in the district who were being attended to
by the District Leaders, but with such a procedure a thorough check was
not possible. The District Chief then stated his intention to submit to
Cracow in the near future a detailed list of the personnel required.
After that, the Governor reported on the set-up of his office which had
several Departments:
1. the Department of Internal Affairs: Supervision over the District
Leaders, Supreme Supervision over the Polish Administration, Justice,
School Affairs, Veterinary Affairs, Medical Affairs, and General
Matters.
2. Department of Forestry and Game Preservation: Preservation of
Forests and Game, Control of the Entire Timber Industry which was here
of particular importance.
3. Department of Economic Affairs: Industry, Commerce, Handicrafts,
Price Control, industrial Market Regulations, Collaboration with
the Agencies of the Four-Year-Plan and the War Economy Inspection
[Wehrwirtschaftsinspektion].
4. Traffic Department: Highway System, Railroad System, Postal System,
Waterways (shall the river Vistula be controlled), Control of the
Biliecza, the boundary between the districts of Radom and Warsaw, which
could have a favorable result upon agricultural productiveness.
5. Department of Food and Agriculture: The district is an agricultural
shortage area. Cultivation must therefore be intensified. For this
purpose a good agricultural organization is necessary. The avoidance
of difficulties in the food supply this winter is mainly a question of
transport. In some areas there is still corn but it must be threshed.
There is no coal for the working of the threshing machines. The salt
mine at Wiliczka delivers salt only in compensation against natural
products.
6. Finance Department: Revenue and expenditure. Concerning “justice”
the governor remarked that too many are being condemned to gaol and
penal servitude, which hereby burdens the district with costs. The
criminals found in the convict prisons were shot. The shootings,
however, were no longer carried out in public but in isolated wooded
regions.
The majority of the intelligentsia have been imprisoned, one must be
careful, however, because the cooperation of these people cannot be
dispensed with, especially the doctors, as they are needed for the
health of the people and as they also must treat the Germans in many
instances. He asks that the governor general issue an order that
caution and reserve be exercised when arresting doctors. Concerning the
Polish jurisdiction the District Chief suggested an “organisation” in
three legal administrative branches:
1. Baronial court [Burggericht]
2. District court [Bezirksgericht]
3. Court of appeals [Kassationsgericht]
The question was then discussed as to in whose name sentences were to
be pronounced and if the Polish authorities were to have some kind of
official seal.
In regard to the communal administration the appointment of Polish
governors (Staros) to administer parts of the district as deputies of
the District Chief with headquarters at his office was discussed. There
are Polish majors in Radom and Czenstochau, and they would also be
appointed to the towns subordinate to the districts. Reichsminister Dr.
Seyss-Inquart pointed out that delegates of the District Chief must be
associated with them. Dr. Lasch added, furthermore, that he intended
to make the communities pay something towards the repair of roads and
other work, executed by means of compulsory labour service or of forced
labour, as expense was caused to districts by such work. The wages
also for free work must be established uniformly for the whole General
Government, as otherwise undesirable movement of workers seeking the
highest salaries would result.
At this point the question of the monopoly of important exchange goods
for the acquiring of agricultural products was discussed. Dr. Lasch
then declared that it was not possible to transport all scrap metal to
the Reich. In the Government there was also a need of scrap metal for
the existing foundries.
Dr. Lasch stated furthermore that he had received a petition to send
5,000 specialists to the Reich.
Regarding the Polish police the opinion was expressed that arming in a
modest way could be carried out and was necessary. The foresters needed
at least a fowling piece to defend themselves against wood thieves and
peasants.
In the case of the founding of an “individual protection”
(Selbstschutz) unit of racial Germans a careful selection and military
training of those selected must take place. According to information
given by Dr. Lasch the Ukrainians are said to be specially qualified to
be policemen.
Dr. Lasch brought up the question as to what should be done with the
destroyed villages.
The tax system could consist mainly of indirect taxes and
contributions, which were to be borne by the communities. A
contribution of 6 Million Zloty must be borne by the Jews in the
district of Radom. In the district of Radom a cooperative buying and
selling society will be founded in order to eliminate the entire Jewish
Commission business.
Reichsminister Dr. Seyss-Inquart then spoke of the regulation provided,
according to which the government should not receive any more motor
fuel from the Reich, but must be dependent on the production of Jaslo
and Kresno the utilization of which, however, was to be determined in
accordance with the principles of the Reich. In this connection the
formation of a trading organization was also discussed.
Dr. Lasch and Brigade-Leader Schmidt then spoke of the intention of
the Wehrmacht to confiscate 54,000 horses. Two studs in the district
he declared district studs. Dr. Seyss-Inquart pointed out that the
possessions of the Polish government were confiscated by decree
and therefore are out of the reach of the Wehrmacht. Finally Dr.
Seyss-Inquart spoke of the plan to publish a general administration
decree for the General Government after a period of development and
elucidation.
Cracow, 22nd November 1939.
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2280-PS
The Reich Commissioner for the Ostland [Baltic countries and White
Russia]
Dept. III Labor policy and social Administration
Riga, 3 May 1943
Labor Group Labor Mobilization 2 F 1/4 b. 1 (O) Kue Ty
To the Commissioner General in Riga
[stamp] Commissioner General Dept. Social Administration 8 May 1943
in Riga 2
_Re_: Recruiting of Manpower in the Baltic Countries for the Reich
territories; here: New quotas agreed upon with GBA Gauleiter Sauckel
on 21 April 1943.
In reference to the basic statements of the Plenipotentiary General for
manpower, Gauleiter Sauckel, on the occasion of his visit to Riga on
21 April 1943, and in view of the critical situation and in disregard
of all contrary considerations, it was decided that a total of 183,000
workers have to be supplied from the Ostland for the Reich territory.
This task must absolutely be accomplished within the next four months
and at the latest must be completed by the end of August. The following
sub-quotas have been established:
_White Ruthenia_: 30,000 youthful workers and 100,000 workers
including families.
Of the families only members capable of productive work will be
counted. All persons 10 years old and up are considered as productive
manpower.
_Lithuania_: 15,000 female workers.
15,000 male workers.
10,000 productive workers from about 2 to 3,000
families
_Latvia_: 10,000 female workers, no male workers
_Estonia_: 3,000 female workers, no male workers
For the benefit of volunteers [Hilfswilligen] no male manpower will
be recruited in Latvia and Estonia. For Estonia also in favor of the
Legion.
All permissible means shall be used to obtain the manpower from _White
Ruthenia_. Do not hesitate to apply unusual measures.
In Lithuania the 15,000 men shall be taken from the current recruitment
of the year groups 19 to 24. The placement of the manpower for
the Reich, excluding volunteers should be one half for the Baltic
countries’ own requirements and one half for Reich requirements. In
case the number of 15,000 workers cannot be thus obtained, the year
groups 12 to 18 shall be recruited until this number has been reached.
The 15,000 female workers shall be obtained from the year groups of 20
to 25. For this purpose the release of 10% of the women from factories
suitable for this purpose, even outside of the age limits set, has been
contemplated. The recruitment of females of the year groups 20 to 25
will follow the examination of males of the year groups 19 to 24.
Furthermore, the recruitment of about 2 to 3,000 families from
Lithuania is contemplated, which should contain a total of 10,000
productive workers.
In consideration of local requirements and the already accomplished
recruiting for the Legion and volunteers and of those volunteers still
to be provided by means of re-examining the year groups 19 to 24, the
recruitment of male manpower in Latvia has been dispensed with.
The 10,000 female workers will be recruited from the year groups 20 to
25. Here also a release of 10% from factories is provided for, should
the age limits fail to provide sufficient workers.
Estonia will provide 3,000 women, also to be recruited from the year
groups 20 to 25, or by release from factories. Otherwise the same
applies as for Latvia.
To these workers I have promised the following special social
advantages:
1. Limited engagement, generally 2 years’ duration.
2. Granting of furloughs and return of families according to the
general regulations for foreigners in the Reich.
3. Appointment of special trustees of the same nationality for the
female workers.
4. Granting of special diplomas for services rendered in war work in
the Reich.
In order to accomplish these measures I have sent a decree, of which
a copy is enclosed, to the President of the employment offices.
Furthermore, I have asked the Labor Mobilization Office of the German
Labor Front, in a letter of which a copy is also enclosed, to arrange
for the appointment of special trustees of the same nationality.
Please take notice of this, inform my special purpose staffs
(Einsatzstaebe) accordingly, and take care of the immediate placing of
the manpower.
On this occasion I shall like to point out that in the past year the
enclosed leaflet was used in hiring Lithuanian manpower. Since this
pamphlet contains inaccuracies, please see to it that it is no longer
used for recruiting purposes. In view of the explanations in my
enclosed decree to the Presidents of provincial labor offices, I do not
believe it necessary to provide a special leaflet for Plant-Managers.
I refer to your report of 25 March 1943 and to my letter of 14
April 1943--5783. 28/148--about which I should like to have your
opinion soon. By reason of a suggestion of the German Labor Front, I
should furthermore like to know whether you consider it necessary to
conclude individual work--contracts for the workers from the districts
(Generalbezirke) of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.
Copy sent to take notice with reference to the oral consultations in
Riga.
Signed: Sauckel
[seal] Certified: Mueller
Clerk
Certified:
(sig:) Reinkmann
19 June 1943
PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2283-PS
VOELKISCHER BEOBACHTER
The Munich (Southern German) Edition Nr. 258, 14 September 1936, page
11.
THE 5TH DAY OF THE PARTY CONGRESS ADOLF HITLER HAS CARRIED OUT THE TRUE
SOCIALISM REICH ORGANIZATION LEADER DR. LEY RENDERS AN ACCOUNT OF THE
ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE GERMAN LABOR FRONT
Nurnberg, 13 September.
_Again 20,000 stirred people filled the big hall in the Luitpold Park
on Saturday for the penultimate session of the Party Congress._
_At this session, too, the Fuehrer was present from the beginning.
Again enthusiastic shouts of exultation lasting for minutes roared
around the Fuehrer when he strode through the long-stretched hall with
his deputy, his constant retinue and several Reich Leaders and District
Leaders._
_On this evening Congress participants listened to grandly-conceived
accounts by Reich Organization Leader Dr. Ley about the accomplishments
of the German Labor Front, by Reich Leader Hierl about the Labor
Service, and by Plenary Inspector for German Highways, Dr. Todt, about
progress in building the highways of Adolf Hitler._
After the parade of the Blood Banner and of the Party Standards the
solemn prelude was the overture to “Oberon”, played by the Reich
Symphony Orchestra. The Congress was opened by the Fuehrer’s Deputy,
Rudolf _Hess_, who immediately introduced Reich Agency Leader
[Reichsamtsleiter] _Dressler-Andress_ for reading of the account of
Reich Organization Leader Dr. Ley.
My Fuehrer!
When you, my Fuehrer, ordered me in mid-April 1933 to take over the
trade unions I could not understand why you gave this order to me,
since I could not see any connection between my task as Organizational
Leader of the Party and my new task. Very soon, however, your decision,
my Fuehrer, became clear to me and I recognized that the organizational
measures of the Party could only come to full fruition when
supplemented by the organization of the people, that is to say by the
mobilization of the energies of the people and by their concentration
and alignment. If the _Party_ represents the _concentration of the
political leaders_ of the people--as you, my Fuehrer, have taught us
again and again--then the _people_ in the _retinue_ [Gefolgschaft] must
be organized and trained according to the same principles. _Leader and
retinue_, _elite and community at large_ [Fuehrer und Gefolgschaft,
Orden und Gemeinde]--those words the clear directives for my work.
These were the consequences:
1. _My tasks as Organizational Leader of the Party and as Leader of the
German Labor Front were a completely homogeneous task, in other words,
in everything I did I acted as Reich Organization Leader of the NSDAP._
2. _The German Labor Front was an institution of the Party and was led
by it._
3. _The German Labor Front had to be organized regionally and
professionally according to the same principles as the Party._
That is why trade union and employer associations had to be smashed
unrelentingly, and the _basis of construction_ was formed, as in the
Party, by the _cell_ and the _local section_.
* * *
The idea of the _Factory Troops_ [Werkschar] is making good progress
in the plants, and I am able to report to you, my Fuehrer, that
security and peace in the factories has been guaranteed, not only
in normal times, but that also in times of the most serious crises,
disturbances, such as the munition strikes of the traitors Ebert
and his confederates, are out of the question. _National Socialism
has conquered the factories. Factory troops [Die Werkschar] are the
Nationalist Socialist shock troops within the factory, and their motto
is_:
THE FUEHRER IS ALWAYS RIGHT!
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2284-PS
WRITINGS OF THE HOCHSCHULE FOR POLITICS
Edited by Paul Meier-Benneckenstein
II. The Organizational structure of the Third Reich
Brochure 33
The SS
History, Mission, and Organization of the Schutzstaffeln of the NSDAP
Compiled on the Commission of the Reichsfuehrer-SS by
SS-Standartenfuehrer Gunter d’Alquen
1939
Junker and Duennhaupt Press, Berlin
# # # # #
1. History and Structure of the SS
Path of Proof
The great National Socialist Movement, as a party, did not step into
German or even world history as a complete framework at the time of its
formal founding.
Originating from the rebellion against the downfall, from a fervent
belief in the German people, which was born in the trenches of the
battle-fields in the whole world, Adolf Hitler began to conquer the new
Reich, both in thought and through deeds, with a few comrades, upon the
simple, strong fundamentals of his firm belief and to form it anew,
stone upon stone.
Decisive actions, like the outbreak of 9 November 1923 for which we
today, in all its great tragedy and in all its pain, nevertheless have
to thank a forcible fate, impressed the inner and external features
into the power and into the structure of the Third Reich. Parts and
powers of this living marching growing movement, components and men
in it, acquired in proof faith, and reliability which was daily the
positions, missions and powers which then determined in the powerful
structural branch their course toward victory over external power.
Therefore, he who wants to understand the growing mission and living
essence of the SS must first glance over its history and pursue therein
how it quite consequentially grew out of the smallest beginnings
through tough, clear work into an ever-enlarging mission. Therefore
the growth of the SS, as a firmly rooted member of the great Movement
is in many respects symbolic of the development of National Socialism,
as well as of a spiritual position and of the consequent practical
application of this unmistakably clear position in the life of the folk
and of its state.
Not the chance incidents of the fighting years and also not the
tactical eventualities rounded out the form and brought about the
individual developments of this Black Corps, but from the beginning
on, the National Socialist of this organization, man upon man, was
quite consciously raised again and again above every day affairs which
are often petty and full of compromise; thereby raised above his own
weaknesses into the consciousness which is always new and living, that
he serves a powerful mission which is quite unique in the lengthy
annals of German history.
The SS originated in the quite early time of the National Socialist
Movement in the year 1923. Then later, as the “Stosstrupp Hitler
[Shock Troop Hitler]” on the 8th of November 1923 it was forbidden and
dissolved automatically along with the entire movement.
When the Party was again set up in the year 1925, the SA, as the
protective organization of the Movement, still remained forbidden.
Furthermore, besides these limiting coercive measures, there still
existed a prohibition against speeches as well as assemblies for
the Fuehrer in Prussia and also in Bavaria. The National Socialist
assemblies were at that time only allowed in Saxony and Thuringia which
were at that time fully Red. And now in order at least here to hold
the necessary assemblies with success, in order to gain a foothold, it
was necessary to protect them under all circumstances from explosive
missiles and premature disbandment.
The Protective Echelons
[Die Schutzstaffeln]
For this reason, the Fuehrer ordered in January 1925 that a small
mobile organization be constructed for the protection of these
meetings: The Protective Echelons. They were in the best sense of
the word at this time, therefore, echelons, which means, quite small
formations, most of them only in strength of one leader and ten men,
which had been set up in single places which at that time already were
important for the first forward march of the Movement. Even such a
large city as Berlin had only one “Schutzstaffel” of two leaders and
twenty men in those days. With these Schutzstaffeln then in the years
1925 and 1926, the Movement had held the assemblies of the Fuehrer
and also of other champions of the Party in Saxony and Thuringia, and
always held fast against each oppositional attempt in every case.
The year 1926 brought the renewed permission to organize the SA and for
this reason, the Schutzstaffeln stepped more into the background in the
following years.
This year 1926, however, is of great significance for the SS which
at that time consisted of about 200 men in its entire strength, when
namely Adolf Hitler gave the most sacred symbol of the Movement, the
Blood Banner [Blutfahne] of 9 November 1923 into faithful hands at the
Party Congress [Parteitag] in Weimar, the second Reichsparteitag of the
NSDAP.
On the 6th of January 1929, Adolf Hitler appointed his tested comrade
of long standing, Heinrich Himmler, as Reichsfuehrer-SS. Heinrich
Himmler assumed charge therewith, of the entire Schutzstaffeln,
totaling at the time 280 men, with the express and particular
commission of the Fuehrer to form of this organization an elite troop
of the Party, a troop dependable in every circumstance.
The New Division
With this day, the real history of the SS begins as it stands before
us today in all its deeper essential features, firmly anchored into
the National Socialistic Movement. For the SS and its Reichsfuehrer,
Heinrich Himmler, its first SS man, have both become inseparable in
the course of these battle-filled years. When the command of the
Fuehrer had been given for the organization on a greater scale of this
component of the movement, it had to be clear from the beginning that
this mission could only then be solved in the real significance of its
occasion if, in pursuit of the last essentials, the directives given by
Adolf Hitler to the movement were grasped and carried out.
The Selection
We National Socialists are firmly convinced of the ideology that in
the final over-all objective only good blood, as seen in the long run,
produces the best accomplishments. Sustained by this conviction, the
Reichsfuehrer SS went at that time, beginning with this basic criterion
of the National Socialist, into the execution of the command of the
Fuehrer of the 6th of January 1929.
One of the last soldiers of the old army and, at the same time, also
one of the oldest co-champions of the Fuehrer began, as a tough and
energetic organizer, to collect a troop, a troop of the best, not
only the best physically, but also most dependable, most faithful,
in the last analysis the most characteristically worthwhile men from
all parts of the movement, in order in the first place to satisfy the
fundamental demand made of this formation, namely: the greatest good of
the movement, to protect the Fuehrer himself.
It remains as one of the greatest and decisive services of the
Reichsfuehrer SS that he inserted the theoretical concepts of the
National Socialist ideology, courageously and consequentially
especially in this field, into this, his own organizational mission of
the construction of the SS and then clearly carried them out even at a
time when the racial question was a negative concept deriving from a
self-evident anti-semitism.
The Marriage Law [Heiratsbefehl]
It would naturally be meaningless and also, after a short time be
worthless, to undertake the experiment to assemble a male racial
elite and while so doing to by-pass present or, indeed, the future
families of the men. Corresponding to this quite simple and clear
perception, for which, moreover, German history affords sufficient
menacing lessons in all of its periods, the SS has given itself its
own appropriate fundamental laws. As the first and most important of
these basic requirements, the Reichsfuehrer-SS in the year 1931 gave to
the Schutzstaffeln the law which prescribes an engagement and marriage
certificate for SS men.
This order has the following wording:
Munich, 31 December 1931
“Reichsfuehrer-SS
SS Command-A-No. 65
1. The SS is a band of definitely Nordic German men chosen according to
certain viewpoints.
2. Corresponding to the National Socialist ideology and to the
perception that the future of our folk rests in the selectiveness and
preservation of the race and of the healthy inheritance of good blood,
I install with effectiveness from the 1st of January 1932 the ‘Marriage
Certificate’ for all unmarried members of the SS.
3. The aim striven for is the hereditarily healthy clan of a definitely
Nordic German sort.
4. The marriage certificate will be distributed or denied solely and
alone from a racial and hereditarily healthy viewpoint.
5. Every SS man who has the object of getting married has to procure
for this purpose the marriage certificate of the Reichsfuehrer-SS.
6. SS members who though denied marriage certificates marry in spite
of it, will be stricken from the SS; they will be given the choice of
withdrawing.
7. The working out of the details of marriage petitions is the task of
the ‘Race Office’ of the SS.
8. The Race Office of the SS directs the ‘Clan Book of the SS’ in which
the families of SS members will be entered after distribution of the
marriage certificate or acquiescence to the petition to enter into
marriage.
9. The Reichsfuehrer-SS, the manager of the Race Office, and the
specialists (Referenten) of this office are duty bound on their word of
honor to secrecy.
10. It is clear to the SS that with this command it has taken a step of
great significance. Derision, scorn, and failure to understand do not
move us; the future belongs to us!
The Reichsfuehrer-SS
H. Himmler”
This incisive command and the self-evidence of its execution
demonstrate, even in the difficult years before the first victory,
the self-confidence of this voluntary partnership for a determination
which even at the time in which it was ordered must mean an eternal,
inconceivable, encroachment on the so-called personal freedom of the
individual.
The Instrument of the Fuehrer
Inside and outside of the movement, in these years, the SS had to
intervene, repeatedly called upon for the protection of the National
Socialist fundamental principles. From disunity over the attempt at
a schism to the betrayal of the Fuehrer himself, under immeasurable
difficulties and grave human sacrifices, the SS fulfilled its various
missions as the instrument for unconditional preparedness for
intervention for the Fuehrer. It earned for itself at this time the
slogan of Adolf Hitler: “SS-man, your honor is faithfulness”.
In the whole broad Reich, in village and city, the SS, in good and
self-evident comradeship with the SA in the fighting years, broke the
Red and Black Terror. Long and stirring is the list of all those brave
soldiers of the Black Corps who gave their lives as a pledge of their
faithfulness.
They did not die in open battle, eye to eye with the opponent; they
fell singly and deserted, pursued, hunted; harrassed, beaten, trampled
to death, in dark alleys and courtyards, shot in the back, murdered
by hostile superior forces; they gave their mortal life, and their
names shine forth today, from banners and standards, their earthly
immortality as a symbol of a great example which they fulfilled,
completely and purely, everywhere, including those unforgettable heroes
who fought against the choking gallows of an inhuman system, until even
Austria returned home into the greater Reich through their sacrifice.
Responsibility for the Future
But not only the revolutionary fighting and sacrificial spirit of this
National Socialist formation, its daily application and by this means
the best and clear cut selectiveness, determined its existence and
its ever clearer course. Far and beyond this, it was the penetrating
feeling of responsibility of its leadership for a distant future which
decisively determined its course.
Here, in that difficult moment, those solutions were found for all
necessary questions which, indeed in the first place must be justified
for the day, far and above that, however, without compromise, bore
complete responsibility at the same time in itself for the way of
future development.
Apart from the green table, not for the sake of momentary results,
distinct from all dogma, a great eternal view of German history and a
chaste consciousness of the inheritance of ancestry and the genesis of
the future at the decisive point of the fighting period, and of the
selectiveness of this partnership, have the peculiar and deep meaning
for all missions and their execution.
When the day of the grasping of power had finally come, there were
52,000 SS men who in this spirit, bore the revolution in the van,
marched into the new State which they began to help form, everywhere:
in their stations and positions, in profession and in service, and in
all their essential tasks.
The firm, devout ties to this great blood stream of the nation [Volk],
the perception of the fulfillment of the deepest German longing for
service to the nation, this welding to the firm internal unity of the
exclusiveness which the SS was able to achieve, in the course of hard
and full years, was the presupposition for the succeeding further
greater task of the Black Corps. Only the absolute understanding of
the emptiness of all personnel objectives and the final recognition of
this valuelessness of smaller interests gave this formation the right
to be the protective corps in State and Party as the strong arm of the
Fuehrer for the internal security of the Reich in all good and evil
times.
Protective Corps of Party and State
The prerequisites for this mighty mission were severe discipline
and the highest sort of self-confidence as the result of continuous
selection within its own ranks, but were, as well, a fanatical and
convinced consciousness of duty to coming generations. Here, the
hardiness of the best soldierly traditions met a new and harmonious
formation with the keenness of a crystal-clear political consciousness
as well as the pure, devout heart of a revolutionary of the living
German Movement.
The missions which were given to the SS in the present day National
Socialist State can be understood only in the knowledge of this
evolution.
The protective organization of the Movement became the internal
protective organization of the State after the seizure of power and
after the Schutzstaffel, by renewed proof of its essentiality and the
testing of its dependability on the 20th of July 1934, was elevated to
be an independent component of the Party directly subordinate to the
Fuehrer.
Out of the above evolution, all the latter events could fashion
themselves in apparent self-evidence along these principles. With the
acquisition of power within the Reich, the protective organization
of the Party became, feature by feature, as a consequence of the
broadening of its mission, the protective organization of the National
Socialist State. In this capacity, it took over step by step the
remaining usable and valuable parts of the old police. Out of the
16 state police forces, a large and strong Reich police came into
existence; and, that which even the old National Socialists themselves
had hardly thought to expect: out of the jailer of the rubber cudgel
regime there came in existence in the new police, an active friend
of the people; and even more than that, in this slow and qualitative
evolution the police itself has become, in the completion of National
Socialism and in the leadership of National Socialism, through this
Black Corps, a part of the proud formations of the Movement.
Reichsfuehrer-SS and Chief of the German Police
The Reichsfuehrer-SS became Chief of the German Police and united
its mission, as elastic as operative, with its formations into a
comprehensive line of defense for fighting political as well as
criminal enemies of the Nation; a line of defense in which State and
Party, civil servant and political soldier labor in a complete and,
therefore, for the first time in a positive manner hand in hand.
For the first time the newly attained meaning of the Police, as
representative, protector, and helper of the community of the people,
and thereby as real soldiers of that community of the people and of the
National Socialist ideology, impressed the new features of this clear,
sober countenance. For out of this original police, employed with a
negative aim, an active friend and helper of the people has come into
being, a rejuvenated people’s troop, whose successors are provided
from the SS, so that the civil servant, both within and outside of his
service, is and remains an SS-man, a champion and protector of the new
State, of the community of the people and of the movement.
The Troops in Barracks
The conceivable danger, that an organization destined only for internal
employment sees itself hampered in the fulfilling of the large,
all-embracing missions in difficult times which demand the employment
of the whole nation toward the outside. The Fuehrer met this by the
creation of an active troop of the SS lodged in barracks and chosen
from the SS members of long military service and politically of the
best training.
Early in the year 1933 the Body Guard Regiment [Leibstandarte] of the
SS, “Adolf Hitler”, arose and in the further enlargement of this SS
Military Service Troop [SS-Verfuegungstruppe] there were added the
active SS regiments: SS 1, “Deutschland”, in Munich; SS 2, “Germania”,
in Hamburg; Aroken, Radolfszell. As well as these, there were the
Technical Storm Unit [Sturmbanne], the SS Pioneer Storm Unit in Dresden
and the SS Signal Corps Unit [Nachrichtensturmbanne] in Unna. The SS
Junker schools in Toelz and Braunschweig provided for the training of
those to become leaders of these SS Military Service Troops.
In March 1938, after the return of Austria home into the Reich, the
Fuehrer gave the order to establish a fourth active SS regiment of
SS General Service Troops, SS 3, “The Fuehrer”, with its stations in
Vienna, Graz, and Klagenfurt. All these troops have received the finest
reward for their labor: they are allowed to cooperate prominently in
the creation and protection of the Greater Germany.
This chosen SS-Troop, trained during four years service under the
severest conditions, offers, equally, the best rising generation for
future leaders and subordinate leaders of the General SS, the Police,
and the Security Service.
II. Organization
In addition to the General SS, so to speak the mother of all the other
SS formations, there are the SS-militarized forces, the SS-Death
Head regiments, and further, the Security Service and the Race and
Settlement organizations.
The supreme headquarters of the Reichsfuehrer SS for the General SS is
the SS Main Office in Berlin.
The supreme headquarters for the Security Service is the SS-Main
Security Office in Berlin.
The supreme headquarters for the Race and Settlement organization is
the Main Race and Settlement agency SS in Berlin.
Aside from these main offices there are the following offices which
likewise are directly under the Reichsfuehrer SS and which have the
same characteristics of a main office:
Personal Staff of the Reichsfuehrer SS.
Administration Chief of the SS.
Personnel Chief of the SS (these three in Berlin).
Head of the SS courts, Munich.
Chief of the Constabulary, SS-Lt. Gen. of the police Daluege, with
the rank of a Chief of a Main Office [Hauptamtschef].
The SS Main Office
The SS Main Office consists of the following 13 offices which have to
fulfill the following missions:
The central chancellery [ZK] is the headquarters of the Chief of the
SS Main Office. It provides for the cooperation among all of its
subordinate offices and examines the whole direction of management
within the SS Main Office.
The management office [Fuehrungsamt] (I) deals with all affairs which
pertain to the training, organization, and deployment of units of the
General SS.
The personnel office (II) deals with the personnel affairs for all SS
fuehrers of the General SS from SS-Second Lieutenants to SS-Captains
inclusive.
The SS Administrative Office (IV) handles all the administrative
affairs of the SS Main Office. It is of the same level as the
Administrative Office Security Service (SD) and the Administrative
Office Race and Settlement (R and S) and just as these, it
is subordinate to the SS Administrative Chief as the highest
administrative court of the SS.
The medical office (V) deals with all things concerned with hygienic
conditions and accommodations for the SS.
The SS-Recruiting Office (VI) handles the preliminary and final
acceptance of SS applicants and SS candidates into the SS. Here also,
the conviction and discharge of men and non-commissioned officers is
regulated as well as re-enlistment measures among other things. Its
missions further include the planning and execution of all recruiting
methods, the systematic comprehension and compiling of personal data of
all SS members as well as the compilation of the total strength of the
SS and of corresponding statistics.
The office for Security Missions (VII) handles the employment of SS
units in special instances for example, at Fuehrer appearances and
for visits of leading foreign government officials. In addition it
is responsible for the mobilization preparations for the SS which it
completes in collaboration with the Supreme Command of the Wehrmacht.
Among these also come the taking in of reserves of the SS Death Head
regiments for special practices in peace and the liability of military
service of SS members.
The Reserve Office (VIII) is, as the name implies, responsible for the
Reserve of all the SS units.
The Procurement Office (IX) provides for the procurement of articles of
equipment for the whole SS.
The Office for Recreation (X) directs all measures for sport
participation of the SS in all forms of sports and supervises the
athletic training of the SS.
The Office of Communication (XI), the Supply Office and the Public
Welfare Office (XII) and also the Educational Office (XIII) fulfill
their missions which are expressed by their title.
Aside from the above named 13 offices, the following are also placed
under the Chief of the SS Main Office.
The Inspector of the SS Militarized force.
The Fuehrer of the SS Death Head regiment.
The Inspector of the SS Border and Patrol units.
The Inspector of the SS Cavalry.
The Inspector of the SS Cavalry schools.
In addition, the following are under the appropriate inspectors.
The Auxiliary Work Camp Schleissheim.
The SS-VT professional school St. George.
The SS-Training Camp Dachau.
The SS-Rest Home, Sasbachwalden.
The SS-Motor School Berne.
The SS-Main Cavalry school Munich.
The SS-Cavalry supply institution Hamburg.
Formation structure of the General SS
The strength of the General SS, 240,000 men, is subdivided today into
14 corps, 38 divisions, 104 infantry regiments, 19 mounted regiments,
14 communication battalions, and 9 Engineer battalions as well as
motorized and medical units. This General SS stands fully and wholly
on call as in the fighting years except for one small part of chief
Fuehrers and men.
The Corps which are presently lead by a Lt. Gen. or Maj. Gen. are
subdivided into Divisions, Regiments, Battalions and Companies.
The steps in becoming an SS-man
The steps in becoming an SS man are the following:
After confirming his SS suitability and SS worthiness, the Hitler
Youth upon reaching 18 becomes an SS applicant. Then he is taken over
into the SS as an SS candidate on the Reichsparteitag of the same year
upon presentation of the SS certificate. Then after a short period of
probation he is administered the Fuehrer oath on the 9th November.
As SS candidate he earns his Army sport badge and the bronze Reich
sport badge. Then he goes into the Labor service [Arbeitsdienst] and
finally to the Wehrmacht either at the age of 19 or 19½--according to
whichever way his age group is absorbed.
After two years, he returns from the Wehrmacht in as far as he does not
want to remain as non-commissioned candidate or reenlistee. Whoever
returns to the SS is still, however, a candidate. In the following
period up until his coming final acceptance he will be schooled again
specially and ideologically at which time he will be thoroughly taught
and instructed in the fundamentals of the SS, especially regarding the
marriage law and the honor laws of the SS. The SS candidate will be
recognized as SS man upon fulfillment of other requirements on the 9th
of November following his return from the armed forces and thereby will
be finally taken into the SS.
At the same time, on this 9th of November, he has the right to wear
the SS dagger and solemnly promises upon this occasion that he and his
pin will always hold to the basic laws of the SS. From this day on he
assumes the right and duty to defend his honor according to the honor
laws of the Black Corps as is specified in the SS code.
He then remains in the active General SS as SS man until he is 35. Upon
request, he then will enter the SS Reserve and upon reaching 45 he will
transfer into the SS inactive Corps.
The SS Militarized forces [Verfuegungstruppen, VT]
Out of the General SS, the foundation of all SS, after the seizing of
power the SS militarized forces appeared, on account of considerations
which are indicated in another reference, in a slow and organizational
development.
Its garrison and construction are also described in another place.
The militarized forces are constructed after the experiences of the
SS upon the fundamental basis of National Socialist perception of
selection, direction and education.
The SS militarized forces, in their present day form which is clearly
delineated, are an active garrisoned and armed part of the SS. Those
men selected and tested according to the standards of the SS have
obligated themselves to a period of service of at least four years. In
addition to the indoctrination for the SS man, these troops receive a
full military education. The service in the militarized force counts
toward the fulfillment of military service.
After termination of their obligations in the militarized forces, the
SS men naturally go back into the General SS from which they came.
The SS Death Head Units
The SS Death Head units form one part of the garrisoned SS. They arose
from volunteers of the General SS who were recruited for the guarding
of concentration camps in 1933.
Their mission, aside from the indoctrination of the armed political
soldier, is the guarding of enemies of the State who are held in
concentration camps.
The SS Death Head units obligate their members to 12 years (service).
It is composed mainly of men who already have fulfilled their duty to
serve in the Wehrmacht. This time of service is counted completely.
The Death Head units are fundamentally similar to the SS militarized
forces in construction and equipment. They consist of four regiments.
Personnel Chief of the SS
The Office of the personnel Chief of the SS is the SS-Personnel
Chancellery. It handles all personnel affairs of the Fuehrer Corps of
the whole SS.
Further, the Personnel Chief is Inspector of the SS Junker schools
in Braunschweig and Toelz. He is responsible for the continuation of
education of the forthcoming young Fuehrers from these schools.
The Fuehrer school of the General SS Munich-Dachau is also placed under
the Personnel Chief.
Chief of the SS Courts
The SS-Courts, directly under the Reichsfuehrer SS, is the highest
office of the SS in all cases of disciplinary or honorary jurisdiction.
Its activity therefore consists, above all, in the handling of
disciplinary actions; in cases of less severe nature it acts as court
of appeal.
Further, the SS-Court is solely competent for the handling of cases of
clemency as well as of disciplinary and also of punitive nature.
As the highest office of disciplinary penal affairs of the SS, at
the same time the SS-Court is the liaison office for all offices of
the Party and Reich which are essentially connected with its area of
jurisdiction.
A penal jurisdiction will be introduced for the members of the SS
militarized forces, the SS Death Head units, the main offices of the
Security Service of the SS and for these main official members of
the General SS who are placed over these units. Its construction is
undertaken at present.
The Security Service
During the fighting years, the scope of jurisdiction of the SS had
experienced an expansion in the course of time to such an extent that
more and more the necessity for discovering and knowing of opposing
tendencies developed as an absolute requirement for their operational
campaign. Originally, the SS served as the personal protection for
the Fuehrer and for leading personalities of the National Socialistic
Movement.
Beyond the steady growth of the Party, the original relatively simple
mission of the protection of persons has further developed to a problem
of the Security of the Party and its manifold functions. For this
purpose, intelligence services were installed in the Party and all of
its components with the mission: to counter the significance of the
opposing aggressive and destructive intentions through exploration and
judging of the threatening menaces.
However, there was no uniform planning, and a central collaboration of
intelligence services was hardly attempted.
The SS had also acquired an intelligence service at this time
for the fulfillment of its missions. Contrary to the rest of the
intelligence services of the Party, a far-reaching systematic political
intelligence service grew out of the so-called I.C. Service, the later
P.I. Service [Press and Information] of the Reichsfuehrer SS.
This intelligence service developed upon the fundamentals of racial
selection and ideological rearing in conformity with the general
fundamentals of the SS in deviation from all limitations of scope,
of momentary or personal nature in connection with an all embracing
positive setting of a goal, toward a true Security Service at first for
the SS and the Party and later thereby, for the people and the Reich.
This became clear after the taking over of power, as the “Security
Service of the Reichsfuehrer SS” proved that it had seized all
opponents and living provinces which were or could become significant
for the new National Socialist State. This was done by a planned
construction of the organization, which kept itself free from personal
dependency.
From this development, in the field of Party intelligence service, the
Deputy of the Fuehrer drew the deduction which he made in his decree of
9 June 1934 that “no intelligence or counterintelligence service of the
Party may exist outside of the Security Service of the Reichsfuehrer
SS.” From the promulgation of this decree on, the Security Service of
the Reichsfuehrer SS is the only political intelligence service of the
National Socialist German Workers’ Party.
Since the Security Service of the Reichsfuehrer SS delivered
information on the situation and its connection through constant
observation of the open and secret enemies of the National Socialistic
ideology, it more and more became an organ for protection of the State
and of the people which stood in closest cooperation with the Secret
State Police.
The head of the organization of the Security Service Reichsfuehrer
SS is the Main Security Office which stands next to the main offices
of the Reichsfuehrer SS. The Chief of the Main Security Office is
the present SS-Maj. Gen. Heydrich, who is at the same time Chief of
the Security Police, and who was entrusted at that time with the
construction of the I.C., as well as, the P.I. Service.
The regional construction of the Security Service Reichsfuehrer SS
is close to that of the General SS in its subdivision into Corps and
sectors.
The constant observation of the course of working methods of the
opponent, and his technique in the alternate forms of appearance, his
ideologies and methods of work compulsorily lead thereto, that the
work of the Security Service Reichsfuehrer SS cannot only be intended
for the hour but must be expansive and far-reaching.
The Race and Settlement Affairs
After the Main Security Office comes the Main Race and Settlement
Agency as the next pillar of the Reichsfuehrer SS.
In this Race and Settlement Agency the marriage applications of the
SS men are handled in the Relations Office, because no SS man can
openly marry without the permission of the Reichsfuehrer SS under
the stipulations of the marriage law of 1931. For this, a medical
examination is required for man and wife. Guarantees for ideological
and personal rearing are to be brought for the bride. Further, the
family tree is now required of man and wife--by officers [Fuehrers]
back to 1750 and by non-coms [Unterfuehrer] back to 1800. A copy of the
hereditary health certificate is likewise required.
In order to make possible a rapid gathering of the necessary
requirements, Relation Officers are established and provided in the
infantry battalions of the General SS. They, like the Main Race and
Settlement Agency, are to help the SS man in the gathering of all
required papers.
This naturally entails a gigantic work and extensive organizational
preparations in order to meet quickly the requests which today are very
pressing since people are being married in greater numbers.
The Settlements Office within the Main Race and Settlement Agency
handles and brings about the idea of blood and earth [Blut und Boden]
by settling valuable SS families in connection with the new creation of
German peasantry and homestead settlement.
Further, the Race office in the Main Race and Settlement Agency watches
over the uniformity of the racial acceptance examinations and over
the schooling of these specialists who are to be employed for these
acceptance examinations within SS units.
Personal Staff Reichsfuehrer SS
The “Personal Staff Reichsfuehrer SS” was formed as a central
headquarters for the Reichsfuehrer SS and at the same time, as an
essential main office.
This office developed out of the Adjutants Office of the Reichsfuehrer
SS in the course of increased missions. Today it is placed under
the Chief Adjutants’ Office and the Police Adjutant’s Office of the
Reichsfuehrer SS. The Personal Staff, through its business experts,
handles the normal traffic, it administers the press section of the
Reichsfuehrer SS as well as the cultural section. Among others, it also
has the porcelain manufacture in Allach under its jurisdiction.
In addition, the SS barracks, that is the summation of all SS men in
the higher institutes of learning, are placed under the Personal Staff
Reichsfuehrer SS.
In addition, the following working areas are combined in the following
divisions in the Personal Staff.
The section of Economic Aid (it handles encumbrance problems which
developed out of the fighting years).
The section for cultural Research (prehistoric works, expeditions
with the support of the Reichsfuehrer SS, excavations as well as
foundations).
The society “The Ancestral heritage” [Das Ahnenerbe].
The society “The Well of Life” [Lebensborn]. This consists mainly of
members of the SS. It makes possible to women with many children the
best possible care in ideal homes before, during and after child birth.
Furthermore, it makes possible the painless delivery for good racial,
unmarried, and about-to-be married mothers.
At present, several homes in Steinhoering Polzen, Klosterheide (Mark),
Hoheharst bei Bremen and in Wiener Wald belong to the society “Well of
Life.”
The office “Four Year Plan” fulfills the mission of regulation of the
labor employment which was assigned by the Director of the Four Year
Plan.
Finally, the liaison officers to the Ministries and Offices of the
Party are assembled under the Personal Staff.
The Motto [Kernsatz] of the SS
There is no mission for its own sake. How can there, therefore, be
missions for the sake of an organization. There is only one mission
which everything in Germany serves and that is the life of this people
through Adolf Hitler.
“So we fell in and are marching, according to unchangeable laws as a
national socialistic, soldierly order of men designated as Nordic and
as an avowed association of their kindred, along the way into a distant
future. We wish and believe that we should not only be the descendants,
who have fought it out better, but especially the ancestors of those
later generations necessary for the perpetual life of the German
Teutonic people.”
This motto of the SS which was given to it by the Reichsfuehrer SS
Heinrich Himmler, is the direction for this troop within the framework
of the movement. This is the sense by which everything which concerns
the SS consequent, steadfast, and thrifty, today, maintains a happy and
positive appearance.
If the individual tasks in the framework of this great Protective
Corps--often limited in nature by the tasks themselves--may
occasionally be heavy and represent the harshest human requirements
then the filling of all necessities with this consciousness of a great
duty and a clean and concrete association of this concept gives every
duty the gleam and happiness which the National Socialist heart needs
and is continuously needing.
III. The Inner Security
After the outward conclusion of the revolution of our ideology,
in possession of power and thereby in the continuous, unlimited
responsibility for the fundamentals of the idea, there began the
greater, although externally less heroic, phase of the penetration.
All divisional fields in inner or outer positions of the State concept
or of State presentation had now to be convincingly and continually
filled with our new philosophy or newly indoctrinated by it. We had
to carry the revolution, the vivaciousness of an extensive movement,
into the stark hardened institutions and concepts with all means, with
and against the law. We had to overthrow that which did not seem fit
to live according to this process; we had to fill anew with a living
spirit that which seemed to be useful and employable.
Few divisional fields of the conquered State had to face from the
beginning so much opposition in relation to the life and expression of
the new Power as the Police.
All our hate and all our rebellion had opposed it as the most outspoken
symbol of the night of the system for us.
Rubber hoses, house searchings, imprisonment, terror, persecutions, all
the counter concepts of the harshness and gruesomeness of the period
behind us seem to crystallize and assemble themselves under the term
“Police.” Entirely necessarily the term “Police” was already at that
time a term of the things hated and cursed. Therefore, at the beginning
it seemed almost impossible to actuate the thought of reaching the
identical presentation of National Socialist law, of National Socialist
community authority with the term and institution “Police.” Also within
the movement itself, it naturally necessitated considerable authority
in order to allow the forceful wish to become an act.
The SS as formation, the association made up of leader, men, and
kindred of consequent National Socialists, possessed this authority in
the course of the history and development of the Party. Out of its
original mission within the Party it now obtained the same broadened
mission within the whole people and State: the inner security, the
inner protection of the National Socialist people, the consequent
repulsion of its inner enemies in all phases of public life.
Viewed from this standpoint, it seemed as if unsurmountable obstacles
arose as the Reichsfuehrer SS, upon command of the Fuehrer, obtained
the task, in addition to the SS, of concentrating the whole German
Police into his hand and thereby into the real special meaning of the
SS.
This transfer proceeded under the sole valid law, the living right of
the German Volk, not only against old ideas but often enough against
still existing regulations.
In few fields of State and People the solution of the big problem of
Party and State has been so revolutionary and extensively thoroughly
undertaken, and scarcely anywhere except for just this difficult ground
was it demonstrated so successfully that, according to the Fuehrer’s
will, it is the idea which must determine the State.
The personal authority of the Reichsfuehrer SS and that of his men, who
were of a single mind, carried the beginning of this new construction,
while the success of the National Socialist measures taken guaranteed
the further course.
From the traditional concept of Police has arisen the new concept of
a protective Corps of the German people. And just as the old idea was
typically personified in the bailiff, the new idea also demands a new
man.
We do not need a mere official, just as we do not consider the
unpolitical soldier suitable here. The new type shall be representative
of the SS man, who grows out of the Principle of the indoctrination and
out of the way of the SS and who already today has clearly developed
himself before the people. Just in this post the people want and must
possess a political soldier in the best meaning of this National
Socialist conception.
Instead of the duplicity of a liberal Police law the man of the Police
was given the powerful living authority of clear fundamentals and
removed from the hatred and mistrust of the best part of our people
by means of the National Socialist authority of the SS. Thereby, the
Police again was carried into the midst of the people as an important
member for the protection and defense of the community.
It is clear and naturally necessary that completely new judgment of
the concept of enemy of the State would come from the new type of its
(Police) man and its youthful clear idea. Out of the limitation in
the general defense, a far-reaching prevention had to ensue from the
clear grasping of the State concepts, a clarification of the concept
of State enemies, a setting up of tasks which thereby assigns to the
National Socialist Protective Corps a historical mission of unheard of
proportions in the sound development of the people.
The spirit of discipline and of companionship, the knowledge of the
source of our being and its single teaching, this vast train of thought
of the SS as expression of the developing factors of an inner National
Socialist securing and safeguarding of all possibilities of coming
events--all this is more and more the meaning and spirit of all great
new formations in this section of inner security.
To guarantee the intensive security of this new Reich, that is the
great duty of the SS and with it, and within its scope, also of the
Police in all its categories. That is the comprehensive mission
the Fuehrer gave to the SS. It will attack this job anew every
day, with the utmost seriousness, fully conscious that this is an
immense National Socialist task and firmly convinced that only the
ideologically best education of its men and its selection of members
will enable it to solve this task completely.
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2285-PS
Before me, Lieutenant Colonel Henry H. Mize, JAGD, personally appeared
Lieutenant Colonel Guivante de Saint Gast and Lieutenant Jean Veith,
both of the French army, who were made known to me, and who, being by
me first duly sworn, made the following statement in the handwriting of
Lieutenant Veith under oath:
The undersigned:
Guivante de Saint Gast, Lt. Colonel, Chef de Mission de 1^{ere} Classe,
Carte d’identite militaire BCRA MCPA Promontain No. 510, Immatricule
FFC Londres RUl. Carte de Repatrie No. 72352 delivered in Annercy
(France). Order of Mission of the Provisional Government of the French
Republic, Ministry of Prisoners and Deportees dated May 4th, 1945, No.
16772. Detained in the Concentration Camp of Mauthausen from March
18th, 1944, till April 22nd, 1945, No. 57876, having been employed at
the offices of distribution of work [Arbeitseinsatz] from August 16th,
1944, till April 22nd, 1945, as auxiliary and as titulary.
Veith, Jean, Lieutenant, Charge de Mission de 2^e Classe, Carte
d’identite Repatrie No. 403927 delivered at Annercy. Order of Mission
of the provisional government of the French Republic, Ministry of
Prisoners and Deportees, dated May 4th, No. 16774. Detained in
Mauthausen from April 22nd, 1943, till April 22nd, 1945, No. 28645,
having been employed at the Politische Abteilung from June 2nd, 1943,
to June 25th, 1943; at the Arbeitseinsatz from June 26th, 1943, to
August 15th, 1944; as foreman of the cartography and mecausgraphy
Hollerith services till their dissolution in February 1945; and
from then on until his liberation at the Lagerschreibstube (night
shift)--both residing in Paris (17a) 20, Rue de Sanssuse, relate and
certify under oath the following facts:
In Mauthausen existed several treatments of prisoners, among them the
“Action K or Kugel” (Bullet Action). Upon the arrival of transports,
prisoners marked “K” were not registered, got no numbers, and their
names remained unknown except to the officials of the Politische
Abteilung. (Lt. Veith had the opportunity of hearing, upon the
arrival of a transport, the following conversation between the
Untersturmfuehrer Streitwieser and the chief of the convoy: “How many
prisoners?” “15, but two K.” “Well, that makes 13.”)
The prisoners were taken directly to the prison where they were
undressed and taken to the “Bathrooms.” This bathroom in the cellars
of the prison building near the crematory was specially designed for
execution (shooting and gassing).
The shooting took place by means of a measuring apparatus. The
prisoners were backed against a metric scale with an automatic
contraption releasing a bullet in their neck as soon as the moving
board determining their height touched the top of their heads.
If a transport consisted of too many “K” prisoners, instead of wasting
time on the measurements they were exterminated by gas which was sent
into the bathrooms instead of water.
During his time as foreman at the Hollerith section, Dr. Veith
frequently received transfer sheets from other camps mentioning
prisoners who did not appear on the entry list of Mauthausen. In such
cases the Politische Abteilung very reluctantly used to give the
information that the camp services had not to take into consideration
such missing prisoners because they had been transferred “In geheimer
Reichssache” (Secret affair of the Reich) and insisted upon the
complete disappearance of all traces of the names. In many cases due
to transmission errors, the fatal “K” indication was not immediately
given with the transfer and followed several days or several weeks
later. Lt. Col. de Saint Gast certifies having received in this service
cancellation orders from the Politische Abteilung concerning such
prisoners. As upon their arrival such “K” prisoners had, by mistake,
received a camp number, they had to disappear in the numbers register
of the camp, and from this unification order was made in the following
hypocritical form: prisoner X Nr..... birth place, birth date is
actually called [heisst richtig] prisoner Y, Nr...., different birth
place and date.
Such identification orders should be found in the documents of the
Arbeitseinsatz as far as they have not been destroyed.
This statement has been made voluntarily in the handwriting of Lt.
Veith, who understands English and who has truly translated the same to
Lt. Col. de Saint Gast prior to his signing the same.
/s/ Pf. de Saint Gast /s/ Jean Veith
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 13th day of May 1945.
/s/ Henry H. MIZE
HENRY H. MIZE
Lt. Col. JAGD
PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2288-PS
ADOLF HITLER’S GREAT SPEECH BEFORE THE REICHSTAG.
Berlin, 21 May 1935
Voelkischer Beobachter, Southern Germany Special Edition No. 142 a. of
22 May 1935. [Pages 1, 3, 4]
Deputies! Members of the German Reichstag!
* * * * * * *
Leaving these general conclusions now and arriving at a precise
fixation of the present current problems for me the
Position of the German Reich Government results as follows:
1. The German Reich Government refuses to adhere to the Geneva
Resolutions of 17 March.
The treaty of Versailles was not broken by Germany unilaterally, but
the well known paragraphs of the dictate of Versailles were violated
and consequently invalidated by those Powers who could not make up
their mind to follow the disarmament requested of Germany with their
own disarmament as agreed upon by the treaty.
2. Because the other powers did not live up to their obligations
under the disarmament program, the Government of the German Reich no
longer considers itself bound to those articles which are nothing but
a discrimination against the German Nation for an unlimited period of
time, since through them Germany is being nailed down in a unilateral
manner, contrary to a the spirit of the agreement.
But it solemnly declares that this measure is being taken only with
regard to those well known paragraphs which are discriminating against
the German people in a moral and factual way.
Therefore, the Government of the German Reich shall absolutely respect
all other articles pertaining to the cooperation [Zusammenleben] of the
various nations including territorial agreements; revision which will
be unavoidable as time goes by, it will carry out by way of a friendly
understanding only.
3. The Government of the German Reich has the intention not to sign
any treaty which it believes not to be able to fulfill. However, it
will live up to every treaty signed voluntarily even if it was composed
before this Government took over. Therefore, it will in particular
adhere to all the allegations under the Locarno pact as long as the
other partners of the pact also adhere to it.
The Government of the German Reich regards the fact that it has to
respect the demilitarized zone, as an extremely difficult contribution
by a sovereign power, to the pacification, and it believes to be
compelled to call attention to the fact that the constant increase in
the number of troops on the other side may not just be regarded to be
of great comfort to these efforts.
PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2289-PS
VOELKISCHER BEOBACHTER
Berlin edition No. 68
Berlin, Sunday, 8 March 1936
The important speech of the Fuehrer in the Reichstag on 7 March reads
as follows:
Men of the German Reichstag! France has replied to the repeated
friendly offers and peaceful assurances made by Germany by infringing
on the Rhine Pact through a military alliance with the Soviet Union,
exclusively directed against Germany. In this manner, however, the
Locarno Rhine Pact has lost its inner meaning and ceased in practice
to exist. Consequently, Germany regards herself for her part as no
longer bound by this dissolved treaty. The German Government are
now constrained to face the new situation created by this alliance,
a situation which is rendered more acute by the fact that the
Franco-Soviet Treaty has been supplemented by a Treaty of Alliance
between Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union, exactly parallel in
form. In accordance with the fundamental right of a nation to secure
its frontiers and insure its possibilities of defense, the German
Government have today restored the full and unrestricted sovereignty of
Germany in the demilitarized zone of the Rhineland.
* * * * * * *
After a hard inner struggle I have, therefore, decided in the name of
the German Reich Cabinet [Reichsregierung] to submit the following
memorandum to the French Government and the other signatory powers of
the Locarno Pact today.
* * * * * * *
We have no territorial claims to make in Europe. We know above all that
all the tensions resulting either from false territorial settlements or
from the disproportion of the numbers of inhabitants to their living
spaces cannot, in Europe, be solved by war.
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2292-PS
THE ARCHIVE [Das Archiv], March 1935, Page 1830.
The German Air Force
The Reich Minister for Aviation [Luftfahrt], 10.3
General of the Airmen, Goering, in his talk with the
special correspondent of the Daily Mail, Ward Price, S i
expressed himself on the subject of the German Air-Force. 35
General Goering said:
In the extension of our national defense, [Sicherheit] it was
necessary, as we repeatedly told the world, to take care of defense
in the air. As far as that is concerned I restricted myself to those
measures absolutely necessary. The guiding line of my actions was, not
the creation of an aggressive force which would threaten other nations,
but merely the completion of a military aviation [Luftfahrt] which
would be strong enough to repel, at any time, attacks on Germany.
Until the present moment, this has been accomplished on a general
basis, as so far we have been discussing airmen in general only
without making any definite distinction from the military point of
view. The British government, among other proposals, asked Germany
to join an Air-Pact, whose object is to take joint action in the air
against an aggressor who disturbs the peace, i.e. to put our own Air
Force at the disposal of the threatened country. This is the British
demand. Germany, trying to do everything and trying to collaborate
everywhere where peace can be ensured, replied by a Note expressing
her agreement with such an effective protection as is represented by
the air-convention.
In this Note Germany expressed to Britain the view that Germany would
be prepared to send her Air Force to the help of the threatened country.
After the German government expressed willingness to help, it became
necessary to make a clear demarcation within German aviation, namely in
this respect: which air force will be able to be made available? This
situation brought about the decision as to those of the German aviation
who will in future belong to the Air Force and those who will in future
remain in civil aviation or in sport aviation. It was necessary to mark
this separation also outwardly, so that the members of the German Air
Force became soldiers according to the law and their leaders became
officers. This involves only a part of the persons who up to the
present moment have worked in the common German aviation. Therefore
the difference between our Air Force and our civilian aviation shows
itself clearly and distinctly in the various badges of rank and in the
designation of rank.
I sum up: Our willingness to share in the effective defense of world
peace, our assent to hasten with help to the hard pressed country, made
the creation of a military aviation imperative, if our assent should
not remain merely an empty phrase.
Answering the correspondent’s question about the hierarchy in the new
Air Force, its uniforms and its ranks the general said: “The Air Force
is under the orders of the Reich Minister for Aviation who controls
also civil aviation. His military rank is General of the Airmen
[General der Flieger]. The uniform remains similar to the uniform of
the sport aviation organization but outwardly it will be marked clearly
by military badges of rank. Similarly the names of rank correspond with
the military designation of rank from Lieutenant upwards to General
of the Airmen.” To the question concerning the nomination of German
Air-attaches in foreign missions General Goering replied that the
preparations for it were pending. Also about the numerical strength
of the Air Force he said that he could not yet give final figures.
As far as the percentage ratio to the Air Forces of other powers is
concerned, every sensible and decent man ought to realize that Germany,
being particularly threatened, needed such figures as would guarantee
the absolute safety of the German people. Asked about the role of the
Air Force within the Armed Forces, General Goering stated that at the
present moment, it was impossible to make a clear appreciation of the
situation. But that it was definite that the Air Force must be an
integral part of any defense and that without an Air Force the Army and
Navy, no matter how strong, were useless.
In conclusion, the correspondent asked whether the German Air Force
will be capable of repelling attacks on Germany. General Goering
replied to that exactly as follows: “The German Air Force is just as
passionately permeated with the will to defend the Fatherland to the
last as it is convinced, on the other hand, that it will never be
employed to threaten the peace of other nations.”
PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2306-PS
REVOLUTION OF EDUCATION
Baldur von Schirach
[Page 51]
The struggle for the unification of the German youth is finished. I
considered it as my duty to conduct it in a hard and uncompromising
manner. Many might not have realized why we went through so much
trouble for the sake of our youth. And yet: The National Socialist
German Workers’ Party, whose trustee I felt I always was and always
will be, this party considered the struggle for the youth as the
decisive element for the future of the German nation.
[Page 52]
And I promise the German public that the youth of the German Reich, the
youth of Adolf Hitler will accomplish its duty in the spirit of the man
to whom alone their lives belong.
[Page 63]
I am responsible to the Reich that the entire youth of Germany will
be educated physically, morally, and spiritually in the spirit of the
National Socialist Idea of the State.
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2307-PS
1938 REICHSGESETZBLATT, PART I, PAGE 237
Law concerning the Reunion of Austria with the German Reich, March 13,
1938
The Reich Government has ordained the following law, which is hereby
proclaimed:
ARTICLE I. The Federal Constitutional Law of March 13, 1938, ordained
by the Austrian Federal Government, concerning the reunion of Austria
with the German Reich, hereby becomes a law of the German Reich. It has
the following text:
By virtue of Article 3, Section 2, of the Federal Constitutional Law
concerning extraordinary measures in the constitutional field (R.G.
Blatt, I, No. 255, 1934), the Federal Government has ordained:
Article 1. Austria is a province of the German Reich.
Article 2. On Sunday, April 10, 1938, a free and secret plebiscite
shall be held for German men and women of Austria over twenty years of
age on the question of reunion with the German Reich.
Article 3. In the plebiscite the majority of the votes cast shall
decide the issue.
Article 4. The necessary regulations for the implementation and
supplementing of this Federal Constitutional Law shall be provided by
decree.
Article 5. This Federal Constitutional Law shall enter into force on
the day of its proclamation.
The Federal Government is entrusted with the execution of this Federal
Constitutional Law.
Vienna, March 13, 1938.
ARTICLE II. The laws at present in force in Austria shall remain in
force until further notice. The introduction of Reich law into Austria
will be effected by the Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor or by the Reich
Minister to whom he may delegate this power.
ARTICLE III. The Reich Minister of the Interior, in consultation with
the other Reich Ministers concerned, is empowered to issue the legal
and administrative regulations necessary for the implementation and
supplementing of this law.
ARTICLE IV. This law shall enter into force on the day of its
proclamation.
Linz, March 13, 1938.
ADOLF HITLER, Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor; GOERING, General Field
Marshal, Reich Minister of Aviation; FRICK, Reich Minister of the
Interior; VON RIBBENTROP, Reich Minister of Foreign Affairs; R.
HESS, Deputy Fuehrer.
COPY OF DOCUMENT 2309-PS
HEADQUARTERS
THIRD UNITED STATES ARMY
JUDGE ADVOCATE SECTION
WAR CRIMES BRANCH
APO 403
3 JA 122 21 June 1945
SUBJECT: Report of Investigation of War Crimes.
TO: Commanding General, Third United States Army, APO 403.
I. _AUTHORITY_
1. This investigation was conducted in conformity with letter,
Headquarters European Theater of Operations, file AG 000.5, OpJA.
Subject: Establishment of War Crimes Branches, 24 February 1945, by 2d
Lt. John J. Reid, AUS, Investigator-Examiner, from 25 April 1945 to 2
May 1945 inclusive and pursuant to directive of Commanding General,
Third United States Army, a copy of the order which is attached hereto
as Exhibit A.
II. _MATTERS INVESTIGATED--FLOSSENBURG CONC. CAMP (P-3338)_
2. _a._ Killing of interned Allied National Civil population and
Allied National PWs by various cruel and inhuman methods such as
neck-shooting, hanging, poison injections, forced suicides, lack of
medical treatment, starvation, beatings, and other numerous inhuman
methods purposely inflicted to result in death, (Violation of Geneva
Prisoners of War Convention, Rules of Land Warfare and the customary
law as observed by Civilized Nations).
_b._ Living and working conditions of internees which were beyond
physical endurance and resulted in a systematic elimination of
prisoners.
_c._ Starvation rations of internees which resulted in death and
permanent physical impairment of prisoners.
_d._ Cruel and inhuman treatment and methods used by members of the
German Armed Forces and/or persons under their immediate command
against Allied National Civilians and Allied National Prisoners of
War. (Violation of Article 2 of the Geneva Convention. Paragraphs 73,
80, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 102, 105, 119, 127, 129, 132, 172,
FM 27-10 Rules of Land Warfare and in violation of the customary law
observed by Civilized Nations).
_e._ Unlawful killing by shooting, hanging and other methods, of Allied
National Civil population who had been interned and/or otherwise
arrested by members of the German Armed Forces (Violation of the
customary laws observed by civilized nations).
III. _PROCEEDINGS_
3. _a._ The testimony of all witnesses examined in the course of this
investigation was secured through the use of an interpreter after the
witness had been sworn under authority of Article of War 114, in the
following form: “You swear that the evidence you shall give in this
investigation now being conducted shall be the truth, the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth. So help you God.” The examination of each
such witness where practical was conducted in my presence.
In the case at hand, it being impracticable to use a
stenographic-reporter, the witness after having first been duly
sworn was questioned regarding his knowledge of the matters under
investigation. The witness then propounded his testimony in a narrative
statement in his own handwriting, where practicable, and in his own
native language. The witnesses then after being sworn signed the
statement. The interpreter was also sworn in the following form: “You
swear that you will truly interpret in this investigation now being
conducted. So help you God.”
_b._ The transcribed sworn testimony of each such witness whose name is
listed below is hereto attached as an exhibit, the number of which is
indicated in the lower right-hand corner of the paper preceded by the
letter “B.”
SWORN STATEMENTS OF WITNESSES: See Appendix (1) for index and exhibits.
UNSWORN STATEMENTS, LETTERS, REPORTS, ETC.: See Appendix (2) for index
and exhibits.
_c._ PHOTOGRAPHS:
1. Photographs of some of the SS personnel of Camp Flossenburg. See
Appendix (3) for index and photographs.
2. Atrocity scenes. See Appendix (4) for index and photographs.
IV. _SUMMARY OF FACTS_
4. Concentration Camp Flossenburg (Coord. P-3338), was founded in 1938
as a camp for political prisoners. Construction was commenced on the
camp in 1938 and it was not until April 1940 that the first transport
of prisoners was received. From this time on the prisoners began to
flow steadily into the camp (Exh. B-1). Flossenburg was the mother camp
and under its direct control and jurisdiction were 47 satellite camps
or outer-commandos for male prisoners and 27 camps for female workers.
To these outer-commandos were supplied the necessary prisoners for the
various work projects undertaken.
Of all these outer-commandos Hersbruck and Leitmeritz (in
Czechoslovakia), Oberstaubling, Mulsen and Sall, located on the Danube,
were considered to be the worst. The work at these camps mainly
consisted of underground labor, the purpose being the construction
of large underground factories, storage rooms, etc. This labor was
performed completely underground and as a result of the brutal
treatment, working and living conditions, a daily average of 100
prisoners died. To the one camp Oberstaubling, 700 prisoners were
transported in February 1945 and on the 15th of April 1945 only 405
of these men were living (Exh. B-1). During the 12 months preceding
the liberation, Flossenburg and the branch camps under its control
accounted for the death of 14,739 male inmates and 1,300 women. These
figures represent the deaths as they were obtained from the available
records in the camp, however, they are in no way complete as many
secret mass executions and deaths took place. In 1941 an additional
stockade was added to the Flossenburg Camp, to hold 2,000 Russian
prisoners. From these 2,000 prisoners only 102 survived. (Exh. B-1)
Flossenburg Concentration Camp can best be described as a factory
dealing in death. Although this camp had in view the primary object of
putting to work the mass slave labor, another of its primary objectives
was the elimination of human lives by the methods employed in handling
the prisoners. (Exh. B-2)
Hunger and starvation rations, sadism, housing facilities, inadequate
clothing, medical neglect, disease, beatings, hangings, freezing,
hand hanging, forced suicides, shooting, etc., all played a major
role in obtaining their objective. Prisoners were murdered at random,
spite killings against Jews were common. Injections of poison and
shooting in the neck were everyday occurrences. Epidemics of typhus and
spotted fever were permitted to run rampant as a means of eliminating
prisoners. Life in this camp meant nothing. Killing became a common
thing, so common that a quick death was welcomed by the unfortunate
ones.
(See following List of Exhibits as References)
Hunger and Starvation Exh. B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4
Freezing Exh. B-11
Medical Neglect Exh. B-1, B-12
Torturous Beatings and Exh. B-1, B-2, B-6, B-12, B-3,
Floggings B-11, B-13, C-2
Forced Suicides Exh. B-2, B-13
Hangings Exh. B-1, B-2, B-4, B-5, B-6,
B-7, B-12, C-2
Hand Hangings Exh. B-11
Poison Injections Exh. B-1, B-8, C-1, C-2
Typhus and Spotted
Fever Exh. B-1, B-2, B-9, C-1, C-3
Shooting Exh. B-6, B-2, B-3, B-13, B-15
The system set up at this camp seemed to be one of mass elimination
of the prisoners caused by devious means. Starvation diets wilfully
designed to produce death within a few months played a major role.
Typhus and spotted fever were encouraged as a means of disposing of
many. There were innumerable executions, mistreatments, beatings,
flogging to death, which continued up until the time this camp was
overrun by our forces. Mass hanging took place. Generally, the persons
hanged were stripped naked. Oftimes they were beaten before hanging
till the unfortunate victims begged for immediate hanging to ease the
pain. At first the SS men in charge of the hangings were given extra
rations for each hanging. Later on the hangings became so numerous that
the extra rations were stopped. Hanging a person by his wrists with a
heavy barrel suspended from his ankles was another method of execution.
This caused the person’s insides to be torn up and he died. (Exh. B-11)
On Christmas 1944 a number of prisoners were hung at one time. The
prisoners were forced to view this hanging. By the side of the gallows
was a decorated Christmas tree and as expressed by one prisoner “it was
a terrible sight, that combination of prisoners hanging in the air with
the glistening Christmas tree.” (Exh. B-12)
In March or April, 13 American or British parachutists were hung. They
had been delivered to this camp sometime before and had been captured
while trying to blow up bridges. (Exh. B-7, B-8a&b)
Many thousands were tortured and killed by every known method. New
methods of brutal punishment and torture killing were devised by
certain members of the camp who became particularly known for their
sadistic methods.
On April 20, 1945, approximately 15,000 prisoners were assembled to
make a forced march in the direction of Concentration Camp Dachau. The
evacuation of these prisoners was caused by the impending capture of
the camp by the Allies. These 15,000 prisoners were lined up in three
groups and started on this march. Only those prisoners who could walk
were taken and before leaving Flossenburg, many were executed, as
also were those who collapsed in rank awaiting the movement to start
the trek. No provision was made for the feeding of these prisoners or
sleeping on this trip. They marched in long columns guarded by SS
guards. (Exh. C-2)
Thousands were killed on the way and the paths which they took were
littered with the dead. Groups of from 5 to 50 were taken out and
forced to dig pits and then were shot. (Exh. B-14, B-15, C-4, C-5).
Many graves were not even covered. As the already starved and weakened
prisoners fell from exhaustion, a group of SS guards bringing up the
rear would kill them by a shot in the back of the head. All who fell
out of line were immediately executed in this manner. Death was also
caused by beatings or bashings in the skulls. (Exh. B-1, B-3, B-13,
E-17)
The prisoners marched from Friday till Monday during which time they
received only 100 grams of bread. They marched in the rain and slept
in the fields in the mud and water. Many died from exhaustion. On the
23rd day of April 1945, between the towns of Cham (U-5850) and Roding
(U-4868), they were liberated by the American Troops. (Exh. B-3, B-13)
(Photographs taken near Wetterfield (U-5070) of one of the graves on
this march.) (Exh. E-1 to E-17)
5. The victims of Flossenburg included among them, Russian civilians
and prisoners of war, German nationals, Italians, Belgians, Poles,
Czechs, Hungarians, British, and American prisoners of war. No
practical means was available to complete a list of victims at this
camp, however, since the foundation of the Camp in 1938 until the day
of liberation it is estimated that more than 29,000 inmates died. (Exh.
B-1)
6. _PERPETRATORS_
This camp was controlled and run by one class of people, SS troops. The
list of perpetrators includes a few civilian prisoners, who managed to
gain favor with the SS by carrying out orders of execution and beatings
upon their fellow inmates. These prisoners who obtained their immunity
and privilege at the cost of other men’s lives are deemed equally as
guilty.
The citations referred to in the list of perpetrators is by no means
complete nor is the list of guilty persons complete. (See Appendix (5)
for index and exhibits.)
V. _CONCLUSIONS_
7. That the exploitation, killing and atrocities committed upon
prisoners was a part of a well regulated scheme or plan of the Nazi SS
Group, is clearly indicated by the evidence presented here and resulted
in the death of thousands.
Flossenburg Concentration Camp, Germany, was the scene of every type
and form of Nazi brutality and atrocity committed upon the unfortunate
individuals who happened to be sent to this camp. Practically every
nationality of Europe was at sometime or another represented in this
camp. The majority of prisoners, however, were Russians and Poles. No
line of demarkation was made between sexes. Men, women and children
were executed in the most brutal fashions.
The responsibility for this camp must be placed upon all personnel who
held an active part as a member of the organizational set-up. Whether
these persons were ones who actually inflicted the mortal punishment
is of little consequence. They all at the least failed to lift a
restraining hand in the punishments and atrocities committed upon the
inmates therein.
JOHN J. REID
2d Lt, AUS
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2310-PS
1938 REICHSGESETZBLATT, PART I, PAGE 247
First Decree of the Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor concerning the
Introduction of German Reich Law in Austria, March 15, 1938.
By virtue of Article II of the law of March 13, 1938, concerning the
reunion of Austria with the German Reich (RGBl I, p. 237), I order:
SECTION 1. (1) The sphere of validity of the official gazettes of the
Reich shall be extended to the province of Austria.
(2) Reich laws which are proclaimed after the effective date of the law
of March 13, 1938, concerning the reunion of Austria with the German
Reich (RGBl I, p. 237), shall be valid for the province of Austria
unless their application to the province of Austria is expressly held
in abeyance.
SECTION 2. From the effective date of this decree, the following shall
be applied in substance in the province of Austria:
1. The Reich flag law of September 15, 1935 (RGBl I, p. 1145), with the
provision that Jews shall be forbidden to raise the Reich and National
Flag and to display the Reich colors;
2. The law against formation of new parties of July 14, 1933 (RGBl I,
p. 479);
3. The law for the preservation of unity of party and state of December
1, 1933 (RGBl I, p. 1016), as amended by the law of July 3, 1934 (RGBl
I, p. 529);
4. The law concerning Reich governors of January 30, 1935 (RGBl I, p.
65) with the provision that instructions of Reich ministers to the
Reich Governor in Austria shall require, until further notice, the
approval of the Reich Minister of the Interior;
5. The order for implementation of the Four-Year Plan of October 18,
1936 (RGBl I, p. 887);
6. The Reich law concerning the compulsory registration of members of
the German State abroad of February 3, 1938 (RGBl I, p. 113).
SECTION 3. (1) Regulations for effecting the transition shall be issued
by the Reich Minister of the Interior or by the Reich Governor in
Austria with the approval of the Reich Minister of the Interior.
2. By this means regulations of the Reich and regulations of the
province of Austria can be assimilated in one another.
3. Incompatible regulations of the province of Austria shall be
invalidated.
SECTION 4. This decree shall enter into force on the day of its
proclamation.
Vienna, March 15, 1938.
ADOLF HITLER, Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor
FRICK, Reich Minister of the Interior
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2311-PS
1938 REICHSGESETZBLATT, PART I, PAGE 245
Decree of the Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor concerning the
Administration of the Oath to the Officials of the Province of Austria,
March 15, 1938.
By virtue of Article II of the law of March 13, 1938, concerning the
reunion of Austria with the German Reich (RGBl I, p. 237), I issue the
following order:
SECTION 1. Public officials of the province of Austria shall take an
oath of office upon entrance into service.
SECTION 2. The oath of office of public officials reads: “I swear
that I shall be loyal and obedient to Adolf Hitler, the Fuehrer of
the German Reich and People, and that I shall observe the laws and
conscientiously fulfill the duties of my office, so help me God.”
SECTION 3. The officials at present in office shall be sworn in
forthwith in accordance with Section 2.
Jewish officials shall not be sworn in.
SECTION 4. A person is Jewish if he is descended from at least
three racially full-blooded Jewish grandparents. A grandparent is
automatically considered a full-blooded Jew if he belonged to the
Jewish congregation.
A Jewish half-breed descended from two full-blooded Jewish grandparents
is considered a Jew:
_a._ If he belonged to the Jewish congregation on September 16, 1935,
or became a member of it thereafter.
_b._ If he was married to a Jew on September 16, 1935, or entered into
marriage with one thereafter.
SECTION 5. Anyone who refuses to take this oath shall be removed from
office.
SECTION 6. The legal and administrative regulations necessary for
the implementation of this law shall be issued by the Reich Governor
(Austrian Provincial Government).
SECTION 7. This decree shall enter into force on the day of its
proclamation.
Vienna, March 15, 1938.
ADOLF HITLER, Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor.
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2313-PS
1938 REICHSGESETZBLATT, PART I, PAGE 254
Order for the Transfer of the Austrian National Bank to the Reichsbank,
March 17, 1938
By virtue of Article II of the law of March 13, 1938, concerning the
reunion of Austria with the German Reich (RGBl I, p. 237), I order:
Section 1. The administration of the Austrian National Bank shall be
transferred to the Reichsbank.
Section 2. The Austrian National Bank shall be liquidated, and its
assets placed by the Reichsbank to the Account of the Reich.
Section 3. In taking over operations, the Reichsbank shall transfer to
its staff the entire personnel of the Austrian National Bank, with due
regard for legal and contractual rights.
Section 4. This order shall enter into force upon its proclamation.
Berlin, March 17, 1938.
ADOLF HITLER, Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor
FRICK, Reich Minister of the Interior.
Count SCHWERIN VON KROSIGK,
Reich Minister of Finance.
Dr. HJALMAR SCHACHT, Reich Minister
and President of the Reichsbank
PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2315-PS
THE LAW OF THE REICH CHAMBER OF CULTURE
[Das Recht der Reichskulturkammer]
Edited by Karl Fr. Schrieber,
Publ. by Junkor und Duennhaupt, Berlin. Vol. 2
(1 Jan. to 30 June 1935).
Order concerning the Supervision of District Leaders of the Work of the
Reich Chamber of Culture [Page 25].
Dated 12 Nov. 1934 (Published in the daily press).
In the process of unification of Party and State, it must be put into
effect that, in general, the same tasks of the Party and of the State
will also be administered by the same people. The Gau propaganda
chiefs of the Party are, according to that, also the district leaders
[Landesstellenleiter] of the Reich Ministry for National Enlightenment
and Propaganda. In compliance with this regulation, the Reich Chamber
of Culture must also be incorporated in the union of the Party and
State. Therefore, I order that the district leaders and the Gau
propaganda chiefs [Gaupropagandaleiter], as district administrators of
culture, exercise from now on supervision over the work of the Reich
Chamber of Culture in their districts. The individual chambers and
their district associations are instructed to adjust and to subordinate
their district formations and organizations in the Reich to those of
the district and of the Gau propaganda offices. The Gau leaders have
the privilege to suggest and to reject the appointment of personnel for
these offices. The appointment is then effected by the president of the
chamber. Guiding rules for the execution of this order will soon be
published in detail.
Heil Hitler!
Signed: Dr. Goebbels
# # # # #
Order Concerning Closure of Newspaper Publications for the Purpose of
Eliminating Unsound Competitive Conditions
[Pages 121-122]
Dated 24 April 1935 (V.B. 35/25.4)
# # # # #
On the basis of paragraph 25 of the first decree concerning the
execution of the law on the Reich Chamber of Culture, dated 1 November
1933 (RGBl, I/1933, page 797ff), I decree the following:
I. If a great number of newspaper publications exists in one locality,
whose operation depends on the sale of a higher circulation than can
altogether be disposed of according to local conditions and sound
principles of publication, individual publications can be discontinued
for the establishment of sound economic conditions.
In order to obtain evidence, the publications may be subjected to an
examination; all inside information is to be given to the agencies
which I assign to undertake these examinations.
II. For the execution of this order, the Reich Union of German
Newspaper Publishers is instructed to report to me those localities
in which, because of numerical overproduction, acute competitive
conditions exist, and to name the publication which ought to be
subjected to an examination. This union has, hereby, to act according
to the principles laid down in my announcement concerning “The press
in the second year of the National Socialistic State.” It is further
instructed to ascertain whether the closing of establishments can be
avoided by voluntary unifications. It will report to me until the 31st
of July 1935.
Berlin, 24 April 1935.
# # # # #
The President of the Reich Chamber of the Press
AMANN
The article of the President of the Reich Chamber of the Press in
regard to “The Press in the second year of the National Socialistic
State” is concerned, among other things, with the numerical
overproduction that exists in newspaper publications. He demanded the
removal of this condition. Proceeding from the fact that already before
the 30th of January 1933, under the multiparty system at that time,
there was an excess of newspapers at hand, he states that this fact
stands out today even more strongly in the face of the subjugation
of parties and other special interests. He emphasized further that,
insofar as overproduction had been increased by the strong growth of
the official Party Press, the affected publications of competitors
would have to fall back behind the official Party Press. This point
of view will be brought into effect in the execution of the order for
the closing of newspaper publications for the purpose of eliminating
unsound competitive conditions. In particular, the unsound competitive
conditions are to be eliminated under which, newspapers with high
circulation in the course of the developments fought each other as
competitors. Considering the fact that in probably all these cases
there were fewer newspapers with high circulation on 30 January
1933 than at present, then the result, without doubt, is that the
publications concerned require such circulations, in order to be
profitable in relation to the size of their business, as cannot be
attained or maintained by means of sound advertising and competitive
measures under the competitive conditions prevailing at present. The
order thus serves the elimination of economically poor conditions
which, seen from a long-range view, must cause prejudice, far beyond
the small circle of the publications immediately concerned, to the
German Press and to its cultural missions. This order promotes the
conciliation and the organic development of the entire German Press. In
this way, the order assures the press the opportunity to fulfill its
noble task which it has to accomplish for the benefit of the nation
and the people. Of course, the execution of this order, as is already
indicated by its purpose, will be guided by the endeavor to utilize
the existing economical values in the future to the greatest possible
degree. The President of the Reich Chamber of the Press will therefore
endeavor at first in every individual case to effect agreements which
will relieve him of the necessity to issue orders for the closing of
establishments. In this sense, the instructions, given at the end of
Number II of the regulation, to the Reich Union of the German Newspaper
Publishers, are of special importance.
PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2319-PS
ORGANIZATION BOOK OF THE NSDAP
Edited by The Reichsorganisationsleiter of the NSDAP (4th edition,
1937). Published by the Central Publishing House of the NSDAP, Franz
Eher’s Successor.
[Pages 143-144]
The Organization of the NSDAP in Foreign Countries
The organization of the NSDAP in foreign countries (AO) is regulated
from the standpoint of organization along district lines. The Director
of the AO (with the rank of Gauleiter) is immediately subordinated
to the Fuehrer’s Deputy. The AO has its headquarters in Berlin. The
Director of the organization in foreign countries is at the same
time Chief of the Foreign Service Organization in the Foreign Office
and directs the unified supervision of German nationals in foreign
countries.
_Duties and Authority_
The duty of the AO is to win over the German nationals in foreign lands
and in the shipping world to the National Socialist point of view
and to keep alive the idea of a racial community over all classes,
professions, and confessions in every single German, living in a
foreign country.
The AO will keep itself aloof from all non-German issues.
The AO is the only competent party office for all Party Organizations
abroad (with the exception of Danzig and Memel) and on board German
ships. The Director of the AO is responsible for all measures,
principles, and directives given in this sphere of activity. He is
further responsible for seeing that the Special directives issued by
all the competent offices of the Reich government are modified in such
a way that they are suitable for conditions abroad in order that German
interests are not under any circumstances endangered or damaged.
All party members domiciled abroad, who take up permanent residence
there or who are employed in seagoing ships, are subordinate to the
AO and are not to be considered party members of districts within the
Reich. Party members engaged in shipping, who leave their work afloat
and are without work for at least six months, are to be transferred
to the appropriate Gau within Germany, also party members abroad who
return and take-up permanent residence in the fatherland.
Members of the families of German seamen, residing at home and who
belong to the NS Women’s Organization are administered by the NS
Women’s group--shipping--of the organization of the NSDAP in foreign
countries. This pertains to all districts in which the AO--shipping has
divisions, subdivisions, and branches.
_Organization_
The Staff of the AO carries the designation “Supervision of the
Organization of the NSDAP in Foreign Countries.”
The AO of the NSDAP is subdivided into national groups, national
districts, districts, local groups, and branches. The term “national
group” is to be used only for those countries which are particularly
important as far as German nationals abroad are concerned. To all other
countries the term “national district” applies.
The Party functionaries of the AO are:
1. The Director with the rank of Gauleiter.
2. The Deputy Director with the rank of Deputy Gauleiter.
3. The heads of the national groups (on account of different
conditions in all of the different countries of the world in which the
organization is to be found) with the rank of a district office leader.
4. The heads of national districts with the rank of a district leader.
5. The district leaders.
6. The leaders of local groups.
7. The leaders of branches.
The Office Chiefs in the Head Office of the AO, the commissioners for
foreign countries, under whom are several national groups and national
districts (partly in our part of the earth), and the leaders of the
national groups have the rank of a Gauamtsleiter. Subordinate to the
Director of the Office of AO Shipping Section of the NSDAP are:
1. The divisional leaders in Bremen, Hamburg, Luebeck, and Stettin with
the rank of a Gauhaupt Stellenleiter.
2. Local group and branch leaders on board German ships.
In order to identify the political leaders and party members of the
AO, the leader has permitted the members of the AO to wear a special
badge. (See picture.) It portrays a black diamond which, set up on
its point, is worn on the left arm (lower end 2 centimeters above the
cuff). Within the black diamond are the two letters AO, for the Party
Functionaries in gold and for all others in silver. Party members wear
the badge _on the brown shirt_. The badge may only be worn, as long as
the party member in question belongs to the AO. It is to be discarded
as soon as he returns home and is transferred to a local group.
The graphical plan of organization serves to illustrate the
organization in detail.
The entire business of all party offices with the organizations of the
NSDAP abroad and in the shipping service must be carried out through
the Director of the AO. The associations belonging to the party, who
in the course of their operations endeavor to enlist German nationals
abroad may only do this within the framework of the AO.
[Pages 295-312]
The Reichpropaganda Leader of the NSDAP and Propaganda Leader
The propaganda of the NSDAP, its organizations and associate groups is
the responsibility of the Reichpropaganda leader of the Reich:
_Duties_
1. He determines the entire propaganda aspect of the movement including
its organizations and associate groups.
2. He lays down the directions to be followed by the party including
the organizations and associate groups as far as realizing the
Fuehrer’s wishes as regards culture are concerned.
3. He exercises control over the entire German radio system in regard
to its interior organizational, cultural, and economic development.
4. The saturating of the German nation with national socialist ideology
is his concern.
5. He enlightens the people concerning the Fuehrer’s accomplishments
both as regards party and State.
For propaganda purposes, the press, the radio, and films are put into
use.
The Chief of Staff and adjutant are subordinate to the Reich propaganda
leader.
The sphere of activity of the Reich propaganda leader can be divided
into five groups, and each group is under the control of an office of
its own.
1. Active propaganda.
2. Films.
3. Radio.
4. Culture.
5. Liaison Office.
Chief of Staff
Directly subordinate to the Chief of Staff are:
1. The “Reich ring for national socialist propaganda and national
enlightenment.”
2. The “Reichsautozug Deutschland” and the “Hilfszug” Bavaria.
3. The business center of the Reichpropaganda office.
4. The main office of press propaganda.
5. The main office for exhibitions and fairs.
The duty of the Reich ring for National Socialist Propaganda and
national enlightenment is to insure the uniform direction of the
propaganda of all organizations and associated groups, through
the party. Through the duly qualified party functionaries one
representative from the propaganda offices of all organizations and
groups is allotted to the Reich ring. To these representatives are
added representatives of certain offices of the Reich government, etc.
_Office of press propaganda._ The duty of the central office of the
press propaganda is to revise, on the basis of newspaper technique,
propaganda measures resulting from the general work of all offices
of the Reichpropaganda leader and to submit them to the competent
authorities of the national socialist party press as well as the rest
of the press.
_Central office for exhibitions and fairs._ The duty of the central
office _for exhibitions_ and fairs is to supervise all exhibitions in
which the party intends to participate, from a propaganda point of view.
1. _The Office of active propaganda._ The duty of active propaganda
is to effect the uniform execution of all active propaganda measures
from the large scale organizations of gigantic size with their
architectural-like structure down to the organizations of local groups,
and branches.
This means that the whole propaganda organization of the movement, its
organizations and associated groups are combined.
Parallel with the daily handling of current political questions, there
is the supplying of the entire speakers’ staff with information and the
provision of all propagandists of the Reich with the monthly magazine
“Our Will and Way.”
As a supplement to speaking, there must be the designing and
distribution of appropriate placards and pamphlets as well as the
careful examination of convention reports on the part of the speakers
and the directors of propaganda.
A complete picture of the propaganda can be seen from the statistical
survey of all reports coming from districts and Gaus (in regard to
propaganda).
_Central office of speaker’s organization._ The central office of
speaker’s organization comprises by way of its subordinate office
“Speakers’ organization” all Reich, Gau, and district speakers of
the NSDAP as well as all Specialist Speakers of the organizations
and associated groups. This staff of speakers for the whole movement
is constantly furnished with material by the office of “Speakers’
information,” which counts as the only material for speeches and the
only material for information by the party.
The “Speakers’ Agency” of Reich speakers, shock troop speakers of the
Reich propaganda Directorate and cadets for the Shock troops operates
through the office of “Speakers’ Agency.” The “Speakers School”
subordinate to the central office does not only provide for a further
supply of political and specialized speakers but also for constantly
enriching the knowledge of all actively engaged speakers. For this
purpose a special “Reich School for Speakers” has been installed.
The Party Speakers
Speakers are classified as follows:
1. Reich speaker.
2. Speaker for the Shock troops and cadets.
3. Gau speaker.
4. District speaker.
5. Specialized speaker.
(When announcing meetings, the speakers designations as they appear
above are to be strictly adhered to).
Their employment is decided as follows:
_a._ The principle of capability.
_b._ The merits of the veteran fighter.
On principle, it is to be differentiated between political and
technical speakers.
2. _Central office of the film industry._ The duty of the central
office of the film industry is to exhibit such films regularly as
adequately serve to enlighten and educate the masses and strengthen
national socialist ideology. Associated with the film division is the
office of photography.
The central office of the film industry is divided into:
Organization
Finance administration
Production and technique
Dramatic theory
Cultural films
Newsfilms
Photography