“My dear Goering: When in November 1923 the Party tried for the

first time to conquer the power of the State, you as Commander

of the SA created within an extraordinarily short time that

instrument with which I could bear that struggle. Highest

necessity had forced us to act, but a wise providence at that

time denied that success. After receiving a grave wound you

again entered the ranks as soon as circumstances permitted as my

most loyal comrade in the battle for power. You contributed

essentially to creating the basis for the 30th of January.

Therefore, at the end of a year of the National Socialist

Revolution, I desire to thank you whole-heartedly, my dear Party

Comrade Goering, for the great values which you have for the

National Socialist Revolution and consequently, for the German

people. In cordial friendship and grateful appreciation.

Yours,

Adolf Hitler.”

(_3259-PS_)

Goering himself has boasted:

“Numerous titles and honors have been bestowed on me during the

past months, and still no title and no decoration could make me

so proud, as the designation, given to me by the German people:

‘The most faithful paladin of our Fuehrer.’ In that, my

relationship to the Fuehrer finds expression. I followed him for

over a decade with unreserved faith, and I will follow him with

the same unconditional faith until my end.” (_3251-PS_)

(_b_) _Prussia, 1933-36._ Immediately after the 30th of January 1933,

Goering was awarded the key post of acting Prussian Minister of the

Interior, and shortly thereafter, that of Minister President of Prussia.

In these capacities, he proceeded promptly to establish a regime of

terror in Prussia designed to suppress all opposition to the Nazi

program.

His chief tool was the Prussian police, which remained under his

jurisdiction until 1936. As early as February 1933, he ordered the

entire police forces to render unqualified assistance to the

para-military organizations supporting the new government, such as the

SA and the SS, and to crush all political opponents with firearms, if

necessary, regardless of the consequences. (Directive of 10 February

1933, Ministerialblatt fuer die Preussische innere Verwaltung 1933, p.

148; Directive of 17 February 1933, _id_, p. 169). Goering has

frequently and proudly acknowledged his own personal responsibility for

the crimes committed pursuant to orders of this character:

“I declared at that time before thousands of fellow Germans,

each bullet which leaves the barrel of a police pistol now is my

bullet. If one calls this murder, then I have murdered; I

ordered all this, I back it up. I assume the responsibility, and

I am not afraid to do so.” (_2324-PS; 3252-PS._)

Soon after he became Prussian Minister President, Goering began to

develop the Gestapo, or Secret State Police. To quote from his own book:

“The most important thing for me was first, to get the

instrument of power of the protective police and political

police firmly in my hand. Here I undertook the first sweeping

changes of personnel. Of the 32 available colonels of the

protective police, I dismissed 22. Hundreds of officers and

thousands of sergeants followed them in the course of the next

months. New forces were procured, and everywhere, these forces

were taken out of the large reserve pool of the SA and the SS.

“For weeks, I personally worked on this transformation, and

finally I created alone and from my own conviction and own

thought the ‘Secret State Police Office’. That instrument,

feared so much by the enemies of the state, which above all has

contributed so much, that today a Communist or Marxist danger in

Germany or Prussia is hardly worth talking about anymore.”

(_3251-PS_)

In a public address delivered on 11 December 1934, Goering boasted:

“We were firmly determined after assumption of power to hit the

Communists so that in Germany they would never recover from our

blow. For that we do not require a Reichstag fire. That has been

one of the most important points on our program. In the former

Weimar Constitution the destruction of Communism was

unthinkable. For the execution of these measures we needed the

instrument of a through and through reliable, and of the highest

degree powerful, police force. I have created this instrument

through the reorganization of the field police (_Landespolizei_)

and the formation of a Secret State Police. These organizations

will constitute a means for implanting fear in all enemies of

the State, which a State needs if it wishes to defend itself for

always”. (_3440-PS_)

On 26 April 1933 Goering signed the first law officially establishing

the Secret State Police in Prussia (_2104-PS_). On 30 November 1933,

Goering signed a law naming himself, as Prime Minister, Chief of the

Prussian Secret State Police (_2105-PS_). He continued in this position

until sometime in 1936, when Himmler secured control of all police in

the Reich.

Men and women taken into custody by the Gestapo were thrown, without

judicial or other form of trial, into concentration camps, which had

been established in Prussia as early as the spring of 1933. (_3252-PS_;

_L-83_.)

As explained by Goering in his own book:

“Against the enemies of the State, we must proceed ruthlessly.

It cannot be forgotten, that at the moment of our rise to power,

according to the official election figures of March 1933, six

million people still confess their sympathy for Marxism. * * *

Therefore the concentration camps have been created, where we

have first confined thousands of Communists and Social Democrat

functionaries. * * *” (_2344-PS_)

On 10 February 1936, Goering, as Prussian Minister President, signed a

further basic law on the Prussian Secret State Police. Article 7 of this

law provided:

“Orders in matters of the Secret State Police are not subject to

the review of the administrative courts”. (_2107-PS_)

Thus it was made quite clear by Goering’s own law that those imprisoned

in concentration camps without trial of any kind were to have no

recourse to any court. On the same day Goering signed a decree for the

execution of the foregoing law, which further acknowledged his

responsibility for Prussian concentration camps. Its provisions included

the following:

“Art. 2 * * * (4) The Secret State Police Bureau administers the

state concentration camps.” (_2108-PS_)

The range of police terrorism under Goering’s leadership was almost

limitless. A glance at a few of his police directives in these early

days will indicate the extent and thoroughness with which every

dissident voice was silenced:

_Directive of 22 June 1933_ (_Ministerial-Blatt fuer die

Preussische innere Verwaltung, 1933, p. 731_): Ordered all

officials to watch the statements of employees of the Prussian

civil service and to denounce to Goering those who made critical

remarks (“_Miesmacher_”); failure to do so regarded as proof of

hostile attitude.

_Directive of 23 June 1933_ (_Ministerial-Blatt fuer die

Preussische innere Verwaltung, 1933, p. 749_): Suppressed all

activities of the Social Democratic Party, including meetings

and press, and ordered confiscation of its property.

_Directive of 30 June 1933_ (_Ministerial-Blatt fuer die

Preussische innere Verwaltung, 1933, p. 793_): Ordered the

Gestapo authorities to report to the Labor Trustees on political

attitudes of workers, particularly in cases of criticism of the

regime.

_Directive of 15 January 1934_ (_Ministerial-Blatt fuer die

Preussische innere Verwaltung, 1933, p. 137_): Ordered the

Gestapo and frontier police to keep track of and to watch

emigres, particularly political emigres and Jews, residing in

neighboring countries, and ordered them arrested and put into

concentration camps if they returned to Germany.

After the elimination of the forces of the opposition, the Nazis felt it

necessary to dispose of nonconformists within their own ranks. During

the Roehm purge of 30 June 1934, many people were murdered who had

nothing to do with the internal SA revolt but were just “not liked very

well” (_2950-PS_). Goering’s role in this bloody affair was related less

than two weeks later by Hitler in a speech to the Reichstag:

“Meanwhile Minister President Goering had previously received my

instructions that in case of a purge, he was to take analogous

measures at once in Berlin and in Prussia. With an iron fist he

beat down the attack on the National Socialist State before it

could develop.” (_3442-PS_)

(_c_) _The Reich, 1933-39._ Meanwhile, in the central Reich government,

Goering occupied a series of the highest and most influential positions.

The broad powers which devolved upon him made him, under Hitler, the

Chief Executive of the Nazi State.

With the accession to power, Goering retained the somewhat empty title

of Reichstag President but was also appointed Minister Without Portfolio

and became a cabinet member. When in an early meeting (15 March 1933)

the cabinet discussed the pending Enabling Act (which gave the Cabinet

plenary powers of legislation) he offered the suggestion that the

required two-thirds majority might be obtained simply by refusing

admittance to the Social Democratic delegates (_2962-PS_). He became

Reich Air Minister in May 1933 (_2089-PS_). In his capacity as Air

Minister and Supreme Commander of the Luftwaffe, he sat as a member of

and the Fuehrer’s deputy on the Reich Defense Council, which was

established by the secret law of 21 May 1933 and continued by the secret

law of 4 September 1938 (_2261-PS_; _2194-PS_). This Council was a war

planning group whose purpose was “to plan preparations and decrees in

case of war which later on were published by the Ministerial Council for

the Defense of the Reich.” (_2986-PS_)

In 1936, Goering was made Plenipotentiary for the Four-Year Plan and

acquired plenary legislative and administrative powers over all German

economic life. (_1862-PS_)

Goering was a member of the Secret Cabinet Council established in 1938

to act as “an advisory board in the direction of foreign policy”

(_2031-PS_).

The Ministerial Council for the Defense of the Reich, created in 1939,

took over, in effect, all the legislative powers of the Cabinet which

had not been reserved to Hitler’s personal control or to Goering as the

Delegate for the Four-Year Plan. Goering became the Chairman of this

Council. (_2018-PS_)

Finally, as the invading Nazi armies marched into Poland, Hitler

announced the designation of Goering as successor designate, the heir

apparent of the “New Order.”

(_d_) _Economic Preparation for War, 1933-1939._

In April 1936, Goering was appointed Coordinator for Raw Materials and

Foreign Exchange and empowered to supervise all State and Party

activities in these fields (_2827-PS_). In this capacity he convened the

War Minister, the Minister of Economics, the Reich Finance Minister, the

President of the Reichsbank, and the Prussian Finance Minister to

discuss inter-agency problems connected with war mobilization. At a

meeting of this group on 12 May 1936, when the question of the

prohibitive cost of synthetic raw material substitutes arose, Goering

said:

“If we have war tomorrow, we must help ourselves by substitutes.

Then money will not play any role at all. If that is the case,

then we must be ready to create the prerequisites for that in

peace.” (_1301-PS_)

At a subsequent meeting of the same men on 27 May 1936, Goering

suggested a program of plant construction for the production of

synthetic substitutes but warned against the financial strain involved

in excessive overexpansion. He opposed any limitations dictated by

orthodox financial policy and stated:

“All measures are to be considered from the standpoint of an

assured waging of war.

“Ready reserves must ordinarily be accumulated already in

On the Nurnberg Party Day in the fall of 1936, Hitler proclaimed the

establishment of the Four-Year Plan, a comprehensive program of national

self-sufficiency, and announced the appointment of Goering as

“Plenipotentiary” in charge. In October, a decree was promulgated which

implemented this announcement and provided for the execution of the

plan. (_1862-PS_)

It is clear from Goering’s own statements in an interrogation on 25 June

1945 that the purpose of the Plan was to place Germany on a war footing

economically:

“Goering: ‘My job was to organize the German economy and my

energy was put to work to get things started and carried through

* * *. My main task was to secure the food supply for Germany

for many years ahead and to make Germany self-sufficient. The

most important items were iron, petroleum and rubber. * * * The

industry only wanted to have very high grade Swedish iron for

business reasons. There was danger that during the war Germany

would not be able to get iron from Sweden and there would be no

iron.’

Interrogator: ‘What war are you talking about? This is 1936

you’re speaking of.’

Goering: ‘Any possibility of war. Perhaps with Russia, or in

case there was war with anyone at any time and anywhere.’”

When asked the reasons why the Four-Year Plan lost importance in 1942,

Goering explained that his preoccupation with the Air Force did not

allow him the necessary concentration on the affairs of the Four-Year

Plan, and stated:

“The main task of the Four-Year Plan had been accomplished. This

task was to get Germany ready.”

These answers confirm the comment Goering made in 1936, that his chief

task as Plenipotentiary for the Four-Year Plan was “to put the whole

economy on a war footing within four years.” (_EC-408_) As

Plenipotentiary for the Four-Year Plan, Goering was virtually the

economic dictator for Germany with control over all other interested

Reich agencies. He was the “boss of the economy,” and all important

decisions had to be referred to him.

Two important conferences show clearly how Goering inspired and directed

the preparation of the German economy for aggressive war. On 8 July 1938

he addressed a number of leading German aircraft manufacturers,

explained the political situation, and laid the groundwork for a vast

increase in aircraft production. After stating that war with

Czechoslovakia was imminent and boasting that the German air force was

already superior in quality and quantity to the English, he continued:

“If Germany wins the war, she will be the greatest power in the

world, dominating the world market, and Germany will be a rich

nation. For this goal, risks must be taken. The only thing that

matters is increased output regarding quantity and quality. Even

if the manufacturers know that their present policies may mean

their bankruptcy within three years, they will have to do it all

the same * * * I want you to be perfectly resolved, today

already, how you will run your business when war comes. The

earlier the manufacturers make their preparations for

mobilization today, the less danger there will be of work being

held up. It must be determined for every worker whether he is

essential for production upon outbreak of war, and measures must

be taken to secure his deferment in case of mobilization.

(_3441-PS_). An executive will be put in charge to work on

nothing but the complete preparation of each plant for

mobilization day.” (_R-140_)

A few weeks after the Munich agreement, on 14 October 1938, another

conference was held in Goering’s office. He began with the statement

that Hitler had instructed him to organize a gigantic armament program

which would make insignificant all previous achievements. He indicated

that he had been ordered to build as rapidly as possible an air force

five times as large, to increase the speed of Army and Navy armament,

and to concentrate on offensive weapons, principally heavy artillery and

heavy tanks. He then proposed a specific program designed to accomplish

these ends. (_1301-PS_)

(_e_) _Military Mobilization for War._ In his dual role as Reich Air

Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the German Air Force, it was

Goering’s function to develop the Luftwaffe to practical war strength.

As early as March 1935 Goering frankly announced to the world that he

was in the process of building a true military air force:

“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.” (_2292-PS_)

Two months later, in a speech to 1,000 Air Force officers, Goering spoke

in a still bolder vein:

“I repeat: I intend to create a Luftwaffe which, if the hour

should strike, shall burst upon the foe like a chorus of

revenge. The enemy must have a feeling of being lost already

before even having fought. * * *”

In the same year, he signed his name to the Conscription Law which

provided for compulsory military service and constituted an act of

defiance on the part of Nazi Germany in violation of the Versailles

Treaty. (_1654-PS_)

Goering’s statements during this period left no doubt in the minds of

Allied diplomats that Germany was engaged in full mobilization of air

power for an impending war.

“Goering and Milch often said to me or in my presence that the

Nazis had decided to concentrate on air power as the weapon of

terror most likely to give Germany a dominant position and the

weapon which could be developed the most rapidly and in the

shortest time . . . High ranking Nazis with whom I had to

maintain official contact, particularly men such as Goering,

Goebbels, Ley, Frick, Frank, Darré and others, repeatedly

scoffed at my position as to the binding character of treaties

and openly stated to me that Germany would observe her

international undertakings only so long as it suited Germany’s

interests to do so.” (_2385-PS_)

(2) _The Launching of Aggressive War._ Goering was the central figure in

the preparation of Germany for military aggression. In German economic

development and military growth he held the key positions throughout the

prewar period. Although he held no official position in the field of

foreign affairs, Goering also figured prominently in all of the major

phases of Nazi international aggression between 1937 and 1941. As “No. 2

Nazi” he was a leading participant in every major plan of territorial

aggrandizement or offensive military strategy.

Goering was the prompter and director of the diplomatic tragi-comedy

leading to the Austrian Anschluss. In the middle of November 1937, Mr.

Bullitt, the American Ambassador to France, reported the following

conversation with Goering:

“I asked Goering if he meant that Germany was absolutely

determined to annex Austria to the Reich. He replied that this

was an absolute determination of the German Government. The

German Government at the present time was not pressing this

matter because of certain momentary political considerations,

especially in their relations with Italy; but Germany would

tolerate no solution of the Austrian question other than the

consolidation of Austria in the German Reich. He then added a

statement which went further than any I have heard on this

subject: He said, ‘There are schemes being pushed now for a

union of Austria, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia, either with or

without a Hapsburg at the head of the unit. Such a solution is

absolutely inacceptable to us, and for us the conclusion of such

an agreement would be an immediate _casus belli_’.” (_L-151_)

When the time came, on 11 March 1938, Goering was in complete command.

Throughout the afternoon and evening of that day he directed by

telephone the activities of Seyss-Inquart, also of Keppler, Ullrich, and

the other Nazi operatives in Vienna. (_2949-PS_); (the pertinent

portions of these telephone conversations have already been referred to

in Section 3 of Chapter IX on Aggression Against Austria.)

In the late afternoon Goering gave the following order to Seyss-Inquart:

“Now, remember the following: You go immediately together with

Lt. General Muff and tell the Federal President that if the

conditions which are known to you are not accepted immediately,

the troops who are already stationed in and advancing to the

frontier will march in tonight along the whole line, and Austria

will cease to exist.” (_2949-PS_)

Early the same evening he dictated to Seyss-Inquart the telegram which

the latter was to send to Berlin requesting the Nazi Government to send

German troops to “prevent bloodshed”. Two days later he was able to call

Ribbentrop in London and say:

“Yes, the last march into the Rhineland is completely

over-shadowed. The Fuehrer was deeply moved, when he talked to

me last night. You must remember it was the first time that he

saw his homeland again. Now, I merely want to talk about

political things. Well, this story we have given an ultimatum,

that is just foolish gossip.” (_2949-PS_)

Goering played a similarly important role in the attack on

Czechoslovakia. In March of 1938, at the time of the Anschluss with

Austria, he had given a solemn assurance to the Czechoslovakian Minister

in Berlin that the developments in Austria would in no way have a

detrimental influence on the relations between Germany and

Czechoslovakia, and had emphasized the continued earnest endeavor on the

part of Germany to improve these mutual relations. In this connection,

Goering used the expression: “_Ich gebe Ihnen mein Ehrenwort._ (I give

you my word of honor)” (_TC-27_). On the other hand, in his address to

German airplane manufacturers on 8 July 1938, he made his private views

on this subject clear:

“Beyond this they fear that once we have pocketed

Czechoslovakia, we will attack Hungary, the Rumanian oil wells,

etc. Moreover, since there are democratic countries on the one

hand, and authoritarian ones on the other, there is enough

inflammable matter in the world anyway. When, how and where this

inflammable matter will explode, no one among us can say. It may

happen within some months, but it may also take some years. At

present, the situation is this that Czechoslovakia has promised

the Sudeten Germans to meet them half way. I am convinced that

they will satisfy no more than some of their unimportant

demands. Such action on their part would probably suit our

policy best, since in this case we could put the entire

responsibility on England because she has engaged herself so

deeply in this business.” (_R-140_)

On 14 October 1938, shortly after the Munich agreement, Goering gave his

views on the Czechoslovakian question at a conference in the Air

Ministry:

“The Sudetenland has to be exploited with all the means. General

Field Marshal Goering counts upon a complete industrial

assimilation of the Slovakia. Czech and Slovakia would become

German dominions. Everything possible must be taken out. The

Oder-Danube Canal has to be speeded up. Searches for oil and ore

have to be conducted in Slovakia, notably by State Secretary

Keppler.” (_1301-PS_)

Meanwhile, he was deceiving the representatives of the puppet Slovakian

government to the same end:

“The Field Marshal considers that the Slovak negotiations toward

independence are to be supported in a suitable manner.

Czechoslovakia without Slovakia is still more at our mercy.”

(_2801-PS_)

In the following year, with the rape of Czechoslovakia complete Goering

frankly stated what Germany’s purpose had been throughout the whole

affair:

“In a rather long statement the field marshal explained that the

incorporation of Bohemia and Moravia into the German economy had

taken place, among other reasons to increase the German War

potential by exploitation of the industry there.” (_R-133_)

Goering was also a moving force in the later crimes against the peace.

As the successor designate to Hitler, as Chief of the Air Forces, and as

economic czar of Greater Germany, he was a party to all the planning for

military operations of the Nazi forces in the East and the West. In the

Polish affair, for example, it was Goering who in 1935 gave assurances

to the Polish government that “there should be not the slightest fear in

Poland that on the German side it (the German-Polish alliance) would not

be continued in the future.” Yet, four years later, Goering helped

formulate plans for the invasion of Polish territory.

With regard to the attack upon the Soviet Union, plans for the ruthless

exploitation of Russian territory were made months in advance of the

opening of hostilities. Goering was placed in charge of this army of

spoliation, whose mission was that of “seizing raw materials and taking

over all important concerns.” (_1317-PS_; _1157-PS_.)

These specific instances cover only a small part of Goering’s activities

in the field of aggressive war. There follows a partial list of

additional documents which demonstrate Goering’s knowledge of and

continued participation in the Nazi war program. They deal either with

conferences on the highest war-planning levels which he attended, or

with secret orders communicated to him outlining in advance the official

plans for the execution of the successive acts of aggression.

_Meetings and Conferences Attended:_

Conference in Reichskanzlei, 5 November 1937, to outline the necessity

for expanding German foreign policy; plans discussed for the acquisition

of Austria and Czechoslovakia. (_386-PS_)

Entry in Jodl diary, 10 March 1938, referring to meeting attended by

Goering and others at which the preparation of “Case Otto” and the

mobilization of the army and the air force were ordered. (_1780-PS_)

Top secret conference with Hitler on 23 May 1939, the subject of which

was indoctrination on the political situation and foreign aims. (_L-79_)

Meeting with Hitler, 22 August 1939, attended by commanders of the armed

forces at which immediate plans for Polish invasion were discussed.

(_L-3_; _798-PS_; _1014-PS_)

Hitler’s speech to all military commanders on 23 November 1939,

regarding the invasion of the low countries. (_789-PS_)

Meetings of 8 February 1941 and 27 March 1941, at which Hitler outlined

the prospective operations against Yugoslavia and Greece. (_1746-PS_)

_Orders and Other Directives Received:_

Directive of Blomberg to the armed forces containing plans for military

operations in the event that sanctions were applied against German

withdrawal from League of Nations. (_C-140_)

Top secret directive of Blomberg of 2 May 1935, with plans for operation

“Schulung” (the reoccupation of the Rhineland). (_C-139_)

Top secret letter from Blomberg dated 24 June 1935, enclosing copy of

secret Reich Defense Law of 21 May 1935 and decision of Reich Cabinet of

the same date. (_2261-PS_)

Order of Blomberg of 2 March 1936, giving the operational basis for the

Rhineland occupation. (_C-159_)

Directives from Hitler and Keitel April to August 1939 on preparation

and invasion of Poland. (_C-120_)

Operational file, “Fall Weiss,” the code name for the Polish operation.

(_C-126_)

Directive from GAF, dated 25 August 1938, regarding the acquisition of

bases in the low countries. (_375-PS_)

Directive No. 6 for the conduct of the war, dated 9 October 1939, signed

by Hitler, and orders of Keitel, dated 15 November 1939, on the plans

for “Fall Gelb”, (operation in the West). (_C-62_)

Orders of the Supreme Command from 7 November 1939 to 9 May 1940,

regarding the opening of the invasion in the West. (_C-72_)

Order of Hitler No. 8, 20 November 1939, for the execution of “Fall

Gelb”. (_440-PS_)

Operational plans signed by Keitel on 28 November 1939, on action near

the French-Belgium borders. (_C-10_)

Entries in Jodl diaries from 1 February to 26 May 1940 confirming plans

for invasion of the West. (_1809-PS_)

OKW orders, 27 January 1940, signed by Keitel on preparation for “Fall

Weseruebung” (Invasion of Norway and Denmark). (_C-63_)

Fuehrer order of 1 March 1940 for the execution of “Fall Weseruebung.”

(_C-174_)

Most secret order from Hitler’s headquarters, dated 19 February 1941, on

plans for the invasion of Greece. (_C-59_)

Top secret operational order on “Case Barbarossa” (invasion of the

Soviet Union), dated 13 March 1941, signed by Keitel. (_447-PS_)

Time table for “Case Barbarossa,” signed by Keitel. (_C-39_)

Top secret memorandum of 29 October 1940, signed by Falkenstein,

Luftwaffe liaison officer with OKW, discussing need for the seizure of

air bases in the event of future war with the United States. (_376-PS_)

Basic order No. 24, dated 5 March 1941, signed by Keitel, regarding

German collaboration with Japan. (_C-75_)

B. _WAR CRIMES._

(1) _Forced Labor, Deportation, and Enslavement of Residents of Occupied

Territories._

The slave labor program of the Nazi conspirators had two criminal

purposes. The first was to satisfy the labor requirements of the Nazi

war machine by forcing residents of occupied countries to work in

Germany, often directly in the German armament industry, and the second

was to destroy or weaken the peoples of the occupied territories.

Millions of foreign workers were taken to Germany, for the most part

under pressure and generally by physical force. These workers were

forced to labor under conditions of undescribable brutality and

degredation, and often they were used in factories and industries

devoted exclusively to the production of munitions of war. (_See Chapter

X on The Slave Labor Program._)

Goering was at all times implicated in the slave labor program.

Recruitment and allocation of manpower and determination of working

conditions were included in his jurisdiction as Plenipotentiary for the

Four-Year Plan, and from its beginning a part of the Four-Year Plan

Office was devoted to such work. (_1862-PS_; _2827-PS_.)

The defendant Goering was present at a meeting in Hitler’s study on 23

May 1939 at which Hitler, after declaring his intention to attack Poland

at the first suitable opportunity, said:

“If fate brings us into conflict with the West, the possession

of extensive areas in the East will be advantageous. * * * The

population of non-German areas will perform no military service

and will be available as a source of labor.” (_L-79_)

Soon after the fall of Poland, Goering as Plenipotentiary for the

Four-Year Plan, began the enslavement of large numbers of Poles. On 25

January 1940, the defendant Frank, then Governor General of Poland,

reported to Goering as follows:

“For the execution of the task of systematically placing the

economic strength of the Generalgouvernement, within the

framework of the Four-Year Plan, in the service of the German

defense industry, I give the following

_DIRECTIVES_

“1. In view of the present requirements of the Reich for the

defense industry, it is at present fundamentally impossible to

carry on a long-term economic policy in the Generalgouvernement.

Rather, it is necessary so to steer the economy of the

Generalgouvernement that it will, in the shortest possible time,

accomplish results representing the maximum that can be gotten

out of the economic strength of the Generalgouvernement for

immediate strengthening of our capacity for defense. * * *

“2. (g) Supply and transportation of at least 1 million male and

female agricultural and industrial workers to the Reich—among

them at least 7500 000 [sic] agricultural workers of which at

least 50% must be women—in order to guarantee agricultural

production in the Reich and as a replacement for industrial

workers lacking in the Reich. * * *” (_1375-PS_)

That orders for this enormous number of workers originated with the

defendant Goering is clear from the following statement in Frank’s Diary

for 10 May 1940:

“Then the Governor General deals with the problem of the

_Compulsory Labor Service_ of the Poles. Upon the demands from

the Reich it has now been decreed that compulsion may be

exercised in view of the fact that sufficient manpower was not

voluntarily available for service inside the German Reich. This

compulsion means the possibility of arrest of male and female

Poles. Because of these measures a certain disquietude had

developed which, according to individual reports, was spreading

very much, and which might produce difficulties everywhere.

General Fieldmarshal Goering some time ago pointed out in his

long speech the necessity to deport into the Reich a million

workers. The supply so far was 160,000. However, great

difficulties had to be overcome. Therefore it would be advisable

to consult the district and town chiefs in the execution of the

compulsion, so that one could be sure from the start that this

action would be reasonably successful. The arrest of young Poles

when leaving church service or the cinema would bring about an

increasing nervousness of the Poles. Generally speaking, he had

no objections at all if the rubbish, capable of work yet often

loitering about, would be snatched from the streets. The best

method for this, however, would be the organization of a raid,

and it would be absolutely justifiable to stop a Pole in the

street and to question him what he was doing, where he was

working, etc.” (_2233-A-PS_)

Goering was also responsible for the harsh treatment given these workers

when they reached Germany. On 8 March 1940, as Plenipotentiary of the

Four-Year Plan and as Chairman of the Cabinet Counsel for the Defense of

the Reich, he issued a directive to the Supreme Reich authorities,

entitled: “Treatment of male and female civilian workers of Polish

Nationality in the Reich.” In this directive Goering provided in part:

“The mass employment of male and female civilian workers of

Polish nationality in the Reich necessitates a comprehensive

ruling on treatment of these workers.

“The following orders are to be executed at once:

* * * * * *

“4. The blameless conduct of the Poles is to be assured by

special regulations. The legal and administrative regulations,

necessary for this, will be issued by the Reichsfuehrer-SS and

Chief of the German Police at the Reich Ministry of the

Interior.

“6. Attention is drawn to the explanations enclosed as

appendix.” (_R-148_)

Attached to this directive, and also dated 8 March 1940, were a series

of regulations issued by Himmler, as Reichfuehrer SS and Chief of the

German Police. These regulations provided for stringent measures and

discrimination against Polish workers in the Reich. In a covering

Express Letter addressed to all State Police district-offices and State

Police offices, also dated 8 March 1940, Himmler made clear what was

intended in order to secure “blameless conduct”. He stated:

“The steps to be taken to combat insubordination and

noncompliance with the duty to work, must be decided according

to the severity of the case and to the spirit of resistance of

the offender. It is of most importance that they be taken

immediately after the offense is committed so that they have a

decisive effect. In accordance with my instructions in the

appended decrees, especially severe measures must be taken

during the first eight weeks, in order to bring home to the

workers of Polish nationality from the outset the consequences

of noncompliance with the orders issued. * * *

“In general, in all cases where a warning, by the State Police

or a short imprisonment is not sufficient to induce the worker

to fulfill his duties, application is to be made for his

transfer to a labor training camp, and an opinion given on what

treatment he should receive there. The treatment in the labor

training camps will have to be in accordance with, the severity

of the offense. It is suitable, e.g., to make obstinate shirkers

work in the stone-quarries of the Mauthausen camp. By a special

decree, to the heads of SS-Deathshead Units and concentration

camps, I have ordered that the treatment of these persons under

protective custody be undertaken in a concentration camp.

“Extraordinarily serious cases have to be reported to the Chief

of the Security Police and the SD who, after examination, make

the decision on a special treatment of the workers of Polish

nationality in question.” (_R-148_)

On 29 January 1942 the Division for the Employment of Labor in the

Four-Year Plan Office issued a circular, signed by Dr. Mansfeld, the

General Delegate for Labor Employment in the Four-Year Plan Office, and

addressed to various civilian and military authorities in the occupied

territories, explaining the various means to be used to force workers to

go to Germany. The circular provides in part:

“Subject: Increased mobilization of man-power for the German

Reich from the occupied territories and preparations for

mobilization by force.

“On the one hand, the labor shortage which was rendered more

acute by the draft for the Wehrmacht, and on the other hand, the

increased scope of the armament problem in the German Reich,

render it necessary that manpower for service in the Reich be

recruited from the occupied territories to a much greater extent

than heretofore, in order to relieve the shortage of labor.

Therefore, any and all methods must be adopted which make

possible the transportation, without exception and delay, for

employment in the German Reich, of manpower in the occupied

territories which is unemployed or which can be released for use

in Germany after most careful screening.

“This mobilization shall first of all, as heretofore, be carried

out on a voluntary basis. For this reason, the recruiting effort

for employment in the German Reich must be strengthened

considerably. But if satisfactory results are to be obtained,

the German authorities, who are functioning in the occupied

territories, must be able to exert any pressure necessary to

support the voluntary recruiting of labor for employment in

Germany. Accordingly, to the extent that may be necessary, the

regulations in force in the occupied territories in regard to

shift in employment and withdrawal of support upon refusal to

work, must be tightened. Supplementary regulations concerning

shift in employment must above all insure that older personnel

who are freed must be exchanged for younger personnel to make up

for it, so that the latter may be made available for the Reich.

A far-reaching decrease in the amount of relief granted by

Public Welfare must also be effected in order to induce laborers

to accept employment in the Reich. Unemployment relief must be

set so low that the amount in comparison with the average wages

in the Reich and the possibilities there for sending remittances

home may serve as an inducement to accept employment in the

Reich. When refusal to accept work in the Reich is not

justified, the compensation must be reduced to an amount barely

enough for subsistence, or even be cancelled. In this

connection, partial withdrawal of ration cards and assignment to

particularly heavy obligatory labor may be considered.

“However, all misgivings must give way before the necessity of

supplying the deficit in manpower caused by excessive draft

calls into the Armed Forces, in order to avoid detriment to the

armament industry. For this purpose the forcible mobilization of

workers from the occupied territories cannot be disregarded, in

case the voluntary recruiting is unsuccessful. The mere

possibility of mobilization by force will, in many cases, make

recruiting easier.

“Therefore, I ask you immediately to take any measures in your

district which will promote the employment of workers in the

German Reich on a voluntary basis. I herewith request you to

prepare for publication regulations applying to forced

mobilization of laborers from your territory for Germany, so

that they may be decreed at once, in case recruiting on a

voluntary basis will not have the desired result, that is relief

of the manpower shortage in the Reich. I request you to inform

me of the measures taken by you.” (_1183-PS_)

On 21 March 1942, Hitler promulgated a decree appointing Sauckel

Plenipotentiary General for Man Power. This decree provided in part:

“In order to secure the manpower requisite for the war

industries as a whole, and particularly for armaments, it is

necessary that the utilization of all available manpower,

including that of workers recruited [erwerben] abroad and of

prisoners of war, should be subject to a uniform control,

directed in a manner appropriate to the requirements of war

industry, and further that all still incompletely utilized

manpower in the Greater German Reich, including the

Protectorate, and in the General Government and in the occupied

territories, should be mobilized.

“Reichsstatthalter and Gauleiter Fritz Sauckel will carry out

this task within the framework of the Four-Year Plan, as

plenipotentiary general, for the employment of manpower. In that

capacity he will be directly responsible to the Commissioner for

the Four-Year Plan.” (_1666-PS_)

On 27 March 1942, Goering, as Plenipotentiary for the Four-Year Plan,

issued a decree in pursuance of the Fuehrer’s decree of 21 March 1942.

This decree provided:

“In pursuance of the Fuehrer’s Decree of 21 March 1942 (RGBl I,

179), I decree as follows:

“1. My manpower sections (_Geschaeftsgruppen Arbeitseinsatz_)

are hereby abolished (circular letter of 22 Oct 1936/ St M. Dev.

265). Their duties (recruitment and allocation of manpower,

regulations for labor conditions (_Arbeitsbedingungen_)) are

taken over by the Plenipotentiary General for Arbeitseinsatz,

who is directly under me.

“2. The Plenipotentiary General for Arbeitseinsatz will be

responsible for regulating the conditions of labor (wage policy)

employed in the Reich Territory, having regard to the

requirements of Arbeitseinsatz.

“3. The Plenipotentiary General for Arbeitseinsatz is part of

the Four-Year Plan. In cases where new legislation is required,

or existing laws required to be modified, he will submit

appropriate proposals to me.

“4. The Plenipotentiary General for Arbeitseinsatz will have at

his disposal for the performance of his task the right delegated

to me by the Fuehrer for issuing instructions to the higher

Reich authorities, their branches and the Party offices, and

their associated organisms and also the Reich Protector, the

General Governor, the Commander-in-Chief, and heads of the civil

administrations. In the case of ordinances and instructions of

fundamental importance a report is to be submitted to me in

advance.” (_1666-PS_)

Since Sauckel was an authority of the Four-Year Plan, it is clear that

Goering remains responsible for the war crimes committed by Sauckel as

Plenipotentiary-General for Manpower. (_See Chapter X on The Slave Labor

Program._)

(2) _Employment of Prisoners of War in War Industry._ The Nazi

conspirators ordered prisoners of war to work under dangerous

conditions, and in the manufacturing and transportation of arms or

munitions, in violation of the Laws of War and of Articles 31 and 32 of

the Geneva Convention of 27 July 1929 on Prisoners of War. (_See Chapter

X on The Illegal Use of Prisoners of War._)

Goering had a part in these crimes. At a conference on 7 November 1941,

the subject of which was the employment of Russians, including Russian

prisoners of war, it appears from a memorandum signed by Koerner, State

Secretary to the defendant Goering as Plenipotentiary for the Four-Year

Plan, that Goering gave the following directives for use of Russians as

laborers:

“I. _The stronger labor reserves in the zone of the interior are

also decisive for the war._

“The Russian workers have proved their productive capacity

during the development of the huge Russian industry. Therefore

it must be made available to the Reich from now on. Objections

against this order of the Fuehrer are of the secondary nature.

The disadvantages which can be created by the Arbeitseinsatz

have to be reduced to a minimum: the task especially of

counter-intelligence and security police.

“II. _The Russian in the zone of operations._

“He is to be employed particularly in building roads and

railroads, in clearing work, clearing of mines and in building

airports. The German construction battalions have to be

dissolved to a great extent (Example: Air Forces!); the German

skilled workers belong to the war industry; it is not their task

to shovel and to break stones, the Russian is there for that.”

* * * * * *

“IV. _The Russian in the Reich territory including the

Protectorate._

“The number of the employed depends on the requirement. By

determining the requirement, it is to be considered that workers

of other states who produce little and eat much are to be

shipped out of the Reich and that in the future the German woman

should come less into the foreground in the labor process.

Beside the Russian prisoners of war, free Russian workers should

also be used.

“A. _The Russian Prisoner of War._

“1. The _selection_ has to take place already in the collecting

camps, beyond the Reich border. The profession and physical

condition are decisive. At the same time screening as to

nationality and according to the requirements of the security

police and counter-intelligence must take place.

“2. The _transportation_ has to be organized just as the

selection and not improvised. The prisoners are to be forwarded

rapidly. Their feeding should be orderly and their guarding

unconditionally secured.

“3. _Officers_ are to be excluded from the work as much as

possible, _commissars_ as a matter of principle.

“4. The Russian belongs in first line to the following _work

places_ (in order of priorities):

Mining.

Railroad maintenance (including repair shops and

construction of vehicles).

War industry (tanks, artillery pieces, airplane parts).

Agriculture.

Building industry.

Large scale workshops (shoe shops!)

Special units for urgent, occasional and emergency work.

* * * * * *

“B. _The Free Russian Worker._

_Employment and treatment_, will not be handled in practice

differently than for Russian prisoners of war. In both

categories, particularly good production can be acknowledged by

a limited distribution of luxury items. Sufficient, adequate

nourishment is also the main thing for the free workers.”

(_1193-PS_)

In a set of top secret notes on what was apparently the same conference,

the following appears:

“NOTES

On outlines layed down by the Reichsmarschall in the meeting of

7 November 1941 in the Reich Ministry for Air (RLM)

“SUBJECT: Employment of laborers in war industries.

“The Fuehrer’s point of view as to employment of prisoners of

war in war industries has changed basically. So far a total of 5

million prisoners of war—employed so far 2 million.

“Directives for employment:

“Frenchmen: Individual employment, transposition into armament

industry (Rue-wirtschaft)

“Serbs: Preferably agriculture.

“Poles: If feasible no individual employment achievement

of Russian armament industry surpasses the German

one. Assembly linework, a great many mechanical

devices with relatively few skilled workers.

“Readiness of Russians in the operational area to work is

strong. In the Ukraine and other areas discharged prisoners of

war already work as free labor. In Krivoy Rog, large numbers of

workers are available due to the destruction of the factories. *

* *

“_Some points as to general Arbeitseinsatz_

“Rather employ PW’s than _unsuitable foreign workers_. Seize

Poles, Dutchmen, etc. if necessary as PW’s and employ them as

such, if work through free contract cannot be obtained. Strong

action.” (_1206-PS_)

In a secret letter from the Reichsminister of Labor to the Presidents of

the Regional Labor Exchange Offices, the following appears:

“Upon personal order of the Reich Marshal, 100,000 men are to be

taken from among the French PW’s not yet employed in the

armament industry, and are to be assigned to the armament

industry (airplane industry). Gaps in manpower supply resulting

therefrom will be filled by Soviet PW’s. The transfer of the

above-named French PW’s is to be accomplished by 1 October.”

(_3005-PS_)

(3) _Looting and Destruction of Works of Art._ The Nazi conspirators

planned and organized the cultural impoverishment of every country in

Europe: the plunder of works of art by the Government General in

occupied Poland and the activities of the Einsatzstab Rosenberg are

outstanding examples. (_See Chapter XIV on the Plunder of Art

Treasures._)

Goering was continuously connected with these activities. In October

1939 he requested a Dr. Kajetan Muehlmann to undertake immediately the

“securing” of all Polish art treasures. In an affidavit, Dr. Muehlmann

states:

“I was the special deputy of the Governor General of Poland,

Hans Frank, for the safeguarding of art treasures in the General

Government, October 1939 to September 1943.

“Goering, in his function as chairman of the Reich Defense

Council, had commissioned me with this duty.

“I confirm, that it was the official policy of the Governor

General, Hans Frank, to take into custody all important art

treasures, which belonged to Polish public institutions, private

collections and the Church. I confirm, that the art treasures,

mentioned, were actually confiscated, and it is clear to me,

that they would not have remained in Poland in case of a German

victory, but that they would have been used to complement German

artistic property.” (_3042-PS_)

Indicative of the continued interest taken by Goering in these

operations, it appears from Dr. Muehlmann’s report that at one time 31

valuable sketches by the artist Albrecht Durer were taken from a Polish

collection and personally handed to the defendant Goering, who took them

to the Fuehrer’s headquarters. (_1709-PS_)

The part played by Goering in looting of art by the _Einsatzstab

Rosenberg_ has been shown in Chapter XIV. On 5 November 1940 Goering

issued an order under his own signature directed to the Chief of the

Military Administration Paris, and to the _Einsatzstab Rosenberg_, as

follows:

“In conveying the measures taken until now, for the securing of

Jewish art property by the Chief of the Military Administration

Paris and the special service staff Rosenberg (the Chief of the

Supreme Command of the Armed Forces 2 f 28.14. W.Z.Nr 3812/40

g), the art objects brought to the Louvre will be disposed of in

the following way:

“1. Those art objects about which the Fuehrer has reserved for

himself the decision as to their use.

“2. Those art objects which serve to the completion of the Reich

Marshal’s collection.

“3. Those art objects and library stocks the use of which seem

useful to the establishing of the higher institutes of learning

and which come within the jurisdiction of Reichsleiter

Rosenberg.

“4. Those art objects that are suited to be sent to German

museums, of all these art objects a systematic inventory will be

made by the special purpose staff Rosenberg; they will then be

packed and shipped to Germany with the assistance of the

Luftwaffe.” (_141-PS_)

In view of the high priority afforded by the foregoing order to the

completion of Goering’s own collection, it is not surprising to find

that he continued to aid the operations of the _Einsatzstab Rosenberg_.

Thus, on 1 May 1941, Goering issued an order to all Party, State, and

Wehrmacht Services, under his own signature, requesting them—

“* * * to give all possible support and assistance to the Chief

of Staff of Reichsleiter Rosenberg’s staffs. * * * The

above-mentioned persons are requested to report to us on their

work, particularly on any difficulties that might arise.”

(_1117-PS_)

By 30 May 1942, Goering was able to boast of the assistance which he had

rendered to the work of the _Einsatzstab Rosenberg_. In a letter to

Rosenberg, of that date, he stated:

“* * * On the other hand I also support personally the work of

your Einsatzstab wherever I can do so, and a great part of the

seized cultural goods can be accounted for because I was able to

assist the Einsatzstab with my organization.” (_1015-I-PS_)

(4) _Germanization and Spoliation._ With respect to Poland the Nazi

conspirators’ plans for Germanization and spoliation commenced with the

incorporation of the four western provinces of Poland into the German

Reich. In the remaining portions occupied by Germany they set up the

Government General. The Nazis planned to Germanize the so-called

incorporated territories ruthlessly by deporting Polish intelligentsia,

Jews, and dissident elements to the Government General, for eventual

elimination; by confiscating Polish property, particularly farms; by

sending those so deprived of their property to Germany as laborers; and

by importing German settlers. It was specifically planned to exploit the

people and material resources of the territory within the Government

General by taking whatever was needed to strengthen the Nazi war

machine, thus impoverishing this region and reducing it to a vassal

state. (_See Chapter XIII on Germanization and Spoliation._)

Goering, together with Hitler, Lammers, Frick, and Hess, signed the

decree purporting to incorporate certain parts of Polish territory into

the Reich. (Decree of the Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor concerning the

Organization and Administration of the Eastern Territories, 8 October

1939, 1939 Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, p. 2042.)

Purporting to act by virtue of section 8 of the foregoing decree,

Goering, as Plenipotentiary for the Four-Year Plan, signed an order

concerning the introduction of the Four-Year Plan in the Eastern

Territories. (Order concerning the Introduction of the Four-Year Plan in

the Eastern Territories, 30 October 1939, 1939 Reichsgesetzblatt, Part

I, p. 2125.)

Goering in a directive dated 19 October 1939 stated:

“In the meeting of October 13th, I have given detailed

instructions for the economical administration of the occupied

territories. I will repeat them here in short: 1. The task for

the economic treatment of the various administrative regions is

different depending on whether a country is involved which will

be incorporated politically into the German Reich or whether we

deal with the Government General, which, in all probability,

will not be made a part of Germany.

“In the first mentioned territories the reconstruction and

expansion of the economy, the safeguarding of all their

production facilities and supplies must be aimed at, as well as

a complete incorporation into the Greater German economic system

at the earliest possible time. On the other hand there must be

removed from the territories of the Government General all raw

materials, scrap materials, machines, etc., which are of use for

the German war economy. Enterprises which are not absolutely

necessary for the meager maintenance of the naked existence of

the population must be transferred to Germany, unless such

transfer would require an unreasonably long period of time and

would make it more practical to exploit those enterprises by

giving them German orders to be executed at their present

location.” (_EC-410_)

Goering acted as chairman of a meeting on 12 February 1940 to discuss

“questions concerning the East,” attended also by Himmler and Frank.

From the minutes of this meeting it appears:

“By way of introduction, the General Field Marshal explained

that the strengthening of the war potential of the Reich must be

the chief aim of all measures to be taken in the East.”

(_EC-305_).

The hand of Goering may also be found in the remainder of the Nazi plans

for Poland. It was he, for example, who signed, with Hitler and Keitel,

the secret decree which entrusted Himmler with the task of executing the

Germanization program (_686-PS_). Similarly, it was Goering who, by

virtue of his powers as Plenipotentiary for the Four-Year Plan, issued a

decree concerning confiscations in the incorporated eastern territories.

This decree applied to “property of citizens of the former Polish State

within the territory of the Greater German Reich, including the

incorporated Eastern Territories”, and provided in part:

“SECTION 1. (1) The property of citizens of the former Polish

State within the territory of the Greater German Reich,

including the incorporated Eastern territories, shall be subject

to sequestration, trustee administration, and confiscation in

accordance with the following provisions.

“(2) Subsection 1 shall not apply to the property of persons

who, in accordance with Section 6 of the decree of the Fuehrer

and Reich Chancellor relating to the organization and

administration of the Eastern Territories of October 8, 1935

(RGBl, I, p. 2042), have acquired German nationality. The agency

having jurisdiction in accordance with Section 12 may allow

further exemptions.

* * * * * *

“SECTION 2. (2) Sequestration shall be ordered in connection

with the property of:

_a_. Jews.

_b_. Persons who have fled or are not merely temporarily

absent.

“(2) Sequestration may be ordered:

_a_. If the property is required for the public welfare,

particularly in the interests of Reich defense or the

strengthening of Germanism.

_b_. If the owners or other title holders immigrated

into the territory of the German Reich as it was then

delimited, after October 1, 1918.

* * * * * *

SECTION 9. (1) Sequestrated property may be confiscated by the

competent agency (Section 12) for the benefit of the German

Reich if the public welfare, particularly the defense of the

Reich, or the strengthening of Germanism, so requires.”

(_1665-PS_).

The spoliation of Soviet territory and resources and the barbarous

treatment inflicted on Soviet citizens were the result of plans long

made and carefully drawn up by the Nazis before they launched their

aggressive war on the Soviet Union. The Nazis planned to destroy the

industrial potential of the northern regions occupied by their armies

and to administer the production of food in the south and southeast,

which normally produced a surplus of food, in such a way that the

population of the northern region would inevitably be reduced to

starvation because of diversion of such surplus food to the German

Reich. The Nazis also planned to incorporate Galicia and all the Baltic

countries into Germany and to convert the Crimea, an area north of the

Crimea, the Volga territory, and the district around Baku into German

colonies. Their plans were to Germanize or destroy. (_See Chapter XIII

on Germanization and Spoliation._)

By 29 April 1941, seven weeks prior to the invasion of the Soviet Union,

it appears that Hitler had entrusted Goering with the over-all direction

of the economic administration in the area of operations and in the

areas under political administration. It further appears that Goering

had set up an economic staff and subsidiary authorities to carry out

this function. (_1157-PS_)

The form of organization thus created by Goering and the duties of its

various sections appear more clearly in a set of directives “for the

operation of the economy in the newly occupied territories” issued by

Goering, as Reich Marshal of the Greater German Reich in July 1941. By

the terms of these directives, it is stated “The Orders of the Reich

Marshal cover all economic fields, including nutrition and agriculture.

They are to be executed by the subordinate economic offices.” An

“Economic Staff, East” was charged with the execution of orders

transmitted to it from higher authority. One subdivision of this staff,

entitled “Group La”, was charged with the following functions:

“Nutrition and Agriculture, the economy of all agricultural products,

provision of supplies for the Army, in cooperation with the Army groups

concerned.” (_EC-472_; _1743-PS_.)

As appears from the foregoing documents, it was a subdivision of the

economic organization set by Goering, the Economic Staff, East,

Agricultural Group, which rendered a top secret report on 23 May 1941,

containing a set of policy directives for the exploitation of Soviet

agriculture. These directives contemplated abandonment of all industry

in the food deficit regions, with certain exceptions, and the diversion

of food from the food surplus regions to German needs, even though

millions of people would inevitably die of starvation as a result.

(_EC-126_)

Minutes of a meeting at Hitler’s Headquarters on 16 July 1941, kept by

Bormann, disclose Hitler’s announcement that the Nazis never intended to

leave the countries then being occupied by their Armies. The Fuehrer

further declared that although the rest of the world was to be deceived

on this point, nevertheless, “this need not prevent us taking all

necessary measures—shooting, desettling, etc.—and we shall take them,”

and he discussed making the Crimea and other parts of Russia into German

colonies. Goering was present and participated in this conference.

(_L-221_)

As a final illustration, it appears from a memorandum dated 16 September

1941 that Goering presided over a meeting of German military officials

concerned with the “better exploitation of the occupied territories for

the German food economy” and that in discussing this topic, Goering

said:

“It is clear that a graduated scale of food allocations is

needed.

“First in line are the _combat troops_, then the remainder of

troops in _enemy territory_, and then those _troops stationed at

home_. The rates are adjusted accordingly. The supply of the

_German_ non-military population follows and only then comes the

_population of the occupied territories_.

“In the occupied territories on principle only those people are

to be supplied with an adequate amount of food who work for us.

Even if one _wanted_ to feed all the other inhabitants, one

_could not_ do it in the newly occupied eastern areas. It is,

therefore, wrong to funnel off food supplies for this purpose,

if it is done at the expense of the Army and necessitates

increased supplies from home.” (_EC-3_)

C. _CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY._

(1) _Murder, Extermination, Enslavement, Deportation, and other Inhumane

Acts Committed against Civilian Populations before and during the War._

In 1936, Himmler became Chief of the German Police. Goering was

thereafter able to devote his attention chiefly to the tasks of creating

the German Air Force and preparing the nation economically for

aggressive war. As was inevitable from his position, however, Goering

continued to be concerned from time to time with the institutions of his

creation, such as the Gestapo and the concentration camps. For example,

on 14 February 1944, he sent the following teletype to Himmler:

“I received your request to form another squadron of air force

group for special purposes 7 (Z.B.V.7) and ordered examination

by the air force operational staff [_Luftwaffenfuerungstab_]. At

the same time I ask you to put at my disposal as great a number

of concentration camp [K Z—] convicts as possible for air

armament, as this kind of manpower proved to be very useful

according to previous experience. The situation of the air war

makes subterranean transfer of industry necessary. For work of

this kind concentration camp [K Z—] convicts can be especially

well concentrated at work and in the camp. Such installations

are necessary in order to secure production of the now fully

developed most modern airplanes. The Fuehrer upon his visit in

Insterburg has attached great value to these airplanes.

Intermediate negotiations have already been held between my and

your departments. I would be especially grateful for your

support in carrying out this task.” (_1584-I-PS_)

On 9 March 1944 Himmler replied to the foregoing teletype as follows:

“Most honored Reichsmarshal:

“Following my teletype letter of the 18 February 1944 I herewith

transmit a survey on the employment of prisoners in the aviation

industry.

“This survey indicates that at the present time about _36,000

prisoners_ are employed for the purposes of the air force. An

increase to a total of _90,000 prisoners_ is contemplated.

“The production is being discussed, established and executed

between the Reich Ministry of Aviation and the chief of my

Economic-Administrative Main Office, SS-Obergruppenfuehrer and

General of the Waffen-SS, Pohl respectively.

“We assist with all forces at our disposal.”

There follows a report on the use of concentration camp prisoners in the

aviation industry. (_1584-III-PS_)

In Chapter XI on Concentration Camps and Chapter XV, section 5, on the

SS, reference is made to medical experiments performed on humans at the

concentration camp in Dachau. On 20 May 1942, Field Marshal Milch,

Secretary of State and Deputy to Goering as Air Minister, wrote to

SS-Obergruppenfuehrer Wolff the following letter:

“Dear Wolffy:

“In reference to your telegram of 12 May our sanitary inspector

reports to me that the altitude experiments carried out by the

SS and Air Force at Dachau have been finished. Any continuation

of these experiments seems essentially unreasonable. However,

the carrying out of experiments of some other kind, in regard to

perils at high seas, would be important. These have been

prepared in immediate agreement with the proper offices; Major

(M.C.) Weltz will be charged with the execution and Capt. (M.C.)

Rascher will be made available until further orders in addition

to his duties within the Medical Corps of the Air Corps. A

change of these measures does not appear necessary, and an

enlargement of the task is not considered pressing at this time.

“The low-pressure chamber would not be needed for these

low-temperature experiments. It is urgently needed at another

place and therefore can no longer remain in Dachau.

“I convey the special thanks from the supreme commander of the

Air Corps to the SS for their extensive cooperation.

“I remain with best wishes for you and in good comradeship and

with

Heil Hitler!

Always yours

/s/ E. Milch” (_343-PS_).

That Milch kept informed of the progress of the experiments may be seen

from the following letter which he sent to Himmler on 31 August 1942:

“Dear Mr. Himmler:

“I thank you very much for your letter of the 25 Aug. I have

read with great interest the reports of Dr. Rascher and Dr.

Romberg. I am informed about the current experiments. I shall

ask the two gentlemen to give a lecture combined with the

showing of motion pictures to my men in the near future.

“Hoping that it will be possible for me to see you at the

occasion of my next visit to Headquarters I remain with best

regards and

Heil Hitler!

/s/ yours

E. Milch” (_343-PS_).

Thus it is clear that the highest circles in the Air Ministry, of which

Goering was the head, were interested in these experiments.

(2) _Persecution of the Jews._ As was to be expected from his position

as Number 2 Nazi, Goering took an active part in the waging of the Nazi

program of persecution, the ultimate purpose of which was the

extermination of all Jews. To quote from Goering’s own book:

“The solution of the Jewish question has not yet been reached.

Whatever has happened so far has been done in a state of

necessity, in the interest of our own people; it was a reaction

against the ruin which this race has brought upon us.”

(_3461-PS_)

In 1935, Goering, as President of the Reichstag, in a speech urging that

body to pass the Nurnberg race laws, said:

“God has created the races. He did not want equality and

therefore we energetically reject any attempt to falsify the

concept of race purity by making it equivalent with racial

equality. * * * This equality does not exist. We have never

accepted such an idea and therefore we must reject it in our

laws likewise and must accept that purity of race which nature

and providence have destined for us.” (_3458-PS_)

Again, on 26 March 1938, Goering said in a speech in Vienna:

“I must direct a serious word to the City of Vienna. Today

Vienna cannot rightly claim to be a German City. One cannot

speak of a German City in which 300,000 Jews live. This city has

an important German mission in the field of culture as well as

in economics. For neither of these can we make use of the Jews.”

(_3460-PS_)

In the late fall of 1938, using as an excuse the murder of von Rath,

Secretary of the German Legation in Paris, the Nazi conspirators, acting

within the frame-work of economic preparation for aggressive war, began

the complete elimination of Jews from economic life, preparatory to

their physical annihilation. Goering as head of the Four-Year Plan, was

in active charge of this phase of the persecutions. The first step in

his campaign was a law requiring registration of all Jewish-owned

property. In April 1938 Goering and Frick signed such a law (_1406-PS_).

Armed with the information thus secured, the Nazi conspirators were

fully prepared to take the next step. The killing of von Rath in Paris

on 9 November 1938 was made the pretext for widespread “spontaneous”

riots, which included the looting and burning of many Jewish synagogues,

homes, and shops, all of which were carefully organized and supervised

by the Nazi conspirators. Goering was fully informed of measures taken.

(_3051-PS_; _3058-PS_)

Immediately after these riots, on 12 November 1938, Goering acted as

Chairman of a meeting at the Reich Ministry of Air, on the “Jewish

question,” attended by Funk, Goebbels, Heydrich, and others (_1816-PS_).

Goering made the purpose of the meeting clear at the outset. He said:

“Today’s meeting is of a decisive nature. I have received a

letter written on the Fuehrer’s orders by the Stabsleiter of the

Fuehrer’s deputy, Bormann, requesting that the ‘Jewish Question

be now, once and for all, coordinated and solved one way or

another. And yesterday, once again did the Fuehrer request by

‘phone for me to take coordinated action in the matter’.

“Since the problem is mainly an economic one, it is from an

economic angle that it shall have to be tackled. Naturally a

number of legal measures shall have to be taken which fall into

the sphere of the Minister for Justice and into that of the

Minister of the Interior; and certain propaganda measures shall

have to be taken care of by the office of the Minister for

Propaganda. The Minister for Finance and the Minister for

Economic Affairs shall take care of problems falling into their

respective resorts.” (_1816-PS_)

Goering then said that it was not sufficient to have demonstrations and

to burn down Jewish property. In such cases the real loss usually fell

on German insurance companies. He continued:

“I should not want to leave any doubt, gentlemen, as to the aim

of today’s meeting. We have not come together merely to talk

again but to make decisions, and I implore the competent

agencies to take all measures for elimination of the Jews from

German economy and to submit them to me, as far as it is

necessary.

“The fundamental idea in this program of elimination of the Jew

from German economy, is first, the Jew being ejected from the

economy transfers his property to the State. He will be

compensated. The compensation is to be listed in the debit

ledger and shall bring a certain percentage of interest. The Jew

shall have to live out of this interest. It is a foregone

conclusion, that this aryanizing, if it is to be done quickly,

cannot be made in the Ministry for Economy in Berlin. That way,

we would never finish * * *.

“It is my lot, so that the damage will not be greater than the

profit, which we are striving for.

“It is obvious, gentlemen, that the Jewish stores are for the

people, and not the stores. Therefore, we must begin here,

according to the rules previously laid down.

“The Minister for Economic Affairs shall announce which stores

he’ll want to close altogether. These stores are excluded from

aryanizing at once. Their stocks are to be made available for

sale in other stores; what cannot be sold, shall be processed

through the “Winterhilfe” or taken care of otherwise. However,

the sales values of these articles shall always be considered,

since the State is not to suffer but should profit through this

transformation. For the Chain and Department stores—I speak now

only of that, which can be seen, certain categories have to be

established, according to the importance of the various

branches.

“The trustee of the State will estimate the value of the

property and decide what amount the Jew shall receive.

Naturally, this amount is to be set as low as possible. The

representative of the State shall then turn the establishment

over to the “Arian” proprietor, that is, the property shall be

sold according to its real value.

“There begins the difficulties. It is easily understood that

strong attempt will be made to get all these stores to Party

members and to let them have some kind of compensations. I have

witnessed terrible things in the past; little chauffeurs of

Gauleiters have profited so much by these transactions that they

have now about half a million. You, gentlemen, know it. Is that

correct?” (_1816-PS_)

Specific measures to effect the “Arianization” of Jewish businesses were

then discussed. A representative of German insurance companies was

called in to assist in solving the difficulties created by the fact that

most of the Jewish stores and other property destroyed in the rioting

were in fact insured, in some cases ultimately by foreign insurance

companies. All present were agreed that it would be unfortunate to pass

a law which would have the effect of allowing foreign insurance

companies to escape from liability, and that moreover, so far as the

insurance companies were concerned, they had made a bargain and should

stand by it. The defendant Goering then suggested a solution:

“Goering: No. I don’t even dream of refunding the insurance

companies the money. The companies are liable. No, the money

belongs to the State. That’s quite clear. That would indeed be a

present for the insurance companies. You make a wonderful

Petidum there. You’ll fulfill your obligations, you may count on

that.” (_1816-PS_)

It is impossible here to quote further from the extensive discussion of

all phases of persecution of the Jews which took place at this meeting.

It is sufficient to point out that on the same day Goering, over his own

signature, promulgated three decrees putting into effect the most

important matters decided at the meeting. In the first of these decrees,

a collective fine of 1,000,000,000 RM was placed on all German Jews

(_1412-PS_). The second decree, entitled “A Decree on Elimination of

Jews from German Economic Life”, barred Jews from trades and crafts

(_2875-PS_). The third decree took care of the insurance question raised

in the morning’s meeting, by providing that insurance due to Jews for

various losses sustained by them was to be collected by the State.

For other examples, the energetic manner in which Goering took part in

driving the Jews from economic life at this period, see: _069-PS_;

_1208-PS_.

As the German armies moved into other countries, the anti-Jewish laws

were extended, often in a more stringent form, to the occupied

territories. Many of the decrees were not signed by Goering himself, but

were issued on the basis of decrees signed by Goering and introducing

the Four-Year Plan in the occupied territories. For example, reference

is made to the:

Order Concerning the Introduction of the Four-Year Plan in the

Eastern Territories, 30 October 1939. 1939 Reichsgesetzblatt,

Part I, p. 2125.

Nevertheless, in his capacity as Commissioner of the Four-Year Plan, or

as Chairman of the Ministerial Council for National Defense, Goering

himself signed several anti-Jewish decrees for occupied territories,

including the following:

1939 Reichsgesetzblatt I, p. 1703, Verordnung ueber die

Ammeldung der Vermoegens von Juden in den sudetendeutschen

Gebieten, 2 December 1938 (Order concerning the registration of

the property of Jews in the Sudeten German territories), which

was the preliminary for sequestration of such property,

1939 Reichsgesetzblatt I, p. 702, Verordnung ueber die

Einfuehrung der Luftschutzgesetzes in den sudetendeutschen

Gebieten, 31 March 1939 (Order concerning the introduction of

the Air Defense Law in the Sudeten German territories),

discriminating against Jews,

1940 Reichsgesetzblatt, I, p. 1270, Verordnung ueber die

Behandlung von Vermoegen der Angehoerigen des ehemaligen

polnischen Staates, 17 September 1940 (Order concerning

treatment of property of nationals of the former Polish State),

by which the property of Polish Jews was confiscated,

1940 Reichsgesetzblatt I, p. 1547, Kriegsachschaeden Verordnung

(War Damages Law), 30 November 1940, also discriminating against

Jews, and

1941 Reichsgesetzblatt I, p. 759, Decree regarding

Administration of Criminal Law against Poles and Jews in the

Incorporated Eastern Territories, 4 December 1941, which

introduced especially stringent penal laws for Jews.

During the later years of the war, the program of the Nazi conspirators

for the complete physical annihilation of all Jews in Europe achieved

its full fury. While the execution of this program was for the most part

handled by the SS and the Security Police, Goering remains implicated in

the final phases of the Nazi “Solution” of the Jewish problem. On 31

July 1941, he wrote the following letter to the conspirator Heydrich:

“Complementing the task that was assigned to you on 24 January

1939, which dealt with arriving at—through furtherance of

emigration and evacuation, a solution of the Jewish problem, as

advantageous as possible, I hereby charge you with making all

necessary preparations in regard to organizational and financial

matters for bringing about a complete solution of the Jewish

question in the German sphere of influence in Europe.

“Wherever other governmental agencies are involved, these are to

cooperate with you.

“I charge you furthermore to send me, before long, an overall

plan concerning the organizational, factual and material

measures necessary for the accomplishment of the desired

solution of the Jewish question.” (_710-PS_)

* * * * *

LEGAL REFERENCES AND LIST OF DOCUMENTS RELATING TO HERMANN WILHELM

GOERING

│ │ │

Document │ Description │ Vol. │ Page

│ │ │

│Charter of the International Military │ │

│ Tribunal, Article 6. │ I │ 6

│International Military Tribunal, │ │

│ Indictment Number 1, Section IV (H);│ │

│ Appendix A. │ I │ 29, 57

│ ———— │ │

│Note: A single asterisk (*) before a │ │

│document indicates that the document │ │

│was received in evidence at the │ │

│Nurnberg trial. A double asterisk (**)│ │

│before a document number indicates │ │

│that the document was referred to │ │

│during the trial but was not formally │ │

│received in evidence, for the reason │ │

│given in parentheses following the │ │

│description of the document. The USA │ │

│series number, given in parentheses │ │

│following the description of the │ │

│document, is the official exhibit │ │

│number assigned by the court. │ │

│ ———— │ │

069-PS │Letter from Bormann to Rosenberg, 17 │ │

│January 1939, enclosing order of 28 │ │

│December 1938, concerning decisions on│ │

│Jewish question. (USA 589) │ III │ 116

│ │ │

*141-PS │Goering Order, 5 November 1940, │ │

│concerning seizure of Jewish art │ │

│treasures. (USA 368) │ III │ 188

│ │ │

*343-PS │Letter from Milch, Chief of the │ │

│Personal Staff, to Himmler, 31 August │ │

│1942, and letter from Milch to Wolff, │ │

│20 May 1942. (USA 463) │ III │ 266

│ │ │

*375-PS │Case Green with wider implications, │ │

│report of Intelligence Division, │ │

│Luftwaffe General Staff, 25 August │ │

│1938. (USA 84) │ III │ 280

│ │ │

*376-PS │Top secret memorandum signed by Major │ │

│Falkenstein, 29 October 1940, │ │

│concerning current military questions,│ │

│including question of occupation of │ │

│Atlantic Islands referring to the │ │

│United States. (USA 161) │ III │ 288

│ │ │

*386-PS │Notes on a conference with Hitler in │ │

│the Reich Chancellery, Berlin, 5 │ │

│November 1937, signed by Hitler’s │ │

│adjutant, Hossbach, and dated 10 │ │

│November 1937. (USA 25) │ III │ 295

│ │ │

*440-PS │Directive No. 8 signed by Keitel, 20 │ │

│November 1939, for the conduct of the │ │

│war. (GB 107) │ III │ 397

│ │ │

*447-PS │Top Secret Operational Order to Order │ │

│No. 21, signed by Keitel, 13 March │ │

│1941, concerning Directives for │ │

│special areas. (USA 135) │ III │ 409

│ │ │

*638-PS │Extract from minutes of Dr. Joel, 6 │ │

│October 1942, concerning Special │ │

│Purpose Group for Commando activities.│ │

│(USA 788) │ III │ 452

│ │ │

686-PS │Decree of the Fuehrer and Reich │ │

│Chancellor to strengthen German │ │

│Folkdom, 7 October 1939, signed by │ │

│Hitler, Goering, Lammers and Keitel. │ │

│(USA 305) │ III │ 496

│ │ │

*710-PS │Letter from Goering to Heydrich, 31 │ │

│July 1941, concerning solution of │ │

│Jewish question. (USA 509) │ III │ 525

│ │ │

*789-PS │Speech of the Fuehrer at a conference,│ │

│23 November 1939, to which all Supreme│ │

│Commanders were ordered. (USA 23) │ III │ 572

│ │ │

*798-PS │Hitler’s speech to │ │

│Commanders-in-Chief, at Obersalzberg, │ │

│22 August 1939. (USA 29) │ III │ 581

│ │ │

*1014-PS │Hitler’s speech to │ │

│Commanders-in-Chief, 22 August 1939. │ │

│(USA 30) │ III │ 665

│ │ │

*1015-I-PS │Letter from Goering to Rosenberg, 30 │ │

│May 1942. (USA 385) │ III │ 670

│ │ │

*1117-PS │Goering Order, 1 May 1941, concerning │ │

│establishment of Einsatzstab Rosenberg│ │

│in all Occupied Territories. (USA 384)│ III │ 793

│ │ │

*1157-PS │Report on conference, 29 April 1941, │ │

│concerning top secret plan for │ │

│Economic exploitation of Soviet Areas │ │

│(Oldenburg Plan). (USA 141) │ III │ 811

│ │ │

*1183-PS │Letter of Commissioner for Four-Year │ │

│Plan, 29 January 1942, concerning │ │

│increased mobilization of manpower │ │

│from Occupied Territories and │ │

│preparation for mobilization by force.│ │

│(USA 585) │ III │ 830

│ │ │

1188-PS │Decree of Fuehrer concerning economy │ │

│in newly Occupied Eastern Territories,│ │

│20 May 1941, and attached comment. │ III │ 832

│ │ │

1193-PS │Letter, 14 November 1941, transmitting│ │

│report of conference of 7 November │ │

│1941 about employment of Soviet │ │

│Russians. (USA 785) │ III │ 834

│ │ │

*1206-PS │Notes of Goering’s remarks at the Air │ │

│Ministry, 7 November 1941, concerning │ │

│employment of laborers in war │ │

│industries. (USA 215) │ III │ 841

│ │ │

*1208-PS │Goering Order, 10 December 1938, │ │

│concerning Jewish question. (USA 590) │ III │ 845

│ │ │

*1301-PS │File relating to financing of armament│ │

│including minutes of conference with │ │

│Goering at the Air Ministry, 14 │ │

│October 1938, concerning acceleration │ │

│of rearmament. (USA 123) │ III │ 868

│ │ │

*1317-PS │Top secret notes taken by Hamann of a │ │

│discussion of the economic │ │

│exploitation of Russia, presided over │ │

│by General Thomas, 28 February 1941. │ │

│(USA 140) │ III │ 911

│ │ │

*1375-PS │Letter from Frank to Goering, 25 │ │

│January 1940. (USA 172) │ III │ 925

│ │ │

1406-PS │Decree for reporting of Jewish-owned │ │

│property, 26 April 1938. 1938 │ │

│Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, p. 414. │ III │ 1001

│ │ │

1412-PS │Decree relating to payment of fine by │ │

│Jews of German nationality, 12 │ │

│November 1938. 1938 Reichsgesetzblatt,│ │

│Part I, p. 1579. │ IV │ 6

│ │ │

*1584-I-PS │Teletype from Goering to Himmler, 14 │ │

│February 1944, concerning formation of│ │

│7th Airforce Group economy in newly │ │

│Occupied Eastern Territories, 20 May │ │

│1941, and attached comment. │ III │ 832

│ │ │

1584-III-PS │Correspondence between Himmler and │ │

│Goering, 9 March 1944, concerning use │ │

│of concentration camp inmates in │ │

│aircraft industry. (USA 457) │ IV │ 118

│ │ │

**1654-PS │Law of 16 March 1935 reintroducing │ │

│universal military conscription. 1935 │ │

│Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, p. 369. │ │

│(Referred to but not offered in │ │

│evidence.) │ IV │ 163

│ │ │

1665-PS │Order concerning treatment of property│ │

│of Nationals of the former Polish │ │

│State, 17 September 1940. 1940 │ │

│Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, p. 1270. │ IV │ 173

│ │ │

*1666-PS │Decree appointing Sauckel General │ │

│Plenipotentiary for Manpower, 21 March│ │

│1942 and decree of Goering conferring │ │

│certain powers on Sauckel, 27 March │ │

│1942. 1942 Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, │ │

│pp. 179-180. (USA 208) │ IV │ 182

│ │ │

*1709-PS │Report of Special Delegate for art │ │

│seizures, July 1943. (USA 378) │ IV │ 211

│ │ │

*1742-PS │Directives to Army Commands from │ │

│Goering, 26 October 1942, concerning │ │

│combatting of partisan activities. │ │

│(USA 789) │ IV │ 262

│ │ │

*1743-PS │Guiding principles for the economic │ │

│operations in the newly occupied │ │

│Eastern territories, June 1941. (USA │ │

│587) │ IV │ 263

│ │ │

*1746-PS │Conference between German and │ │

│Bulgarian Generals, 8 February 1941; │ │

│speech by Hitler to German High │ │

│Command on situation in Yugoslavia, 27│ │

│March 1941; plan for invasion of │ │

│Yugoslavia, 28 March 1941. (GB 120) │ IV │ 272

│ │ │

1780-PS │Excerpts from diary kept by General │ │

│Jodl, January 1937 to August 1939. │ │

│(USA 72) │ IV │ 360

│ │ │

*1809-PS │Entries from Jodl’s diary, February │ │

│1940 to May 1940. (GB 88) │ IV │ 377

│ │ │

*1816-PS │Stenographic report of the meeting on │ │

│The Jewish Question, under the │ │

│Chairmanship of Fieldmarshal Goering, │ │

│12 November 1938. (USA 261) │ IV │ 425

│ │ │

1862-PS │Ordinance for execution of Four Year │ │

│Plan, 18 October 1936. 1936 │ │

│Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, p. 887. │ IV │ 499

│ │ │

*2018-PS │Fuehrer’s decree establishing a │ │

│Ministerial Council for Reich Defense,│ │

│30 August 1939. 1939 │ │

│Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, p. 1539. │ │

│(GB 250) │ IV │ 650

│ │ │

*2031-PS │Decree establishing a Secret Cabinet │ │

│Council, 4 February 1938. 1938 │ │

│Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, p. 112. (GB│ │

│217) │ IV │ 654

│ │ │

2089-PS │Decree relating to Reich Air Ministry,│ │

│5 May 1933. 1933 Reichsgesetzblatt, │ │

│Part I, p. 241. │ IV │ 719

│ │ │

2104-PS │Law on organization of Secret State │ │

│Police office, 26 April 1933. 1933 │ │

│Preussische Gesetzsammlung, p. 122. │ IV │ 730

│ │ │

2105-PS │Law on Secret State Police of 30 │ │

│November 1933. 1933 Preussische │ │

│Gesetzsammlung, p. 413. │ IV │ 731

│ │ │

2107-PS │Law on Secret State Police of 10 │ │

│February 1936. 1936 Preussische │ │

│Gesetzsammlung, pp. 21-22. │ IV │ 732

│ │ │

2108-PS │Decree for execution of Law on Secret │ │

│State Police of 10 February 1936. 1936│ │

│Preussische Gesetzsammlung, pp. 22-24.│ IV │ 732

│ │ │

2168-PS │Book by SA Sturmfuehrer Dr. Ernst │ │

│Bayer, entitled “The SA”, depicting │ │

│the history, work, aim and │ │

│organization of the SA. (USA 411) │ IV │ 772

│ │ │

*2194-PS │Top secret letter from Ministry for │ │

│Economy and Labor, Saxony, to Reich │ │

│Protector in Bohemia and Moravia, │ │

│enclosing copy of 1938 Secret Defense │ │

│Law of 4 September 1938. (USA 36) │ IV │ 843

│ │ │

*2233-A-PS │Frank Diary, │ │

│Abteilungsleitersitzungen, 1939-1940. │ │

│Minutes of conferences, December and │ │

│May 1940. (USA 173) │ IV │ 883

│ │ │

*2261-PS │Directive from Blomberg to Supreme │ │

│Commanders of Army, Navy and Air │ │

│Forces, 24 June 1935; accompanied by │ │

│copy of Reich Defense Law of 21 May │ │

│1935 and copy of Decision of Reich │ │

│Cabinet of 12 May 1935 on the Council │ │

│for defense of the Reich. (USA 24) │ IV │ 934

│ │ │

*2292-PS │Interview of Goering by representative│ │

│of London Daily Mail, concerning the │ │

│German Air Force, from German report │ │

│in The Archive, March 1935, p. 1830. │ │

│(USA 52) │ IV │ 995

│ │ │

*2324-PS │Extracts from Reconstruction of a │ │

│Nation, by Hermann Goering, 1934. (USA│ │

│233) │ IV │ 1033

│ │ │

2344-PS │Reconstruction of a Nation by Goering,│ │

│1934, p. 89. │ IV │ 1065

│ │ │

*2385-PS │Affidavit of George S. Messersmith, 30│ │

│August 1945. (USA 68) │ V │ 23

│ │ │

2523-PS │Account of conversations between │ │

│Goering and Bunjes. (USA 783) │ V │ 258

│ │ │

2532-PS │Extract from The Third Reich, by Gerd │ │

│Ruehle. │ V │ 268

│ │ │

*2801-PS │Minutes of conversation between │ │

│Goering and Slovak Minister Durkansky │ │

│(probably late fall or early winter │ │

│1938-39). (USA 109) │ V │ 442

│ │ │

*2827-PS │Extract from The Third Reich, │ │

│concerning Four Years Plan, pp. │ │

│250-253. (USA 577) │ V │ 474

│ │ │

*2836-PS │Affidavit of offices and positions │ │

│held by Goering. (USA 4) │ V │ 503

│ │ │

2875-PS │Decree on exclusion of Jews from │ │

│German economic life, 12 November │ │

│1938. │ V │ 536

│ │ │

*2949-PS │Transcripts of telephone calls from │ │

│Air Ministry, 11-14 March 1938. (USA │ │

│76) │ V │ 628

│ │ │

*2950-PS │Affidavit of Frick, 19 November 1945. │ │

│(USA 448) │ V │ 654

│ │ │

*2962-PS │Minutes of meeting of Reich Cabinet, │ │

│15 March 1933. (USA 578) │ V │ 669

│ │ │

*2986-PS │Affidavit of the defendant, Wilhelm │ │

│Frick, 19 November 1945. (USA 409) │ V │ 688

│ │ │

*3005-PS │Letter from Reich Labor Ministry to │ │

│Presidents of Regional Labor Offices, │ │

│26 August 1941, concerning use of │ │

│Russian PWs. (USA 213) │ V │ 727

│ │ │

*3042-PS │Affidavit of Dr. Kajetan Muehlmann, 19│ │

│November 1945. (USA 375) │ V │ 754

│ │ │

**3047-PS │File notes on conference in Fuehrer’s │ │

│train on 12 September 1939; report on │ │

│execution of Jews in Borrisow; and │ │

│entries from diary of Admiral Canaris.│ │

│(USA 80) (Referred to but not offered │ │

│in evidence.) │ V │ 766

│ │ │

3051-PS │Three teletype orders from Heydrich to│ │

│all stations of State Police, 10 │ │

│November 1938, on measures against │ │

│Jews, and one order from Heydrich on │ │

│termination of protest actions. (USA │ │

│240) │ V │ 797

│ │ │

*3054-PS │“The Nazi Plan”, script of a motion │ │

│picture composed of captured German │ │

│film. (USA 167) │ V │ 801

│ │ │

*3058-PS │Letter from Heydrich to Goering, 11 │ │

│November 1938, reporting action │ │

│against the Jews. (USA 508) │ V │ 854

│ │ │

3251-PS │Extracts from Reconstruction of a │ │

│Nation by Hermann Goering. │ V │ 956

│ │ │

*3252-PS │Extract from book Hermann Goering, The│ │

│Man and His Work, by Eric Gritzbach, │ │

│1937. (USA 424) │ V │ 957

│ │ │

*3259-PS │Extract from book Hermann Goering, The│ │

│Man and His work, by Eric Gritzbach, │ │

│p. 69. (USA 424) │ V │ 1007

│ │ │

3440-PS │Speech of Goering entitled The Victory│ │

│over Communism in Germany, published │ │

│in The Archive, November-December │ │

│1934, pp. 1153-4. │ VI │ 150

│ │ │

*3441-PS │Speech by Goering, published in │ │

│Speeches and Papers, 1939, p. 242. │ │

│(USA 437) │ VI │ 150

│ │ │

*3442-PS │Hitler’s address to the Reichstag, 13 │ │

│July 1934, published in The Archive, │ │

│Vols. 4-6, p. 505. (USA 576) │ VI │ 151

│ │ │

*3458-PS │Speech by Hermann Goering on 15 │ │

│September 1935, from The Third Reich. │ │

│(USA 588) │ VI │ 158

│ │ │

*3460-PS │Speech by Goering, from Hermann │ │

│Goering Speeches and Papers. (USA 437)│ VI │ 160

│ │ │

3461-PS │Excerpt from Hermann Goering: │ │

│Reconstruction of a Nation. │ VI │ 160

│ │ │

*3471-PS │Letter from Keppler to Bodenschatz, 21│ │

│February 1938, with enclosures noting │ │

│activity of Leopold as leader of │ │

│Austrian Nazis and possible │ │

│appointment of Klausner as his │ │

│successor. (USA 583) │ VI │ 195

│ │ │

*3472-PS │Letter from Keppler to Goering, 9 │ │

│February 1938, requesting that Leopold│ │

│be forbidden to negotiate with │ │

│Schuschnigg except with approval of │ │

│Reich authorities. (USA 582) │ VI │ 196

│ │ │

*3473-PS │Letter from Keppler to Goering, 6 │ │

│January 1938, giving details of Nazi │ │

│intrigue in Austria. (USA 581) │ VI │ 197

│ │ │

*3474-PS │Manuscript notes by Bodenschatz on │ │

│conference of German Air Forces │ │

│leaders, 2 December 1936. (USA 580) │ VI │ 199

│ │ │

*3568-PS │Letter from SS Main Office, 25 July │ │

│1942, concerning enrollment into SS of│ │

│Reichsminister Albert Speer. (USA 575)│ VI │ 256

│ │ │

*3740-PS │Affidavit of Franz Halder, 6 March │ │

│1946. (USA 779) │ VI │ 635

│ │ │

3766-PS │Report prepared by the German Army in │ │

│France 1942 concerning removal of │ │

│French art objects through the German │ │

│Embassy and the Einsatzstab Rosenberg │ │

│in France. │ VI │ 646

│ │ │

3775-PS │Letter from Goering to his │ │

│brother-in-law, 21 November 1940, │ │

│concerning bomb destruction in │ │

│England. │ VI │ 652

│ │ │

3786-PS │Stenographic transcript of a meeting │ │

│in the Fuehrer’s Headquarters, 27 │ │

│January 1945. (USA 787) │ VI │ 655

│ │ │

*3787-PS │Report of the Second Meeting of the │ │

│Reich Defense Council, 25 June 1939. │ │

│(USA 782) │ VI │ 718

│ │ │

*C-10 │OKW directive, 28 November 1939, │ │

│signed by Keitel, subject: Employment │ │

│of 7th Flieger Division. (GB 108) │ VI │ 817

│ │ │

*C-39 │Timetable for Barbarossa, approved by │ │

│Hitler and signed by Keitel. (USA 138)│ VI │ 857

│ │ │

*C-59 │Order signed by Warlimont for │ │

│execution of operation “Marita”, 19 │ │

│February 1941. (GB 121) │ VI │ 879

│ │ │

*C-62 │Directive No. 6 on the conduct of war,│ │

│signed by Hitler, 9 October 1939; │ │

│directive by Keitel, 15 October 1939 │ │

│on Fall “Gelb”. (GB 106) │ VI │ 880

│ │ │

*C-63 │Keitel order on preparation for │ │

│“Weseruebung”, 27 January 1940. (GB │ │

│87) │ VI │ 883

│ │ │

*C-72 │Orders postponing “A” day in the West,│ │

│November 1939 to May 1940. (GB 109) │ VI │ 893

│ │ │

*C-75 │OKW Order No. 24 initialled Jodl, │ │

│signed Keitel, 5 March 1941, │ │

│concerning collaboration with Japan. │ │

│(USA 151) │ VI │ 906

│ │ │

*C-120 │Directives for Armed Forces 1939-40 │ │

│for “Fall Weiss”, operation against │ │

│Poland. (GB 41) │ VI │ 916

│ │ │

*C-126 │Preliminary Time Table for “Fall │ │

│Weiss” and directions for secret │ │

│mobilization. (GB 45) │ VI │ 932

│ │ │

*C-139 │Directive for operation “Schulung” │ │

│signed by Blomberg, 2 May 1935. (USA │ │

│53) │ VI │ 951

│ │ │

C-140 │Directive for preparations in event of│ │

│sanctions, 25 October 1935, signed by │ │

│Blomberg. (USA 51) │ VI │ 952

│ │ │

*C-159 │Order for Rhineland occupation signed │ │

│by Blomberg, 2 March 1936. (USA 54) │ VI │ 974

│ │ │

*C-174 │Hitler Order for operation │ │

│“Weseruebung”, 1 March 1940. (GB 89) │ VI │ 1003

│ │ │

*D-729 │Notes on conversation between Goering │ │

│and Mussolini on 23 October 1942. (GB │ │

│281) │ VII │ 177

│ │ │

*D-730 │Statement of PW Walther Grosche, 11 │ │

│December 1945. (GB 279) │ VII │ 177

│ │ │

*D-731 │Statement of PW Ernst Walde, 13 │ │

│December 1945. (GB 278) │ VII │ 183

│ │ │

*D-769 │Telegram signed by Gen. Christiansen, │ │

│21 September 1940, relative to │ │

│application of capital punishment in │ │

│connection with Railway strike in │ │

│Holland. (GB 304) │ VII │ 229

│ │ │

*D-775 │Draft of directive, 14 June 1944, from│ │

│OKW to Supreme Commander of │ │

│“Luftwaffe”, regarding treatment of │ │

│Allied “Terrorist”-flyers, (GB 308) │ VII │ 232

│ │ │

*D-776 │Draft of directive of Chief of OKW, 15│ │

│June 1944, to German Foreign Office at│ │

│Salzburg, concerning treatment of │ │

│Allied “Terrorist”-flyers. (GB 309) │ VII │ 233

│ │ │

*D-777 │Draft of directive, 15 June 1944, from│ │

│OKW to Supreme Commander of │ │

│“Luftwaffe” concerning treatment of │ │

│Allied “Terrorist”-flyers. (GB 310) │ VII │ 234

│ │ │

D-779 │Letter from Reichsmarshal to Chief of │ │

│OKW, 19 August 1944, regarding │ │

│treatment of Allied │ │

│“Terrorist”-flyers. (GB 312) │ VII │ 235

│ │ │

*D-780 │Draft of communication from Ambassador│ │

│Ritter, Salzburg, to Chief of OKW, 20 │ │

│June 1944, on treatment of Allied │ │

│“Terrorist”-flyers. (GB 313) │ VII │ 236

│ │ │

*D-781 │Note of OKW to Supreme Commander of │ │

│“Luftwaffe”, 23 June 1944, regarding │ │

│treatment of Allied │ │

│“Terrorist”-flyers. (GB 314) │ VII │ 239

│ │ │

*D-783 │Note of a telephone communication, 26 │ │

│June 1944, with regard to treatment of│ │

│“Terrorist”-aviators. (GB 316) │ VII │ 240

│ │ │

*D-785 │Note from OKW to Supreme Commander of │ │

│“Luftwaffe”, 4 July 1944, concerning │ │

│“Terror”-flyers. (GB 318) │ VII │ 241

│ │ │

*EC-3 │Letter of Liaison Staff at Supreme │ │

│Headquarters, Armament Procurement │ │

│Office directed to General Thomas, │ │

│Chief of Wi Rue Amt, Berlin, 25 │ │

│November 1941. (USA 318) │ VII │ 242

│ │ │

*EC-126 │Economic Policy Directive for Economic│ │

│Organization, East, Agricultural │ │

│Group, 23 May 1941. (USA 316) │ VII │ 295

│ │ │

*EC-286 │Correspondence between Schacht and │ │

│Goering, March-April 1937, concerning │ │

│price control. (USA 833) │ VII │ 380

│ │ │

*EC-305 │Minutes of meeting on 12 February │ │

│1940, under Chairmanship of Goering │ │

│concerning labor supply in the East. │ │

│(USA 303) │ VII │ 402

│ │ │

EC-317 │Order of Goering, 7 September 1943, │ │

│concerning evacuation of harvest crops│ │

│and destruction of means of production│ │

│in agricultural and food economy in │ │

│parts of Occupied Eastern Territories.│ │

│(USA 786) │ VII │ 405

│ │ │

*EC-408 │Memorandum report about the Four Year │ │

│Plan and preparation of the war │ │

│economy, 30 December 1936. (USA 579) │ VII │ 465

│ │ │

*EC-410 │Appendix to Goering’s directive of 19 │ │

│October 1939 concerning the economic │ │

│administration of Occupied │ │

│Territories. (USA 298) │ VII │ 466

│ │ │

*EC-472 │Directives of Reich Marshal Goering │ │

│concerning economic organization of │ │

│Occupied Eastern Territories. (USA │ │

│315) │ VII │ 539

│ │ │

**L-3 │Contents of Hitler’s talk to Supreme │ │

│Commander and Commanding Generals, │ │

│Obersalzberg, 22 August 1939. (USA 28)│ │

│(Referred to but not offered in │ │

│evidence.) │ VII │ 752

│ │ │

*L-79 │Minutes of conference, 23 May │ │

│1939,”Indoctrination on the political │ │

│situation and future aims”. (USA 27) │ VII │ 847

│ │ │

*L-83 │Affidavit of Gerhart H. Seger, 21 July│ │

│1945. (USA 234) │ VII │ 859

│ │ │

*L-151 │Report from Ambassador Bullitt to │ │

│State Department, 23 November 1937, │ │

│regarding his visit to Warsaw. (USA │ │

│70) │ VII │ 894

│ │ │

*L-221 │Bormann report on conference of 16 │ │

│July 1941, concerning treatment of │ │

│Eastern populations and territories. │ │

│(USA 317) │ VII │ 1086

│ │ │

R-133 │Notes on conference with Goering in │ │

│Westerland on 25 July 1939, signed │ │

│Mueller, dated Berlin 27 July 1939. │ │

│(USA 124) │ VIII │ 202

│ │ │

*R-140 │Secret letter from Goering’s adjutant,│ │

│Major Conrath, 11 July 1938, enclosing│ │

│transcript of Goering’s speech of 8 │ │

│July to representatives of aircraft │ │

│industry. (USA 160) │ VIII │ 221

│ │ │

R-148 │Letter from Goering to Supreme Reich │ │

│authorities, 8 March 1940, concerning │ │

│treatment of male and female civilian │ │

│workers of Polish nationality; also │ │

│letters, orders, and memoranda │ │

│relating thereto. │ VIII │ 251

│ │ │

*TC-27 │German assurances to Czechoslovakia, │ │

│11 and 12 March 1938, as reported by │ │

│M. Masaryk, the Czechoslovak Minister │ │

│to London to Viscount Halifax. (GB 21)│ VIII │ 377

│ │ │

Statement IX │My Relationship to Adolf Hitler and to│ │

│the Party, by Erich Raeder, Moscow, │ │

│fall 1945. │ VIII │ 707

│ │ │

*Chart No. 1 │National Socialist German Workers’ │ │

│Party. (2903-PS; USA 2) │ VIII │ 770

│ │ │

*Chart No. 10 │1938 Proposals for Luftwaffe Expansion│ │

│1938-1950. (L-43; GB 29) │ VIII │ 779

2. RUDOLF HESS

A. _POSITIONS HELD BY HESS._

(1) _Between 1919 and 1941, Hess held the following positions_:

(_a_) Member of the Nazi Party, 1920-1941 (_3191-PS_).

(_b_) Deputy to the Fuehrer, 21 April 1933 to 10 May 1941 (_3196-PS_).

(_c_) Reich Minister without Portfolio, 1 December 1933—10 May 1941

(_3178-PS_).

(_d_) Member of the Reichstag, 5 March 1933—10 May 1941 (_3192-PS_).

(_e_) Member of the Council of Ministers for the Defense of the Reich,

30 August 1930—10 May 1941 (_2018-PS_).

(_f_) Member of the Secret Cabinet Council, 4 February 1938—10 May 1941

(_1377-PS_).

(_g_) Successor Designate to the Fuehrer, after Goering, 1 September

1939—10 May 1941 (_3190-PS_).

(_h_) General in the SS (_3198-PS_).

(_i_) Private Secretary and A. d. C. to Hitler, 1925-1932 (_3192-PS_).

(_j_) Head of the Central Political Committee of the N.S.D.A.P.,

appointed 15 December 1932 (_3132-PS_).

(_k_) _Reichsleiter_ of the N.S.D.A.P. (Member of the Party Directorate)

(_3198-PS_).

(_l_) Member of the Reichs Defense Council (_2261-PS_).

B. _PROMOTION OF THE NAZI CONSPIRATORS’ ACCESSION TO POWER._

The Nazi Party was the conspiracy’s main instrument of control. As its

directing head, Hess used this instrument vigorously to advance the

purposes of the conspiracy. He thus played a decisive part in the

preparation and execution of its criminal designs.

Hess began his conspiratorial activities immediately upon the

termination of World War I by joining militaristic and nationalistic

organizations. He became a member of the Thule Society and of the Free

Corps Epp. In June 1920 he joined the Nazi Party, receiving membership

card No. 16 (_3191-PS_; _3347-PS_).

By 1923 Hess was an SA leader and head of the Nazi University

Organization in Munich. He took part in the Nazi Putsch of 8-9 November

1923. As a result he was tried and convicted on a charge of high treason

(_3132-PS_). He spent 7½ months of his 18 months’ sentence with Hitler

at the Landsberg Fortress (_3191-PS_). There Hitler dictated _Mein

Kampf_ to him (_3132-PS_).

After their release, Hess remained extremely close to Hitler. In 1925,

he became officially his private secretary and A. d. C. (_3192-PS_).

During the Party crisis which resulted from the sudden resignation of

Gregor Strasser, head of the Party’s Political Organization, in December

1932, Hitler called on Hess to take charge of the newly formed Central

Political Committee of the Party, in order to restore its strength and

unity (_3132-PS_).

Shortly thereafter, Hess took part in the decisive negotiations which

brought the Nazi conspirators into power on 30 January 1933 (_3132-PS_).

C. _ESTABLISHMENT OF TOTALITARIAN CONTROL OVER GERMANY._

Upon the conspirators’ accession to power, Hess was appointed Deputy to

the Fuehrer of the NSDAP (_3196-PS_). His broad powers and

responsibilities in that position were officially described as follows:

“All the threads of the Party work are gathered together by the

Deputy of the Fuehrer. He gives the final word on all

intra-Party plans and all questions vital for the existence of

the German people. The Deputy of the Fuehrer gives the

directives required for all the Party work, in order to maintain

the unity, determination and striking power of the N.S.D.A.P. as

the bearer of the National-Socialist philosophy.” (_3163-PS_;

_Chart Number 15_).

Through Hess the Conspirators established the control of the Party over

the State. As a first step he obtained a seat in the Cabinet, which had

in effect become the sole legislative organ of the Reich (_2001-PS_;

_2426-PS_; _1395-PS_). As a Cabinet Minister, Hess signed the laws which

further strengthened the political power of the Nazi Party. Among these

enactments were the law of 1 August 1944 consolidating the positions of

Chief of State and Leader of the Party (_2003-PS_); and the law of 20

December 1934 against treacherous attacks on Party and State

(_1393-PS_).

Through a long series of decrees Hess obtained control over every aspect

of public and private life in Germany, in order to subvert it to the

aims of the conspiracy, as represented by the Party.

(1) _Hess gained control over all legislation._

A Hitler Decree of 27 July 1934 provided for Hess’s participation in the

drafting of all legislation (_D-138_). In a circular to Cabinet members

on 9 October 1939, Hess stated that he would in the future veto every

bill which reached him too late to allow him enough time for its

thorough study from the Party point of view (_D-139_). A letter from

Chief of the Reich Chancellery Lammers, on 12 April 1938, announced a

supplementary decree extending Hess’s participation, especially with

regard to the drafting of laws affecting individual States (_D-140_; see

_1942-PS_).

(2) _Hess gained control over all government appointments, including

those of the judiciary and university teachers._

A decree of 24 September 1935 provided for the consultation of Hess in

the appointment of Reich and State civil servants (_3180-PS_). A decree

of 10 July 1937 provided for the participation of the Fuehrer’s Deputy

in the appointment of Reich and State civil servants (_3184-PS)_. A

decree of 14 October 1936, signed by Hess, regulated the status of Reich

and State civil servants (_3183-PS_). A further decree of 3 April 1936

provided for Hess’s participation in the appointment of Labor Service

officials (_3182-PS_).

(3) _Hess gained control over Local Government Administration._

This control was effected through the German Municipality Act of 30

January 1935 provided for the participation of Party delegates

(_2008-PS_).

(4) _Hess gained control over the administration of annexed

territories._

Thus, the Ordinance of 10 June 1939 provided for Hess’s participation in

the administration of Austria (_Reichsgesetzblatt_ 1939, Part I, p. 995)

while another Ordinance of the same date provided for Hess’s

participation in the administration of the Sudetenland

(_Reichsgesetzblatt_ 1939, Part I, p. 997).

(5) _Hess, in his capacity as Deputy Leader of the Party, gained control

over the German Youth._

An order of 10 July 1934 set up a University Commission of the NSDAP

under Hess; an Order of 18 July 1934 placed the NS German Student League

directly under Hess; and an Order of 14 November 1934 delegated to the

Student League exclusive jurisdiction over the political and ideological

education of German students (_3132-PS_). A Hess Decree of 3 June 1936

established the NS Aid Fund for the Struggle in the Universities

(_3203-PS_; see also _3132-PS_ and _1392-PS_).

The success of this entire program of legislation was described by

Hitler as follows:

“In this Reich everybody who has a responsible position is a

National Socialist * * * Every institution of this Reich is

under the orders of the supreme political leadership * * * The

Party leads the Reich (_2715-P_S; see _1774-PS_ and _3163-PS_).

In order to enable the conspirators to buttress their power through the

armed terror of the SA and SS, Hess, while not actually in control of

these Party formations, nevertheless gave them active support. Thus, he

was instrumental in establishing the Hitler Grant (a large fund

contributed annually by heavy German industry under the chairmanship of

Krupp) and in directing part thereof to the support of the SA and SS

(_D-151_).

When several SA men were convicted for mistreatment of inmates of the

Hohnstein concentration camp, two members of the jury which had voted

the conviction were expelled from the party (_784-PS_).

Finally, when Himmler, Reich Leader of the SS, organized the SD, Hess

issued an order establishing the SD as the sole political information

service of the Nazi Party, its functions to be exercised through the SS

(_3385-PS_).

Hess also sought to destroy the influence of the independent churches

among the German people, in order to wipe out every opposition to the

aims of the conspirators. Thus, Hess’s Chief of Staff, Bormann, issued

numerous orders and communications from Hess’s office against the

independent churches. Among these were the Secret Order of 27 July 1938

making clergymen ineligible for party offices (_113-PS_); the Party

Directive of 14 July 1939 making the clergy and theology students

ineligible for Party membership (_840-PS_); the letter of 22 February

1940 discussing ways and means of eliminating religious instruction from

the schools (_098-PS_); the report of 25 April on the progressive

substitution of National Socialist mottoes in place of morning prayers

in the schools (_070-PS_); the letter to Rosenberg of 17 January 1940

concerning the undesirability of religious literature for members of the

_Wehrmacht_ (_101-PS_); the instructions of 8 March 1940 against the

further issuance of newsprint to confessional newspapers (_089-PS_); and

the letter to the Minister of the Interior, in May 1938, agreeing to the

invalidation of the Concordat between Austria and the Holy See

(_675-PS_; _838-PS_ and _107-PS_).

D. _PREPARATION FOR WAR._

Hess was one of the members of the conspiracy who professed as early as

1933 the aim of complete world domination (_2385-PS_).

In pursuance of that aim Hess threw the power of the Party which he

directed, behind the war preparations of the conspiracy. Hess himself

described the Party, in this connection, as the mechanism with which to

“organize and direct offensively and defensively the spiritual and

political strength of the people” (_2426-PS_).

Hess’s tasks in the preparations for aggressive wars fell mainly into

the fields of military preparedness, political planning, and

fifth-column activities.

(1) _Rearmament._ Even before 1933 Hess took a personal interest in the

secret military training program of the uniformed Party organizations

(_1143-PS_).

After the conspirators had come to power, Hess was one of those who

echoed the cry of “guns for butter” in his speeches (_2426-PS_).

Hess signed the law which reintroduced universal military conscription

in Germany on 16 March 1935 (_1654-PS_). Hess admitted that signing this

law was no mere formality for him, but rather the realization of one of

his most important aims, when he declared in a speech to Army officers

in 1937:

“When I spoke about conscription after the 16th of March 1935,

in what used to be the most radical industrial plant of Munich *

* * to thousands and thousands of the same workers who but a few

years before had been singing the Internationale, I was

interrupted again and again by such applause and cheers as I

would never have believed possible. That was the most beautiful

and at the same time the most moving demonstration of my life

(_3124-PS_).

When the Nazi conspirators were ready to launch their aggressive wars in

the fall of 1938, Hess and the Party agencies under his control

cooperated with the Army High Command in the mobilization of the German

Army (_388-PS, Item 32_).

(2) _Political Planning for War._ When the Reich Defense Council was

reorganized in September 1938, Hess became one of its members with the

express assignment of assuring “the political direction of the nation”

(_2261-PS_).

Hess was also made a member of the Ministers’ Council for the Defense of

the Reich upon its creation in 1939. Here he continued to exercise an

important war-planning function with the specific task of “guaranteeing

the unity between Party and State” within that body (_2018-PS_;

_2608-PS_).

Hess’s functions in the field of political planning for war were not

limited to the domestic sphere. He was also a member of the Secret

Cabinet Council formed to advise Hitler on foreign policy planning

(_1377-PS_; _3189-PS_).

(3) _Fifth Column Activities._ Hess’ most important contribution to the

conspirators’ preparations for aggressive war lay in his organization of

the German fifth-columns abroad through the Foreign Organization

(_Auslands Organisation_ (AO)) of the Nazi Party and its various

affiliated semi-official organizations. Through these channels Hess

succeeded in building up conspiratorial shock-troops in foreign

countries, composed of citizens of these countries who were of German

“racial stock.” These foreign citizens were incited by Hess to acts of

treason against their country in furtherance of the plans of the

conspiracy. It was the subversive activities of these fifth-column

groups which prepared the way for the conspirators’ destruction of

independence of many countries. Principal among these were Austria,

Czechoslovakia, and Poland.

As his chief instrument in this conspiratorial campaign Hess created the

Foreign Organization of the Nazi Party on 3 October 1933. This office

was placed directly under Hess, who from then on was known to take the

greatest personal interest in its rapid development and expansion

(_3258-PS_; _3401-PS_; _3254-PS_).

The Foreign Organization extended its activities not only to German

citizens living abroad but to all persons allegedly of German ancestry

regardless of their foreign citizenship. In the early years after the

conspirators’ rise to power and up to 1937 this aim was openly admitted

by the responsible heads of the Foreign Organization (_3258-PS_).

Hess announced that it was the task of the Foreign Organization to

organize all persons of the German race who lived abroad and to turn

them into active Nazi supporters, thus making them subservient to the

purposes of the conspiracy. In his speech at the 1937 Congress of the

Foreign Organization, Hess declared:

“You stand before me as a slice of the great German racial

community, the racial community which extends beyond the borders

of our Reich, for National Socialism has not only at home

created a national community transcending all classes and groups

in a way previously unknown, but it has also included German

racial comrades [_Volks-Genossen_] in foreign countries. It has

made them conscious and proud members of this racial community!

* * *

“Under the leadership of the Foreign Organization, Germandom

abroad is also becoming more and more _filled with the National

Socialist spirit_. The Foreign Organization, of the NSDAP has

brought together the Germans out there, who even long after the

seizure of power were disunited and split by class differences,

and joined them with Adolf Hitler’s Reich. The National

Socialist care for Germandom abroad is maintaining an enormous

number of Germans for the nation, who otherwise would be

absorbed as cultural fertilizer for other nations” (_3258-PS_).

The same principle was expressed bluntly by Gauleiter Ernst Bohle, head

of the Foreign Organization of the NSDAP directly under Hess from 1933

to 1945, who stated in his address at the Nurnberg Party Congress of

1936:

“The Fuehrer had to come in order to hammer into all of us the

fact that the German cannot choose and may not choose whether or

not he will be German but that he was sent into this world by

God as a German, that God thereby had laid upon him as a German

duties of which he cannot divest himself without committing

treason to Providence. _Therefore we believe and we know that

the German everywhere_ is a _German_—whether he lives in the

Reich or in Japan, in France or in China or anywhere else in the

world. _Not countries or continents, not climate or environments

but blood and race determine the world of ideas of the German._”

(_3258-PS_).

Hess was also in control of all other semi-official organizations

associated with the Foreign Organization in fifth-column work among

foreign citizens of German ancestry, for the purpose of gaining foreign

support for the conspiracy. Thus, by a Secret Circular of 3 February

1939, Hess ordered the consolidation of the undercover activities of all

organizations active in the foreign field, subject to the central

direction of SS Gruppenfuehrer Werner Lorenz, head of the

_Volks-deutsche Mittelstelle_ (Central Agency for Racial Germans)

(_837-PS_).

The two most important of these semi-official agencies were the VDA

(League for Germandom Abroad) and the DAI (German Foreign Institute).

The VDA was a vast world-wide organization giving financial support to

various activities of German groups abroad without regard to their

nationality. Its large funds were collected in Germany with the aid of

the Nazi Government (_3258-PS_). The aim of the activities of the VDA

was to establish a great German world empire of 100,000,000 inhabitants,

containing all persons of German “racial stock” everywhere, including

millions of American citizens (_3258-PS_). The DAI was a world-wide

information intelligence and propaganda service (_3258-PS_).

Hess repeatedly stressed the importance of using Germans abroad for

spreading Nazi propaganda (_3124-PS_).

The DAI also based its activities on the proposition that all persons of

German ancestry belonged to the Nazi German Reich, though they held

citizenship in foreign countries. This was stated by Nazi

Minister-President Mergenthaler of Wuerttemberg in his address at the

1933 annual meeting of the DAI:

“The liberalist ideology which has been overcome dealt with the

formal concept of the citizen. We have gotten rid of that. Today

the blood-united German racial comrade stands in the center.

That is the new foundation upon which we must build * * *. Hence

I want to impress on the DAI: Join us therefore in taking care

that the spirit of National Socialism also becomes alive among

the German racial comrades in foreign countries so that streams

of energy may emanate from it.” (_3258-PS_).