“Milch: I think that agriculture must get its labor quota.
Assuming that we had given agriculture 100,000 more workers, we
would now have 100,000 more people who would be decently fed,
whereas, the human material we are now receiving, particularly
the prisoners of war, are not sufficiently fit for work.”
Did you make that statement?
MILCH: I cannot remember details. But I suppose I did. I do not know if
I have seen these minutes; but I know that we dealt with the question
that agriculture, if possible, should get its workers because the food
problem was so very important, and the farms could feed their people
over and above the rations which the civilian population received. This
proposal to put these people on the land was quite in accordance with my
views, but these were merely suggestions by the Central Planning Board.
I know Sauckel was present at that meeting. We also made suggestions to
the armament representatives as to how their problems could be solved.
MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: And you made recommendations to the Reich Marshal,
did you not?
MILCH: I cannot remember having done so, I do not know.
MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: You never did?
MILCH: I do not know, I cannot remember.
MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: Then you knew the Reich Marshal’s wishes in
reference to the utilization of prisoners of war, did you not?
MILCH: That prisoners of war were also working was known to me.
Especially on the land many prisoners of war were put to work.
MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: Did you attend a meeting between the Führer and
Minister Speer?
MILCH: On which date?
MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: The 5th of March 1944.
MILCH: The 4th of March?
MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: The 5th of March 1944.
MILCH: On the 5th of March, yes, I attended a meeting with the Führer.
At that time there was a question of creating a “fighter” staff, that
is, a general effort by the entire armament industry to produce as many
fighter planes as possible.
MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: Well, now I will ask that you be shown Speer’s
memorandum of that meeting with the Führer at which General Bodenschatz
and Colonel Von Below were also present. Were they not?
The English translation is on Page 35; the German on Page 139.