“I must say that Goebbels valued me as a convinced National
Socialist and a capable journalist so that I was considered his
confidential aid in the German propaganda machine.”
Is that correct?
FRITZSCHE: Mr. Prosecutor, that is not correct. I know that I have
signed this report but at the very moment when I signed it in Moscow I
stated:
“You can do what you like with that record. If you publish it,
then nobody in Germany will believe it and no intelligent person
in other countries either because this is not my language.”
I state that not a single one of the questions contained in this report
was put to me in that same form and I go on to declare that not a single
one of the answers in that record was given by me in that form and I
signed it for reasons which I will explain to you in detail if you want
me to.
GEN. RUDENKO: You therefore do not confirm these statements?
FRITZSCHE: No, only the signature is true.
GEN. RUDENKO: All right, let us say only the signature is true.
Well, we want to bear in mind that in this quotation which I just read
and which you deny, it is said that Goebbels valued you as a National
Socialist and a capable journalist and that therefore you were a
trustworthy person in the German propaganda machine. This is the essence
of the quotation; is that right? Do you deny this? Just a minute please.
I am going to remind you...
FRITZSCHE: Yes, General, I admit that, I admit these facts.
GEN. RUDENKO: Well, then the quotation was correct, was it not?
FRITZSCHE: Yes.
GEN. RUDENKO: Well then, what else are we speaking about? That means you
do corroborate this statement?
FRITZSCHE: I am talking about the record which has been put before me in
its entirety.
GEN. RUDENKO: At present I am questioning you with particular reference
to this quotation which I just read into the record. You are not going
to deny it? You admit it?
FRITZSCHE: I will not confirm the quotation but I will confirm once more
the contents which you have just summarized again.
GEN. RUDENKO: Very well. The sense is not different from the actual
quotation, but results from it. I should like to remind you of an
excerpt...
THE PRESIDENT: One moment. What is it you are saying, Defendant? Are you
saying that you did not sign this document or that you did?
FRITZSCHE: Mr. President, I signed the document, although its contents
did not correspond with my own statements.
THE PRESIDENT: Why did you do that?
FRITZSCHE: I gave that signature after very severe solitary confinement
which had lasted for several months; and I wrote that signature because
one of my fellow prisoners, with whom I came into contact once, had told
me that once every month a court was pronouncing sentences based merely
on such records and without interrogation; and I hoped that in this
manner I would at least achieve being sentenced and thus terminate my
confinement.
So as not to be misunderstood I should like to emphasize that no force
was used and that I was treated very humanely, even if my detention was
very severe.
GEN. RUDENKO: Very well. Of course, you never thought, Defendant
Fritzsche, that after all you had done you would be sent to a
sanatorium? It is obvious that you had to land in a prison and a prison
is always a prison. This was just an aside, however.
I should like to ask you about the following: You stated that in 1945
you signed this because of a very strict regime to which you were
subjected; very well—when you arrived in Nuremberg you were
interrogated on 3 November 1945 here in Nuremberg by General Alexandrov;
is that correct?
FRITZSCHE: Yes.
GEN. RUDENKO: So that is correct? Very well. I should like to remind you
of some of your answers. You were put the following question—on 12
November 1945 questions were put to you and you replied. Do you remember
these statements?
You answered, “I have very often been interrogated and I do not know
what statements and testimony are in question now.”
Thereupon, General Alexandrov submitted to you your testimony of 12
September and you answered him, “I am fully aware of this document.”
You were asked, “I should like you to peruse this document. Do you
remember these statements?”
You said, “Of course, there is no doubt about it.”
And further: “Do you corroborate this document, which you perused and
which was signed by you?”
And you replied, “Of course.”
Do you remember these statements which you made in Nuremberg?
FRITZSCHE: In the statement which you have quoted, all those passages
are missing where I stated again and again that the record was put
before me complete and finished for the purpose of obtaining my
signature. I wished to make 20 or 30 alterations. Some of them were
granted but passages were missing wherein I said in Nuremberg that some
of the answers in that protocol contained a certain amount of truth but
that none of them actually do represent my own answers.
GEN. RUDENKO: Very well. I should now like to remind you of an extract
from your statement of 7 January 1946.
Your Honors, this is Document 3469-PS. It is not in my book of documents
as it was submitted by the Counsel for the Defense. I am going to quote
from that document; it is a very short passage.
[_Turning to the defendant._] This is Paragraph 39 of your statement:
“Once Goebbels tried to coerce me into submitting my texts for
perusal. I refused this request and explained that usually I
dictated a short résumé of my speech immediately before my
broadcast and consequently, so to say, improvised my speeches.
He said it was all right but on condition that if he would wish
it, I should at least speak on specific, given themes.”
Is that right?
FRITZSCHE: Yes.
GEN. RUDENKO: Does that not indicate the confidence Goebbels had in you?
Is that not right?
FRITZSCHE: No doubt he had a great deal of confidence in me, and I did
not deny it.
GEN. RUDENKO: Very well. Let us proceed.
In this very same document, which I have just mentioned to you, that is
to say, in your statement of 7 January 1946, in Paragraph 35 there is
the following sentence—I think it was written by your own hand. It was
in reply to some of the questions put by your counsel. You say, “More
and more I became the only official authority in the Ministry in the
field of radio communication.”
Is that right?
FRITZSCHE: Unfortunately I did not hear the end of your question but you
have quoted the passage correctly and I have written it.
GEN. RUDENKO: So, it does correspond to facts?
FRITZSCHE: Yes, absolutely.
GEN. RUDENKO: Well, you therefore will admit that in the German
propaganda machinery you occupied the most prominent position after
Goebbels?
FRITZSCHE: No, my previous answer does not contain such a statement.
GEN. RUDENKO: I am asking you that now.
FRITZSCHE: I will admit that I had a most influential position in German
radio, of which I was the head.
If you now put a new question, asking who held the second position in
the entire set-up of propaganda after Dr. Goebbels, I will reply: Dr.
Dietrich, the State Secretary, or Dr. Naumann, the ...
GEN. RUDENKO: Excuse me just a minute, please. I did not say the second
position; I only said the most influential position. Are you going to
deny this?
FRITZSCHE: I have no objection to your use of the word “influential,”
but it does not change my answer.
GEN. RUDENKO: Very well, “influential position,” if you like. That is
still stronger. Let us proceed, however.
In the same statement of 7 January you wrote—it is contained in
Paragraph 15:
“During the entire period from 1933 to 1945 the task of the
‘German Press Department’ was the supervision of the local press
and supplying it with directives... More than 2,300 German
newspapers were thus supervised.”
And then:
“In the execution of this task given to me by Dr. Goebbels, in
accordance with instructions of the Ministry of Propaganda, my
activity encompassed the entire news and information system of
the German press and radio.”
Is that correct?
FRITZSCHE: I do not know whether you have quoted the last sentence
correctly, but I have certainly fully recognized the first sentences. It
is my affidavit Document 3469-PS. That corresponds word for word with
the truth.
SEN. RUDENKO: Quite correct. Please tell me this: You organized in the
German Press Department, the head of which you were, the Schnelldienst,
the so-called speed service, which supplied the German press with
provocative material. Do you admit that?
FRITZSCHE: If you will eliminate the word “provocative” and replace it
with the word “propaganda” material, then I will admit it.
GEN. RUDENKO: All right. The Tribunal will consider this. We are not
going to argue about it.
Now, the last question from this group of questions: Tell me, were your
broadcasts on the radio, which were presented with “Hans Fritzsche
Speaks,” considered official Government broadcasts?
FRITZSCHE: I explained this subject to you yesterday. Actually, they
were a private work of my own; but the private work, publicly audible,
of a Ministerialdirektor of the Ministry of Propaganda and the head of
the German radio system will, of course, be regarded as semi-official,
though not fully official; and this fact I had to consider, and I did
consider it.
GEN. RUDENKO: All right. Now, I should like again to revert to the
testimony of Ferdinand Schörner, which I have already submitted to the
Tribunal as Exhibit USSR-472. I should like to quote Paragraph Number 2.
Do you find it, Defendant Fritzsche?
FRITZSCHE: Yes.
GEN. RUDENKO: I am going to read it into the record.
THE PRESIDENT: General Rudenko, the Tribunal would like to see the whole
of this document, or at any rate would like to see the questions to
which these are answers.
GEN. RUDENKO: Mr. President, this document has been submitted to you in
full.
THE PRESIDENT: Oh, I see. You mean that what we have in English here are
only the parts that have been translated into English?
GEN. RUDENKO: Yes, that is quite correct. I am going to read into the
record Extract Number 2:
“I am fully aware that Fritzsche was a prominent collaborator of
the Ministry of Propaganda and that he was extremely popular in
National Socialist circles and among the German people. He
gained great popularity, especially by his weekly war political
radio commentaries on the international situation. I often heard
Fritzsche’s broadcasts in peacetime as well as during the war;
and I perceived his broadcasts, which were filled with fanatical
devotion to the Führer, as directives from the Party and the
Government.”
Do you agree with this evaluation?
FRITZSCHE: I cannot raise any objection to this quotation, but beyond
that...
THE PRESIDENT: General Rudenko, is the document sworn?
GEN. RUDENKO: This document was put into official form in accordance
with the processes which are in use in the Soviet Union.
THE PRESIDENT: Where was it taken?
GEN. RUDENKO: In Moscow.
THE PRESIDENT: The man who made the statement—was he free or was he in
prison?
GEN. RUDENKO: He was at the time a prisoner of war.
THE PRESIDENT: Did the man who is alleged to have made the statement
sign it?
GEN. RUDENKO: Of course, it was signed by him.
THE PRESIDENT: Go on.
GEN. RUDENKO: Thank you. And so you...
FRITZSCHE: May I add that it is known to me that on distant battle
fronts or, for example, with German colonies abroad, my radio speeches
were considered, shall we say, as a political compass.
GEN. RUDENKO: Yes, I understand. I should like to put to you another
document which I will ask you to peruse.
Your Honors, I am submitting as Exhibit USSR-471 the testimony of Hans
Voss.
Defendant Fritzsche, do you know this name, Vice Admiral Hans Voss?
FRITZSCHE: I know the name, but not the man personally.
DR. FRITZ: I apologize, Mr. President. It may be that the statement of
General Field Marshal Schörner does not deserve too much attention, but
at any rate I am unable to ascertain from the document the place where
it was taken.
THE PRESIDENT: General Rudenko says that it was taken at Moscow.
DR. FRITZ: But the record, the protocol itself, does not show that; and
then I have noticed also that the photostatic copy which I have here
does not show the signature of the Field Marshal. It just says “signed.”
Later on in the right margin a handwritten signature has been affixed,
but I do not know whether this document is admissible from a legal point
of view.
THE PRESIDENT: You can see the original and compare it.
GEN. RUDENKO: I am speaking about the Document USSR-471, which is a
written statement by Hans Voss. Please look at the Excerpt Number 1,
which is underlined; I quote:
“Fully devoted to Hitler and the National Socialist Party,
Fritzsche rendered priceless services in helping to spread
National Socialism throughout Germany.”
Is that in accordance with reality?
FRITZSCHE: Well, at least I will not object.
GEN. RUDENKO: In other words, you are in accord with it?
FRITZSCHE: As I told you, I do not object, but I do not want to say by
that that I concur.
GEN. RUDENKO: On the other hand, you do not deny this?
FRITZSCHE: No, I say for the third time that I do not raise any
objection.
GEN. RUDENKO: Very well. I should now like to question you regarding
your attitude toward the racial theory. You gave yesterday a detailed
explanation in this connection to your counsel, so that I am going to
put to you only two or three questions, and I should like you to reply
briefly.
Did you agree with this racial theory?
FRITZSCHE: Yes, and precisely to the extent which I described to you
yesterday.
GEN. RUDENKO: All right. In a radio broadcast on 6 April 1940 you spoke
about Poland.
Your Honors, this is Document USSR-496. I am not going to read this
document as I do not want to propagate the views contained in it, but I
should like the defendant to peruse this document.
Please will you look at Excerpt Number 1 of this document. It is
underlined in red pencil. This refers to your evaluation of the Polish
nation. I simply should like to ask you about this speech of yours.
FRITZSCHE: It is impossible for me to recognize a radio speech of mine
when I see an extract of only 20 lines, considering that I have spoken
about a thousand times, as I said yesterday. In that case, you will have
to let me have the full speech so that I can recognize my line of
thought at the time.
GEN. RUDENKO: Did you not examine the document? This is a full text of
your utterance which took place on 6 February 1940 on radio station,
Deutschland Sender.
FRITZSCHE: General, there are 20 lines here. They begin with the words,
“Considerable effort was necessary to...”
GEN. RUDENKO: That is enough, all right. There is no need in further
quoting. That is the document to which I am referring. I am asking you,
is that your speech?
FRITZSCHE: It is quite possible, but if you give me only 20 lines of
that speech, I can only confirm that: At the time when I had seen the
official German documents dealing with the atrocities committed against
Germans in Poland I talked about that with great disgust on the radio,
talked about what I saw in those documents.
THE PRESIDENT: Shall we adjourn now?
GEN. RUDENKO: All right, Mr. President.
DR. THOMA: I ask you to grant leave for Defendant Rosenberg to be absent
from the Court this afternoon because I have an important conference to
hold with him.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
[_The Tribunal recessed until 1400 hours._]
_Afternoon Session_
GEN. RUDENKO: Defendant Fritzsche, extracts from your speech dated 5
July 1941 will be handed to you. They concern the opposition which the
German Fascist troops encountered while entering Soviet territory. My
Lord, this Document Number 3064-PS has already been submitted by the
Defense.
Will you look at Paragraph 7, the last paragraph? I do not intend to
read it.
FRITZSCHE: Yes, I have noted it.
GEN. RUDENKO: Very well. Do you admit having used those very
expressions?
FRITZSCHE: Yes, I admit that and I should like to emphasize, without
quoting it, in what connection this statement was made.
GEN. RUDENKO: Very well. I merely want to ask you the following: When,
in your speeches you insult the Polish and Russian peoples by calling
them “subhumans” do you not consider that these are expressions of
misanthropic theories?
FRITZSCHE: Mr. Prosecutor, I should like to state that I never called
the Russian people or the Polish people subhumans.
GEN. RUDENKO: Very well. I do not intend to argue with you; the
documents speak for themselves.
I would like to turn again to the statement of Hans Voss. This is
Document USSR-471. It has already been submitted. Will you pay attention
to Excerpt Number 2? It is underlined. It is just a short excerpt, and I
will read it:
“...and he”—Fritzsche—“understood how to influence the German
mind when he tried to convince them that they, the Germans, were
the superior race and therefore had to rule over other peoples
as their slaves.”
Does that agree with the facts?
FRITZSCHE: No, it does not agree with the facts; rather, it contradicts
the facts in all points.
GEN. RUDENKO: Let us say it contradicts your assertions.
Very well, I will put another question to you. Do you know the name
Lieutenant General Rainer Stahel, who was the former commander of the
city of Warsaw?
FRITZSCHE: I am not familiar with that name.
GEN. RUDENKO: You are not familiar with that name? Very well. You will
be handed a document.
Mr. President, this is Document USSR-473, and it is the testimony of
Rainer Stahel, dated 15 September 1941. The passage is underlined in
your copy.