“Let no one be surprised if this desire of strong hearts to
avenge oppressed human beings does not even need a short respite
for temporary recovery, but leaps suddenly and unexpectedly into
flame and becomes active. Let no one be surprised if here and
there in unoccupied areas civilians take part in the fight or
even if, after the occupation has been carried out, the fight is
continued by civilians, that is to say, if without preparation
and without organization, there comes into being, springing from
the pure instinct of self-preservation, that phenomenon which we
call the ‘Werewolf.’”
Well, what can you tell us now?
FRITZSCHE: Although this quotation also has been torn from its context,
I recognize it very well. Unfortunately the passage is missing in which
I spoke of right and said, “Right is a sensitive concept which has its
roots in tradition and ethical consciousness.” At present...
GEN. RUDENKO: Excuse me if I interrupt you, Defendant. I did not ask you
for such detailed explanations. I just wanted to determine the fact that
you not only explained what the organization was, but also did your
utmost to foster the Werewolf organization.
Is that correct?
FRITZSCHE: That is absolutely incorrect. This is certainly not
propaganda for the Werewolf; it is in apology for cases of Werewolf
activity.
GEN. RUDENKO: Very well. Let us drop that subject. I should like to ask
you, do you know who the head of the Werewolf organization was?
FRITZSCHE: That has already been stated here. At the very head of it was
Bormann. Under him there was a Higher SS Leader whose name I tried in
vain to remember during my interrogations in Moscow. I knew one of his
associates, however, and that was Gunter d’Alquen.
GEN. RUDENKO: Very well. Before putting the last few questions to you, I
should like to ask you, is it not a fact that Rosenberg and Streicher
had great influence on German propaganda?
FRITZSCHE: Their influence was negligible. Streicher had no influence at
all on official German propaganda and Rosenberg only to an extent which
was not noticeable to me.
GEN. RUDENKO: All right. I still have a few questions to put to you. You
told the High Tribunal that had you known Hitler’s decrees for the
murdering of people you would never have followed Hitler. Did I
understand you correctly?
FRITZSCHE: You have understood me perfectly correctly.
GEN. RUDENKO: Now, in other words, I understand you to say that you
would have gone against Hitler?
FRITZSCHE: It is hard to say what I would have done. Of course, this is
a question about which I have now thought a great deal.
GEN. RUDENKO: I should like to ask you, if, as you stated here to the
High Tribunal, at the beginning of 1942 you received information that in
one of the regions in the Ukraine, which was at the time occupied by the
Germans, an extermination of the Jews and the Ukraine intelligentsia was
being prepared, simply because they were Jews and members of the
Ukrainian intelligentsia? Did you receive such information? Is that
correct?
FRITZSCHE: That is correct.
GEN. RUDENKO: That was in the beginning. In May of 1942 you were with
the 6th Army, and in the 6th Army you learned about the existence of an
order to shoot the Soviet commissars; is that right?
FRITZSCHE: Yes.
GEN. RUDENKO: You considered that this bloody order should not be
applied? Is that right?
FRITZSCHE: That is right.
GEN. RUDENKO: You knew that this order emanated from Hitler?
FRITZSCHE: Yes, I could imagine that.
GEN. RUDENKO: That is to say, in 1942 you knew already that Hitler’s
order to murder existed and yet you followed him?
FRITZSCHE: You are comparing two things which are not comparable. There
is quite a difference, not treating commissars as prisoners of war and
giving an order for the killing of 5 million Jews.
GEN. RUDENKO: Then, if I understand you correctly, the fact that you did
not go against Hitler, meant that you considered such an order to be
permissible in the conduct of the war by the German Army?
FRITZSCHE: No; I considered it was an impossible order; and that is why
I opposed it, and not only passively as others did.
GEN. RUDENKO: But you continued to support Hitler?
FRITZSCHE: Yes.
GEN. RUDENKO: Here is the last question. Tell me, during the war, did
you ever concern yourself with the question of preparations for
biological warfare?
FRITZSCHE: Never.
GEN. RUDENKO: Did you ever hear the name of a certain Major Von
Passavant?
FRITZSCHE: Yes, I know that name.
GEN. RUDENKO: He was the representative of the OKW in the Ministry of
Propaganda, was he not?
FRITZSCHE: No, he was not. He was a radio expert in the Propaganda
Department of the OKW.
GEN. RUDENKO: A copy of a letter of 19 October 1944 will be submitted to
you. This letter bears your facsimile signature, and it is directed to
Major Von Passavant of the OKW. This is a short document, and I am going
to read it to you:
“To the Chief of Broadcasting, Major Von Passavant, OKW:
“A listener, factory owner Gustav Otto, Reichenberg, has sent me
the enclosed sketch with the proposal to carry out biological
warfare. I am submitting this to you with the request that you
forward it to the proper office.
“Heil Hitler. Fritzsche.”
Do you remember this document?
FRITZSCHE: Of course I do not remember it. At the same time I want to
state that I have no doubt that it is genuine.
GEN. RUDENKO: Very well. I should like to put the last question to you:
This shows that you were in favor of the planning and the carrying
through by Germany of biological warfare, is that correct?