“Now that the German soldier must once more fight and bleed on
the Channel coast, now that the struggle may extend at any hour
to many other parts of France, any call or any words from Laval
can have no weight whatsoever. The only language which can now
be understood is that of the German soldier. I beg you,
therefore, in these decisive hours to ask Premier Laval at last
to do something which is obviously very difficult for him; that
is to say, that he should at last sign the order for the calling
up of the 1944 class. I do not wish to be kept waiting any
longer. Neither do I wish to leave with an opinion which might
be unjust but which at the same time is forced upon me,
concerning the temporizing tactics of the French Government.
“I beg you, therefore, most urgently, to obtain by 10 o’clock
tomorrow morning the signature of the French Premier to the
decree for the calling up of the 1944 class, or else to inform
me quite clearly if Laval should answer with a categorical ‘no.’
I will not accept any delaying excuses, as all technical
preparations regarding the quotas from the _départements_, as
well as the arrangements for transport, have either been made or
are now about to be made, thanks to the joint discussions which
have been going on.”
Do you not call this a veritable ultimatum?
SAUCKEL: It is only an ultimatum insofar as my departure was in question
and nothing else. I could not exert any pressure on Laval or use any
threats.