“In order to avoid misconceptions regarding these articles, part
of which I want to claim for myself, part of which I have
purchased, and part of which I wish to acquire, I want to inform
you as follows:
“1. I have now obtained by means of purchase, presents,
bequests, and barter, perhaps the greatest private collection in
Germany at least, if not in Europe.”
I omit one paragraph and I read Subparagraphs 2 and 3 of the next one.
Subparagraph 2 enumerates the objects which Göring would like to
acquire. It refers to a very extensive and highly valued collection of
Dutch artists of the 17th century, while Subparagraph 3 mentions “a
comparatively small though very good collection of French artists from
the 18th century, and finally, a collection of Italian masters.”
You have heard, Your Honors, what was meant, in practice, by “the
personal material interest of soldiers in the war.” All this established
irrevocably that the Hitlerites engaged in pillage and brigandage and
that everybody, from the privates to the criminal leaders of Hitlerite
Germany, participated in the plunder. The same must be said regarding
the destruction of cultural treasures. Decrees and directives concerning
the destruction of cultural treasures came from the leaders of Hitlerite
Germany and from the highest ranks of the Military Command.
I shall refer, as evidence, to the order of the Commander of the German
6th Army, signed by Field Marshal Von Reichenau, approved by Hitler and
entitled, “On the Behavior of the Troops in the East.” This order was
presented to the Tribunal as Document Number USSR-12. This document,
contrary to the usual Hitlerite custom, contains direct and entirely
undisguised instructions for the destruction and suppression of culture
in the occupied territories.
With your permission, I shall quote just one paragraph of this order. It
is on Page 161 of your document book. I quote:
“The Army is interested in extinguishing fires only in such
buildings as may be used for Army billets. . . .”
All the rest to be destroyed; no historical or artistic buildings in the
East to be of any value whatsoever.
I shall quote one more document which establishes that the destruction
and pillage of cultural treasures, universally carried out by the
Hitlerites in the territories occupied by them, was inspired and
directed by the Hitlerite Government. I refer to the diary of the
Defendant Frank, extracts of which have already been submitted to the
Tribunal as Document Number USSR-223. In the first volume of Frank’s
diary, on Page 38—Page 169 in your document book—there appears an
entry dated 4 October 1939 which reads as follows:
“Berlin. Conference with the Führer. The Führer discussed the
general situation with the Governor General and approved the
activity of the Governor General in Poland, particularly in the
demolition of the Warsaw Palace, the non-restoration of this
city, and the evacuation of the art treasures.”
I consider that the documents, now submitted and read into the record,
are fully sufficient to enable us to draw the following conclusions:
(a) The pillage and destruction of the cultural treasures of the peoples
in the German occupied territories were carried out in accordance with
previously elaborated and carefully prepared plans.
(b) The fascist Government and German High Command directed the pillage
and destruction of cultural treasures.
(c) The most active role in the organization of the pillage and
destruction of cultural treasures was taken by the participants in the
conspiracy, the Defendants Rosenberg, Ribbentrop, Frank, and Göring.
I pass on to the next section of my presentation, entitled, “Destruction
and Pillage of Cultural Treasures in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and
Yugoslavia.”
I reported to the Tribunal on the general plans of the Hitlerite
conspirators for strangling national cultural life in the countries
occupied by them. I now pass on to report on the actual materialization
of the criminal plans of the Hitlerite conspirators in Czechoslovakia,
Poland, and Yugoslavia.
I shall refer only to such irrefutable proofs as the official reports of
the Governments of Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Yugoslavia, already
submitted to the Tribunal by the Soviet Prosecution. I shall read into
the record a few parts of the relevant sections of these reports
directly concerning the theme expounded by me, which have not been
quoted by my colleagues.
I begin by quoting extracts from the Czechoslovak Government reports.
These excerpts, Your Honors, are to be found in your document book, on
Pages 81 to 88. I quote from Page 81:
“K. H. Frank, who was appointed Secretary of State and Deputy to
Reich Protector Von Neurath in March 1939 and in August 1943
became Minister of State and head of the German Executive in the
Protectorate, said, ‘The Czechs are fit to be used only as
workers or farm laborers.’
“K. H. Frank replied to a Czech delegation which, in 1942,
requested the Czech universities and colleges to be reopened,
‘If the war is won by England, you will open your schools
yourselves; if Germany wins, an elementary school with five
grades will be enough for you.’”
The Germans seized all colleges and hostels for students.