I shall now present two documents which reveal the intentions of the
Hitlerite conspirators.
The first document is a secret directive of the naval staff, numbered
I-a 1601/41, dated 22 September 1941. It is entitled, “The Future of the
City of Petersburg.” (Document Number C-124, Exhibit Number USSR-113).
Therefore, as we are in possession of the original of this document,
which was distributed in several copies, I believe that it does not have
to be read into the record. With your permission, Mr. President, I shall
remind the Tribunal of the contents of this directive. In this directive
it is stated, “The Führer has decided to wipe the city of Petersburg
from the face of the earth,” that it is planned to blockade the city
securely, to subject it to artillery bombardment of all calibers, and by
means of constant bombing from the air to raze Leningrad to the ground.
It is also decreed in the order that should there be a request for
capitulation, such request should be turned down by the Germans.
Finally, it is stated in this document that this directive emanates not
only from the naval staff, but also from the OKW.
I omit Page 13 of my report and begin with the last paragraph of the
page.
The second document, bearing the number Document C-123, presented to the
Court as Exhibit Number USSR-114, is also a top secret order of the
Supreme Command of the Armed Forces, dated 7 October 1941, Number
44/1675/41, and signed by the Defendant Jodl. This document, Your
Honors, is to be found on Pages 69 and 70 in the document book. I read
into the record the text of this document, or rather a few excerpts from
this letter on Page 14 of my presentation. I read the first paragraph of
the letter:
“The Führer has again decided that a capitulation of Leningrad
or, later, of Moscow is not to be accepted even if it is offered
by the enemy.”
And further the last but one paragraph of this page:
“Therefore, no German soldier is to enter these cities. By our
fire we must force all who try to leave the city through our
lines to turn back. The exodus of the population through the
smaller, unguarded gaps toward the interior of Russia is only to
be welcomed. Before the cities are taken, they are to be
weakened by artillery fire and air attacks, and their population
should be caused to flee.
“We cannot take the responsibility of endangering our soldiers’
lives in order to save Russian cities from fire, nor that of
feeding the population of these cities at the expense of the
German homeland. . . .
“All commanding officers shall be informed of this will of the
Führer.”
The Hitlerite conspirators began to put their criminal ideas about the
destruction of Leningrad into effect with unprecedented ferocity. In the
report of the Leningrad city commission for the investigation of the
atrocities of the German fascist invaders, the monstrous crimes of the
Hitlerites are described in detail.
This document had been presented to the Court as Exhibit Number USSR-85.
I shall read into the record only a general summary of the data
presented on Page 1 of the report, which is on Page 71 of the document
book. I read:
“As a result of the barbarous activities of the German fascist
invaders in Leningrad and its suburbs, 8,961 household and
annexed buildings, sheds, baths, _et cetera_, with a total
volume of 5,192,427 cubic meters were completely destroyed, and
5,869 buildings with a total volume of 14,308,288 cubic meters
were partially destroyed. Completely destroyed were 20,627
dwellings, with a total volume of 25,429,780 cubic meters, and
8,788 buildings, with a total volume of 10,081,035 cubic meters
were partially demolished. Six buildings dedicated to religious
cults were completely, and 66 such buildings partially,
destroyed. The Hitlerites destroyed, ruined, and damaged various
kinds of institutions valued at more than 718 million rubles, as
well as more than 1,043 million rubles’ worth of industrial
equipment and agricultural machinery and implements.”
This document establishes that the Hitlerites bombed and shelled,
methodically and according to plan, day and night, streets, dwelling
houses, theaters, museums, hospitals, kindergartens, military hospitals,
schools, institutes, and streetcars, and ruined most valuable monuments
of culture and art. Many thousands of bombs and shells hammered the
historical buildings of Leningrad, and at its quays, gardens, and parks.