It would be a mistake to think that the OKH gave orders only of such
general character. In July 1941 the Defendant Keitel learned that the
subdepartments of the Organization Todt in the Lvov district paid the
local workers a wage of 25 rubles. This fact made Keitel indignant. Todt
immediately received an appropriate reprimand. And so we come to the
next document, which I present to the Tribunal as Exhibit Number
USSR-366 (Document Number USSR-366).
The Reich Minister directly refers, in this document, to the fact that
Field Marshal Keitel expressed his displeasure that the subdepartments
of the Organization Todt in the suburbs of Lvov paid the local workers
wages of 25 rubles and that the subdepartments of the O.T. were making
use of the factories.
Todt declares that during his last trip he had explained in detail to
all members of the staff that the rules for the allocation of labor in
Russian territory were different from those in Western Europe. Further
in this document Todt categorically prohibits the paying of any sums of
money at all. He concludes this document in the following terms:
“No compensation shall be given to the firms for payments not in
conformity with the above principles.
“This order is to be brought to the attention of all subordinate
labor allocation offices and to all firms.
“Signed: Dr. Todt.”
The German Government and the High Command ordered the use of peaceful
Soviet citizens for work which endangered life. This was mentioned by
Göring at a conference on 7 November 1941. I now submit to the Tribunal
Exhibit Number USSR-106 (Document Number USSR-106), which contains the
translation of the Führer’s directive, signed by him on 8 September
1942. This directive concerns the allocation of labor for the
construction of fortifications on the Eastern Front. This document comes
from the German archives captured by the Allied armies in the West. The
covering letter to this document states that this document “is top
secret, and that copies of it will be sent to staffs and divisions and
are to be returned to the Army staffs and destroyed.”
On the second page of the document, we find Hitler’s order. I read it
into the record:
“HQu, 8 September 1942.
“The heavy defensive battles in the area of Army Groups Center
and North induce me to fix my views on some fundamental tasks of
the defense.”
The next Paragraphs, 1 and 2 on Pages 1 to 7, concern general principles
of defense, which do not interest us today. On Page 148 of the document
book is the following passage which I read into the record:
“The enemy carries on construction to a far greater extent than
do our own troops. I know that it will be argued that the enemy
has at his disposal more labor for construction of such
positions. But it is therefore an absolute necessity at exactly
this point to make use, with ruthless energy, especially of
prisoners of war and the population for these tasks. Only in
this respect is the Russian superior to us in his brutal way. By
this means, however, the German soldier, too, can be spared to a
large extent from labor on defensive works behind the front
lines, in order that he may be kept free and fresh for his real
duties. Frequently the necessary ruthlessness which the present
fateful battle demands is not yet being employed here, for in it
not a victory but the existence and survival of our people is
contested. Besides, it is in all circumstances still always more
humane to drive the Russian population to work, with every
means, as it has always been accustomed to be driven, than to
sacrifice our most precious possession, our own blood.”
This order is signed by Hitler.
Units of the Red Army also captured a decree issued by the German
occupation authorities, which referred to an order of the General Staff
about forced labor in combat zones. I submit this document as Exhibit
Number USSR-407 (Document Number USSR-407), and I deem it necessary to
quote a few sentences from Page 149 of the document book:
“Decree: In accordance with the regulations of the Chief of the
OKW, dated 6 February 1943, regarding transfer for labor in the
combat zone of the newly occupied eastern territory, all women
born in 1924 and 1925 are hereby summoned for labor in Germany.
“Point V of this order provides that: . . . those who do not
present themselves on the given dates shall be held responsible
as saboteurs in accordance with military laws.”