This an extremely important document which disproves the allegation that the German occupiers intended to impose starvation on the civilian population of the occupied Soviet territories in order to exterminate it.
The document describes the goal of ensuring the supply of sufficient food to the civilian population so as to preserve it as a labour force, and also to win the cooperation of the people. It forbids any unauthorised seizure of grain and animals from the civilian population, and any sort of plundering, and orders that all requisitioned goods must be paid for. Finally, it threatens court-martial for any infringement of those orders.
Another important elements in the document is the confirmation that there had been a food supply crisis during the preceding winter, that of 1941-42. It was that food supply crisis that was the main cause of the very high mortality of the Red Army personnel who had been captured during 1941, not a genocidal policy as so often alleged.
For the information of readers, here is my translation of the initial part of the document, summarising its purpose.
Subject: Reconstruction of Agriculture and Prohibition of Requisitioning
I. Fundamentals
The difficulties in the food supply that occurred during the winter have been overcome for the most part. For the mud season, the troops have been provided with sealed rations for 14 days in addition to regular rations.
The preservation of the civilian population as a labour force is a vital necessity. for both military and economic reasons. The population now possesses only the minimum food necessary to survive the time until the new harvest.
Furthermore, the local population must retain as much seed-grain as well as cattle and equipment as to allow them in the spring to be able to cultivate as much private land (one half-hectare per family) as required for their feeding in the coming year. In addition, the stringent food situation of our people compels us to cultivate in this year the greatest possible amount of the conquered land and thereby to secure for the coming years the feeding of the homeland, in particular of the army of occupation.
In addition, by these measures the Russian people will be shown that our weapons do not bring destruction to their land, but rather reconstruction, order and work. That is the best propaganda work, that is carried out solely by the troops themselves. Only in this way will the population be drawn to cooperation and their mentality and attitude toward our troops (partisan warfare) be basically influenced and changed.
Jann-Hendrik reserves our thanks for providing the link to this important document.