Nazi occupation policies for the USSR

[David Thompson]

Letter from Berger to subordinate leaders of the Political Leadership Staff, 6 April 1944, concerning future handling of the matter of Air Force Helpers, in Trials of War Criminals Before the Nuernberg Military Tribunals Under Control Council Law No. 10. Vol. 13: United States of America v. Ernst von Weizsaecker, et al. (Case 11: 'Ministries Case'). US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1952. pp. 1070-1071.

Translation of Document No-1713, Prosecution Exhibit 3362.

* * *

Chief of SS Main Office/Be/Fe
VS-Journal No. 1841/44 secret
Adjutancy-Journal No. 854/44 secret
[Stamp] Secret.

Subject. Air Force helpers

[Stamp], Political Leadership Staff,
Journal No. P. 350a/44 secret
Received 20 April 1944.

To the Political Leadership Staff, Reich Ministry for Occupied Eastern Territories, Berlin NW 7, Prinz-Louis-Ferdinand Strasse 2.

The matter of the Air Force helpers [See Document NG-1330, Prosecution Exhibit 2624, reproduced just above.] has taken such an unfavorable development that the prestige of the Reich East Ministry [East Ministry (Ministerium) was commonly used as an abbreviation for the Reich Minister for the Occupied Eastern Territories.] came near to being severely damaged; that is, we were almost placed in a position of sharpest opposition to the policies of the Fuehrer. I therefore order:

1. Agreements of any kind which are not endorsed by me, are invalid.

2. I forbid any direct reports on this matter without my approval to the Reich Minister.

3. The total responsibility for these recruiting measures (posters, handbills, etc.) I transfer to Hauptbannfuehrer [Rank equivalent to senior colonel in Hitler "Jugend," a Hitler youth organization.] Nickel. He will, in the true sense of the word, vouch with his life for a proper settlement of this problem.

4. On the future application of the educational and provisional possibilities laid out by the Reich East Ministry for this operation, further orders will be given after the officials concerned will have been consulted.

[Signed] G. Berger, SS Lieutenant General.

2. Leadership Group P I, General Politics Ministerial Director Dr. Braeutigam.

3. Leadership Group II, SS Brigadier General Dr. Kinkelin.

4. Leadership Group III, Professor Dr. von Mende.

5. Leadership Group IV, von der Milwe-Schroeden.

6. Leadership Group P V, Haubtbannfuehrer Nickel.

7. SS Captain Brandenburg Reich Eastern Ministry, for information
[Stamp] Political Leadership Staff
[Handwritten] For filing, dated 17 April 1944.

[David Thompson]

Report from Nickel to Straube of the Political Leadership Staff of the East Ministry, 19 October 1944, concerning developments of the project to recruit juveniles from various Occupied Territories for work, in Trials of War Criminals Before the Nuernberg Military Tribunals Under Control Council Law No. 10. Vol. 13: United States of America v. Ernst von Weizsaecker, et al. (Case 11: 'Ministries Case'). US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1952. pp. 1087-1089.

Partial Translation of Document No-1759, Prosecution Exhibit 3394.

Copy.

Berlin
19 October 1944
The Reich Minister for the Occupied Eastern Territories
Office of Hauptbannfuehrer Nickel
Berlin C 2, Klosterstr. 79
No. 717/44 secret
To Political Leadership Staff, SS Second Lieutenant Dr. Straube, Michendorf.


Subject: Report on the activity of the Office of Hauptbannfuehrer Nickel in the Reich Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories.

On 5 March 1944, I was ordered to establish an office with the task of recruiting young 15-20 year old persons from the nations of the Occupied Eastern Territories for war work in the Reich. The clarification of political questions and questions of work, the composition, and assignment of the personnel and the construction of reception camps, the supply of clothing and equipment, the establishment of offices, the drafting and the supply of initial propaganda material, and the establishment of outside commands required time until 27 May 1944. The longest period was required for the clarification of the political questions which led to constant arguments with the subordinate offices of the Reich Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories, especially in Riga and Kaunas.

This office could begin with the practical work:

a. On 27 May 1944 in the central section of the then Eastern
b. On 4 June 1944 in the southern section of the then Eastern Front
c. On 15 June 1944 in Lithuania
d. On 15 June 1944 in Estonia
e. On 12 July 1944 in Latvia.

From then onward until 20 September 1944--that is, in hardly months--the following were assigned for work:

1. 18917 boys
2. 2500 girls
21417 total.

Regarding 1: The boys were distributed as follows:

a. 1383 Russian SS helpers
b. 5933 Ukrainian SS helpers
c. 2354 White-Ruthenian SS helpers
d. 1012 Lithuanian SS helpers
e. 3000 Estonian Air Force helpers
f. 3614 Latvian Air Force helpers.

[Those listed under a-f are all assigned to the Air Force, namely: 1000 with Air Force signals; 1000 with motorized air raid protection; 265 in shipyards; all the others with the antiaircraft artillery.]

g. 302 Russian SS helpers who could not be returned and were turned over to 9th Army headquarters in Bobruisk, have been assigned to the troop and most of them have fallen.

h. 346 Estonian Air Force helpers were turned over to the Navy as Naval helpers.

i. 250 selected Ukrainian SS helpers were, after a preparatory training lasting 8 weeks in a replacement depot [WE-Lager], turned over to the Galician infantry division [Reference is apparently to the 14th SS (Galician) Infantry Division.] as NCO material.

k. 96 persons over 20 years were turned over to the SS Main Office in exchange for Germanic volunteers from the German armament industry.

l. 81 boys under 1.40 m were turned over to the air force signal repair shop 8/III in Hohenfriedberg (East Prussia) for training as apprentices.

m. 99 unfit persons were turned over to the Building Office of Reich Youth leadership for KLV constructions.

n. 427 persons over 45 years were turned over to the Air Force.

41 boys so far fallen, 2 boys received the Iron Cross Second Class.

Regarding 2: 500 girls of Ukrainian and Russian ethnic stock were turned over to the Air Force to be employed on searchlight batteries.

2000 girls are at present employed in trench work at the Baltic Sea under the leadership of BDM [Reference is to the bund Deutscher Maedel (BDM0, Nazi youth organization for girls between ages 14-21.] leaders and will afterwards go to the Air Force.

All agencies are satisfied with the young persons sent to them. The boys are enthusiastic about the work but modest on the other end. From the education point of view anything can be achieved with them. The education in the Air Force is carried out through my office in accordance with the directives received.

Over and above these persons, more personnel had been sent to the German armament industry, namely:

(1) 3500 boys and 500 girls to the Junkers plants;
(2) 2000 boys and 700 girls to the OT;
Total 5500.

On 1 August 1944 this agency received the order to extend its activity over the members of the emigration of the Eastern peoples in the Reich and in the occupied territories. As far as the occupied territories were concerned, the order came too late about this whole matter, it will only be possible to report later on.

Furthermore, since that time orders of the most variegated nature were given to this agency, which orders either can only lead to partial results or which came too late, especially in France, Belgium, Serbia, and Greece. At present, this agency, following the establishment of new detachments and reorganization of the entire work, deals:

(a) With the Hitler Youth Operational Combat Detachment [HJ-Kriegseinsatzkommando] Netherlands;
(b) With the Hitler Youth Operational Combat Detachment Adria;
(c) With the Hitler Youth Operational Combat Detachment South in Slovakia and Hungary;
(d) With the Special Detachment [Sonderkommando] First Lieutenant Nagel, in the refugee camps in the Reich;
(e) With the field-agencies [Aussenstellen] Vienna, Poznan-Lodz, Prague and Berlin, in connection with the emigration of he Eastern nationalities;
(f) With detached Einsatzkommandos, in connection with the evacuation [Rueckfuehrung] of ethnic Germans from the Southeast.

The Hitler Youth Operational Combat Detachment Poland is being set up, and a detachment for Northern Italy and Protectorate is in preparation.

Heil Hitler!
The Chief of the Agency,
Signed: Nickel (Nickel)
Hauptbannfuehrer.

[David Thompson]

Document 1384-PS, Conference of the Fuehrer with General Field Marshal Keitel and General Zeitzler on 8 June 1943 at the Berghof, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, vol. III, US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1946, pp. 959-960

PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 1384-PS

Conference of the Fuehrer with General Field Marshal Keitel and General Zeitzler on 8 June 1943 at the Berghof

Extract from stenographic notes.

[Page 6] The Fuehrer: * * * I can only say: we will never build up a Russian army, that is a phantom of the first order. Before we will do so, it will be much simpler if I get the Russians as workers in Germany ; that is much more decisive. I don't need a Russian army which I have to strengthen with German corset stays through and through. It serves my purpose if I get Russian workers instead. Then I can release the Germans and reeducate the Russians. For us the most successful thing lies in the production of the Russian workers who are employed in Germany ; of course, we have to feed them in a different way if we thrust a maximum amount of work upon them.

* * * * *

[Page 12] He said: Here, I lose 500,000 Jews. I must take them away, because the Jews are the element of revolt. But in my area, actually, the Jews were the only tradesmen. Now they want to set up high schools and grammar schools, thereby building here, a national Ukrainian state, that should in the future, fight against Russia. I am not even in a position to have the worker, who must work here, have his boots repaired. I can't do that because the tradesmen are no longer here. The Jews are all gone. What is more important, that I train the Ukrainians how to mend boots, or that I send them high schools so that they can build up the Ukrainian state?

* * * * * * *

[Page 25] Keitel: Now about the employment of people from deserters camps.

Fuehrer : I am of the opinion that they should be transferred to Germany and used there. They are prisoners of war. If I only could transfer 30, 40 or 50,000 men to the commissioner for coal production ! But then they will have to be treated really in a decent way.

959

Zeitzler : I have set as my goal that they should become decent workers in Germany. We can't do much with deserters at the front. I can commit a few of them as volunteers for replacements. But the majority should go to Germany as workers. order to release Germans.

Fuehrer : I can only say: if we do not straighten out our affairs, the moment will arrive when I shall not be able to produce either ammunition or explosives anymore, nor will we able to build submarines. This will happen in 100 other field too. It is idiotic. But the moment will arrive. It is already tragic when the Italians come and ask us why do we not deliver this or that. I have to deliver it. We cannot, because we haven't got enough coal. That is sloppy, of course.

[David Thompson]

Document 084-PS, Present Status of the question of Eastern Laborers 30 September 1942, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, vol. II, US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1946, pp. 130-146

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 084-PS

Berlin NW 7, The 30 Sept. Hegelplatz 2

Central Office [Zentralstelle] for Members of Eastern Nationals. In (ZO)

Concerning: Present Status of the question of Eastern Laborers.

The commitment and treatment of foreign laborers, who have been brought into the Reich from occupied Eastern territories, depicts a proceeding which will not only be of significant importance to the German war production and the securing of food, but also for the carrying out of German administrative interests in a former Soviet area. Two large fields of action are affected by the way in which the problems connected with the inclusion of millions of Eastern nationals in the Reich are solved:

1. Development of the war situation
2. The enforcement of the German claim to leadership in the East after the war.

When the call for labor in Germany was increased in January, 1942 among the occupied Eastern territories, this set up a situation among those classes of Russian and Ukrainian civilians concerned which had by all means the appearance of a risk. Even if one group (the volunteers) set excessive hopes on the journey into the Reich under the impression of irresponsible promises while the other (forced laborers) left their homes reluctantly or at least with misgivings because of memories of former Bolshevist deportations as well as planted anti-German rumors, the fact re-mains that the trip to Germany had to be felt as journey into the

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unknown not only by the two concerned but also by those relatives who remained behind because of the isolation of the USSR from Europe for decades. The public judgment of the Reich and its leadership would be dependent upon the outcome of this measure taken by the German military and civilian authorities in the occupied Eastern territories. The employment in Germany offered an unusual opportunity to learn to know by personal experience, which no propaganda could replace. The greater German Reich was much slandered by the Soviet press, and the National Socialistic position to the working class and thus to gain a basis of comparison to the corresponding Communistic doctrines and methods.

This meant no more nor less, than that the draft of Eastern laborers would be of importance in the development of political opinions among the Eastern nationals towards the power which was presently occupying the region which would aid measures taken to accomplish the recruitment, the housing etc., in the Reich, which should have been taken into consideration from the start, since in view of the necessity to keep the aid of the native inhabitants in the huge areas behind the front, factors which cannot be controlled by regulations or orders, namely the frame of mind, which is of war potential value, must be considered.

Instead of taking consideration of this, the drafting and the employment as well as the housing, treatment etc. of the so-called Eastern laborers has so far been taken care of exclusively according to labor, technical and the security police points of view, with the result that the headquarters responsible for this were able to report the due numerical fulfilment of the program as well as the security of the German nationality and of the businesses. At the time, however, facts had to be hushed which could have been avoided not only in the interests of German prestige and to the satisfaction of the occupied Eastern territories but which even today cost the lives of thousands of German soldiers by their efforts. The facts which up to the fall of 1942, have undergone only part or incomplete changes, among others, the following.

1. The concept of the workers from the occupied territories of the USSR was narrowed down to the labor- and social-legal term "Eastern Laborers". A labor condition among "Foreigners" was hereby created in a segregated "Employment under Special Conditions" which had to be looked upon by those affected, as degrading.

2. The drafting of Eastern workers and women workers often occurred without the necessary examination of the capabilities of those concerned, so that 5-10 out of a hundred, sick and chil-

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dren, were transported along. On the other hand, in those places where no volunteers were obtained, instead of using the lawful employment obligations, coercive measures were used by the police (imprisonment, penal expedition, and similar measures.)

3. The employment in businesses was not undertaken by considering the occupation and previous training but according to the chance assignment of the individual to the respective transports or transient camps.

4. The billeting did not follow the policies according to which the other foreigners are governed, but just as for civilian prisoners in camps which were fenced in with barbed wire and were heavily guarded, from which no exit was permitted.

5. The treatment by the guards was on the average without intelligence and cruel so that the Russian and Ukrainian workers, in enterprises with foreign laborers of different nationalities, were exposed to the scorn of the Poles and the Czechs among other things.

6. The food and care was so bad and insufficient in the camps for the Eastern Laborers being employed in the industry and in the mines that the good average capability of the camp members dropped down shortly and many sicknesses and deaths took place.

7. Payment was carried out in the form of a ruling in which the industrial worker would keep on the average 2 or 3 RM each week and the farm laborers even less, so that the transfer of pay to their homes became illusory, not to mention the fact there had been no satisfactory procedure developed for this.

8. The postal service with their families was not feasible for months because of the lack of a precautionary ruling; so that instead of factual reports, wild rumors arrived in their countries,—among other means by means of emigration.

9. The promises which had been made time and time again in the areas of enlistment stood in contradiction with those facts mentioned under 3-8.

Apart from the natural impairment of the frame of mind and capabilities which these measures, as well as conditions, brought with them, the result was that the Soviet propaganda took over the matter and evaluated it carefully. Not only the actual conditions and the letters which reached the country, in spite of the initial blockade, as well as the stories of fugitives and such, but also the clumsy publications in the German press of the legal rulings relative to the matter gave them enough to manipulate with. Commissar for Foreign Affairs Molotov in his note to the

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enemy powers referred already in April 1942 to this, especially in para. III of this document in which among others it is stated :

"The German administration is treading under its feet the long recognized laws and customs governing war, in that it has given the orders to the troops to take into captivity all male civilians and in many places even the women, and to use against them those measures which the Hitlerites have introduced towards prisoners of war. This does not only mean slave labor for the captured peaceful inhabitants but in most cases it also means inescapable starvation or death through sickness, corporal punishments, and organized mass murders.

"The deportation of peaceful inhabitants to the rear, which has been widely practiced by the German-Fascist army, begins to take on a mass character. It is carried out under direct rulings of the German High Command (OKW) and its effects are especially cruel in the immediate rear areas during a retreat of the German army. In a series of documents, which have been found with the staffs of destroyed German units, there is a directive to the order of the High-Command under Nr. 2974/41 of 6 Dec. 1942 which directs that all grown men are to be deported from occupied populated points into prisoner of war camps. From the order to the 37th Infantry Regiment of the 6th Division of 2 Dec. 1941 under the heading "About the deportation of the Civilian Population" it can be deduced that for the period from the 4 to the 12 Dec the capture and forceful deportation of the total population of 7 villages to the German rear areas was planned, for which a carefully worked out plan was proposed.

"Sometimes all the inhabitants were deported, sometimes the men were torn away from their families or mothers were separated from their children. Only the smallest number of these deported people have been able to return to their home village. These returnees report terrible degradations, heaviest forced labor, abundant deaths among inhabitants because of starvation and tortures, and murder by the Fascists of all the weak, wounded, and sick."

Further, there are even today announcements in the Soviet. newspapers as well as radio about the treatment of Eastern laborers which might have as an effect a strengthening of the moral power to resist in the Red Army. Further, there is mentioned the text of a letter which arrived in Ordshonikidsegrad from a Russian girl and which was published in a "Proclamation" of the police administration of the North-Western Front of the Red army under the heading of "A Russian Girl in Cologne", attaching in connection with it an effective propaganda viewpoint about the "Fascist Forced Laborers" in Germany.

"Do you know"—, it goes on at the end of the proclamation,—"that every one of us who goes to Germany will meet the same fate as Olga Selesnewa! Do not forget that the German monster

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will make each and every one of you, who has remained behind, a slave on your own soil or drag you to eternal forced labor in Germany! Dear brothers and sisters . . . Go to the partisan detachments ! Injure the German occupants at every step. Hit the Hitler thieves everywhere and continuously. The Russian soil shall become their graves !"

The effects of this large scale documentary proven radio-press and leaflet propaganda, operating even into German administered territories, must be considered as one of the main reasons for this year's stiffening of the Soviet resistance as well as the threatening increase of guerilla bands up to the borders of the General Government.

In the meantime, after a betterment of the condition of the Eastern laborers had been insisted upon, not only by the main office for politics in the Reichs ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories, which has been able to find support in the repeated requests by the High Command of the Armed Forces, but also by the gentleman charged with the responsibility for all labor-employment as well as the Department of Labor Employment in the German Labor Movement, which has the supervision of the Eastern Laborers—those previously existing legal and police rulings have been mitigated and the conditions in the 8-10,000 camps in the Reich have, on the whole, been improved. Thus those fixed wages, which have been determined by the tables of compensation in a ruling of the Council of Ministers, upon which deductions were made up to 75%, have been replaced by new tariffs. The Eastern Laborers were left free of duty according to it, and the taxes were paid in a form of an Eastern Laborer Tax by the owner of the enterprise (Ruling of Council of Ministers for the Defense of the Reich of 30/6/42). Thus after many months of negotiations, with the cooperation of the Central Economic Bank in Rowno, a salary transfer, in the form of a savings stamp procedure, was regulated. Thus, the ruling of the Reichs Chief of the SS of 20/2/42 prescribing barbed wire has been dropped by a supplementary ruling of 9/4/42 and at the same time, in exceptional cases, groups were permitted to go out under German guards, of late, it has even been. permitted under their own supervision. The food supply was adjusted by a special delivery letter of the Reichs Food minister dated 17/4/42, to a degree where the "Soviet Civilian Laborer", as well as the prisoners of war received a uniform ration. This was still not enough compared to the normal amount of food given to those employed in the industry and in the mines, besides, it was still much less and worse than that for the Poles, but it was

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an improvement compared to former conditions. Furthermore the postal communication has been adjusted for those Eastern Laborers who come from the civilian administered as well as those who are from the regions directly to the rear of the army, —at least theoretically—. On account of the burden placed on the censorship office for foreign countries the High Command of the Armed Forces has recently asked again for a reduction of this measure.

In spite of the improvements mentioned as well as others, which in many cases can be traced back to the personal intervention of the Deputy General of Labor Employment, the total situation of the Eastern Laborer (sampling date: 1 October 1942) must still be considered unsatisfactory, namely, not only in respect to the differences in the treatment of industrial workers and farm laborers but in the differences found in the different States and enterprises. On the average there are still about 40% of the lodgings for Eastern laborers which would not meet the requirements even if all the wartime restrictions were considered. Among these are a frightening number of camps whose conditions are such as to destroy the success of the attempt of improving relationship and the corresponding radiating uplift of the morale within the Eastern territories. Not even to mention the fact that the marking OST (East) , an identification ordered by the police, is being felt as degrading there remains such a quantity of grievances and problems that it would be impossible to relate them now. Only the following points are to be mentioned :

1. The Enlisting and Employing of persons of German Parentage, as Eastern laborers.

Several observations made by the commission from the central office to inspect camps, as well as petitions which have reached them, show that persons of German parentage were enlisted,—against regulations,—as Eastern Laborers. Even if they are not recognized people of German parentage according to the "RKFestigung", they are, however persons of German descent and with German names, as Mr. Middelhauve could establish in a camp near Berlin. It is to be doubted that the branch offices of the suboffice for Germans living in foreign countries had enough qualified help who could separate these persons capable of becoming Germans again.

2. Enlisting and Employing as Eastern Laborers of Tartars from the Crimea.

To increase the fighting numbers of the Tartar legions it would be indispensable to return all those Tartars, who have been employed in the Reich as Eastern Laborers,

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to their homes before the coming of winter; a similar report to the "GBA" is being prepared. Besides climatic reasons, the necessity for this return is to intensify the wine and tobacco growths in the Crimea by experienced help and at the same time, to prevent the invasion of Greek and Bulgarian planters and traders. To prepare this return as well as to deal with other Tartan problems a commissioner, namely a Crimean Tartar, has been installed by the "ZO". In the meantime, difficulties have arisen because of the effect of the furloughing of Tartan Eastern Laborers for participation in the Mohammedan festival during the 4th and 5/10/42 as well as the procurement of the meat and millet supply needed for this occasion. The authority in these and similar matters will have to be voiced, at the time of their return, by those White Ruthanian Tartars who have been selected for resettlement.

3. Enlisting and Employing as Eastern Laborers of Ukrainians from Transnistria.

During an inspection of the camps for munition workers at Topchin (Kreteltow) into which the Central Office was induced because of an escape which became known to them, it was found that the Eastern Laborers employed there were enlisted January 1942 in Odessa. They do not come according to para. I of the Rulings of the Council of Ministers dated 30/6/42, under the category of Eastern Laborers. But will have to be termed, because of the fact that the State of "Transnistrian" was placed in the Fall of 1941 under Rumanian sovereignty, as stateless members of the Kingdom of Rumania. To clarify this point for all times, negotiations have been made with the GBA and the Foreign Office as well as the Feldzeuginspektion of the Office for General Affairs in the High-Command of the Army.

4. Employment of Skilled Laborers in Occupations foreign to their skills.

Up until recently petitions have continually come to the publishers of camp newspapers to the Reichs Ministry for the occupied Eastern territories, to the German Workers Front and in error also to the bureau for foreign nationals in the Reich from Eastern laborers, men and women who are in occupations foreign to their skills or inferior to their skills, without the transfer proposals, which were approved by the central office as well as by other offices, having led to success—except in rare cases. GauIeiter Sauckel, who has repeatedly disclosed—the last time at the conference in Weimar on the 10 and 11/9/42—that the "inner arrangement" of the occupational employment would be his next point on the program, does not seem to be informed about the real conditions in which doctors, engineers, teachers, qualified skilled

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laborers and such are employed as unskilled workers, mechanics, as farmers, and farmers as industrial workers. In any case, one of his close associates, the Gauamtsleiter Orr Escher received the information about this which was given him by Dr. Thiell, in accordance with instructions of the Central Office, with unusual interest.

5. Separation in employment of members of one Family.

The repeated separation of family members who have come to the Reich as Eastern Laborers and Eastern Women Workers (married couples, parents, brothers and sisters, and children) seems utterly contrary to the usual customs governing other employments of foreigners. The bringing together of those relatives who have been mistakenly separated during the transport is principally desired just as much as is the employment of family members in the same location. It does however, in practice, encounter some difficulties. In order to make possible at least the transfer of information from both parties, the Reichs Ministry for the occupied Eastern territories in August 1942, in conjunction with the Reich Main office and Reich Security Service has allowed the limited publication of encoded advertisements seeking information. Besides this an agreement has been made in September 1942 between the Central Office and the German Red Cross in accordance with which this organization will take over the communication between these Eastern Laborers separated in the Reich, keeping the place of employment secret however.

6. Disregarding the Nationality in Employment and Billeting.

The plan of the Herr Reichsmarshall to create special "Enterprises for the Russians" could not be accomplished as yet on account of reasons of wartime economy. The demands for a joint employment by the members of Eastern nationalities, according to their racial background could not be carried out in practice to any great degree. In addition to the reasons of business, the usual variegated composition of the transports coming from the great realms of the Reichs Commissariate Ukraine opposed it. Basically, a regrouping to racial membership might be possible after completion of an examination of this membership which would have to be made in conjunction with the issuance of employment permits for Eastern Laborers, especially when a group of foremen has been found among the Eastern Laborers based on partial pre-training independently of the solution to this question, the commissions from the Central Office will be striving to effect a rough sifting of the camps according to racial membership, and to house them accordingly in special barracks. The supplying of

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experienced interpreters for this job and then systematic instruction has been begun.

7. Distinctive, Mostly Insufficient Food Rations.

The inadequate food ration for Eastern Laborers is important not only in the matter of performance but also politically, since the majority of the help coming from the occupied Eastern territories were previously accustomed to better rations. After using up all the food supplies which had been brought along, a general lowering of the ability to work and of the morale was noticeable. The written request to the Herr Reichs Food-Minister on the matter, to examine the food quotas in respect to the fact that the Eastern Laborer was in a worse position in the matter of nourishment than the Poles, was answered by a telephone communication from the respective Chief of Section, that to his knowledge the Russians were better off than the Poles. With this ignorance of the condition decisive measures could hardly be expected on the part of the Reichs Food Ministry. Nevertheless Gauleiter Sauckel has declared, in Weimar as a part of his program, that the feeding of the German as well as the foreign laborer inside of Germany would be shortly adapted to the requirements in accordance with their performance—here he supported his program on an utterance of the Fuehrer—. In connection with this a conference took place in the Reichs Food Ministry on 29/9/42 in which an improved food quota of the Eastern Laborer was decided upon. The decree which is being co-signed by the High Command of the Armed Forces and the GBA, [?] upon which the "Special Delivery Letter" of the 17/4/42 will be nullified, provides for laborers of all types an additional 1750 grams of potatoes, for workers in heavy industry and additional 200 grams, and for the group, to be newly instituted, of "overtime" and "night" workers a weekly 2600 grams of bread, 300 of meat, and 150 of fat. Besides this, instead of the tasteless bread made of turnips the usual kind will be delivered in the future. Even though a complete equality of food rationing with the other foreigners should be aspired to, this new measure, whose enforcement is imminent, will counteract the intestinal diseases and swelling of the stomach, as well as the sending of bread from relatives in the Ukraine, which can not be hindered on political grounds.

8. Partly insufficient, and Unjust Payment of Wages.

The wage adjustments for Eastern laborers and Eastern women workers must still be considered unsatisfactory even after the new wage scales, by the ruling of the Council of Ministers dated 30/6/42, as well as the lower evaluation of those agricultural workers who

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are quartered and fed free. The determining factor in keeping the net salary down is the necessity even today of maintaining the natural lower social level as compared to the German laborer, and to protect the German produce market as well as -- in the case of transfer accounts — the enterprises in the domain of the Reichs Commissariate from an accumulation of surplus purchasing power. The Central Office took the viewpoint, in the conferences concerned with this matter, that it is far better to keep the wage level, as such, down than later to lower a nominally higher net salary to about half by means of the forced savings plan, reportedly proposed by the Reichs Finance Minister. The change of the hourly pay scale, as well as pay on contracts and pay by means of premiums is therefore closely connected with the success of the voluntary stamp savings plan, which was installed in September 1942. This on the other hand will depend upon the fact that the saved amount, which has been sent to the respective home banks of the relatives in the form of savings books—a system which has finally been introduced by the Herr Reichs Commissar for the Ukraine—will at least be redeemable in cash to half of the amount shown, even if no interest is paid on it at the time. A change in the question of wages, considering that this is the first time in bank technological procedure that savings and transfer accounts have been joined together, would have prospects only if an eventual rearrangement does not materially raise the total wage increase of Eastern Laborers. A throttling measure would otherwise be necessary eventually which would shatter the trust in the honesty of the German social methods and would give irresponsible material to the Soviet propaganda. A way to correctness in the matter of pay within the limitations determined by this viewpoint, could be seen in the proposal of the Reichs Trustee Dr. Kimmich, who expounded it in a short report in Weimar on 11/9/42. In accordance with this a plan for arranging salaries should be carried out by the industries by inserting increasing measures for part time, apprenticeship, and instructional work, to bring into prominence the principle of pay according to performance even in the occupied territories. The foundation for the pay scale based on this will be the evaluation according to eight categories of difficulty in the performance of work, the use of which would exclude the evaluation of previous preparatory training (in the judging of differences) in favor of the success in performance. The complete stoppage of wages would thereby be abolished with finality and the offering of work premiums be made possible to foreign laborers. This,—as Dr. Kimmich characterizes

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it,—"Re-establishment of a just salary and contract" will have as an effect a general increase in performance which will be advertised as "The thanks of the German laborer to the combat soldier." Should these principles shortly be made obligatory in all the states, this would also bring, in connection with the measures of the project of occupational instruction, an improvement to the former Soviet specialist without having impaired the pre-eminence of the German specialist. The safeguarding of the superiority of the latter is in spite of the wartime needs among other things thereby guaranteed by the fact that the Herr Reichs Minister for armament and ammunition has been able to carry out through the High Command of the Armed Forces on September 1942, that these 500,000 German war industrial workers, who are going to be inducted during the winter half year, will only receive an eight week training, after that they will, however, be returned to their key-positions in the plants. How far the coming change of wage structure will affect not only the leading position of the German specialist as opposed to the Eastern Laborer but also the relationship between these and the Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian workers is not to be seen in advance without further information. First of all, the Herr Reichs Minister of Finance will examine at the instigation of the Reichs Minister for the occupied Eastern Territories, if and in how far the increase of the so-called "Salary Equalizing Tax" as an addition to the Income Tax on the Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian in the Reich in spite of the low rate of 15% will in many cases place them worse off than comparable Eastern Laborers. This would be all the less tolerable as the employment of Eastern Laborers in the General Territory of Estonia leads up to the opposite problems.

9. Insufficient Equipping of clothes and shoes.

The clothing of almost all Eastern Laborers, men and women, must be considered as insufficient. Transports were arriving even in the last days of the month of September whose occupants did not carry any winter clothing with them. The recruiting agents seem to leave the workers in the opinion that there is no winter in Germany and moreover, that the Eastern Laborers would receive everything they need. In view of the coming cold months and of the inadequacy of many quarters a catastrophe must arise on account of the existing lack of clothing and shoes, if a successful remedy is not found immediately. The main difficulties in the supplying of missing equipment, which has already led in our large industrial plant to the loss of 10% of its employees,—lies in the fact that the clothing set aside from the collection of tex-

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tile goods, does not even come close to covering the demand and that the available booty as well as confiscated goods in occupied territories will not be handed out by the competent management without the delivery of the existing ration cards. Since the Eastern Laborer does not possess the latter this could then only be carried out if the enterprises would requisition the needed clothing for the German workers and would offer those to the Eastern Laborers,—unfortunately however, deducting it from their wages from time to time. The sending of clothing, coats and shoes by the families of Eastern laborers by means of individual shipment can not be carried out without further directives on account of the necessity of delousing the garments at the border, wherefore a measure was proposed after previous negotiations of the Central office with the deputy of the Generalarbeitsfuehrer Kretschman at the GBA under the direction of the Reichs Ministry for the occupied Eastern territories ; in accordance with this measure collective addresses will be sent to the occupied territories by the enterprises in collaboration with the censorship office and special collection offices set up there. The success of this action must remain in doubt at present. During the meeting in Weimar it was then announced that from January 1943 on, uniform work clothes will be made of cellulose material which, however, will not be of very good quality and would look baggy after a short wear. Independently of this creation of work clothes, which naturally can not be considered a costume or uniform, the Central Office has made it one of its tasks to help with the action to provide clothes to help decrease to a minimum the expected lowering of performance, loss of morale, increased escapes, and cases of freezing.

10. Insufficient Supervision of the Eastern Laborers Employed in Agriculture.

According to ruling No. 4 of the Deputy General for Labor of 7 May 1942, the supervision of those Eastern workers and women workers employed in agriculture is delegated to the Reichs Food Administration. Practical supervision in the rural areas by the state, regional and local authorities of the Reichs Peasant Leader must be considered as illusory with respect to the lack of knowledge and to the insufficient knowledge of these people as well as to the fact that the seizing of Eastern Laborers in the midst of all the foreign workers in the rural areas can only be carried out with difficulty. To inform at least the rural superintendent of the principles which govern the treatment of the Eastern laborers, the publication department of the Reichs Food Administration has, in accord with the Reichs Minister for occupied Eastern territories sent out guiding instructions for the

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present enlightenment campaign during the fall quarter. No objections can so far be made against a strict observance of these guiding instructions since, on account of the shortage of labor in the rural areas during the past months, a pampering of the Eastern workers and women workers was noticed, which was not only a threat towards the temporary transfer of 200,000 agricultural workers into industry but also in respect to the damage of a lack of migration into other areas. To intensify the supervision in the rural enterprises, a policy forming meeting took place in August 1942 with the representatives of the Reichs Food Administration during which among other things the sending of interpreters by the Reichs Ministry for the occupied Eastern Territory to the Reichs Peasant leader was taken into consideration. Since the Reichs Food Administration was only willing to approve in the latter part of September, the taking over of the payment of special supervision with a knowledge of the language, in spite of exemption from payment of contributions on the part of Eastern laborers, and since there is still at the present time no clear settlement of the number and conditions for this it will be necessary to balance the lack of activity of the Reichs Food Administration with an appropriate initiative action on the part of the Central Office of the Reichs Ministry for the occupied Eastern territories.

11. Insufficient Recreation.

In spite of repeated efforts for a satisfactory and meaningful organization of the recreation period for the Eastern laborer the German Arbeitsfront has still not been able to create and carry out a satisfactory recreational program. While the enterprises have organized excursions in groups because of necessity, the recreational program in the camps have so far lacked a uniform outline. The showing of moving pictures often runs into difficulties since the theaters, which have been created for this .purpose, are only accessible to German workers and the Eastern laborer could not enter because of the danger of contamination of lice. The daily radio program in Russian and Ukrainian language which in the beginning was proposed by the Reichsminister of Enlightenment and Propaganda has still not been carried out because of several reasons. The performance of several artists is only possible in exceptional cases among the Eastern races because of the existing travel difficulties. What drawbacks and difficulties are connected with this can be shown in the circumstances under which a Ukrainian group of artists, who are now stationed in the Reich after an agreement was made between Gauleiter Sauckel and the Commissioner General of Kiew,

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are performing. After this group was barely sufficiently housed in an Eastern Labor Camp near Halle for a period of two weeks, a meeting took place in the RAM in which it was decided upon a suggestion by the representative of the Reichs Ministry for the occupied Eastern territories, that the National Socialistic Organization should send three organizational trustees, the Reichs Ministry for Enlightenment and Propaganda three propaganda trustees, and the Reichs Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories three political trustees, to Halle. By the combined efforts of these trustees it was finally possible to employ the group of artists, who were made up of three separate groups, in several of the central German States [Gaue], during which the management, even in organizational matters, soon went to the member of the Eastern office who was sent by the Central Office of the Reichs Minister for the Occupied Eastern territory. Until 30/9/42, on which day the Central office in Berlin sponsored an afternoon reception for the 38 Ukrainian artists, the Reichs Minister for Enlightenment and Propaganda had still not decided upon the amount of wages, which had accrued because of the performances, still less who was to pay for it, so that a temporary solution by using an agent who would carry out the bare essential down payment had to be found. Because of this lack of clarity, the wish of the Deputy General for the Arbeitseinsatz to retain the group in the Reich during the winter months can not be supported.

12. Return under Unworthy Conditions of Eastern laborers and women laborers who are not fit for work.

The carelessness during the enlistment and reception of millions of Eastern laborers and women laborers has resulted in the fact that,—according to a careful estimate,—about five percent of the persons transported into the Reich have proved not to be capable of work. That means nothing less than that about 80 to 100,000 returnees will stream into the occupied Eastern territories in the coming days. The dangers included in this returning process can be seen in the fact that this deals with sick, crippled, mothers-to-be, as well as such persons whom the enterprises are glad to reject and who because of that are not being taken care of. The mood of these returnee is temporarily forced to be anti-German, and nothing has been done, in spite of repeated suggestions in the Reichs Labor Ministry to reconcile the returnees with at least a few favorable impressions of Germany. During the latter part of September, 1942, a collecting camp in Berlin-Blankenfelde, which was quartered with Eastern laborers who were destined for return, was inspected upon the instigation of the Central Office by a commission

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consisting of different authorities, at which time revolting conditions were met. Among other things a shot was fired by the guard at an Eastern laborer who was caring for his natural needs, without the President of the States Employment Office who was present making any protest against it. All of the camp inmates gave an impression of neglect. Since the returning of these 1600 persons as well as a further 4400 returnees from other camps, could not be reconciled politically with respect to the danger of contaminating their native districts with reports of horror, and since the postponement of a necessary re-quartering of the collecting camps could no longer be provided (in the meantime) the chief of the branch offices of the Central Police-Vice-counsel in retirement Miller—Dr. of Law Boywidt and Mrs. Miller were sent at the same time to Brest-Litowsk, to stop the transport at least at this point and to carry out according to the situation a quarantining of the people or, belatedly to take care of them. How necessary this interference was is shown by the fact that this train with returning laborers had stopped at the same place where a train with newly recruited Eastern laborers had stopped. Because of the corpses in the trainload of returning laborers, a catastrophe might have been precipitated had it not been for the mediation of Mrs. Miller. In this train women gave birth to babies who were thrown out of the windows during the journey, people having tuberculosis and venereal diseases rode in the same car, dying people lay in freight cars without straw, and one of the, dead was thrown on the railway embankment.

The same must have occurred in other returning transports. To end these terrible conditions, it is intended to create special transient camps in the Reich area for returning workers where those who contracted diseases in the Reich will be separated from the chronically sick. They will be sent to an organization caring for the sick. Those finally chosen to return would receive medical and psychological treatment for at least a week. The chief of the Reich health program and his chief of liaison with the GBA, resp., have approved this central office plan of giving aid to returning workers, which aid should also be extended during transport. The directorate of the German Red Cross wants to share in the execution of this plan by making available trained personnel, among other things. The first of these transient camps for returnees could be established at Bad Frankenhausen in Thuringia where, according to the statement of the local mayor, suitable area is available.

To solve these and numerous other problems, as well as the

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removal of the described difficulties and abuses, two things are advised.

I. Consultation of the Reich minister with the Fuehrer with the purpose of asking him for personal energetic intervention; this conference will have to include among others the following re-quests as laid down in the note 1 f 5 of 6/7/42 :

1. Treatment by the police. The Fuehrer should beseech the Reichs Leader of the SS in a personal consultation, to repeal the General Regulations of 20/2/42 including the supplementary Decree of 9/4/42, that is Section A of the General Regulations.

Laborers from the former Soviet Russian territory and to replace them and among other things with new regulations which are to be voted upon in conjunction with the GBA (2) and the Reichs Ministry for the occupied Eastern territory.

2. Direction of people. The Fuehrer should direct the Chancellor of the party as well as the Reich propaganda office of NSDAP to adjust suitable urgent measures in agreement with the Reich Ministry M.G.A.B. and respectively with the Z.O. to enlighten those party members who are handling the supervision of the relations between Germans and foreigners about the scope of the employment of the Eastern laborers and furthermore to inform the entire German population of the political mission which history has bestowed upon them by the taking in of millions of former Soviet citizens.

3. The competences of the R.M.fdBO. The Fuehrer should inform the supreme authorities of the Reich, if possible through the Reich Minister and the chief of the Reichs chancellory that not only those measures of theirs, which concern themselves with occupied Eastern territories but also those that affect the labor from these territories employed in the Reich may only be decided in every action with the Reich ministry for the occupied Eastern territories.

II. Further expansion of the General Office for member Races, so that an extended arm of the R.M.fdBO in the Reich and as a representative of the foreign people from the occupied Eastern territories living here it can quickly perceive its instructed interests. The following would be essential for this.

(1) Commitment of a special Commissioner. The appointment of a special commissioner for the Reich ministeries provided with specific authority to take care of the interests of the central office, should serve especially two purposes; to take an active influence upon the handling of enlistments inside the occupied eastern territories.

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(2) To carry out definite aims of the central Office by cultivating a personal contact with Gauleiter Sauckel.

(3) Reinforcing of the Branch Officers. The commissions which serve under the chief of the branch officer and which are employed to inspect the camps, urgently need reinforcements; to be able to work successfully in thousands of camps for this purpose about 50 interpreters are needed besides liaison agents to the country employment offices and those trustees of the Gau who worked in an honorary capacity, the chief of the commissions need a uniform.

(4) Reinforcing the Sections. The four sections of the Central Office, (Matters of organization, legal and information service, supervision aid, and psychological training) need to be immediately filled by at least six representatives. On account of the avalanche of problems brought to the Central Office, urgent questions remain otherwise unsolved and hundreds of transactions unsettled in spite of the twelve hour day and sometimes several hours of night work, as well.

Of what far reaching importance it is to see to it that a political use is made of the stay of several million Eastern laborers in the Reich. That on 8/9/42 their members already amounted to 1,737,000 is lower, as from many other reasons by a glance at the present condition of the German censored figures. In spite of all measure; to Germanize and re-Germanize people who are unfortunately confronted by increased war casualties the future of the German people when measured against the breadth of age levers placed on top of each other as characterized by a population pyramid whose outlines deviate from the biologically normal picture of a bell, if one compares the present curve of the future professionals with the similar curves of the Eastern peoples it will be frighteningly apparent that especially during the decisive decades after this war the number of German people of the Harz areas in the East which will be required for a normal administrative development will not be on hand, the willingness and cooperation of members of the Eastern peoples is herewith an unavoidable necessity, wherefore the years committing an army of millions of Eastern laborers in the Reich are not only seen from the viewpoint of overcoming the problems concerned but actively must be used to create a reliable propaganda army which after its return home will perhaps one day will be just as decisive for the German fate in the East as the victory of our weapons.

signed : DR. GUTKELCH.

146

[David Thompson]

Document 145-PS, Safeguarding the cultural goods in the occupied Eastern Territories 20 August 1941, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, vol. III, US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1946, pp. 189-191

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 145-PS

The Reichs Minister for the Occupied Eastern Territories
Berlin W 35, Rauch Street 17/18, 20 Aug 1941
Tel: 21 95 15 and 39 50 46
Cable address: Reichminister East Na 369/R/H
Director of the Reichs Main Office UTIKAL [Reichshauptstellenleiter]
Berlin

Subject: Safeguarding the cultural goods in the occupied Eastern Territories

I have instructed the Reichs Commissioner for the Eastland and his subordinate general and district commissioners to secure all cultural goods in the Reichs Commissariat of the East which are appropriate in general for national-socialistic research as

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well as research of the activities of the opponents of National Socialism. I delegate you to carry out with an "Einsatzstab'', be formed for this purpose this work of the Reichs Commissioner, the General, Main and Regional Commissioners, for support. During the execution of this mission you will re directly subordinate to Main Division II of my ministry when directors will provide you with additional instructions. orders issued by the Fuehrer for the "Einsatzstab" in the W. remain also the same for the East.

The execution of your job will be financed, as in the occupied western territories, through the Reichs treasurer of the NSDAP A later accounting between him and the ministry for the occupied eastern territories, respectively with the Reichs Commissariats is held in reserve.

I am including a letter of mine to the Reich Commissioner of the Eastland.

Heil Hitler !
Signed: ROSENBERG

1 inclosure

******************************************************

PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 149—PS

FUEHRER DECREE

Jews, freemasons and the ideological enemies of National Socialism who are allied with them are the originators of the present war against the Reich. Spiritual struggle according to plan against these powers is a measure necessitated by war.

I have therefore ordered Reichsleiter Alfred Rosenberg to accomplish this task in cooperation with the chief of the High Command of the armed forces. To accomplish this task, his Einsatzstab for the right occupation territories has the right to explore libraries, archives, lodges, and other ideological and cultural establishments of all kinds for suitable material and to confiscate such material and for the ideological tasks of the NSDAP and for scientific research work by the university [Hoch Schule]. The same rule applies to cultural goods which are in the possession or are the property of Jews, which are abandoned or whose origin cannot be clearly established. The regulations for the execution of this task with the cooperation will be issued by the Chief of the High Command of the armed forces in agreement with Reichsleiter Rosenberg.

In necessary measures for the eastern territories under German

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administration will be taken by Reichsleiter Rosenberg in his capacity as Reich Minister for occupied eastern territories.

(Signed) A. HITLER
Fuehrers Headquarters, March 1942

[David Thompson]

Document 151-PS, Safeguarding of Cultural Goods, Research Material and Scientific Institutions in the Occupied Eastern Territories 7 April 1942, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, vol. III, US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1946, pp. 191-192

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 151—PS

The Reichsminister for the occupied Eastern territory
Berlin W 35, Kurfuerstenstrasse 134
7 April 1942
Tel. 21 99 51
N. 1/1/13/42

To : Reich Commissioner for the Ostland, Riga Reich Commissioner for the Ukraine, Rowno

SUBJECT : Safeguarding of Cultural Goods, Research Material and Scientific Institutions in the Occupied Eastern Territories.

I

I have assigned Reichsleiter Rosenberg's Einsatzstab for the Occupied Territories with the seizure and uniform handling of cultural goods, research material and scientific apparatus from libraries, archives, scientific institutions, museums, etc., which are found in public, religious or private buildings. The Einsatzstab begins its work, as newly directed by the Fuehrer's decree of 1 March 1942, immediately after occupation of the territories by the combat troops, in agreement with the Quartermaster General of the Army, and completes it in agreement with the competent Reich Commissioners after civil administration has been established. I request all authorities of my administration to support as far as possible the members of the Einsatzstab in carrying out all measures and in giving all necessary information, especially in regard to objects which may have been already seized from the occupied Eastern territories and removed from their previous location, and information as to where this material is located at the present time.
Any activity for the purpose of safeguarding cultural goods can be permitted only if it is carried out in agreement with Reichsleiter Rosenberg's Einsatzstab. The Einsatzstab will be constantly informed concerning the method and extent of investigations, work projects and measures.

All authorities of my administration are hereby instructed that objects of the afore-mentioned type will be seized only by Reichs-

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leiter Rosenberg's Einsatzstab, and to abstain from arbitrary handling as a matter of principle.

Insofar as seizures or transports have already taken place contrary to these provisions, Reichsleiter Rosenberg's Einsatzstab, Berlin-Charlottenburg 2, Bismarckstrasse 1, telephone. 34 00 18, will be informed without delay, with an exact list of the objects as well as indication of the current storage place and per sons entitled to dispose of them.

II

In exceptional cases immediate measures may be taken to safeguard or transport objects to a safe place in order to avoid threatened danger (for example, danger of collapse of building enemy action, damage by weather, etc) . In all cases a writ report will be submitted immediately to my Einsatzstab.

Decision regarding exceptions lies with the Reich or General Commissioners in agreement with the commissioners of the staff.

III

I have sent copies of this order directly to the General Commissioners.

By order
Signed/t/ Dr. LEIBBRANDT

OFFICIAL:
/s/ [Illegible]
Office Employee
Authenticated copy
Berlin Dec 15, 1943
signed : ZEISS
(Dr. Zeiss)
Leader of Stabseinsatz

[David Thompson]

Document 153-PS, Formation of a control unit for the seizure and securing of objects of cultural value in the occupied eastern territories 27 April 1942, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, vol. III, US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1946, pp. 192-193

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 153-PS

Copy /B

Reich Ministry for the Occupied Territories of the East
Enclosure 1
Berlin 27 April 1942

To
a. Commissar of the Reich for the East Riga
b. Commissar of the Reich for the Ukraine Rowno

Subject: Formation of a control unit for the seizure and securing of objects of cultural value in the occupied eastern territories.

There has been established in the Reich Ministry for the occu-

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pied eastern territories a "central bureau for the seizure and securing of objects of cultural value in the occupied eastern territories" to last for a limited period as a special reference department within department I (Political). As head of the central bureau I designate the chief of staff of the "Einsatzstab of Reichsleiter Rosenberg for occupied territories", Party member Utikal. He is directly under the authority of Department I and will carry on this task in addition to his other duties.

On the central bureau devolves the general planning of all projects connected with the seizure and securing of objects of cultural value in the occupied eastern territories and also the supervision of the measures already taken.

Apart from exceptional cases in which the securing of objects of cultural value is exceptionally urgent, the bureau does not concern itself primarily with the securing of objects of cultural value, but rather makes use for the execution of measures of seizure and securing of the "Einsatzstab" of Reichsleiter Rosen-berg for the occupied territories ; the Einsatzstab will carry on its activities as before in close contact with the competent authorities of the civil administration that come under my jurisdiction.

With the commissars of the Reich a special department within Department II (political) has been set up for a limited time for the seizure and securing of objects 'of cultural value. This office is under the control of the head of the main work group [Hauptarbeitgruppe] of "Einsatzstab!' of Reichsleiter Rosenberg for the occupied territories. The head of this special department is directly responsible to the chief of Department IL

Signed: ROSENBERG
Certified true copy
Berlin 13 Dec. 1943
(Dr. Zeiss)
Chief of Staff
[Seal of "Einsatzstab" of RL Rosenberg]

[David Thompson]

Document 154-PS, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, vol. III, US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1946, pp. 193-194

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 154-PS

The Reichminister and Chief of Chancellery.
Berlin W 8, Voss-strasse 6, 5 July 1942
Present Headquarters of the Fuehrer

To: The Highest Reich Authorities and
The Services directly subordinate to the Fuehrer.

The Fuehrer has delegated Reichsleiter Rosenberg in his capacity of commissioner of the Fuehrer to supervise the total

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spiritual and philosophical indoctrination and education of NSDAP in the spiritual battle against Jews and Free-Masons well as against the affiliated philosophical opponents of National Socialism, who are the cause of the present war. For this purpose the Fuehrer has ordered that Reichsleiter Rosenberg's should be authorized, in the occupied territories under military administration and in the occupied Eastern territories under administration (exclusive of the General Gouvernement), to seize libraries, archives, lodges and other philosophical and cultural institutions of all types for relevant material for the execution his task and to request the competent Wehrmacht and police services to seize the material found in order to support the NSDAP in fulfillment of its spiritual task and for the later scientific research work of the "Hohe Schule", whereby police files concerning political activities will remain with the police, and all others be transferred to Reichsleiter Rosenberg's Staff. The staff is authorized to make the same request with regard to cultural goods that are ownerless goods or the ownership of which cannot readily determined. The Chief of the Army High Command, agreement with Reichsleiter Rosenberg, will issue regulations governing the cooperation with the Wehrmacht. The necessary measures within the Eastern territories under German administration will be taken by Reichsleiter Rosenberg in his capacity as Reichsminister for the occupied Eastern territories.

I inform you of this order of the Fuehrer and request you support Reichsleiter Rosenberg in the fulfillment of his task.

/s/ Dr. Lammers

[David Thompson]

Document 197-PS, Concerning the conference that has taken place on the OKH concerning the transfer of a part of the Ukraine to the civil administration 27 August 1941, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, vol. III, US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1946, pp. 210-213

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 197—PS

Berlin, 27 August 1941

Notes Concerning the conference that has taken place on the OKH concerning the transfer of a part of the Ukraine to the civil administration.

On 25.8.1941, a conference took place in headquarters OKH/ Quartermaster General regarding preparation for the transfer of the Reich Commissary of the Ukraine to the civil administration scheduled to take place on 1.9.41.

Besides myself and the expert of the Q. M. General, the following took part in the conference :

Major i. G. Altenstadt, Chairman
Ministerialdirigent Dr. Danckwarts, Chief of the Administrative Branch within the Army Administrative Group.
Colonel i. G. von Krosigk, Chief of the General Staff of the commander of the southern Army Zone Rear.
Chief of Staff of the Commander of the Office of the Armed Forces. Regierungspraesident Dargs, Representative of Reich Commissar Koch.
Oberregierungsrat Dr. Labs [and] Captain Dr. Braeutigam, Representative of the Ministry for the East.
Major Wagner.

The letter first explained the boundaries of the Reich Commissariat Ukraine as of the 1.9.41. In Bessarabia and Bukovinia Rumania is in accord with the O. K. W. and has already set up the civil administration, although until now there has been no official surrender of the area to Rumania. The official assignment to the Rumanian administration is expected in the next few days. The area around Brest is still at present, under the military commander of the General Government ; the remainder of the Reich Commissariat Ukraine is under the commander of the Southern Army Zone Rear. At the time that a civil administration was inaugurated on the 1.9.1941, these areas (which apply to the military sector) were transferred

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to the jurisdiction of the commander of the Wehrmacht in the Ukraine.

The area to be transferred is for the most part pacified. Only in the region of the Pripet Marshes is there still unrest produced by Partisan groups. The rather strong forces there at present of the Southern Army Zone Rear have been concentrated and recently destroyed 8 out of 10 Partisan battalions (strength of each battalion approximately 100 men). Should the Partisans not be wholly liquidated by the 1.9.1941, forces of the above mentioned commander will remain in the area for this purpose.

The security of the part of the Reich Commissary Ukraine to be set up on the 1.9.1941, will be carried out in the south by a Hungarian Division (2 brigades), connected in the north with a Slovakian security division besides 4 battalions of militia. All units, including the Hungarian and Slovakians are under the command of the commander of the Wehrmacht. In the area are two district commands and five town commands, and the district commands are in Luck and Kamenez-Podolsk. The units of the transport and intelligence services remain directly under the command of the O.K.W. Furthermore the economic inspection of the south remains with the commander of the Army Zone Rear. The economic command in Kiev placed under this inspection has its seat for the time being in Shitomir. This command is responsible for the civil administration in the whole area to be transferred.

Near Kamenez-Podolsk, the Hungarians have pushed about 11,000 Jews over the border. In the negotiations up to the present it has not been possible to arrive at any measures for the return of these Jews. The higher SS and Police leader (SSObergruppenfuehrer Jeckeln) hopes, however, to have completed the liquidation of these Jews by the 1.9.1941.

Ministerialdirigent Dr. Danckwarts asserts that both district commands have confined themselves to the fulfilment of all the most necessary projects in the administrative field. In the communities for the most part Volksdeutsche or Ukrainians have been placed in office as Burgermeister. According to experiences up to date these people are scarcely in a position to administer to their communities independently, but require in every single case instruction and guidance from the German units.

Colonel von Krosigk states that the military units in many towns of the region have set up a Ukrainian militia, which it is agreed would now be taken over by the higher SS and Police leader as auxiliary police.

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In this militia strong efforts for independence have been noticed since this militia is in part composed of active elements (members of the Bandera National independentist movement). The populace is in general obliging but wholly intimidated and uneasy. They have made themselves deserving by their searching for Russian paratroopers who were dropped almost every night by the Russians, especially around the main railroad lines. These paratroops are harmless, since they are badly armed and instructed. They are for the most part in civilian clothes. From the directive for the treatment of the collective question great success in the field of propaganda is promised in military circles.

In many Ukrainian districts the Ukrainians themselves have put their burgermeisters in office. These men had with them quantities of written messages and statements from national Ukrainian parties. The Wehrmacht has not recognized such people, but took the statements from them and sent them home again.

The administrative officials of the two district commands remains until the 15.9.1941 at the district commands in order to assist the units by their familiarity with the civil administration, without their being engaged in the actual work of administration themselves. Particularly, Kriegsverwaltungsrat Schwarz, one of the two administrative officials of the commander of the southern Army Zone Rear still remained in the area and would go to Rowno in case the civil administration should desire it. The 454th division becomes the security division in the area of the Reich Commissariat insofar as the security was not taken over by the Rumanians.

In a private conference between (Ministerialdirigent) Dr. Danckwarts, (Regierungspraesident) Darge, Captain Dr. Braeutigam and the undersigned, a few more administrative questions were briefly discussed. On this occasion (Ministerialdirigent) Dr. Danckwarts stated that the Rumanians in the southern part of the Ukraine would take over as far as civil administration was concerned, the old borders of Bessarabia, forming a zone as far as the Bug, including Odessa, without being promised the eventual possession of this zone.

Furthermore, with 15 divisions they would take over the security of a larger portion of the Ukraine, which in this zone
would be under the control of the German civil administration.

Captain Dr. Braeutigam was requested by telephone by Dr.

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Koeppen at the Fuehrer's Headquarters to be careful that the Rumanians should not form a Ukrainian group under a former military attache in Berlin in the zone taken over by their civil administration. This question was discussed with Major Altenstadt in my presence. He explained that the Wehrmacht has no administrative control in influencing the Rumanians in the zone under their civil administration; this could only be done through the Foreign Office.

In discussion with several officers who had recently been in the Ukraine, I learned that the prohibiting of army chaplains from conducting religious services for the civilian population and also the Ethnic Germans [Volksdeutsche] has led to depression and disturbance among the Volksdeutsche. One should not fail to realize that the church has been the common connecting-link of the Volksdeutsche in the Ukraine. Although not many Ukrainian clergy are present a few still hold religious services for the Ukrainians. The Volksdeutsche fail to understand why the only possibility of their caring for their souls, namely through the agency of Army Chaplains, is denied to them.

LABS
Oberregierungsrat

[illegible]
Ministerialdirektor.

[David Thompson]

Document 199-PS, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, vol. III, US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1946, pp. 213-214

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 199—PS

COPY

Reichs Ministry for the Occupied East
Berlin 11 July 1944
Correspondence

To the General Deputy for the Labor Employment, Gauleiter Sauckel, Berlin SW 11

I just learned that refugee camps for the White Russians in Bialystok, Krajewo and Olitai were closed for the recruiting for the war Einsatz Command middle. I call your attention to the following:

1. That the war employment command [Kriegseinsatzkommando] formerly stationed in Minsk must continue under all circumstances the calling in of young white Ruthenian and Russian

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199-PS

manpower for military employment in the Reich. In addition, the command has the mission to bring young boys of 10-14 years of age to the Reich.

2. It deals here with a military employment approved by the Fuehrer, the measures of which will be increased in a newly released directive by the Fuehrer. Such military missions must forego all others.

3. Nothing changes these relative missions by the evacuation of these provinces in which the recruiting originally took place.

The recruiting order does not pertain to certain territories but to the people living in these territories.

4. I must reject every responsibility for the consequences arising from the closing of the Refugee Camp and am compelled, upon further closing of camps, to request immediately a Fuehrer decision.

The same principle must prevail in the recruiting of Air Corps helpers in Estonia and Lithuania. I carefully point to this fact should similar situations occur there.

For.
Signed: Alfred MEYER
Copies to :
Gauleiter bureau
Chief group leader Berger Dr. Braeutigam
Chief bannfuehrer Nickel
Ministry director Beil.

[David Thompson]

Document 200-PS, HJ—Kriegseinsatzkommando Center, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, vol. III, US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1946, pp. 214-215

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 200-PS

Reich Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories P 719a/44g [ink note]
Special Train, Gotenland
8.7. 1944

CONFIDENTIAL TELEGRAM

1. Chief of the Civil Administration, Bialystok
2. Offices of the SS and Police Chiefs concerned, Bialystok
3. SD Unit concerned, Bialystok

Subject: HJ—Kriegseinsatzkommando Center.

The HJ Kriegseinsatzkommando center, which until now has been stationed in Minsk, must under all circumstances continue its duties, as regards the enrollment of young White Ruthenians and Russians for a military reserve in the Reich.

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200-PS

The Command is further charged with the transferring of worth-while Russian youth between 10-14 years of age, to the Reich. The authority is not affected by the changes connected with the evacuation and transportation to the reception camps of Bialystok, Krajewo, and Olitei. The Fuehrer wishes that this activity be increased even more.

I request that the Command of Bialystok be assisted in the execution of its duties in every possible way. Should difficulties arise contrary to expectations, I request that I be informed immediately by wire.

Ministry for the East
[signed] Berger
Chief of the Command Staff for Politics

4. Copies to :
Office of the Gauleiter
Ministerialdirigent Dr. Braeutigam
Hauptbannfuehrer Nickel
initialled B 11/7

[David Thompson]

Document 204-PS, Release of Indigenous Labor for Purposes of the Reich 18 February 1944, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, vol. III, US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1946, pp. 215-217

PARTIAL SYNOPSIS AND TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 204-PS

The City Commissioner in Kauen
Kauen, 18 February 1944

Release of Indigenous Labor for Purposes of the Reich

[Translator's Synopsis]
After entry into Lithuania thousands of workers were recruited to work for a period of 6 months in Gau Ost Prussen. Contrary to all promises these laborers were not released even after twelve months, and their various connections at home received no compensations. They did not even get a short furlough home for a long time. Now it is intended to put them in the munitions industry against their will.

In the early part of 1942 another "recruiting" was made by the Wehrmacht for 7000 male transport-aides. They forced the Lithuanians to register at an office and then locked them up in barracks as they came in. Naturally they dislike the Germans almost as much as the Russians.

Recently the recruiting drives for new volunteers for the army, police and labor service, and for laborers in the munitions industry within the Reich have been started. However the Russians re-moved 40,000 professional personnel in 1941, and more than 100,-000 were removed from work, so many positions cannot be filled now.

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204—PS

After the recruiting campaigns the populace did not trust any further proclamations or measures as far as working within Germany was concerned. Furthermore the Lithuanians do not feel that they have in their state a political unit.
Because of previous. unsettled political conditions, the Lithuanian does not think much about politics. Since he pays little attention to his own laws, he heeds ours even less. They do not attend the musterings and must be brought by the police.

Although the civilian administration promised to produce the labor, they were not too successful, as the following will show:

1. Seizure of the age classes of 1919/24

This was ordered by the Reichs Commissar for the East, but due to the inefficiency of the officials, it was only partially successful.

The actual seizure was done by members of the Wehrmacht, police, local administration and the labor office. Energetic propaganda campaigns were initiated to induce the male members of the age groups to register at the designated offices.

Soon however opposition arose on the part of the Lithuanian intelligentsia. To counteract this the following measures were taken.

[Translation]

Renunciation of the formation of a Lithuanian legion, closing of the native universities, and arresting of a number of members of the Lithuanian intelligentsia.

[Translator's Synopsis]

These measures were not practicable; consequently the General Commissar ordered another registering, with severe penalties for non-appearance. Although every effort was made, the results were still unsatisfactory. From an expected total enrolment of 5800 men, only 47% appeared, and among this percentage were A many of no use to us for various reasons.

[Translation]

2. The completely unsatisfactory experience of the previous action made a further seizure of the age group 1912/18 and also of the female age group 1914/22 necessary. These two further actions also brought no satisfactory result. In a lecture which the Plenipotentiary for the Arbeitseinsatz Gauleiter Sauckel made on 18 July 1943 in Kauen, and in an official conference following it, between Gauleiter Sauckel and the General Commissar, the pool of labor in the Reich was again brought up urgently; Gauleiter Sauckel again demanded that Lithuanian labor be furnished in greater volume for the purposes of the Reich. As the minutes of

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204-PS

this conference show, the General Commissar described very forcibly the very great difficulties opposing the preparation of indigenous labor forces, and 'asked urgently for the preparation of a larger number of German police forces. SS-Obergruppenfuehrer von dem Bach promised explicitly at that time "a real strengthening of the police force in Lithuania". This real strengthening of the police force in Lithuania meanwhile was not carried out in the
course of further actions.

[Translator's Synopsis]

3. Sauckel wanted 30,000 workers. Although the civilian administration did their best, conditions were in confusion and only 8200 of the 30,000 were on hand.

4. Then Sauckel made a new requisition, this time for 100,000 workers. Although fulfillment of this requisition would vacate many positions in the country, the General Commissar promised to fill the order. However, many difficulties will arise. In the country it is easier to recruit labor because it is possible to study the labor situation in more detail than in a large city like Kauen. In the country the administration has a closer tie with the populace for one thing.

To fulfill the requisition of labor made on Lithuania, assistance from the German Civil Administration is a necessity.
The police force will have to be increased temporarily, severe treatment in case of sabotage, a temporary increase in the allotment of motor fuel, and the use of the quartermaster facilities of the Wehrmacht; all these measures will be necessary if the required amount of labor is to be supplied.

This new action of Sauckel's will probably not work. The only way of gaining any successes in this matter is to have at our disposal large numbers of German police.

[signature illegible]

[David Thompson]

Document 1138-PS, Planned provisional directives for treatment of Jews in the Reichskommissariat Ostland , in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression. Volume III: US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1946, pp. 800-805.

SECRET

(II 1 d 3000) THE REICH COMMISSAR FOR EASTLAND RIGA
Riga, 13 August 1941

TO: The Reich Minister for Occupied Eastern Territories, Berlin W 35.

I beg to enclose an account of planned provisional directives for treatment of Jews in the Reichskommissariat Ostland. [Translator's note: Baltic States and White Russia.]

[Signed] BANSE [?]

To Department [Hauptabteilung] II with request for opinion. (By order)
(Habs, 24 August)
(Gauleiter has taken cognizance) (return to Dr. Runte) (19 August 1941)
Enclosure: (III a/13/ ei Grh)

[Translator's note: All lines enclosed in parentheses were added to the original typewritten document in pencil or ink. There is also a slip attached to the document, initialed by Dr. Runte, Gauleiter M. and R.]

**********************************

Reich commissar for Eastland Kommissariat Ostland, 13 Aug. 41
Habs 4 Sept.

SECRET !

Provisional directives on the treatment of Jews in the area of the Reichs-Kommissariat Ostland.

My instructions in my address of 27 July 1941 in Kowno determine the final settlement of the Jewish question in the area of the Reichskommissariat Ostland.

Insofar as further measures are taken, especially by the Security Police (SIPO), to carry out my oral instructions, they will not be affected by the following preliminary directives. It is merely the job of these preliminary directives to assure these and for such length of time, minimum measures by the General or Regional Commissars, where and for as long as further measures are not possible in the direction of the final solution of the Jewish question.

I. a. For the time being only those Jews will be subject to these directives who are citizens of the German Reich, the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, of the former Republics of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, of the USSR or of its component states, or stateless Jews.

b. Other Jews of foreign nationality, others of mixed blood and spouses of Jews who are not ready to share the fate of their Jewish spouses are to be denied permission to leave the area of the Reichskommissariat Ostland because it is a military area. They are to be watched. In addition they can be subjected to the following measures, among others: obligation to report daily, prohibition of moving, or assignment to specific dwelling, prohibition of leaving the municipal area limitations on circulation. In case of necessity they are to be taken into police custody until further decisions can be made.

II. A Jew is, whoever descends from at least 3 grandparents who were full Jews by race.

A Jew is also whoever descends from one or two grandparents who were full Jews by race, if he

a. belongs or belonged to the Jewish denomination, or

b. on 20 June 1941 or later was married to, or living in common-law marriage with, a person who is Jewish within the purview of these directives, or who now or in future enters into such a relationship.

III. In cases of doubt, the district (or municipal) Commissar decides, according to his best judgment, who is a Jew within the purview of these directives.

IV. General Commissars will immediately order the following measures, as soon as or insofar as civil administration has been introduced in their areas:

a. The Jews are to be listed, through imposition of the duty to report, by name, sex, age, and address. Furthermore the rosters of Jewish congregations, and the statements of trustworthy natives, will serve as bases for their listing.

b. It will be decreed that Jews distinctively mark themselves by prominently visible yellow hexagonal stars of at least 10 cm. in diameter worn on the left side of the breast and in the center of the back.

c. Jews are prohibited from:

1. Changing of their home town and their homes without permission of the area (municipal) Commissar.

2. Use of sidewalks, public means of transportation (i.e., railroad, streetcars, bus, steamer, horse-drawn taxis) and automobiles.

3. Use of public facilities and institutions serving the population (resorts and bathing facilities, parks, meadows, playgrounds, and athletic fields).

4. Attendance at theatres, movies, libraries, museums.

5. Attendance at schools of any type.

6. The possession of automobiles and radio sets.

7. Kosher slaughtering.

d. Jewish doctors and dentists may treat or advise only Jewish patients. If Ghettos or camps are erected, they are to be distributed among them for the care of their inmates. Jewish druggists are to be permitted practice of their profession according to need, but only in Ghettos or camps. Drug stores previously managed by Jews are to be transferred to trusteeship of Aryan druggists.

Practice of their profession is prohibited to Jewish veterinarians.

e. Jews are to be forbidden exercise of the professions and activities designated below:

1. Activity as attorney, notary-public or legal adviser.

2. Operation of banks, money-changing offices and pawn shops.

3. Activity as representative, agent, and intermediary.

4. Trade in real estate.

5. Migratory trade.

f. The following will be decreed for the handling of Jewish property:

1. General. The property of the Jewish population is to be confiscated and secured. The previous Jewish legal owner, from the moment of confiscation, is no longer authorized to dispose of his property. Legal transactions which violate this prohibition are null and void.

2. Duty to report. The entire property of the Jewish population is to be reported. The deadline for reporting is determined by the General or area Commissars. It is mandatory for anyone who owns or stores

Jewish property and anyone who, without being owner, proprietor or custodian, legally or actually disposes of, or can dispose of, Jewish property, to report it.

The duty to report not only applies to the legal Jewish owner, but also to anyone who, for example, administers Jewish property, who has taken it into safe-keeping or obtained it in any other manner.

The reporting must be done on a form according to the attached model.

The General Commissars regulate reporting procedure with regard to local conditions and determine the officials to whom the reports are to be submitted. The reports should be submitted, if possible, to the area commissars. The area commissars are, however, empowered also to be in charge of the giving out and the receiving of forms; this applies also to government offices which are not supplied or equipped by the civil administration. These offices are to forward the forms handed in to the area Commissars.

3. The duty of delivery. Jewish property is to be delivered on special demand. The demand can take place by general proclamation or by order to definite individuals. The General Commissars order through proclamation immediate delivery of the following articles:

a. Domestic and foreign currency.

b. Securities and financial records of every sort, (i.e., stocks, promissory notes, exchange, debt records, bank and savings-bank books)

c. All articles of value (coined and uncoined gold and silver, other precious metals, jewelry, precious stones, etc.)

Articles turned in are to be entered in a serially numbered receipt book in two copies (carbon) according to the attached model. The entries are to be signed for by the person delivering the article and by the receiving office. The carbon copy of the entry is to be transmitted immediately by the receiving office to the area Commissar. The delivered articles are to be transmitted to the fund of the area Commissar and to be safeguarded by the latter. A special order will be issued on their utilization.

4. On the Question of Subsistence: The Jewish population is left with the following:

a. that portion of their household articles necessary for scanty subsistence (furniture, clothing and linen)

b. A daily amount of money 0.20 RM (2 Rubles) for each Jewish member of the household, the amount of money for a month to be released in advance.

V. The following further measures are to be emphatically striven for, with due consideration for local and especially economic conditions:

a. Jews are to be cleaned out from the countryside.

b. The Jews are to be removed from all trade, especially from trade with agricultural products and other foodstuffs.

c. The Jews are to be forbidden residence in resorts and spas, and in localities that are economically, militarily, or spiritually of importance.

d. Jews are to be concentrated, as much as feasible, in cities or in sections of large cities, whose population is already predominantly Jewish. Ghettos are to be established there, and the Jews are to be prohibited from leaving these Ghettos. In the Ghettos they are to be given only as much food as the rest of the population can do without, but no more than suffices for scanty nourishment of the Ghetto inmates. The same applies to supply with other consumer goods. The inmates of the Ghetto regulate their internal conditions by self-administration which is supervised respectively by the city, area Commissar-or his deputy. Jews can be assigned as police for internal order. They are to be equipped with rubber truncheons or sticks at most and are to be distinguished by the wearing of the white arm bands, with the yellow Jewish Star on the right upper arm. For the external hermetic sealing of the Ghettos, auxiliary police from among the natives are to be used as much as is feasible. Permission from the area Commissar must be obtained before anyone may enter the Ghetto.

e. Jews, capable of working, are to be drafted for forced labor according to the need for work. The economic interests of natives worthy of assistance must not be interfered with by Jewish forced labor. Forced labor can be performed in working parties outside the Ghettos or in the Ghettos, or, where Ghettos are not yet established; also individually outside (i.e., in the workshop of the Jew). Pay need not correspond to work done; it need only correspond to the need for scanty subsistance for the forced laborer and the non-employable members of his family, taking due consideration to his present cash holdings. (cf. IV f 4 b) Those private establishments and persons, for whose account the forced labor is done, pay an appropriate fee to the pay office of the area Commissar which, in turn, disburses pay to the forced laborers. A special order will be issued for the accounting on amounts of money received.

6. It is left up to the General Commissars to order measures mentioned in par. 5 uniformly for their area or to turn over their promulgation in detail to the Area Commissars. Likewise the General Commissars are authorized to issue more detailed orders within the framework of this policy or to authorize their area Commissars to do it.

DISTRIBUTION:
Reichskommissariat 12
Higher SS and Police leaders 20
General Commissar:
Estonia 10
Lithuania 10
Latvia 10
White Ruthenia 60
Surplus supply 28

[David Thompson]

Document 1189-PS, Feeding of Civilian Population in the Occupied Eastern Territories, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression. Volume III: US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1946, p. 833

in the field, 4 November 1941
Wi Stab Ost Fue/Ia, Az.B.N.R. 6730/41

Special Instructions No. 44
Feeding of Civilian Population in the Occupied Eastern Territories

Weekly Maximum in Grams

a. For population which does no work worth mentioning

Meat and bread products none
Fat 70
Bread 1500
Potatoes 2000

* * *

d. Children under 14 years old and Jews

Half of the maximum according to a.

[David Thompson]

Document 1193-PS, in Nazi Conspiracy and Agression. Volume III: US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1947. pp. 834-837.

SECRET

The Reich Marshall of the Greater German Reich
Deputy for the Four Year Plan
The State Secretary

Berlin W 8, Leipziger Str. 3, 14 November 1941
V. P. 19008/2 Secret.

In the annexes I submit, in three copies, a note on the result of a conference which was held on 7 November 1941 by the Reich Marshall and which concerned the Employment of Soviet Russians

Meanwhile the Reich Marshall has ordered (cf. V of the note) that the utilization of those Russians who are not under the armed forces (prisoners of war and free workers) should be centrally directed in the Reich, including the protectorate and the General Government, as well as in the Reich Commissariats by his agency Arbeitseinsatz. To perform its functions, it will avail itself of the general administration of the Arbeitseinsatz, and in the occupied Eastern territories of the organization for the Arbeitseinsatz which is at the disposal of the Economic Staff East, respectively the Reich commissar, general commissar, etc.

The Reich Marshall has made the agency Arbeitseinsatz responsible for a rapid and appropriate solution of all problems which are connected with the utilization of the Russians in the civilian domain. He requests that the responsible agencies should acknowledge the importance of this matter by fullest cooperation and should help in eliminating the existing difficulties to the best of their abilities.

The Reich Marshall expects to receive on 15 December 1941 the first report of the agency Arbeitseinsatz as to what extent the directives issued by him on 7 November have been set into practice.

Signed: Koerner
Authenticated: Schwingle
Ministry Registrar

************************************

Conference of 7 November 1941 about the Employment of Soviet Russians

The Reich Marshall gave the following directives for the Arbeitseinsatz of the Soviet Russians:

I. The stronger labor reserves in the zone of the interior are also decisive for the war.

The Russian workers have proved their productive capacity during the development of the huge Russian industry. Therefore it must be made available to the Reich from now on. Objections against this order of the Fuehrer are of the secondary nature. The disadvantages which can be created by the Arbeitseinsatz have to be reduced to a minimum: the task especially of counter-intelligence and security police.

II. The Russian in the zone of operations.

He is to be employed particularly in building roads and railroads, in clearing work, clearing of mines, and in building airports. The German construction battalions have to be dissolved to a great extent (Example: Air Forces!); the German skilled workers belong to the war industry; it is not their task to shovel and to break stones, the Russian is there for that.

III. The Russian in the territories of the Reich Commissar and of the General Government.

The same principles apply as in II. Furthermore, stronger utilization in agriculture; if machines are lacking, human hands have to produce what the Reich has to request from the agricultural sector in the East. Furthermore, sufficient native labor has to be provided for the ruthless exploitation of Russian coal mines.

IV. The Russian in the Reich territory including the Protectorate.

The number of the employed depends on the requirement. By determining the requirement, it is to be considered that workers of other states who produce little and eat much are to be shipped out of the Reich and that in the future the German woman should come less into the foreground in the labor process. Beside the Russian prisoners of war, free Russian workers should also be used.

A. The Russian prisoner of war.

1. The selection has to take place already in the collecting camps, beyond the Reich border. The profession and physical condition are decisive. At the same time screening as to nationality and according to the requirements of the security police and counter-intelligence must take place.

2. The transportation has to be organized just as the selection and not improvised. The prisoners are to be forwarded rapidly. Their feeding should be orderly and their guarding unconditionally secured.

3. Officers are to be excluded from the work as much as possible, commissars as a matter of principle.

4. The Russian belongs in first line to the following work places (in order of priorities):

Mining. Railroad maintenance (including repair shops and construction of vehicles). War industry (tanks, artillery pieces, airplane parts). Agriculture. Building industry. Large scale work shops (shoe shops!). Special units for urgent, occasional and emergency work.

5. The following apply to the method of employment: Principally closed group employment (at least 20). Exceptions only with express permission. In the agriculture in first place the great enterprises come into consideration; besides rotating employment of closed units in small farms day after day. In industry including mining establishments of "Russian enterprises" as an ideal condition (exclusively Russian workers under German supervision) to be striven for.

6. Housing: In closed camps (barracks).

7. Guards: During work, members of the armed forces, but also German workers who have to perform auxiliary police functions. The strictest and fastest activity is decisive for security measures. In general, there are no further steps in the scale of punishment between restriction of food and execution according to martial law.

8. Clothing: Creating of a standardized work suit is to the point. The first clothing is secured according to the High Command of the Armed Forces. Wooden shoes are the rule. Underwear is scarcely known to or customary to the Russians.

9. Rations: The Russian is easily satisfied. Therefore he should be fed lightly and without serious infractions upon our food balance. He should not be spoiled or accustomed to the German food, but he should be satisfied and kept in the productive capacity which corresponds to his assignment.

B. The free Russian worker.

Employment and treatment will not be handled in practice differently than for Russian prisoners of war. In both categories, particularly good production can be acknowledged by a limited distribution of luxury items. Sufficient, adequate nourishment is also the main thing for the free workers.

As to the working conditions of the free Russian, the following is to be considered.

1. He can receive a small allowance.

2. His relatives should be provided for.

3. Since his productive power is placed at the disposal of the employer at a cheap price, a financial compensation with the employer is to be taken into consideration.

4. Subjects of the Baltic State who are old residents can receive privileges. At the most their cash allowance can be made equal to the wages which are provided for the Poles who are in the Reich. The general wage standard in the East has to be taken into consideration in this matter.

5. Ukrainians have no special privileges. The Fuehrer has ordered that in the future they should not be released from war captivity.

6. The Russian employment should under no conditions create a prejudice in the East as to the problem of salaries. Every financial measure taken in this field has to originate from the consideration that the lowest wages in the East, according to a directive of the Fuehrer, are prerequisites for the settlement of the cost of war and for the clearing of the war debts of the Reich after the end of the war.

Infractions will be punished with strictest measures.

This logically applies for every furthering of "social aspirations" in the Russian colonial territory.

7. The Russian free workers obtain a badge which makes them recognizable as such.

V. The Reich Marshall reserves for himself a special decree about the organization of the Russian Arbeitseinsatz, number and obligatory membership, obligatory registration. All recruiting and every shipment which are not conducted through the organization are prohibited. Recruiting and employment of prisoners of war are to be conducted in a unified way and are organizationally to be coupled with one another.

Signed: von Normann