Documents on the Nazi occupation of Poland 1939-1944

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#31

Post by David Thompson » 07 Nov 2004, 23:46

Document 2537-PS: Decree of the Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor concerning the Administration of the Occupied Polish Territories, 12 October 1939 [translation]", in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression. Volume V: US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1946. pp. 279-280.
1939 REICHSGESETZBLATT, PART I, page 2077 Government General

1. Administration.

In order to restore and maintain public order and public life in the occupied Polish territories, I decree:

SECTION I.

The territories occupied by German troops shall be subject to the authority of the Governor General of the occupied Polish territories, except in so far as they are incorporated within the German Reich.

SECTION 2.

(1) I appoint Reich Minister Dr. Frank as Governor General of the occupied Polish territories.

(2) As Deputy Governor General I appoint Reich Minister Dr. Seyss-Inquart.

SECTION 3.

(1) The Governor General shall be directly responsible to me.

(2) All branches of the administration shall be directed by the Governor General.

SECTION 4.

The laws at present in force shall remain in force. except in so far as they are in conflict with the taking over of the administration by the German Reich.

SECTION 5.

(1) The Cabinet Council for Reich Defense, the Commissioner for the Four-Year Plan, and the Governor General may legislate by decree.

(2) The decrees shall be promulgated in the Verordnungsblatt fuer die besetzten polnischen Gebiete.

SECTION 6. The Chairman of the Cabinet Council for Reich Defense and Commissioner for the Four-Year Plan, and also the supreme Reich authorities, may make the arrangements required for the planning of
German life and the German economic sphere with respect to the territories subject to the authority of the Governor General.

SECTION 7.

(1) The cost of administration shall be borne by the occupied territory.

(2) The Governor General shall draft a budget. The budget shall require the approval of the Reich Minister of Finance.

SECTION 8.

(1) The central authority for the occupied Polish territories shall be the Reich Minister of the Interior.

(2) The administrative decrees required for the implementing and supplementing of the present decree shall be issued by the Reich Minister of the Interior.

SECTION 9.

(1) The present decree shall come into force as soon as and to the extent to which I withdraw the order given to the Commander in Chief of the Army for the exercise of military administration.

(2) Authority for the exercise of executive power shall be the subject of special provisions.

Berlin, 12 October 1939.

ADOLF HITLER
Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor.

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#32

Post by David Thompson » 08 Nov 2004, 01:54

Document 2450-PS, TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2540-PS, Decree concerning Sequestration of Private Property in the Government General, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, vol. V, US Government Printing Office, Diastrict of Columbia: 1946, pp. 280-285.

VERORDNUNGSBLATT DES GENERAL GOUVERNEURS,
No. 6, Jan. 27, 1940, Page 23.

* * *

3. PROPERTY

Decree concerning Sequestration of Private Property in the Government General, January 24, 1940.

In pursuance of subsection 1 of Section 5 of the decree of the Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor concerning the administration of the occupied Polish territories of October 12, 1939 (RGBI I, p. 2077), I hereby order as follows:

SECTION I. Purpose of the Sequestration.

Sequestrations may be ordered and carried out only in connection with the performance of tasks serving the public interest. They shall be effective only if the following provisions have been observed.

SECTION 2. Sequestration Agencies.

(1) The right of sequestration shall be vested exclusively in the Governor General of the occupied Polish territories. It shall be exercised, in his name and in accordance with his directions, by the Director of

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2540-PS

the office of the Governor General and the district chiefs or other agencies designated by the Governor General.

(2) The right to sequestrate agricultural and forest property shall be exercised by the Director of the Trustee Administration for the Government General in agreement with the Director of the Department of Food and Agriculture or the Director of the Forestry Department.

(3) The right of the Director of the office of the Commissioner for the Four-Year Plan in the Government General to sequestrate raw materials of all kinds, and also manufactured and semi-manufactured products, shall not be affected by the provisions of the present decree.

(4) The seizure, administration, and exploitation of the sequestered property shall be entrusted to the Director of the Trustee Administration of the Government General.

SECTION 3. Order of Sequestration.

(1) Sequestration orders shall be issued in writing by the agency carrying out the sequestration in agreement with the Director of the Trustee Administration of the Government General. Sequestration shall take effect upon service of the order for sequestration.

(2) Service by poster or public announcement may be substituted for written notification to the owner of the property.
SECTION 4. Effect of Sequestration.

(1) Sequestration implies a legal prohibition against alienation of the property. Legal transactions of any kind in connection with the sequestered property and changes therein shall be null and void without the previous consent of the Director of the Trustee Administration of the Government General or of the agency designated by him.

(2) The same shall apply to any transfers or other rights obtained by way of execution of a judgment, attachment, or in-junction.

(3) Rights of third parties in the property sequestered, including those vesting title in a third party for the purpose of se-curing obligations owed, shall be held in abeyance.

SECTION 5. Entry of Notice of the Order of Sequestration in the Land Register.

Upon sequestration of realty and other rights in realty subject to registration in the public records, notice of the sequestration shall be entered upon the records. Application for entry of such notice shall be made by the authority decreeing the sequestration; or, where a trustee has been appointed, by the trustee.

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2540-PS

SECTION 6. Exemptions from Sequestration.

Movable objects which at the time of the entry into force of the present decree serve exclusively for the personal use of the person affected by the sequestration shall be exempt therefrom provided they are not objects of luxury and do not exceed the requirements of bare living.

SECTION 7. Duty of Registration.

Property liable to sequestration may be made the subject of compulsory registration by decree of the Governor General.

SECTION 8. Seizure of Abandoned Property.

(1) Abandoned property shall be seized by the District Chief or Town Prefect and handed over for administration to the Director of the Trustee Administration of the Government General. Such seizure shall be ordered in writing.

(2) The rights of third parties in the seized property, including legal title transferred or reserved for the purpose of securing the payment of obligations, shall abate upon seizure. The Di-rector of the Trustee Administration of the Government General may grant exemptions from such abatement.

SECTION 9. Appointment of Trustees.

Upon the issuance of the order of sequestration or seizure of abandoned property the agency issuing the order may appoint a trustee. The appointment shall be subject to confirmation by the Director of the Trustee Administration of the Government General.

SECTION 10. Status of the Trustee.

(1) The trustee shall be authorized to enter into any and all transactions, judicial and otherwise, which are required for the administration of the sequestered property. His authority in this connection shall be equivalent to any power of attorney required by law.

(2) The trustee shall submit to the Director of the Trustee Administration of the Government General proposals concerning any disposal or liquidation, particularly of anti-social or financially unremunerative concerns. The decision concerning alienation or liquidation of the concern shall be made by the Director of the Trustee Administration of the Government General.

(3) The trustee shall be subject to supervision by the district officer of the field office of the Trustee Administration [Treuhand-Aussenstelle] and to the further supervision of the Director of the Trustee Administration of the Government General.

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2540-PS

(4) The trustee in his conduct of affairs shall act with the care of a prudent businessman. He shall be responsible to the appointing agency for any loss arising from infraction of his du-ties. He shall supply to such agency any required information at any time. He shall, unless otherwise instructed, present a re-port of his conduct of affairs, without being called upon to do so, at the end of each month after his appointment.

(5) The trustee shall be subject to dismissal without notice.

(6) The cost of trustee administration shall be charged to the property administered.

SECTION 11. Sequestration by Military Authorities.

(1) Sequestrations already ordered or which may be ordered in the future by the Commander in Chief in the East shall not be subject to the restrictions imposed by the present decree if they are effected in the interests of Reich defense and the increase of armaments. Such sequestrations shall be certified to the Director of the Trustee Administration of the Government General.

(2) The Director of the Trustee Administration of the Government General shall be authorized to review orders of sequestration issued and enforced by the military authorities with a view to determining whether they are required for the purpose referred to in subsection I.

(3) Appointment of all trustees shall be subject to confirmation by the Director of the Trustee Administration of the Government General.

SECTION 12. Sequestration by the Armed S.S. and Police.

(1) The Superior S.S. and Police Chief may, in exceptional cases, order sequestrations with the object of increasing the striking power of the units of the uniformed police and armed S.S. Such sequestrations shall not be subject to the limitations imposed by the present decree; notification of orders of sequestration shall be made to the Director of the Trustee Administration of the Government General.

(2) Subsections 2 and 3 of Section 11 shall be made applicable to the sequestrations referred to in subsection 1.
* * * *

SECTION 14. Notice of Sequestration Orders Issued before the Effective Date of this Order.

(1) Notice of sequestrations ordered and executed before the coming into force of the present decree shall be given to the Director of the Trustee Administration of the Government General.

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2540-PS

(2) Whenever a trustee has been appointed, confirmation of such appointment shall be obtained from the Director of the Trustee Administration of the Government General not later than April 1, 1940. To appointments of trustees made before November 20, 1939, Section 3 of the order concerning the establishment of an Office of Trustee Administration of the Government General of November 15, 1939 (VBI.GGP., p. 36) shall remain applicable.

SECTION 15. Compensation.

(1) Compensation may be granted for losses arising from the enforcement of the present decree; courts of law shall have no jurisdiction to entertain suits for payment of such compensation.

(2) The Director of the Trustee Administration of the Government General shall by order establish the amount of compensation after hearing the agency which has ordered the sequestration. His order shall be final.

SECTION 16. Restrictions of Property Rights heretofore Imposed.

(1) Order No. 4 of the head of the Foreign Exchange Section of the office of the Governor General of November 20, 1932 (VBI.GGP., p. 57) shall not be affected by the provisions of this order.

(2) Debtors in respect of obligations owed to a Jew which are subject to an order of sequestration may terminate their obligation by paying the amount due into a blocked bank account of such Jewish creditor.

SECTION 17. Penalties.

(1) Violations of the present decree and of the rules and regulations implementing and supplementing it shall be punishable by imprisonment and fine of unlimited amount or by either of these penalties, and in especially serious cases by hard labor.

(2) The Special Court shall have jurisdiction to try violations referred to in subsection 1.

SECTION 18. Final Provisions.

(1) The order concerning housing of public authorities of November 1, 1939 (VBI.GGP., p. 27) shall be repealed on the effective date of this decree.

(2) The following shall not be affected by this decree :

a. The decree relating to the sequestration of the property 04 the former Polish State within the Government General of November 15, 1939 (VBI.GGP., p. 37).

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2540-PS

b. The decree relating to mining rights and mining shares in the Government General of December 14, 1939 (VBI.GGP., p. 235).

c. The decree relating to the sequestration and surrender of wireless apparatus of December 15, 1939 (VBI.GGP., p. 225).

d. The decree relating to the sequestration of objects of art in the Government General of December 16, 1939 (VBI.GGP., p. 209).

e. The decree relating to the sequestration of installations and equipment of the mineral oil industry in the Government General of January 23, 1940 (VBI.GGP., p. 21).

Cracow, January 24, 1940

FRANK Governor General of the Occupied Polish Territories


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#33

Post by David Thompson » 08 Nov 2004, 21:49

Document 2671-PS, Decree Regarding the designation of businesses in the Generalgouvernement, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, vol. V, US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1946, pp. 367-368
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2671—PS

VERORDNUNGSBLATT OF THE GOVERNOR GENERAL FOR OCCUPIED POLISH TERRITORY,
No. 8, Page 61, 30 November 1939

Decree Regarding the designation of businesses in the Generalgouvernement.

Dated 23 November 1939

On the basis No. 5 paragraph 1 of the decree of the Fuehrer and Chancellor of the Reich regarding the administration of Occupied Polish Territory, dated 12 October 1939 (Reichsgesetzblatt, 1, p. 2077), I order that :

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2671—PS

1. Businesses owned by Germans shall be marked as German businesses. They may use Polish firm designations as well.

2. Businesses owned by Poles must have Polish firm markings, They may carry German firm designations as well.

3. Jewish businesses shall be marked with the star of Zion which must be clearly visible from the street; no German fire designations may be carried by them.

4. (1) Failure to comply is punishable by imprisonment.

(2) Judgment will be passed by special courts.

The Governor General for the Occupied Polish Territories
FRANK

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#34

Post by David Thompson » 08 Nov 2004, 21:53

Document 2672-PS, Decree concerning the designation of Jews and Jewesses in the Government General of 23 November 1939, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, vol. V, US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1946, p. 368
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2672-PS

VERORDNUNGSBLATT OF THE GOVERNOR GENERAL FOR THE OCCUPIED POLISH TERRITORY 1939, Page 61.

Decree concerning the designation of Jews and Jewesses in the Government General of 23 November 1939

On the basis of No. 5 paragraph 1 of the decree of the Fuehrer and Chancellor of the Reich on the administration of occupied Polish territory, dated 12 October 1939 (Reichsgesetzblatt I, 2077), I order :

1. All Jews and Jewesses, who are in Government General territory and who have reached the age of ten, shall be obliged to wear a white band not less than 10 cm wide on the right sleeve or their coats and overcoats beginning 1 December 1939.

2. Jews and Jewesses shall procure these arm bands themselves and shall furnish them with the appropriate markings.

3. (1) Failure to comply is punishable by imprisonment.

(2) Judgment will be passed by special courts.

4. The necessary regulations concerning the execution of this order will be released by the Chief of Section for Internal Administration, in the Office of the Governor General.

Cracow, 23 November 1939

The Governor General for the occupied Polish territories
FRANK

368

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#35

Post by David Thompson » 08 Nov 2004, 22:15

Document 2704-PS, Decree Concerning the Prohibition of Jewish Religious Slaughter, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, vol. V, US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1946, pp. 373-374
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2704–PS

VERORDNUNGSBLATT OF THE GOVERNOR GENERAL FOR THE OCCUPIED POLISH TERRITORY, 1939 Page 7.

Decree Concerning the Prohibition of Jewish Religious Slaughter

By the virtue of Section 5, paragraph 1, of the decree of the Fuehrer and Reichschancellor concerning the administration of the occupied Polish territories of 12 October 1939, I decree as follows :

Section 1

Cruelty to animals in any form is untenable in an area under German sovereignty. Therefore, effective immediately, I forbid Jewish ritual slaughter [Schaechten] that is, the painful killing of animals by slow bleeding, for the purpose of consumption of so-called kosher meat.

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2704-PS

Section 2

(1) A person who is guilty of Jewish ritual slaughter shall be punished by internment in a penitentiary for a term of not less than 1 year.

(2) The same punishment that applies to the person committing the crime shall apply to an accessory, instigator, and accomplice.

(3) The attempt shall be punished in the same manner as the accomplished crime.

(4) Sentence to internment in a penitentiary can be executed by internment in concentration camps.

Warsaw, 26 October 1939

The Governor General for Occupied Polish Territories
FRANK

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#36

Post by David Thompson » 08 Nov 2004, 22:27

Document 2746-PS, Decree concerning the Organization of Criminal Jurisdiction against Poles and Jews in the Incorporated Eastern Territories 4th December 1941, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, vol. V, US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1946, pp. 386-390
PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2746-PS

1941 REICHSGESETZBLATT, PART I, PAGE 759-761

ORGANIZATION OF CRIMINAL JURISDICTION

Decree concerning the Organization of Criminal Jurisdiction against Poles and Jews in the Incorporated Eastern Territories 4th December 1941

The Council of Ministers for the Defense of the Reich he with decrees:

1. CRIMINAL LAW

I

(1) Poles and Jews in the Incorporated Eastern Territories are to conduct themselves in conformity with the German law and with the regulations introduced for them by the Germans authorities. They are to abstain from any conduct liable to prejudice the sovereignty of the German Reich or the prestige of the German people.

(2) The death penalty shall be imposed on any Pole or Jew if he commits an act of violence against a German on account of his being of German blood.

(3) A Pole or Jew shall be sentenced to death, or in less serious cases to imprisonment, if he manifests anti-German sentiments by malicious activities or incitement, particularly by making anti-German authorities or offices, or if he, by his conduct, lowers or prejudices the prestige or the well-being of the German Reich or the German people.

(4) The death penalty or, in less serious cases, imprisonment shall be imposed on any Pole or Jew :

1. If he commits any act of violence against a member of German armed forces or associated services, of the German police force or its auxiliaries, of the Reich labor service, of any German authority or office or of a section of the N.S.D.A.P.

2. If he purposely damages installations of the German authorities or offices, objects used by them in performance of their duties or objects of public utility.

3. If he urges or incites to disobedience to any decree or regulation issued by the German authorities;

4. If he conspires to commit an act punishable under subsections (2), (3) or (4), paragraphs 1 to 3, or if he seriously contemplates the carrying out of such an act, or if he offers himself to commit such an act, or accepts such an offer, or if he obtains credible information of such act, or of the intention of comittting it, and fails to notify the authorities or any person threatened thereby at a time when danger can still be averted;

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2746-PS

VI

(1) Every sentence will be enforced without delay. The state prosecutor may, however, appeal from the sentence of a district judge to the court of appeal. The appeal has to be lodged within two weeks.

(2) The right to lodge complaints which are to be heard by the court of appeals is reserved exclusively to the state prosecutor. The appeal is decided by the Oberlandesgericht.

VII

Poles and Jews cannot challenge a German judge on account of alleged partiality.

VIII

(1) Arrest and temporary detention are allowed whenever there are good grounds to suspect that an offense has been committed.

(2) During the preliminary inquiry, the state prosecutor may order the arrest and any other coercive measures permissible.

IX

Poles and Jews are not sworn in as witnesses in criminal proceedings. If the unsworn deposition made by them before the court is found false, the provisions as prescribed for perjury and false depositions on oath shall be applied accordingly.

X

(1) Only the state prosecutor may apply for the reopening of a case. In a case tried before a special court, the decision concerning an application for the reopening of the proceedings rests with this court.

(2) The right to lodge a plea of nullity rests with the state prosecutor general. The decision on the plea rests with the court of appeal.

XI

Poles and Jews are not entitled to act as prosecutors either An a principal or a subsidiary capacity.

XII

The court and the state prosecutor shall conduct proceedings within their discretion and according to the principles of the German law of procedure. They may, however, dispense with the provisions of the German law on the organization of courts and on criminal procedure, whenever this may appear to them advisable for the rapid and more efficient conduct of proceedings.

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2746-PS

3. MARTIAL LAW

XIII

(1) Subject to the consent of the Reich Minister of the Interior and the Reich Minister of Justice, the Reich governor [Oberpraesident] may, until further notice, enforce martial law in the Incorporated Eastern Territories, either in the whole area under his jurisdiction or in parts thereof, against Poles and Jews guilty of grave excesses against the Germans or of other offenses which seriously endanger the German work of reconstruction.

(2) The courts established under martial law impose the death sentence. They may, however, dispense with punishment and refer the case to the secret state police.

(3) Subject to the consent of the Reich Minister of the Interior, the constitution and procedure of the courts established under martial law shall be regulated by the Reich governor [Oberpraesident].

4. EXTENT OF APPLICATION OF THIS DECREE

XIV

(1) The provisions contained in sections I-IV of this decree apply also to those Poles and Jews who on 1st September, 1939, were domiciled or had their residence within the territory of the former Polish state, and who committed criminal offences in any part of the German Reich other than the Incorporated Eastern Territories.

(2) The case may also be tried by the court within whose jurisdiction the former domicile or residence of the offender is situated. Sections V-XII apply accordingly.

(3) Paragraphs 1 and 2 do not apply to offenses tried by the courts in the Government General.

5. SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS

XV

Within the meaning. of this decree the term "Poles" means Schutzangehoerige or those who are stateless.

XVI

Article II of the decree of 6th June, 1940, concerning the introduction of German criminal law in the Incorporated Eastern Territories (Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, p. 844) no longer applies to Poles and Jews.

XVII

The Reich Minister of Justice, in concurrence with the Reich Minister of the Interior, is authorized to issue rules and admin-

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istrative regulations concerning the execution and implementation of this decree and to decide in all cases of doubt.

XVIII

This decree shall come into force on the fourteenth day after publication.

Berlin, 4 December 1941

The president of the ministerial council for Reich defense
Goering, Reich Marshal

The plenipotentiary for Reich administration
Frick

The Reich minister and chief of the Reich Chancellery
Dr: Lammers

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#37

Post by David Thompson » 10 Nov 2004, 10:05

Document 701-PS, Regarding: Poles and Jews who are released from the penal institutions of the Department of Justice, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression. Volume III: US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1946. p. 510-511.
The Reich Minister of Justice
4410 b-Vs 1379/43 g Berlin W 8,
Wilhelmstrasse 651 4/1943
Telephone 1100 44 Long Distance 11 65 16

To The Public Prosecutors of the Courts of Appeal,

To the Commissioner of the Reich Minister of Justice for the penal camps in Emsland.

PAPENBURG (Ems)

Regarding: Poles and Jews who are released from the penal institutions of the Department of Justice.

Instructions for the independent penal institutions.

1. With reference to the new guiding principles for the application of Article 1, Section 2 of the decree of 11 June 1940 (Reich Legal Gazette I S. 877) attachment I of the decree (RV) of 27 January 1943 9133/2 enclosure IIII a2 2629the Reich Chief Security Office has directed by the decree of 11 March 1943 II A 2 number 100/43176:

a. Jews, who in accordance with number VI of the guiding principles, are released from a penal institution, are to be taken by the State Police (Chief) Office competent for the district in which the penal institution is located, for the rest of their lives to the concentration camps Auschwitz or Lublin in accordance with the regulations for protective custody that have been issued.

The same applies to Jews who in the future are released from a penal institution after serving a sentence of confinement.

b. Poles, who in accordance with number VI of the guiding principles are released from a penal institution, are to be taken by the State Police (Chief) Office competent for the district in which the penal institution is located, for the duration of the war to a concentration camp in accordance with the regulations on protective custody that have been issued.

The same applies in the future to Poles who, after serving a term of imprisonment of more than 6 months, are to be discharged by a penal institution.

Conforming to the request of the Chief Office for Reich Security, I ask that in the future,

a. All Jews to be discharged,

b. All Poles to be discharged,

Who have served a sentence of more than 6 months be designated for further confinement to the State Police (Chief) Office competent for the district and are to be placed promptly at its disposal, before the end of sentence for conveyance.

2. This ruling replaces the hitherto ordered return of all Polish undergoing imprisonment in the Old Reich condemned in annexed Eastern territories. The decree (RV) of 28 July 1942-4410 b Vs 1 1731 has lost its meaning. Imprisonment up to 6 months imposed within the incorporated Eastern territories, excluding exceptions, is to be carried out in these territories, and in the Old Reich.

By order of Dr. Eichler

[Stamp: Reichministry of Justice, Office of the Ministry]
Certified:
[signed] Freyer
Clerk of Justice

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#38

Post by David Thompson » 10 Nov 2004, 22:08

Document 910-PS, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression. Volume III: US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1947. pp. 639-641.
SECRET

Government of the Governor General Chief Department Administration of the Interior

1. During his presence, the Reichsfuehrer SS explained his plans for the transplantation of the population of the East to the Governor General in my presence. He declared that he was very anxious

a. that the historic German town center of Lublin should be completely renovated as soon as possible and be placed at the disposal of the German functionaries.

b. that the same should be done to the market-place of Zamose. Here too, the residential buildings should be put into a state appropriate for the reception of German families and be placed at the disposal of German functionaries and other German families present.

c. soon German peasant families from Transnistria should be settled in Zamose County. In order not to alarm the domestic population, particularly the peasant population, and hereby to impair the result of the harvest, those German peasant families should be placed only on the country estates and the big holdings. Insofar as peasants from Transnistria do not come into consideration, the transplanting of small but suitable landowners from the German parts near Petrikan (Pietrikow) into Zamose County should also be considered. As in that county already some villages exist the inhabitants of which are doubtlessly of German origin, that way a German bulwark could be created in Zamose County.

If it is possible in some way these three measures Lublin, Zamose rural area and Zamose town district should be achieved even this year.

Cracow, 27 March 1942 Dr. S.H. 218,005

***************************************
Government of the Governor General Chief Department: Administration of the Interior

CONFIDENTIAL

1. The Reichsfuehrer-SS spoke at the time of his presence on March 13 and 14 in Cracow in detail about the plans of settlement for the next few years and about the planned Germanization. Among other things, he took the view the Gorales, Lemkes and Hutzules whose Germanic origin, or at least Germanic mixture is indubitable, in his opinion should be Germanized in the course of time. To this purpose he recommended to begin in the schools of the territory in question by establishing the number of blond and blue-eyed pupils in proportion to the total number of pupils. Then, one should begin to grant them gradually more favorable living conditions, however on the condition that they have their children learn the German language and get acquainted with the German cultural values. Eventually, one can settle still other Germans in the territory of these three peoples later on.

In this connection it is thought that sometime the Germans from Zips in Slovakia should move over into the Government General. The Reichsfuehrer-SS developed further trains of ideas to the effect that in the first five-year plan for resettlement after the war, the new German Eastern territories should first be filled; afterwards it is intended to provide at this time the Crimea and the Baltic countries with a German upper-class at least. Into the Government General, perhaps further German island settlement should be newly transplanted from European nations. An exact decision in this regard, however, has not been issued. In any case it is wished that at first a heavy colonization along the San and the Brig be achieved so that the parts of Poland are encircled with alien populations. Hitherto, it has been always proved that this kind of encirclement leads most quickly to the desired nationalization.

Cracow, 30 March 1942 Dr. S/H

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#39

Post by David Thompson » 12 Nov 2004, 06:32

Document 1233-PS, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression. Volume III: US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1947. pp. 850-851.
Secured Objects of Art in the Government-General [Poland]

Introductory page:

By reason of the decree of 16 December 1939 by the Governor General of the occupied Polish territories, the special commissioner for securing objects of art and culture was able to seize within six months almost all the art objects of the country, with one exception: A series of Flemish Gobelins of the Castle of Cracow. According to the latest information these are now in France, so that subsequent seizure will be possible.

Scientific treatment of the objects of art took place simultaneously with the salvage activities. The result is shown in the catalog with pictorial supplement, which clearly proves the penetration of the East by the German will for culture.

It is superfluous to speak of an independent Polish development of art in the historic epochs of style. There are creations of German impressions and Dutch or Flemish works which according to their spirit and character, equally do not express anything but German spirit and German culture. French and Italian works are in the minority.

The state of preservation of the secured objects of art was generally poor. The Poles' hasty salvage efforts prior to the outbreak of hostilities and neglect over a considerable time have caused damage of all sorts which required immediate remedy. For this reason, our own shops for restoring purposes, were established in Cracow and Warsaw, so that these works of art could receive care corresponding to their value.

The catalog contains a qualitative selection corresponding to the standards of leading German museums. German art and everything having a rank within the entire European development of art was given preference.

Art objects excluded by this qualitative selection were also scientifically treated, catalogued, and protected against loss or damage.

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#40

Post by David Thompson » 12 Nov 2004, 06:54

Document 1352-PS, Report on the confiscations in the Bielitz District of 22 May 1940, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression. Volume III: US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1947. pp. 916-924.
Copy

The Leader of the Central Landoffice for the Reichfuehrer SS
Reich Commissioner for the Strengthening of German Nationalism
Berlin NW7, 5/29/1940 Friedrichstrasse 110-112 Tel. 42 38 62
Az. K Al

Subject: Report on the confiscations in the Bielitz District of 22 May 1940

Ref: Your letter of 22 May 1940, Br./Schl. to the Silesian Land Office Kattowitz Bernhardstrasse 49

I have repeatedly pointed out to you that the Land Office is to concern itself exclusively with the tasks outlined in the Service Directive of 1 February 1940. In accordance with this, the Land Office, in the case under discussion, is also to restrict itself to the seizure and proposal for confiscation of Polish or Jewish private agriculture enterprises that are needed in consequence of the construction of the concentration camp. I forbid you any participation in measures going beyond this and their preparation such as, more or less, the evacuation, management or reoccupation of the enterprises concerned as well as the accommodation elsewhere of the Polish farm owners. In the same way, the Land Office is to do nothing further regarding the Bielitz district villages named in the report than to undertake the seizure of the Polish and Jewish agriculture enterprises and to propose their confiscation to the State Police. Arrangements which according to the Land Office report have been found too sweeping are in every case to be revoked immediately, in consideration of their invalidity I again point out that as against the other Land Offices the Silesian Land Office has the poorest results to show in connection with seizures.

Signed: W Baron von Holzschuher,
SS Group Leader
Certified a true copy
Signed: signature
Administrative Leader. (L. S.)

Ku/Ni Kattowitz, 22 May 1940

*********************************************
Report on Details of the confiscation in the Bielitz country

Some days ago the commandant of the concentration camp being built at Auschwitz spoke at Staff Leader Mueller's and we requested support for the carrying out of his assignments. He said that it was absolutely necessary to confiscate the agriculture enterprises within a certain
area around the concentration camp, since not only the fields but also the farm houses of these border directly on the concentration camp. A local inspection held on the 21st of this month revealed the following: There is no room for doubt that the agriculture enterprises bordering on the concentration camp must be confiscated at once. Further than this, the camp commandant requests that further plots of farm land be placed at his disposal, so that he can keep the prisoners busy. This too can be done without further delay since enough land can be made available for the purpose. The owners of the plots are all Poles.

The following agreements have been reached by me with the Camp Commandant and the proper measures prepared. The Director of the Branch agency in Bielitz will immediately determine the names of the Polish farmers and will also divide the land to be confiscated into zones.

Zone 1. Enterprises whose plots border directly on the camp.

Zone 2. Agricultural plots with enterprises which are placed at the disposal of the camp for the employment of the prisoners, namely for about 2000 prisoners for the time being.

Zone 3. As in zone 2, with the only difference, that the number of prisoners has increased considerably. Zones 4 and 5 follow them. In the last case it must be determined to what extent it is possible to put that kind of terrain at the disposal of the camp. The result for Zone I must be known within a few days, in order to enable the Land office in Kattowitz to start the confiscation procedures. It will be necessary to state the size of the families whose enterprises have been confiscated, even giving age and sex.

I had the following discussion with the head of the labor-office in Bielitz.

The lack of agricultural laborers still exists in the old Reich. The transfer of the previous owners of the confiscated enterprises, together with their entire families, to the Reich is possible without any further consideration. It is only necessary for the labor office to receive the lists of the persons in time, in order to enable it to take the necessary steps (collection of transportation, distribution over the various regions in need of such labor). Furniture cannot be taken along under any circumstances in the course of the confiscation, the only things left to the Poles, were anyway, only the most vital items, like bedding, ample food, clothes and other such things.

If the confiscation takes place the Poles will be billeted by the labor office in barracks, put at its disposal by the camp commandant, until their deportation. The deportation of the Poles of further zones will follow along the same lines.

This matter has already been discussed in its outlines with the agricultural management (Ruppert). A farmer will be appointed by the Association of Agricultural Management, who will supervise the agricultural labor of the prisoners at the agricultural enterprises and who, naturally, will carry the sole responsibility for the agricultural measures, which he alone determines.

As soon as the preparatory measures are finished, a meeting will be called on the spot, next week, with the participation of the agricultural management, in order to clear up and determine completely everything that might be necessary. The chief of the Branch Agency Bielitz has been ordered to report on Thursday the 23rd of this month to this office, in order to receive the necessary instructions.

Moreover, I have reached the following agreement with the camp
commandant: As there are a number of villages in the district of Bielitz, which contain racial-German [Volksdeutsche] farmers, the existing Poles must be sheltered in those villages in the very near future as quickly as possible, in order to realize a quick consolidation of German folkdom [Volkstume]. The Poles of the confiscated enterprises are taken by the concentration camps then, but not as prisoners [Haeftlinge], rather until the Labor Office Bielitz has turned them over to the Reich as farm laborers.

The following villages are to be considered for the time being: Alzen, Ernstdorf, Batzdorf, Lomnitz.

I have already spoken with the mayor of Alzen, and he will collect all the Poles who possess agricultural property by Saturday, 25th of this month, and submit the list to the Branch Agency Bielitz. The Chief of the Branch Agency Bielitz is requested to get that list personally.

The confiscation of those Polish enterprises in Alzen will also be carried out within the next few days. The Commandant of the Concentration camp will furnish SS-men and a truck for the execution of the action. Should it not yet be possible to take the Poles from Alzen to Auschwitz, they should be transferred to the empty castle at Zator.

The liberated Polish property is to be given to the needy racial German farmers for their use. The Chief of the Branch Agency must therefore on Saturday determine, in cooperation with the local authorities, the Germans who can be taken into consideration for that purpose.

The list of the Poles to be turned over to the Reich for agricultural labor is to be handed over to the labor office Bielitz. as quickly as possible. Care is to be taken that the size of the family, etc, is also indicated. The Poles in the other German villages of the district Bielitz, are to be determined in the same manner, in cooperation with the various mayors, in order to enable the office here to prepare the confiscation as quickly as possible. The execution of these measures naturally takes place simultaneously with those at Auschwitz. A discussion with the district leader, the district head-farmers of the association of agricultural management for Eastern Germany [Kreislandwirt der Ostdeutschen landbewirtschaftungs-Gesellschaft] must of course, take place, before those measures are carried out.

signed: KUSCHE


******************************************
Ku/Ni CONFIDENTIAL

Report Re: Achievement of confiscations of Polish agricultural enterprises with the purpose to transfer the Poles to the Old Reich and to employ them as agricultural workers.

In the Old Reich again and again the complaint can be heard that a shortage of agricultural workers exists, and that it cannot be remedied by any means though Polish farm-workers have been placed at disposal. The employment offices have informed farmers and owners of estates who are looking for workers that it was difficult to get any workers at all from Poland, that the recruiting in the Government-General and also in the Eastern territory was initiated and the Poles who had applied were placed.

A few days ago, the Country Farmers Leader from Neutitschein called on our Office and told us that in his district many lands were still not yet tilled because there is a lack of any workers. The Reich Food Estate has decreed that everyone can procure himself Polish workers in the Eastern territory or in the Government General.

This appears preposterous if one knows that the office of the Higher SS and Police leader as deputy of the Reich commissar for the strengthening of German nationality, Land Office Silesia, cannot perform the confiscations of small and even very small agricultural enterprises for the reason that we do not know where to put the former Polish owners. Until now the work regarding the confiscation of Polish small farms has been limited to racial-German villages. I have already reported on this matter for the county of Blachownia as well as for the county of Bielitz-Biala, in connection with the institution of a concentration camp in Auschwitz.

I have made an arrangement with the Chief of an employment agency to transfer at once for employment into the Old Reich such Poles as agricultural workers who are designated by us.

It is possible without difficulty to accomplish the confiscation of small agricultural enterprises in the villages in which larger agricultural enterprises have been already confiscated and are under the management of the East German Corporation for Agricultural Development. For it is by no means difficult for the larger agricultural estate to manage a few hundred acres, of course consistent with its own character without any particular additional expenses. It is a matter of course that above all Polish arable lands adjacent to the land of the estate should be confiscated and added to the estate for exploitation. Agricultural-technical or other difficulties by no means can occur. The former owners of Polish farms together with their families will be transferred to the Old Reich by the employment agencies for employment as farm-workers.

In this way many hundred Polish agricultural workers can be placed at the disposal of agriculture in the Old Reich in the shortest and simplest manner. This way the most pressing shortage is removed that is now in a very disagreeable manner felt especially in the root-crop districts.

Besides, the settlers who are still working in the confiscated and formerly settled enterprises and who are superfluous are to be removed into the Old Reich, for until now they were only a burden for the respective enterprise if they are too numerous. In this way, Polish agricultural workers can be made free for the Old Reich.

The confiscations of small enterprises already achieved together with the following transfer of the farmer owners as agricultural workers to the larger estates already in operation have not only brought experience but have proved unequivocally that no difficulties are to be expected. The measures themselves are only a matter of organization, and the success of the measures as proposed by me is based on the good will of cooperation of the other authorities with the office of the Reich Fuehrer-SS as Reich Commissioner for the strengthening of German folkdom.

Means of transportation to the railroad can be provided

1. by the enterprises of the Aast-German Corporation of Agricultural Development

2. by the SS NCO school in Lublinitz and the Concentration Camp of Auschwitz. These two latter places will also detail the necessary SS-men for the day of the confiscation etc. In case that a place of assembly is necessary for the Polish land-workers who are to be transported into the Reich, for there too sufficient rooms and lodgings can be provided (Kaminiek, Zator Castle, barracks in Auschwitz).

I have already reported on the accomplishment of confiscations in Bielitz county and initiated the necessary measures.

For the purpose of accomplishing further measures proposed is by me which envision particularly the supplying of the farms in the Reich with Polish agricultural workers, ask that I be given your consent and the necessary full authority.

(signed) Kusche 22 May 40.


*************************************
Ku/Ni.

Kattowitz, 16 May 1940.

CONFIDENTIAL

Report on the accomplishment of confiscations of agricultural enterprises in Blachownia County.

With the scope of responsibility of the Higher SSand Police leaders as the deputy of the Reichs Commissar for the strengthening of German nationality, Land officer Silesia, a survey was made in Blachownia County since the beginning of April as to how far confiscations of agricultural enterprises in Polish ownership could be accomplished.

Before the outbreak of the war the present county of Blachownia was a part of Czestachowa County (before 1941 this territory belonged to Russian Poland). Only recently, it was decided to incorporate the present county area of Blachownia County into the district of Oppeln. Blachownia is a rather big market-place which in Polish times was even called a Spa.

As the necessary preparations can be considered closed in the following a short survey on the general conditions shall be given as far as they are at present of interest and importance.

At first, contact was made by the Chief of the local agency of the Land Office in Lublinitz, with the local authorities of the Party, the State such as the East German Corporation for Agricultural Development and the Secret State Police, and after a thorough exposition of the aims of the Land Office, excellent state of agreement was reached. Before this the Land Office of Kattowitz had discussions in the same direction regarding the Blachownia County with the higher authorities of the Party and the State District Governor [Regierungspresident], Provincial Governor [Oberpresident], Gauleitung.

The chief of the local agency at Lublinitz had found out that a number of villages exist in Blachownia County the inhabitants of which belong for the greatest part to the German nationality and that particularly in recent years the Polish nationality strongly penetrated into these small ethnic German islands.

Blachownia County comprises about 133000 inhabitants. Of these, 2000 can be considered without further ado as ethnic Germans. The number of Jews is estimated at 6000. 260 villages are combined in 15 greater communities. In 3 of such greater communities to which also the German villages belong, racial German mayors are in office.

1. The greater community Lipie: Mayor Mueller, comprising the racial-German villages of Haukow, Lindow, Natalin and Rosalin,

2. The greater community Scharny-Las: Mayor Lorenz. comprising the racial-German villages of Schwarzwald,

3. The greater community Wrozosowa: Mayor Neugebauer, comprising the racial-German village of Alt-Hutau.

The rest of the communities are Polish throughout and have still an almost pure Polish administration.

To 1. In greater Lipie 20 of the 23 villages are destroyed up to 80%. The ethnic-German families are living in the most primitive conditions, closely compressed into the few dwelling-houses still remaining or into other poorly prepared shelters consisting of destroyed houses even in holes in the ground. The German villages mentioned were founded about 80 years ago by Germans who came mostly from Middle-Silesia (Strehlen, district of Breslau). By hard work they have cleared the woods and created farms.

To 2. The Germans of this village immigrated about 100 years ago from the region of Frankfort on Main and have built up by their own work their economic basis of life.

To 3. In Alt-Hutau, it is a question above all, of Sudeten German-weavers, who immigrated in 1812 from Maehrisch-Truebau. Because of shortage of raw materials for several months the looms have been idle, so that, on account of the cessation of this so necessary opportunity for additional income, the economic situation of these ethnic-Germans is endangered.

In course of time, of course, the Poles also have intruded into these German settlements with the purpose at first to weaken Germanism in its economic existence and finally to drive it out. The agricultural enterprises of the racial-Germans have sizes from 1 1/2 to 5 hectares. In all probability the enterprises have become so small due to partitioning and above all to economic pressure from the former Polish masters.

By the quick advance of the German troops a terrible massacre of the ethnic Germans by the Poles of the Polish soldiery has been prevented. Before the outbreak of the war, the Poles in these German settlements behaved very aggressively against the German nationality and everything was made ready for its destruction during the disorders of war. Even if at the present moment the Poles have become a little more quiet it appears that it concerns only outward appearances. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to bring about a strengthening of the German nationality in the small far advanced German linguistic islands. These ethnic-Germans make the best impressions. For whole decades they have not abandoned their German national culture despite terror and so on, but have confessed firmly and resolutely. Thus for example, the present Mayor Mueller of Natalin has given to German children during the Polish times lessons in reading and writing on Saturday and Sunday because a school for the German minority did not exist. The ethnic-Germans and above all the youth know the German language not only orally but even by the written word.

In order to break down the Polish nationality most quickly in the German villages, the Polish agricultural enterprises were confiscated. Therewith it has to be remarked further that also Polish enterprises were destroyed by warfare and the Poles too are partly in a situation which gives grounds for fear in so far that theft of German property and other encroachments on the part of the Poles may occur. The confiscation was done in accordance with the directives of Reich Fuehrer-SS as Reich Commissioner for the strengthening of German nationality, on 9 May in the villages of Natalin and Rosalin. As the Polish enterprises were from 2 to about 8 hectares in size and the arable land and the farm-buildings are dispersed within the area. The County agronomist [Kreislandwirt] of the East-German Agricultural Development Corporation thought that a centralized management of the confiscated farms by appointment of a manager was impractical. He resolved therefore to give the arable land, livestock and other property to the trusteeship of needy racial-Germans. The agronomist who was present at the performance of the confiscation accomplished this at once on the spot. However he thought it necessary to take the former Polish owners as farm-workers to an estate in Blachownia County which is also managed by the East-German Agricultural Development Corporation, in order to enable the racial-Germans installed to run the Polish enterprises without friction. Today in fact farm-workers are lacking here, for the former workers were Jews and are useless for such work and moreover, they would endanger an orderly management. However, if the Poles would remain on their former farms the danger of the worst sort of sabotage to the agricultural property now at the disposal of the German Reich would exist. The Poles are paid for their work. The execution of the confiscation as well as the transfer of the Polish farm-workers to the estate of the East-German Corporation for Agriculture Management was accomplished quite quietly and without friction.

In the same way as it was done until now the break-up of Polish Nationality will be shortly accomplished in the other racial-German villages as well.

Because of the extremely good cooperation with the authorities, the party offices and the East German Corporation for Agricultural Development, and above all with the Secret State Police the confiscations etc. will be accomplished absolutely without friction in the future, as well especially as preparations of greatest minuteness will secure the success from the outset.

Before the end of June the soil in the ethnic-German villages of Blachownia County will be taken entirely from Polish hands and be confiscated for the German Reich at the disposal of Reich Fuehrer-SS as Reich Commissioner for the strengthening of German Nationality.

(signed) Kusche

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#41

Post by David Thompson » 12 Nov 2004, 07:04

Document 1375-PS, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression. Volume III: US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1947. pp. 925-929.
Castle Krakow 25.1.1940

Minister President Field Marshal Goering
Deputy for the Four-Year Plan
The Commissioner General for the Generalgouvernement Poland

STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

SB 1/40

I To the Director of the Service Agency for the Four-Year Plan Major General Buehrmann or representative in Krakow Lenartovicza 13

For the execution of the task of systematically placing the economic strength of the Generalgouvernement, within the framework of the Four-Year Plan, in the service of the German defense industry, I give the following Directives

1. In view of the present requirements of the Reich for the defense industry, it is at present fundamentally impossible to carry on a long-term economic policy in the General gouvernement. Rather, it is necessary so to steer the economy of the General gouvernement that it will, in the shortest possible time, accomplish results representing the maximum that can be gotten out of the economic strength of the General gouvernement for the immediate strengthening of our capacity for defense.

2. In particular the following performances are expected o the total economy of the General gouvernement:

a. Intensification of agricultural production esp. in the larger farms (above 100 ha.) and a planned distribution of the foodstuffs to be requisitioned in order to fill the requirements of the troops, units, and service agencies as well as of the native population, which are not yet fully covered by the present production.

b. Fullest exploitation of the forests, in temporary disregard of forest conservation principles, so as to deliver to the Reich approx. 1 million fm sawmill lumber, 1.2 million fm of mine timbers and up to 0.4 million rm of fiber wood.

c. Stepping-up of the raw material production in the industrial sector, in particular: in the extraction of iron ores and pyrites in order to cover the local needs of the smelting plants operated in the General gouvernement; in petroleum extraction; in order to cover the militarily most important requirements of the General gouvernement and to export the greatest possible quantities to the Reich; in the chemical industry (nitrogen, phosphate) to provide for the fertilizer requirements of agriculture in so far as they can be covered in the General gouvernement;

d. Exploitation, if necessary also partial expansion, of the industrial capacity existing in the General gouvernement, in order to execute as rapidly as possible the Wehrmacht orders to be placed by the Reich in the General gouvernement while maintaining production of those products which are absolutely vital for the running of the economic machinery in the General governement even if the strictest standards are applied;

e. Maintenance of the productive capacity of those plants to which Wehrmacht orders have not yet been assigned but which are chosen as replacement plants for militarily vital factories which have been or will be evacuated in the Reich;

f. Stripping and scrapping of those plants which have neither been made into armament plants nor declared to be replacement plants, as well as of destroyed buildings;

g. Supply and transportation of at least 1 million male and female agricultural and industrial workers to the Reich -- among them at least 7.5 million [sic] agricultural workers of which at least 50% must be women-in order to guarantee agricultural production in the Reich and as a replacement for industrial workers lacking in the Reich.

3. In order to attain the expected performances, provision is to be made:

a. that the organizational measures for increasing agricultural production and for the building up of the live stock, extraordinarily depleted by the war, are implemented by the insurance of the seed and fertilizer supply -- if necessary by imports from the Reich; by sufficient supplies of agricultural machinery from local production in the General gouvernement; by a planned development of the water economy which should be simultaneously designed for the requirements of the waterways and of the power supply;

b. that all uneconomic consumption of wood be avoided and that the shipment of the quantities to be delivered to the Reich is insured;

c. that within the framework of the stepping-up of the industrial raw material production the following are guaranteed: financing through the most extensive possible utilization of the credit system existing in the General gouvernement; procurement of the necessary mining and drilling equipment, the supplying of the workers with the food and articles of clothing absolutely essential for the maintenance of their full efficiency; the shipment, especially of mineral oil, to the Reich;

d. that in engaging the industrial capacity of the General gouvernement with armament orders from the Reich the following be coordinated:

nature and volume of the orders

location and capacity of the plants

raw material requirements and coverage the latter as far as possible out of raw material stocks existing in the General gouvernement

requirements and provisioning of workers means of transport for delivery of materials and dispatch of finished products;

pre-financing of wages in the General gouvernement and transfer of the proceeds from the Reich;

e. that exact investigations be made in order to determine the plants which are either required for filling the armament orders or continue to work for the supplying of the General gouvernement with absolutely vital goods, or are being maintained as replacement plants, or are to be stripped and scrapped; and that the putting into operation or continued operation of the plants be uniformly regulated and made subject to permit;

f. that in order to insure the necessary supply of Polish workers in the Reich the labor offices harmonize the recruiting with the labor requirements in the General gouvernement; that the shipment will take place early enough to be completed in the course of April; that the transfer of savings of these workers be regulated who came to the Reich merely as migratory workers.

4. For the uniform orientation of the total economy of the General gouvernement towards the tasks now to be accomplished the following additional measures are to be taken:

a. In the food supply of the population it must under all circumstances be seen to it that the persons working in plants vital to life and armaments will maintain their efficiency while the rest of the population will have to remain restricted to a minimum ration as long as the food shortage lasts.

b. Any production which, on the basis of raw materials important for armament, is directed towards objects which in the framework of the present plan are not vital, is to be ruthlessly discontinued in so far as it will not be possible to switch it over to sufficiently abundant Ersatz materials and other material. (e.g. by producing wooden shoes while simultaneously prohibiting the production of leather shoes and boots for the native population). For the rest, all raw material saving decrees prohibitions of production and shipment and orders valid in the Reich are to be carried through in the Generalgouvernement at least to the same degree as is done in the Reich.

c. The shipment of raw materials to the Reich is to be limited to those amounts not absolutely needed in the Generalgouvernement to guarantee-militarily vital production. The right of disposing of the stocks of raw materials, half-finished and finished goods in the Generalgouvernement is reserved to your service agency. For the better regulation of supply small amounts of valuable raw materials will be brought into collection depots from scrapped plants and from smaller depots.

d. The supplying of militarily vital plants with coal and the filling of the most urgent coal requirements of the population are to be guaranteed by agreements with the proper Reich agencies.

e. The collection of leather and old material [Erfassung] and the gathering of scrap are to be pushed forward according to plan. In view of the especial conditions in the Generalgouvernement, Jewish dealers who can be freed for this purpose from forced service etc., may also be engaged.

f. A transport plan will be drawn up in agreement with the transportation authorities with the object of bringing transport desires into line with transport possibilities and to arrive at priority scale which will then be made the basis of all further planning.

g. Price and wage regulations, currency protection and credit policy will be harmonized in closest accord between the agencies concerned with the object of creating stable conditions as an indispensable prerequisite for any economic planning.

h. In order to gain a conception of the presumable shape of the payment transactions between the Reich and the Generalgouvernement, a payment balance sheet is to be drawn up as soon as it is possible to see to what extent armament orders from the Reich can be filled in the General gouvernement.

5. I reserve the right to issue further basic instructions.

Copy of the present is being sent to the subordinate service agencies as well as to the Commander in Chief East, the Chief of the Armament Inspectorate Upper-East, the Military Commander in Krakow and the Bank Director of the Emission Bank in Poland with the request that the service agency for the Four-Year Plan be supported in every possible way in the execution of its tasks.

(signed) Dr. Frank

Certified (signed) Ministerialkanzleiobersekretaer als Kanzleivorsteher

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#42

Post by David Thompson » 19 Nov 2004, 07:29

Document 3814-PS, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, vol. VI, US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1946, pp. 739-745
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 3814–PS

At present at Neuhaus, 17.2.45
I/1
To the Reich Minister and Chief of the Reich Chancellery Dr. Lammers,
Berlin
Reich Chancellery

Dear Dr. Lammers,

Now that the tremendous difficulties have been overcome to some extent, the last small remainder of my Cracow Staff has arrived at its evacuation point in Neuhaus near Schliersee. I desire to inform you that I await definite instructions from the Fuehrer.

I will prepare a report for you of all happenings in connection with the evacuation of Cracow and will forward it as soon as possible.

My main duty appears to me to be to see that all officials and employees in any way superfluous, who served in Cracow right up to the end, are now immediately further utilized in suitable employment in the service of the Fuehrer and the Reich. For the total administration of the Generalgouvernement, the evacuation point is at Dresden in the building of the office of the "Landes" Agricultural Workers' Association [Landesbauernschaft] for Saxony, Ammonstrasse 8.

I am pleased to be able to inform you that efforts to save all the important documents, both from Cracow and the evacuation point Seichau in Silesia, from falling into enemy hands were successful.
With kindest regards,

Heil Hitler !
yours [signed] Frank.

************************************************
Berlin, W.B. 15th February 45. Voss-Str. 6.
The Reichsminister and Chief of the Reich Chancellery Rk. 202 D g.
SECRET
To the Governor General, Reich Minister Dr. Frank.

Dear Party Member Frank,

The High Command of the 4th Panzer Army has sent the documents, copies of which are enclosed, to the Director of the Party Chancellery. Reich Director Bormann has passed them on to

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me. I would ask you to let me have your opinion as soonever possible with regard to the accusations made in the closures.

Furthermore, I should have been glad had you advised me kept me informed of the transfer of your Department and other steps which you took in connection with the development of the military situation. I would ask you also to let me further information as soon as possible in this connection.

Heil Hitler !
Yours faithfully
Dr. Lammers.
***********************************************************

Copy to RK. 202 D g

SECRET
COPY
High Command of the 4th Panzer Army, NS-Fuehrungsoffizier
Army H.Q. 6. February 1945 Personal

Major Hess

On my trips to the rear positions at Jauer and Liegnitz, numerous complaints were made to me by the Party and the civilian population regarding the unbelievable conduct of the Frank Government of the Generalgouvernement in its evacuation quarters ["Ausgleichsquartier" in the German text has been translated:, though it were "Ausweichquartier"]—Seichau Castle, 10 km. North West of Jauer, as well as regarding its cowardly flight 23.1.45., so that, in order to curb the rumours, I had the matter investigated by an NS-Fuehrungsoffizier and the witnesses were interrogated. I am sending you enclosed the most important papers.

The interrogations revealed that the rumours circulating in the districts regarding the extravagant excesses and the over hasty flight were actually, for the most part, founded on fact.

But, unfortunately, no one had yet found the courage to report these occurrences officially. It was also evident that all the witnesses were most cautious and timid in their statements, as high ranking persons were concerned in this matter.
Together with many art treasures, large quantities of drink and foodstuffs, an eight cylinder car (Special Mercedes motor luxury model) was left around and even secret documents and. press information. What was particularly disgraceful in connection with this over-hasty departure was the fact that this

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place was not endangered and an evacuation of the civilian population from Liegnitz had not even been thought of, quite apart from the fact that in these difficult days, such behaviour by leading persons must have resulted justifiably in considerable bitterness among the population. I need, therefore, hardly say anything about the words accompanying these rumours.

[signature illegible]
*************************************
COPY
Seichau, 3.2.1945

At noon on 23.1.45, I was telephoned by the Office of the Generalgouvernement to come to the Castle immediately so as to take some things over. When I arrived at the Castle with the Director of the office of the National Socialist People's Welfare (MSV-Amtsleiter Thomas), the Governor General and his staff had already departed without the many things that were left behind having been handed over to anyone.

It was very much discussed in the village that, at the Castle, large quantities of all kinds of foodstuffs had been hoarded by the Staff. I saw myself how the rooms of the Castle looked after the departure of the guests, and everything that was left. At the request of Count v.Richthofen, we saw to it that knowledge of these circumstances did not become still more public.

The Burgomaster
signed. CONRAD
*******************************************
When the Governor General's staff was here, the inhabitants of Seichau were already extremely annoyed as the former were mostly drunk, and in this state they, among other things, collided with the gateway of the Dominium at Seichau in cars causing large cases of rationed foodstuffs to fall into the mud, together with hundreds of cigars—the aforementioned gentlemen simply drove on and just left the said articles lying there. Witnessesof this incident are available.

signed. THOMAS.
Local district leader of the National Socialist People's Welfare
(Ortsgruppenleiter NSV)

Checked :
Signed: Signature
Hauptmann
****************************************************

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3814-PS
COPY

Report of Count Manfred v. Richthofen, Seichau Castle.

My house was requisitioned by the Foreign Office in August of last year as evacuation point for the Governor General Dr. Frank and his office. Thereupon large transports were sent here and the goods stored in the rooms of my house.
These were mostly art treasures which came here for storage, later, however, also a large quantity of stocks of foodstuffs and alcohol. It made the worst impression imaginable that, with the war situation as it then was and its privations to which we in the homeland here have been subjected, such large stocks were hoarded here, which could have had nothing to do with the service obligations of the Governor.

At first, there were only a few people of the Cracow office here at various intervals, until the time when, on the surrender of Cracow during the general retreat on the East front, a considerable number of persons arrived here in January from Cracow and even the Governor General himself and his attendants went to his evacuation point here. It had been unpleasantly striking here that various employees of the Cracow Office lived lavishly with stocks of foodstuffs and alcohol they had brought with them and this, in view of the current war situation, caused very bad blood among the local inhabitants.

The occupation of the house by Reich Minister Frank and his immediate staff lasted only a few days, up to the time when, on about 23.1.45., the sudden flight took place and the house was left in complete chaos. In most of the rooms there were lying around openly foodstuffs, household articles, opened bottles of schnaps and articles of personal use, which could no longer be packed and removed. In one of the corridors several cases of schnaps were left behind.

Owing to the fact that, immediately after the departure of the Reich Minister, the house began to be crowded by a stream of refugees and soldiers, it was not possible for me, in that short space of time, to put the house in order.
Soldiers, among whom there was a group of volunteers from the East who were not under supervision, plundered the stocks of alcohol lying around and also broke into the Governor's locked store room.

The foodstuffs, objects d'art, typewriters, writing materials, and documents which were left behind here by the Staff of the Governor General were not handed over to me for custody in the proper manner.

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When they left, the Adjutant of the Governor General called out to me that the motor vehicles left behind were at the disposal of the Armed Forces.

signed. v. Richthofen.
********************************************************************
COPY

2.2.1945

Report of Economy Inspector Heinrich Gross, Seichau Castle. In August 1944 an evacuation point for the General Gouvernement was set up at Seichau Castle.

In the months which followed, lorry loads and railway consignments arrived continually, which brought objects d'art, but mainly all kinds of foodstuffs and large quantities of alcohol.

Between August and the beginning of January, the only visitors here were one or two men from the Generalgouvernement.

In the middle of January, the Governor General himself came to Seichau with his immediate staff (about 20 to 25 persons) and remained here about 6 to 7 days.

When these visitors suddenly disappeared on 23.1.45., they left the rooms in complete chaos. Everywhere in the corridor and in the rooms lay empty and opened schnaps bottles, scraps of food, material and household articles.

In addition to several motor vehicles, typewriters, office equipment, document files, and material, a large quantity of food-stuffs (ham, tinned fruit, butter, fats, and alcohol) was also left behind. A large part of these foodstuffs was shortly afterwards stolen by a group of volunteers from the East.

The remaining foodstuffs were placed at the disposal of the National Socialist People's Welfare to feed the refugees who were passing through. After the departure of the visitors, I should have had the rooms put in order, but was ashamed to have this carried out by Germans so as to prevent this matter becoming a new topic for discussion and causing fresh unrest.

signed Gross.
**************************************************
COPY
SECRET
2.2.1945

Report from Frl. Liselotte Freund, Seichau Castle.

I have been a domestic help at Seichau Castle for three years. Since August 1944 large consignments of objects d'art, foodstuffs,

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and alcohol continuously came here from the Generalgouvernement, and were stored in the house.

In January 1945, the Governor General moved into the Castle with his office. It was there about one good week. I personally was not in the rooms during this time and can only report in what condition I found the rooms after the sudden departure of the visitors on 23.1.45. The rooms were in the greatest disorder. Wine and schnaps bottles, cigarette ends, bread and sausage lay around everywhere. In the large kitchen we found opened cans of meat, the contents of which had already gone bad, opened cases of butter and eggs, the contents of which we later gave to refugees passing through. Bottles and cigarette ends lay around everywhere in the entrance-hall too.

As far as I could see, the whole staff had just celebrated here. At 9 o'clock the man-servant was still asleep; the other members of the staff were to be seen much later in the day. Living and dining rooms were not cleared up at all. On the speedy departure of the staff on 23.1.45, its members left even personal things such as washing things and even a savings book here.

In the village these matters were much discussed.

(signed) Lieselotte Freund
****************************************************************
COPY
2.2.1945

Report of the housekeeper, Elisabeth Matschewsky, Seichau Castle.

I have been housekeeper to Count Manfred von Richthofen since 1.1.1945.

In the middle of January, the Governor General Dr. Frank came and set up quarters in the Castle with his staff.
The staff occupied the North wing and the lower floor of the Castle. A separate kitchen for them was also placed at their disposal.

It particularly struck me that the lavish stocks of foodstuffs 1 and spirits were being squandered. Foodstuffs lay around everywhere—the cook did not prepare breakfast till 11 o'clock. The man-servant was still asleep at 9 o'clock. The consumption of alcohol must have been particularly great, as empty and half-empty schnaps bottles lay around everywhere in all the rooms and corners. The departure on 23.1.45 was in the nature of a flight. I should have prepared the lunch as the cook had already left, but no one had time to eat.

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Even household articles such as washing things were left be-hind. Large quantities of china, silver articles, and linen
which were also left behind, were taken by the refugees who were billeted here immediately afterwards.

signed. Elisabeth Matschewsky
*****************************************************
COPY 2.2.1945

Statement of articles left behind by the Staff of the Generalgouvernement, at Seichau Castle and found on 2.2.1945
3 cases of cutlery -
14 typewriters
3 packets of art folders
4 cases of books
1 cabinet : general matters of personnel
1 cabinet : telegrams
1 cabinet : supplies, installations
1 cabinet : real estate management
1 cabinet : personnel documents
Innumerable empty Leitz-Cabinets
1 card index case, new
1 cash book SS-District [Oberabschnitt] Generalgouvernement
1 room full of objects d'art
1 armoured car Mercedes-Motor (8 cylinder) about 20 car rugs of various sizes
1 deck chair
The stocks of foodstuffs still found were placed at the disposal of the National Socialist People's Welfare in Seichau to feed refugees passing through. The remaining articles have been placed in safety with the Army Engineer Battalion 742 (He. Pi. Batl. 742).

signed: Signature

David Thompson
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#43

Post by David Thompson » 19 Nov 2004, 07:40

Document 3815-PS, in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, vol. VI, US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1946, pp. 745-752
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 3815-PS

The Commander of the Security Police and of the Security Service in the General Gouvernement.
Commander of Security Police—Journal No. 89/42. Secret. Cracow, 25th. April 1942

1. Note SECRET

Re: The former Governor, Dr. Lasch.

On 26.4.1942 I personally interviewed Dr. Lasch at his own request. On this occasion Dr. Lasch learnt—for the first time,

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according to him — that the Reichsfuehrer-SS had duly given him the opportunity of proving himself in the front line.
He was furious that Secretary of State Buehler had not only said nothing of this offer of the RFSS but, in reply to his question as to whether he could not make up his lapses by employment at the front, had said that it was now too late.
After his memory had been further assisted Dr. Lasch declared he would drop his reserve with regard to his former friends, and speak the truth about them frankly. He asked for my support in approaching 1 the RFSS, as he proposed to send a plea to the Reichsfuehrer SS, requesting him to give him once more the opportunity of proving himself at the front. He said he had recognized the true feelings of Secretary of State Buehler and the clique at the Castle and no longer had any intention of sparing them. He recognized that they had dropped him and tried to put all the blame on him. He could only state in his defense that his lapses were not the only ones, but that nearly all leaders in the administration of the Generalgouvernement had enriched themselves in this way and even more extensively.

I requested Dr. Lasch to write down everything he knew him-self. Up to now Dr. Lasch has written as follows :
"Dr. Frank's attitude to the Party, the SS and the State is, to a very great extent, influenced by his Secretary of State Buehler who is, again, agreeable to Dr. Frank simply because he is entirely lacking in any creative power. Dr. Buehler owes his position to the fact that he can do nothing, has no initiative and in emergencies is presented with a fait accompli. The assertion is continually being made that there is a struggle between Bormann and Dr. Frank. It can be assumed that Reichsleiter Bormann knows nothing about it. Dr. Frank is a pronounced adversary of Bormann.

Between the Reichsfuehrer and Dr. Frank and also between SS-Lieutenant General Heydrich and Dr. Frank lies, in the opinion of Frank/Buehler, a whole world of injustice, police authority, oppression of the people, concentration camps, cruelty ! Dr. Frank preaches a State controlled by a legal code, and by that he means a Legal State. RFSS Himmler desires a police state ! By means of speeches and writings, propaganda is said to be made for a Ministry of Justice which excludes police influence which has become so strong. According to Dr. Frank's interpretation, its "justice" is opposed to the RFSS Himmler's "injustice." The dangerous influence of the SS in the judicial sphere was considered proven by the example of the Prague Trials. An

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SS Fuehrer is said to have acted as Public Prosecutor at these. (Trial of the former Prime Minister of the Protectorate).
The dangerous influence of the SS in the State is considered proven by the fact that SS rank was conferred on all leading men in the Reich — Ribbentrop, Lammers, Bormann, Seyss-Inquart, etc. Herein lies the danger of the leading position of the SS in the State. Dr. Frank wishes, after the war, when the Fuehrer is no longer in such great need of the RFSS, to inaugurate the greatest fight for justice, with the assistance of the Armed Forces and the SA! A fight against the SS in the Generalgouvernement will take this course ! Krueger and Schoengarth must be dismissed. Perhaps they know too much. Dr. Buehler's ambition plays a great part here. Moreover these efforts will be vigorously furthered by Dr. Keith, the "Golen" Gutbred (SS-Sergeant) [SS-UnterscharfuehrerI] and Waechter. Since Waechter has been in Galicia he may have changed his attitude. He always wanted SS-Lieutenant-General [Obergruppenfuehrer] Krueger's post and tried to get it. Waechter is SS-Brigadier-General [SS-Brigadefuehrer] but was always less friendly disposed towards the SS than all other Governors. In token of his power, Dr. Frank, in October charged Buehler and Boepple with the duty of assembling the Special Service and of settling the quarrel between Zoerner and Globocnik in Lublin by banning the "Globus." Later on exactly similar things were to be done in Cracow. Buehler and Boepple were to be in command and were charged with making strategic plans. After much discussion, it was possible to impress upon Buehler the craziness of such action. I suggested telephoning Dr. Wendler, inviting him to this conference. Buehler saw the advantage of this. Wendler came to Cracow after my arrest. He is said to be completely under Buehler's thumb now ! At first against Krueger-Schoengarth and then against others. In the meantime Buehler quickly dismissed his SS Adjutant, he suddenly became a private—such things take place at the Castle."

In this connection a statement by Minister Ruemelin (retired) regarding SS-Obergruppenfuehrer Krueger, made on the occasion of a visit on 22.4.42, is interesting. Ruemelin happened to. say that people had been struck by the fact that, on the occasion of the establishment of the SA in the Generalgouvernement on 20.4.42 and the taking over of the leadership of the SA by the General Governor as SA-Obergruppenfuehrer, no leader of the SS was represented. Ruemelin declared that there was already talk of a Roehm situation. Since 3 Police Officers had replaced the 3 Wehrmacht officers who retired from the Special Service.

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he had now learnt that the Wehrmacht (General von Gienanth) had offered the Special Service 12 Wehrmacht officers who were no longer fit for active service. Ruemelin enquired of Obergruppenfuehrer Krueger if Lasch was still alive.
It is evident from the letter of the General Governor to SS-Obergruppenfuehrer Krueger, copy of which is attached, that Dr. Keith's efforts to liquidate the SS-Escort Command have succeeded. The Castle is being cleared of all SS-troops whom they suspect of spying on them.

Dr. Lasch continues :

The Amnesty Commission [Gnadenausschuss] of which Keith is executive is a proof of "justice" in the Generalgouvernement, for the SS can no longer remove anyone they, wish ! The Amnesty Commission is to act as a brake on so-called arbitrary acts by the SS against Poles and Jews. Dr. Frank is ruler in Poland, head 4 of an independent State, he will brook no interference. This is, of course, all fancy, but it clearly shows the tendency all through the Government. From this point of view the unity of the ad-ministration is merely a slogan, intended to prove the necessity of gathering up all the reins into one hand. The Reich must not be allowed to interfere.

There is no question of a just distribution of food. The heads can have everything, need deny themselves nothing, even live better than in peace-time, the others must buy with coupons and exist with those.
Frank, Buehler, and Waechter have probably the best furnished kitchens of the whole German Reich, including all subsidiary territories.

The big dinners with many, many courses were only discontinued after my case, when I reported to him the arrests in my circle of acquaintances. But in January, dinner at the Castle with meat, magnificent salads, fruit, and dessert was always a feast. The shorthand-typists, as well as Keith's staff, led a life such as one reads about in the Arabian Nights. It is an oasis where no one notices the war. When the war with Russia broke out, everybody at the Castle was terrified. It was looked upon as an act of heroism that Dr. Frank's son (13 years old) wished to be in Munich on 9 November to hear an air raid warning, as Frau Frank had maintained that the English would come on that day. She therefore remained in Schliersee with her whole family. The children are not allowed to be in Berlin but are taught at home or attend the school at Miesbach * * *.

In this family the principle of enrichment at all costs is the ruling factor. Everything that can be grabbed is got hold of.

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The only person who is welcome is the man who brings some-thing. Woe to him who possesses something more beautiful or who owns more. When Dr. Ley furnished his estate, there was tremendous gossip, also regarding Dr. Goebbels, Funk, etc.

He was no example to us, for his day consists of running round from castle to castle in a magnificent carriage with guards of honour, books, music, plays, and banquets. The best value is to be got out of every reception. There is nothing natural, no simplicity, all is pose, playacting and serves to satisfy his intoxication, brought about by ambition and lust for power and, at the same time, his likeness to Mussolini, of which he is convinced by his flatterers, is interpreted as fate and destiny.

Astrology, palmistry, telling fortunes by cards, lead melting, all methods of looking into the future are employed. Frau Frank has often gone to two women in one day, in order to see if what has been said tallies. Fortune smiles on him. Jupiter is his lucky star. That being so, nothing can happen to him. Others will fall, he will always remain on top. Frau Frank has often said in large circles that she intends to die a Minister's wife. It is a Prince's Court in which we, his closest colleagues, live as strangers. It is cold magnificence in which, as at the Castle, one is smothered in the Gothic style * * *.

His attitude to the other Reich Ministers is determined by his exaggerated ambition, by his overweening opinion of himself and his autocracy. He waves everybody aside, some more than others. Thus he often says that Dr. Lammers owes his position to him. He would like to have been Foreign Minister in succession to Baron von Neurath, after having realized for some time that there was no prospect of becoming Minister of Justice during Dr. Guertner's life-time and so he tried hard to obtain a post as Ambassador. He wished to be Ambassador in Rome.

His spiritual opposition to Himmler and Heydrich is deep-rooted. Before he became General Governor and as only Reichsminister, he was always criticizing the fact that the Fuehrer did not summon the Reich Cabinet. He even did this publicly in the sessions of the Council of the Academy for German Law and referred to it as being the kind of Cabinet in which everyone could speak openly. He also did this as General Governor. His Cabinet meetings do not consist of deliberations but of lectures, with much affectation, about fictitious conditions, and conclude with a long monologue by Frank, praising the achievements of the General Governor in all strains * * *.

Particularly interesting are his efforts to create, after the war, a Reich Law Ministry [Reichsrechtsministerium] which is to

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house the Ministries of the Interior, Justice, Church and Education, and Public Worship, as well as a number of subsidiary authorities. This is to become the principal Command Post for transactions of domestic policy in the Reich, which are all to be based on "justice." For justice is the most valuable possession of the nation. True, everything is a conglomeration of legisla- tion, jurisdiction and administration, but it must all be given fine name, It is his desire to amalgamate everything—over and above judicial law—under the title of justice, everything which can be understood by the moral conception of justice. The saying: "Everything is right which is of use to the nation"] cleverly utilized here. Accordingly, everything was to be under the control of the Reich Law Leader [Reichsrechtsfuehrer]. I his modesty he does not call himself Leader of the Legal Profession [Rechtswahrerfuehrer] but Reich Law Leader.
Legislation that will of the Fuehrer or the people which is made standard would have to go through him. In this sphere too, he hopes to given special assignments by the Fuehrer after the war. Frau Frank often says : "You see, if my husband had the opportunity of having long talks with the Fuehrer, it would be a good thing for the Fuehrer, for there is no one with whom he could sped so well as with my husband."

Every little token given him by the Fuehrer is immediately magnified a thousand fold and utilized for his ambitious plan. If he ever has the opportunity to talk for example to Schaub a Prof. Hoffmann or anyone else in the Fuehrer's entourage, he repeats what he has been told as if it originated from the Fuehrer himself.

His conversations with foreign statesmen are also on this plant and have often made our blood boil. If, in his capacity as resident of the Academy for German Law, he travels abroad and 11 received by the Duce, Count Ciano, King Boris of Bulgaria, or the Bulgarian Prime Minister, he always acted as if, in his capacity as Reichsminister, he had received instructions from the Fuehrer he discussed foreign policy but was always able to turn the conversation when it became dangerous. He did this also in Hun gary and in France before the war, where he met the former Premier, Chautemps, in Paris.

After the shooting of Roehm he violently criticized Dr. Guertner's statement in the Reich Cabinet, according to which, the execution of the sentences passed was legal * * *."
Lasch gives the following details regarding the personal relations between Dr. Frank and his wife :

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Through Dr. Heuber, Frau Frank received regular monthly donations during 1935/36. For several years she received RM. 750.- monthly from the Academy for German Law, but the Treasurers of the Academy for German Law put an end to that. Furthermore Frau Frank had, for over a year, a free ticket from Berlin to Munich which had to be paid for by the Academy for German Law * * *.

When travelling abroad she bought principally in Ghettos and from Jews. First of all clothes-baskets and then their contents. The foreign exchange was taken from the combined quota of her co-travellers. The articles were brought duty free across the frontier under diplomatic pass.

Otto Herbst (brother of Frau Frank) was called up at the beginning of the Polish campaign. Applications for his release were immediately made, although he was only a clerk in a Veterinary Company which collected horses far behind the front line. He was reserved for the Generalgouvernement, but so far has not done a day's service in the Generalgouvernement. He keeps his post. In the meantime he has become the director of the Academy for German Law. He had only been reserved for this post. Richard Schneider-Edenkoben, cousin of Frau Frank, was called up as N.C.O. and immediately requested a reserved job. He was given that of film expert for the Generalgouvernement. He once drew up a short memorandum (four pages), then disappeared and was never seen again.

Above all, Frau Frank's relations, as well as her women friends, are given posts everywhere.

Pictures, as well as great quantities of food of all kinds, were despatched regularly to the Reich in the General Governor's Pullman car. The whole family often travelled in the coach without tickets. The guard often had trouble in this way. At the frontier it is known as the smuggling coach!

Frau Frank received a large diamond ring of 5 carats from the Governor, Dr. Fischer. It is said to have cost RM. 5000—(Note: it is rumoured in Warsaw that Dr. Fischer has so far tried in vain to get back from Frau Frank the money said to have been spent on this ring).

Dr. Fischer also gave the General Governor a Rembrandt which was brought by County-Court Judge [Landgerichtsrat] Dorn to Schliersee where it was hung. It is, however, no longer there. Dorn is said to have objected and the picture was then returned.

As soon as Dr. Lasch had written down, without prejudice, everything he knows, I intend to examine him exhaustively on

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his depositions in order to complete and gain more basic information on his statements regarding some points. I have had allow a few days' grace as, at present, Dr. Lasch is not feeling well. I wish to avoid any objection by Dr. Lasch that when in ill health he revealed facts, the effects of which he could not perceive in his condition. After Lasch has been interrogated o these lines I will submit a final copy of Lasch's statements.

2. Submitted to SS-Lieutenant General [SS-Obergruppenfuehrer] Krueger requesting him to note contents.

[Signed] [Illegible]
SS-Brigadier General [SS-Oberfuehrer]

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#44

Post by David Thompson » 20 Nov 2004, 01:56

Document 3363-PS, Concerning the Jewish Question in German Occupied Territory, Secrecy For the 'Entire Planned Measures,' and "First Preliminary Measure for the Final Aim', in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, vol. VI, US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1946, pp. 97-101.
Translation of Document 3363-PS

Copy.
The Chief of the Security Police
P1 (II)--288/39 Secret.
Berlin, 21 September 1939.

Express letter.
To: The chiefs of all Einsatzgruppen of the Security Police.
Subject: Jewish question in the occupied territory [Judenfrage im besetzten Gebiet]

With reference to today's conference in Berlin, I am once more stressing that the entire planned measures (hence the final aim) [die geplanten Gesamtmassnahmen (also das Endziel)] are to be kept strictly secret.

It has to be distinguished between:

(1) the final aim (which will take some time) and

(2) the sections of fulfillment of this final aim (which will be achieved in short terms).

The planned measures demand most thorough preparation in technical as well as in economic respect.

It is self-evident that the imminent tasks cannot be outlined in all detail from this office. The following instructions and terms of reference are at the same time serving the purpose of keeping the chiefs of the operational groups to practical considerations.

I: The first preliminary measure for the final aim is the concentration of the Jews from the country into the larger towns. This has to be carried out with acceleration. It has to be distinguished:

(1) between the area of Danzig and West-Prussia, Poznan, Eastern Upper Silesia, and

(2) the remaining occupied territories.

As far as possible, the area as mentioned under number (1) has to be cleared [freigemacht] of Jews, at least the aim has to be to establish only a few concentration towns [Konzentrierungs staedte] .

In the areas as mentioned under number (2), as few concentration points [Konzentrierungspunkte] as possible are to be established [festzulegen] so that the measures to be taken later will be carried out in an easier manner [erleichtert werden]. It has to be observed that only such towns will be established as concentration points, which either are railway centers or at least are situated at railway lines.

In principle, Jewish communities of less than 500 heads are to be dissolved, and to be transferred to the nearest concentration town.

This decree does not apply to the area of Einsatzgruppe I which is situated east of Cracow, roughly circumscribed by Polanico, Jaroslaw, the new line of demarcation, and the former Slovak-Polish border. Within this area, only an approximate census of the Jews has to be carried out. Furthermore, the Jewish Councils of Elders are to be established, as mentioned immediately below.

II. Councils of Jewish Elders:

(1) In each Jewish community, a Council of Jewish Elders is to be set up which, as far as possible, is to be composed of the remaining influential personalities and rabbis. The council is to be composed of up to 24 male Jews (depending on the size of the Jewish community).

The council is to be made, in the true sense of the word, fully responsible for the exact and punctual [termingemaesse] execution of all directives which have been or which will be issued.

(2) In case of sabotage of such instructions, the councils are to be warned of severest measures.

(3) The Jewish Councils are to take an improvised census of the Jews of their area, possibly divided as to sex (age groups):

(a) up to 16 years of age,

(b) from 16 to 20 years of age, (

c) those above [20 years,] and also according to the principal vocations, and they are to report the results in the shortest possible time.

(4) The Councils of Elders are to be made acquainted with the time and date of the evacuation [Abzug], the evacuation possibilities and finally the evacuation routes. They are, then, to be made personally responsible for the evacuation of the Jews from the country.

The reason to be given for the concentration of the Jews to the cities is that Jews have most decisively participated in sniper attacks and plundering.

(5) The Councils of Elders of the concentration centers are to be made responsible for the proper housing of the Jews to be brought in from the country. The concentration of Jews in the cities for general reasons of security will probably bring about orders to forbid Jews to enter certain wards of that city altogether, and that in consideration of economic necessity they cannot, for instance, leave the ghetto, they cannot go out after a designated evening hour, etc.

(6) The Council of Elders is also to be made responsible for the adequate feeding of the Jews on the transport to the cities.

No scruples are to be voiced, if the migrating Jews take with them all their movable possessions, as far as that is technically at all possible.

(7) Jews who do not comply with the order to move into cities are to be given a short additional period of grace when there is a good reason. They are to be warned of strictest penalty if they should not comply by the appointed time.

III. All necessary measures, on principle, are always to be taken up in closest agreement and collaboration with the German civil administration and the competent local authorities: In the execution of this plan, care must be taken that economic security suffer no harm in the occupied zones.

(1) The needs of the army should particularly be kept in mind, for example, it will not be possible to avoid leaving behind here and there some Jews engaged in trade who absolutely must be left behind for the maintenance of the troops, for lack of any other way out.

In such cases, the immediate Aryanization of these enterprises is to be planned for and the emigration of the Jews is to be completed later, in agreement with the competent local German administrative authorities.

(2) For the preservation of German economic interests in the occupied territories, it is self-understood that Jewish war and ordinary industries and factories, and those important to the Four Year Plan, must be kept going for the time being.

In these cases also, immediate Aryanization must be planned for and the emigration of the Jews must be completed later.

(3) Finally, the food situation in the occupied territories must be taken into consideration. For instance, as far as possible, real estate of Jewish settlers should be provisionally entrusted to the care of neighboring German or even Polish peasants to be worked by them in order to insure harvesting of the crops still in the fields, or cultivation.

In regard to this important question contact should be made with the agricultural experts of the C.d.Z. [Chief of the Civil Administration].

(4) In all cases in which a conformity of interests of the Security Police on the one hand, and the German civil administration on the other hand, can be reached, I am to be informed of the individual measures in question as quickly as possible before their execution, and my decision is to be awaited.

IV: The chiefs of the Einsatzgruppen are to report to me continuously on the following matters:

(1) Numerical survey on the Jews present in their territories (if possible according to the above-mentioned classification).

The number of Jews who are evacuated from the country and those who are already in towns are to be listed separately.

(2) Names of towns which have been designated as concentration points.

(3) The time set for the Jews to be evacuated to the towns.

(4) Survey of all Jewish war and ordinary industries and factories or those important to the Four Year Plan in their territory.

If possible, the following should be specified:

(a) Kind of factory (also statement on possible reconversion of factory to really vital or war-important factories or those important to the Four Year Plan);

(b) Which factories should be most urgently Aryanized (in order to avoid loss); what kind of Aryanization is suggested? Germans or Poles, (the decision depends on the importance of the factory);

(c) Number of Jews working in these factories (include leading positions).

Will it be possible to keep the factory going after the Jews have been removed or will German or Polish workers respectively have to be assigned for that purpose? To what extent?

If Polish workers have to be used, care should be taken that they are mainly taken from the former German provinces in order to somewhat ease the problem there. These questions can only be solved by incorporation and participation of the labor offices which have been set up.

V: For the fulfillment of the goal set, I expect the full cooperation of all forces of the Security Police and the Security Service (Sicherheitsdienst).

The chiefs of the neighboring Einsatzgruppen shall immediately establish contact with each other in order to be able to cover completely the territories in question.

VI: The High Command of the Army; the Plenipotentiary for the Four Year Plan, (Attention : State Secretary Neumann); the Reich Ministry of the Interior (Attention: State Secretary Stuckart); for Food, and for Economics (Attention: State Secretary Landfried); as well as the chief of the Civil Administration of the occupied territories have received copies of this decree.

Signed: Heydrich.
Certified,
Signed: Schmidt, Office Clerk.
Certified true copy,
Signed signature, Major (GSC).

David Thompson
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#45

Post by David Thompson » 20 Nov 2004, 06:40

Document NO-3075, 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. 141-143.
Translation of Document NO-3075, Prosecution Exhibit 1305.

Fuehrer Decree, Orders from the Reich Commissioner, Fuehrer Decree.

Decree of the Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor for the Strengthening of Germanism, Dated 17 October 1939, (not yet published):

The consequences which Versailles had on Europe have been removed. As a result, the greater German Reich is able to accept and settle within its space German people, who up to the present had to live in foreign lands, and to arrange the settlement of national groups within its spheres of interest in such a way that better dividing lines between them are attained. I commission the Reich Leader SS with the execution of this task in accordance with the following instructions:

I: Pursuant to my directions the Reich Leader SS is called upon to:

1. Bring back those German citizens and racial Germans abroad who are eligible for permanent return into the Reich.

2. Eliminate the harmful influence of such alien parts of the population as constitute a danger to the Reich and the German community.

3. Create new German colonies by resettlement, and especially by the resettlement of German citizens and racial Germans coming back from abroad.

The Reich Leader SS is authorized to give such general orders and to take such administrative measures as are necessary for the execution of these duties.

To carry out the task allotted to him under paragraph I, point 2, the Reich Leader SS can assign certain dwelling areas to the parts of the population in question.

II: In the occupied, formerly Polish territories, the Chief of Administration Upper-East carries out the task allotted to the Reich Leader SS, according to the latter's instructions. The Chief of Administration Upper-East and subordinated chiefs of administration for military districts are responsible for the execution. The measures they take must be in keeping with the requirements of the military command.

Persons, insofar as they act on special orders for the purpose of carrying out these tasks, do not come under the jurisdiction of the Wehrmacht.

III: Insofar as the Reich Leader's SS task concerns the creation of a new German peasantry, the Reich Minister of Food and Agriculture will act for the Reich Leader SS and according to his general instructions.

Otherwise the Reich Leader SS will use the services of Reich county and local authorities and institutions as well as those of other public corporations and already existing settlement organizations for the execution of his task within the territory of the German Reich.

In cases where agreement between the Reich Leader SS on the one hand and the competent Supreme Reich Authority (in operational theaters the Commander in Chief of the Army) on the other hand, cannot be reached on measures which by reason of legislation and administrative organization require such agreement, my decision is to be obtained through the Reich Minister and Chief of the Reich Chancellery.

IV: Negotiations with foreign governmental offices and authorities, or with racial Germans while they are still abroad, have to be carried on in agreement with the Reich Minister for Foreign Affairs.

V: Insofar as land within the territory of the Reich is needed for the settlement of returning German citizens or racial Germans, its acquisition is governed by the law concerning the acquisition of land for army purposes, dated 29 March 1935 (Reich Law Gazette I, p. 467), and the regulatory statutes relating to this law. The Reich Leader SS will determine which authority is to take over the duties of the Reich Office for the Procurement of Land.

VI: The Reich Minister of Finance will provide the Reich Leader SS with the financial means necessary for putting the above measures into operation.

Berlin, 7 October 1939

The Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor
Signed: Adolf Hitler

The President of the Council of Ministers for the Defense of the Reich
Signed: Goering, Field Marshal

The Reich Minister and Chief of the Reich Chancellery
Signed: Dr. Lammers

The Chief of the High Command of the Armed Forces
Signed: Keitel.

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