The Holocaust Historiography Project

Translation of document 3428-PS

                           SECRET
                       Department II a No 2407/428
Seal
Eagle Swastika
                           Minsk, on July 31, 1942

The Commissioner General for white Ruthenia
Dept. Regional leader /G 507/42 g

                     To Reich Commissioner for the East Land
                               Regional leader Hinrich Lohse
                                        Riga Fs 10/8/42 rec.

The Reich Commissioner for the Eastern Territory
Journal No 1122/42

Secret

Seal of Reich Commissioner Ostland Chief dept.
7 August 1942.
II pol. II adm.

Re: Combating of Partisans and action against Jews in the
District General of White Ruthenia.

In all the clashes with partisans in White Ruthenia it has
been proven the Jewry, in the former Polish section as well
as in the former Soviet sections of the District General,
together with the Polish movement of resistance in the East
and the Red Guards from Moscow, is the main bearer of the
partisan movement in the East. In consequence, the treatment
of Jewry in White Ruthenia, in view of the endangering of
the entire economics, is a matter of political prominence,
which should in consequence not be solved only according to
an economic, but also according to a political viewpoint. In
exhaustive discussions with the SS Brigadier General Zenner
and the exceedingly capable Leader of the SD, SS lieutenant
Colonel Dr. jur. Strauch, we have liquidated in the last ten
weeks about 55,000 Jews in White Ruthenia. In the territory
Minsk-Land [county] Jewry has been completely eliminated,
without endangering the manpower commitment. In the
predominantly Polish territory Lida 16,000 Jews, in Zlonin
8,000 Jews, and so forth, have been liquidated. Owing to an
encroachment in the army rear zone, already reported
thither, the preparations made by us for liquidation of the
Jews in the area Glebokie, have been disturbed. The army
rear zone, without contacting me, has liquidated 10,000
Jews, whose systematical elimination had been provided for
by us in any event. In Minsk-City approximately 10,000 Jews
were liquidated on the 28 and 29 of July, 6,500 of them
Russian Jews, predominantly aged persons, women and children
— the remainder consisted of Jews unfit for commitment of
labor who, in their overwhelming majority were deported to
Minsk in November of last year from Vienna, Bruenn, Bremen
and Berlin, by order of the Fuehrer.

The area of Luzk too, has been relieved of several thousand
Jews. The same applies to Novogrodek and Wilejka. Radical
measures are imminent for Baranowitschi and Hanzewitschi. In
Baranowitschi alone, approximately 10,000 Jews are still
living in the city itself; of these, 9,000 Jews will be
liquidated next month.

In Minsk City 2,600 Jews from Germany are left over. In
addition to that all the 6,000 Russian Jews and Jewesses,
who remained as employees with such units, which employed
them during the action, are still alive.  Even in the
future, Minsk will still retain its character as the
strongest center of the Jewish element, necessitated for the
present by the concentration of the armament industries and
the tasks of the railroad. In all the other areas, the
number of Jews to be drafted for labor commitment, will be
limited by the SD and by me to 800 at the most, but if
possible to 500, so that after completion of future actions
as announced, we will retain a remainder of 8,600 Jews in
Minsk and of about 7,000 in the other 10 areas, including
the jewless areas of Minskland [county]. The danger, that
the partisans can rely essentially upon Jewry in the future,
will then exist no longer. Naturally, after the termination
of demands of the armed forces, the SD and I would like it
best, to eliminate Jewry once and for all in the District
General of White Ruthenia. For the time being, the necessary
demands of the armed forces, which are the main employers of
Jewry, are considered. Besides the fact of this unequivocal
attitude toward the Jewry, the SD in White Ruthenia has in
addition the grave task to transfer continually new
contingents of Jews from the Reich to their destiny. This is
an excessive strain on the physical strength of the men in
the SD and keeps them away from their duties, which are
awaiting them in the area of White Ruthenia proper.

Therefore, I would be grateful if the Reich Commissioner
could possibly stop additional deportations of Jews to Minsk
at least until the peril of the Partisan movement has been
subdued conclusively. I need the SD in its total force (100
% commitment) against the partisans and against the Polish
Resistance movement, both of which are occupying the entire
strength of the not overwhelmingly strong SD units.

After completion of the action against the Jews in Minsk, SS
Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Strauch reported to me tonight with
just indignation, that suddenly, without directives of the
Reichleader SS, and without notification to the Commissioner
General, a transport of 1000 Jews from Warshow has arrived
for this air-force
administrative-command. I beg the Reich Commissioner
(already prepared by telegram) to prevent transports of such
a kind, in his capacity as supreme Plenipotentiary for the
Eastern Territory.  The Polish Jew is, exactly like the
Russian Jew, an enemy of Germanism.  He represents a
politically dangerous element, the political danger of which
exceeds by far his value as a skilled worker. Under no
circumstances may administrative offices of the armed forces
or of the air forces import Jews to an area of civil
administration without the approval of the Reich
Commissioner or from the Government General or any other
place, as they will endanger the entire political work and
the safeguarding of the District General.  I fully agree
with the commander of the SD in White Ruthenia, that we
shall liquidate every shipment of Jews, which is not ordered
or announced by our superior offices, to prevent further
disturbances in White Ruthenia.

         The Commissioner General for White Ruthenia
                         sig.   Kube