Translation of document 3588-PS

           OFFICIAL GAZETTE FOR THE OCCUPIED DUTCH
                      TERRITORIES, 1940

   [Verordnungsblatt fuer die Besetzten Niederlaendischen
                          Gabiete]
                      No. I, Pages 8-12

Order of the Reich Commissioner for the Occupied Dutch
Territories concerning the Exercise of Governmental
Authority in the Netherlands, May 29, 1940

By virtue of Section 5 of the decree of the Fuehrer
concerning the exercise of governmental authority in the
Netherlands of May 18, 1940 (RGBI, I, p. 778), I hereby
issue the following order,
which shall remain in force for the duration of the
occupation of the Netherlands territories by the German
armed forces.

Section 1. (1) To extent required for the fulfillment of his
duties, the Reich Commissioner for the occupied Netherlands
territories assumes all power, privileges, and rights
heretofore vested in the King and the government in
accordance with the Constitution and the laws of the
Netherlands.

(2) Should the interests of the Greater German Reich or the
safeguarding of public order or life in the Netherlands so
require, the Reich Commissioner may take appropriate
measures, including the issuance of general orders. These
orders of the Reich Commissioner shall have the force of
law.

Section 2. (1) The Netherlands law heretofore in force shall
remain in force in so far as it is compatible with the
occupation and not contrary to the provisions of the decree
of the Fuehrer concerning the exercise of governmental
functions in the Netherlands. The general orders of the
Commander in Chief of the Army issued for the occupied
Netherlands territories shall remain in force until further
notice.

(2) All rules and regulations shall be submitted to the
Reich Commissioner before publication. Publication shall not
take place if the Reich Commissioner so requests.

(3) The Reich Commissioner hereby reserves the right of
delegating the power vested in him by virtue of subsection 2
to the German authorities which are subject to his orders.

Section 3. (1) The Reich Commissioner will enforce his
orders through the Netherlands authorities unless the German
authorities which are subject to this order take direct
action themselves.

(2) The Secretaries General of the Netherlands ministries,
shall, within their respective jurisdictions, be responsible
to the Reich Commissioner for the orderly supervision and
administration of official business. They may, in compliance
with subsections 2 and 3 of Section 2, issue rules and
regulations implementing Netherlands statutes and orders of
the Reich Commissioner.

Section 4. (1) The Reich Commissioner will exercise his
authority through general commissioners, who will operate as
members of his staff.

(2) The Reich Commissioner will further appoint
commissioners for the several provinces. He will also
appoint special commissioners for specified areas or
purposes as the need may arise.

Section 5. (1) The maintenance of public peace, safety, and
order shall be entrusted to the Netherlands police force
unless the Reich Commissioner calls on German S.S. or police
forces for the

                                                  [Page 284]

enforcement of his orders. The Netherlands police forces
shall be subject to the supervision of the German police
force and shall be required to comply with its orders.

(2) The investigation and combating of all activities
hostile to the Reich and Germanism shall be the concern of
the German police force.

Section 6. (1) The judiciary shall be independent.

(2) Judgments shall be entered in the name of the law.

(3) The Reich Commissioner will determine which judgments
are to be submitted for his confirmation before execution
may be issued.

(4) The Reich Commissioner will designate by general order
the crimes to be tried by special courts and the conditions
under which Netherlands citizens are subject to the criminal
jurisdiction of the German Army or the German police force,
respectfully.

Section 7. Within such period as shall be determined by the
Reich Commissioner, judges, officials, and employees who
hold public office, as well as persons engaged in full-time
or part-time teaching in public or private schools and
universities, shall make a declaration in lieu of an oath
that they will comply conscientiously with the general and
other orders of the Reich Commissioner and the German
authorities subordinate to him and that they will refrain
from any action directed against the German Reich or the
German armed forces.

Section 8. All German authorities, agencies, and officials,
with the exception of those of the armed forces, shall be
subject to the orders of the Reich Commissioner.

Section 9. General orders will be published in the
Verordnungsblatt fuer die besetzten niederlaendischen
Gebiete, which will be issued in the German and Dutch
languages. The German text will be authoritative.

Section 10. This order shall take effect as of the date of
publication.

The Hague, May 29, 1940
                                               SEYSS-INQUART
       Reich Commissioner for the Occupied Dutch Territories

                           -------

Decree of the Reich Commissioner for the Occupied
Netherlands Territories concerning the Organization and
Establishment of the office of the Reich Commissioner, June
3, 1940.

By virtue of Section 5 of the decree of the Fuehrer
concerning the exercise of governmental authority in the
Netherlands of May 18, 1940 (RGBl., I, p. 778), I hereby
decree:

Section 1. (1) For the fulfillment of his official duties
the Reich Commissioner for the occupied Netherlands
territories will act through general commissioners, who are
members of his staff and who will head the following
sections:

     1. General Administration and Judiciary.
     2. Public Safety (Superior SS and Police Chief).
     3. Finance and Commerce (Economics).
     4. Special Matters.

(2) The representative of the Foreign Office and the
Custodian for the Netherlands Bank shall be directly subject
to the orders of the Reich Commissioner.

(3) The Reich Commissioner will appoint commissioners for
the several provinces. He will appoint a special
commissioner for specific localities or purposes as the need
may arise.

                           *******

Section 3. (1) The general commissioners shall be authorized
(within the scope of their official duties) to require
information of all and every description from all
Netherlands authorities, agencies, and establishments of a
public or private character and to give them the necessary
instructions for that purpose.

                           *******

Section 4. The official duties of the Commissioner General
for Administration and the Judiciary shall embrace all
matters relating to:

     1. General orders and legislation, constitutional law,
     and the Official Gazette
         for the Occupied Dutch Territories.
     2. Planning.
     3. Civil administration, especially the supervision of
     municipalities with the exception
         of municipal police forces.
     4. The administration of justice with the exception of
     the Reich police forces.
     5. The furtherance of culture (art, protection of
     public monuments, science,
         public education, etc.) as well as matters relating
     to schools and churches.
     6. Public health, and the cultural and social welfare
     of juveniles.

                                                  [Page 286]

Section 5. The Superior SS and Police Chief shall command
the units of the military SS and the German police forces
transferred to the occupied Netherlands territories,
supervise the Netherlands central and municipal police
forces, and issue to them the necessary orders.

Section 6. The official duties of the Commissioner General
of Finance and Commerce shall embrace all matters relating
to:

     1. The Ministry of Finance.
     2. The Ministry of Economics (Commerce).
     3. The Ministry of Waterways.
     4. The Postal Administration
     5. The Ministry of Public Welfare, with the exception
     of the matters
          enumerated in Section 4 (6).

Section 7. The official duties of the Commissioner General
for Special Matters shall embrace all issues relating to:

     1. The molding of public opinion, and to associations
     formed for purposes other
         than private gain.
     2. Such duties as may devolve upon him by virtue of
     special orders of the
         Reich Commissioner.

Section 8. (1) The official duties of the commissioners for
the several provinces, appointed by the Reich Commissioner,
shall embrace — with the exception of the maintenance of
public safety — all matters pertaining to public
administration, economic welfare, and the molding of public
opinion within the areas to which they are appointed. They
may call, for the fulfillment of their duties, on members of
the German police force, in accordance with general rules
and regulations issued by the Superior SS and Police Chief.

(2) The Netherlands authorities, agencies, institutions, and
establishments of a public and private character, and their
officers and agents, shall be required, by virtue of a
special order, to report to the commissioners appointed by
the Reich Commissioner concerning certain matters without
being requested to do so in every instance and to inform
them about impending administrative action. Such action
shall be suspended on request of the commissioner concerned.

Section 9. The authority of special commissioners appointed
for specified areas or purposes shall be determined by the
duties assigned to them.

Section 10. (1) The commissioners appointed for the several
provinces by the Reich Commissioner shall have the same
official residence as the commissioners appointed under
Article 141 of the Constitution.

                                                  [Page 287]

(2) The official residence of the special commissioners will
be designated by the Reich Commissioner.

Section 11. The Reich Commissioner alone will establish or
abolish German governmental agencies for civil
administration and determine their official duties and
jurisdiction.

Section 12. This decree shall take effect as of the date of
publication.

The Hague, June 3, 1940
                                               SEYSS-INQUART
       Reich Commissioner for the Occupied Dutch Territories