Partial translation of document D-39
“Document D-39: [Extract From The Daily Situation Report By C. In C. South-West Italy) For 6/26/44] [partial translation]”, p.
C. Partisan Situation. NORTH OF AREZZO Col. von Gablenz, a member of the staff of O.C. L of C area 10 Army, was captured by bandits. The entire male population of the villages on the stretch of road concerned was taken into custody. It was further announced that all these hostages would be shot if the captured Colonel were not set free within 48 hours.
3. Partisan Activities. An undertaking by III/3 Brandenburg Regt against a partisan strong-point in the area 18/20 ended in the destruction of an arms and explosive dump and the release of 5 German soldiers.
As reprisal for the capture of Col. Freiherr von Gablenz so far 560 persons including 250 men have been taken into custody.
“Document D-43: Reichstag Elections on 3/29/1936 [translation]”, p. 1024.
NSDAP District Bremen Holler Allee 79 Tre./H. District-Organization-Leader
Bremen 3/26/1936
OCircularNr. 41/36.
To all Local[Ortsgruppen-] and StuetzpunktLeaders. Confidential.
By virtue of a demand by the Secretary of the Interior, Partymember Dr. Frick, a report has to be made on civil servants who did not perform their duties in voting on 29 March.
As far as such cases are known in your Ortsgruppe or in your Stuetzpunkt you will report them to me by name till at the latest 3 June. The information will have to be correct under all circumstances. If there are any doubts in regard to the correctness or if there exists any suspicion that civil servants did not vote a note will have to be made with these names so that I can check with the lists here. A negative report will have to be made if necessary.
This circular has to be destroyed immediately after this matter is settled.
HEIL HITLER! [illegible] District-organization-Leader
“Document D-44: Publications of the SA [translation]”, pp.
Copy
Chief of Staff Z No. 1393/33
MUNICH 7/25/1933. Distribution III
Re:Publications on the SA.
Further to my instruction Z II 1351/33 dated 7/11/1933, I find cause to ask all SA authorities to exercise the greatest caution with regard to any publicity given to the SA service not only in the press, but also in the information and news sheets of the individual SA units.
Only during the last few days, the Reich Ministry of the Interior, at the request of the Foreign Office, has given strict instructions to all Reich authorities according to which the most severe control is to be exercised on all publications which might give other countries an opening to construe German infringements of the terms of the Versailles Treaty.
As is known from the Geneva negotiations, our opponents have piled up material collected in Germany and submitted to them, which they use against us on every occasion during the conferences.
From this point of view, the information sheets circulating among the subordinate SA units cause the liveliest concern. I hold all higher SA leaders responsible that any such internal information sheets appearing in the district of their command are submitted to the most stringent control before they go into print, and I feel compelled to draw attention to the threat of a prosecution treason, pronounced by official instructions issued in the last few days, in cases where such reports, printed no doubt in good faith, are publicized and therefore exposed to the danger of falling into the wrong hands.
On principle, picture of the technical specialized units of the SA and SS, in particular of the signal and motorized companies and possibly also of the separate air wings etc., are forbidden, such pictures enabling other countries to prove the alleged formation of technical troop units.
For Chief of Staff:
SEYDEL Gruppenführer and Chief of the Central Department
“Document D-75: Secret Decree Of The Reichsleiter Bormann Regarding The Relationship Of National Socialism To Christendom, Part 01 [translation]”, pp. 1035-1036.
Inspector of the Security Police and Security Service IV 3. 2Eichholtz 2
Dusseldorf. 12/12/1941
To the Supreme Reich Security Dept. Dept IV To hand of SS Gruppenführer Mueller. To hand of SS Sturmbannführer Hartl. Berli.
HERE: Protestant Priest Wilhelm Eichholz, Aix-la-Chapelle.
Sb-Reference: Report from the Leading State Police Department, Aix-la-Chapelle dated 3.12.41 II B 2 No. 7472/41.
Enclosures: 1 copy 1 photostat copy
A copy of a letter on the subject of “Relationship of National Socialism to Christendom” is amongst the written material found with the Protestant Priest Eichholz at Aix-la-Chapelle. This is supposed to originate from Reichsleiter Bormann, (Paragraph (12) of the report of the leading State Police Department Aix-la-Chappelle.)
As far as this document is concerned it does, in fact, as I have ascertained, represent a secret decree of the Party Chancellery signed by Reichsleiter Bormann, in which Reichsleiter Bormann clearly points out that National Socialism and Christendom are incompatible and that the influence of the Churches in Germany, including the Protestant Church, must be eliminated. The decree was addressed to Gauleiter Dr. Meyer at Muenster on 6.6.41 under the file reference III D — Es.3320/2/F — 5()50 g. in which connection a letter from Gauleiter Dr. Meyer dated 7.4.41- Dr. M./Bo/I was referred to. I have ascertained that on the 7.6.41 the decree was also sent to the remaining Gauleiters, in this case without a reference to the correspondence with Gauleiter Dr. Meyer. (Circular letter 8/41 — Secret). The circular letter, however, in its first paragraph, the text of which is not yet available, contains a brief pointer to the events which have led to the basic decision of Reichsleiter Bormann. As far as is known to me this concerns a proposal on the part of the German Christians regarding the setting-up of a Protestant Reichs Church. To this, Gauleiter Dr. Meyer has stated his attitude in a letter dated 7.4.41. Since this first paragraph of the circular decree addressed to all Gauleiters is missing from the document in possession of Priest Eichholz, it appears not unlikely that the original secret decree, addressed solely to Gauleiter Dr. Meyer, was already known to the Church departments.
A copy of the decree addressed to Gauleiter Dr. Meyer is attached herewith. Further, attached herewith is a photostat copy of the document found with the Priest Eichholz. -It can be gathered from this that the text of both letters tallies exactly; the document found with Priest Eichholz is devoid of its letterhead and has no address. It is, of course, furthermore, not marked “Secret”. A copy of the secret decree was obviously made by a source not yet known and, by means of this, multiplication was carried out by Protestant Church sources in the same form as that found in possession of Priest Eichholz.
On the strength of experiences in this district, the possibility must be taken into consideration that the representations of Reichsleiter Bormann, now that they are in the hands of confessional church circles, may be made known to hostile foreign countries since, through the numerous connections, they may also have reached Catholic sources. In my opinion, the affair confirms clearly the dangerous nature, expressed in the decree, of the Protestant Church and such ties of personalities within the Party.
I have arranged for Priest Eichholz to be arrested for the time being. His present explanation that all documents found on him had been sent to him anonymously is not creditable. It is to be assumed that he is aware of the source of such information or can at least guess, even if they should have been sent anonymously. It will therefore be attempted with all energy to ascertain whence Priest Eichholz has received this document. Further report will take place, for the time being, through State Police Department, Aix-la-Chappelle.
[signed] Dierkamp.
“Document D-75: Secret Decree Of The Reichsleiter Bormann Regarding The Relationship Of National Socialism To Christendom, Part 02 [translation]”, pp. 1036-1039.
COPY
RELATIONSHIP OF NATIONAL SOCIALISM AND CHRISTIANITY
National Socialist and Christian concepts are irreconcilable. Christian churches build on uncertainty of human beings and attempt to preserve the uncertainty of as wide segments of the population as possible, for only in this way can Christian churches keep their power. As opposed to that, National Socialism is based on scientific fundamentals. Christianity has invariable tenets, which were set up almost 2000 years ago and have crystallized in dogmas incompatible with reality. National Socialism on the other hand must, if it is to fulfill its job in the future, always be organized according to the latest knowledge of scientific research.
Christian churches have always recognized the dangers which threaten their existence on account of exact scientific knowledge and therefore attempt by means of pseudo-science, such as theology is, to suppress or falsify scientific research by means of their dogma. Our National Socialist ideology is far loftier than the concepts of Christianity, which in their essential points have been taken over from Jewry. For this reason also we do not need Christianity.
No human being would know anything of Christianity if it had not been drilled into him in his childhood by pastors. The so-called dear God in no wise gives knowledge of his existence to young people in advance, but in an astonishing manner in spite of his omnipotence leaves this to the efforts of the pastors. If therefore in the future our youth learns nothing more of this Christianity, whose doctrines are far below ours, Christianity will disappear by itself.
It is also strange that before the beginning of today’s calculation time (calendar) nothing was known of this Christian God and that also since this moment most inhabitants of the earth never learned anything of this Christianity and therefore according to the standard Christian concept were damned from the beginning.
When we National Socialists speak of a belief in God, we do not understand by God, like naive Christians and their spiritual opportunists, a human-type being, who sits around somewhere in the sphere. We must rather open people’s eyes to the fact that beside our small universe, highly important in the great universe there are an inconceivably large number of other bodies in the universe, innumerable additional bodies, which like the sun are surrounded by planets, and these in turn by smaller bodies, the moons. The force of natural law, with which all these innumerable planets move in the universe, we call the Almighty or God. The claim that this world force is concerned about the fate of every single being, of every smallest earth bacillus, can be influenced by so-called prayers or other astonishing things, is based on a proper dose of naivete or (however) on a business shamelessness.
As opposed to that, we National Socialists impose on ourselves the demand to live naturally as much as possible, i.e., biologically. The more accurately we recognize and observe the laws of nature and of life, the more we adhere to them, so much the more do we conform to the will of the Almighty. The more insight we have into the will of the Almighty, the greater will be our successes.
It follows from the irreconcilability of National Socialist and Christian concepts, that a strengthening of existing confessions and every demand of originating Christian confessions is to be rejected by us. A differentiation between the various Christian confessions is not to be made here. For this reason also the thought of an erection of an evangelical National Church by merger of the various evangelical churches has been definitively given up, because the evangelical church is just as inimical to us as the Catholic Church. Any strengthening of the evangelical church would merely react against us.
It was a historical mistake of the German Emperors in the Middle Ages, that they repeatedly created order at the Vatican in Rome. It is always an error into which we Germans unfortunately fall too often, that we attempt to create order where we would needs have an interest in disunion and separation. The Hohenstaufens would needs have had the greatest interest in the disintegration of circumstances of Ecclesiastical power. From the standpoint of the Reich it would have been most favorable if not one pope but at least two, if possible even more popes had existed and mutually fought. Instead of this the German emperors and especially the Hohenstaufens repeatedly looked after order in the church, helped one pope to power over all other rivals, with the success that the emperors, as soon as the pope was again strong enough for it immediately received the first blows from “their” pope. The church however in strengthening its own position of power repeatedly used the particularism of the princes and later of parties and tied it up with all its strength.
In former generations leadership of the people lay exclusively in the hands of the church. The state limited itself to issuing laws and orders and primarily to administering. The real leadership of the people lay not with the state but with the church. The latter exerted via the priest the strongest influence on the life of the individual human being, of families and on the totality (of things). Everything which did not suit the churches was suppressed with unprecedented ruthlessness. For centuries the state by the most various turns granted to the church the possibility of influence. It depended on the church, whether it would help the state or oppose it. The State was reduced to the aid of the church, it was dependent on it. The struggle of the German Emperors against the pope had to fail in the Middle Ages and repeatedly in modern times, because not the emperor, but the church had the leadership of the people in its hand.
This ideological dependence of the state on the church, the yielding of leadership of the people to the church, had become a matter of course, so that nobody dared to oppose seriously here. To consider this not as an incontrovertible fact from the beginning, passed as absurd stupidity until just before the Machtuebernahme [Hitler’s rise to power, 1933].
For the first time in German history the Führer consciously and completely has the leadership of the people in his own hand. With the party, its components and attached units the Führer has created for himself and thereby the German Reich leadership an instrument which makes him independent of the church. All influences which might impair or damage the leadership of the people exercised by the Führer with help of the NSDAP, must be eliminated. More and more the.people must be separated from the churches and their organs, the pastors. Of course the churches must and will, seen from their viewpoint, defend themselves against this loss of power. But never again must an influence on leadership of the people be yielded to the churches. This (influence) must be broken completely and finally.
Only the Reich government and by its direction the party, its components and attached units have a right to leadership of the people. Just as the deleterious influences of astrologers, seers and other fakers are eliminated and suppressed by the state, so must the possibility of church influence also be totally removed. Not until this has happened, does the state leadership have influence on the individual citizens. Not until then are people and Reich secure in their existence for all the future.
We would repeat the mistakes which in past centuries were fatal to the Reich, if we according to the knowledge of our ideological opponents of the Christian confessions were to contribute in any way to the strengthening of one of the various churches. The interest of the Reich lies not in conquering but in preserving and strengthening ecclesiastical particularism.
(signed) M. BORMANN Reichsleiter
“Document D-84: Protective Custody for Bible Students [Bibelforschers], Part 01 [translation]”, pp. 1040-1041.
SECRET STATE POLICE. SECRET STATE POLICE DEPARTMENT. II B 21286/37S.
Berlin, 8/5/1937.
To all leading State Police Departments and State Police Departments.
For Information:Government Presidents and Government Vice-Presidents in Prussia and the Ministries of the Interior and all regions except Prussia.
Sub-Ref:Nil.
The Reichs Minister of Justice had informed me that he does not share the opinion voiced by subordinate departments on various occasions, according to which, the arrest of the Bibelforschers after they have served a sentence, is supposed to jeopardize the authority of the Law Courts. He is fully aware of the necessity for measures by the State Police after the sentence has been served. He asks, however, not to bring the Bibelforschers into protective custody under circumstances detrimental to the respect of the law courts.
The Reichs Minister of Justice has instructed his subordinate departments in this connection that protective custody for Bibelforschers, when this has been decreed after the serving of a sentence or after the cancellation of an arrest order, will no longer be carried out in convict prisons which are under the administration of the Courts. At the same time, following my suggestion, he has instructed the departments concerned with the carrying out of the sentences, to notify the appropriate State Police Department of the impending discharge of Bibelforschers under sentence one month before they are discharged. Accordingly I order:
(1) If a Bibelforscher has been acquitted as the result of a trial, or if part of the sentence is remitted because of remand, an arrest in court under my circular decree dated 22.4.37II B 2/326/37 Swill not, for the time being, be carried out.
(2) If information regarding the impending release of a Bibelforscher from arrest is received from the authorities carrying out the sentence, my decision regarding the ordering of measures by the State Police, will be asked for in accordance with my circular decree dated 22.4.37, so that transfer to a concentration camp can take place immediately after the sentence ha been served. Should a transfer into a concentration camp immediately after the serving of the sentence not be possible, Bibelforschers will be detained in police prisons.
In each case immediate report must be made.
per pro Mueller.
Certified (Sgd) (Signature) Office Employee.
Secret State Police, Secret State Police Department, Dusseldorf. 11 B/80, 20/2119/I.B.V.
Dusseldorf 8/23/1937
A copy is attached for your information and observation.
The contents of the circular decree dated 22.IV.1937II B 2326/37-Squoted under (1) have been notified by circular letter dated 12.V.1937II B/1035/37/80.20/I.B.V. Appendix for the information of Sub-prefects:
Prints for the information of the Burgomasters are attached herewith.
(signed) Kanstein.
Certified correct (signed) Ramme, Police Office Assistant,
To the Service Departments, the Sub-prefects, the Police Administration Departments at Neuss and Viersen, and II D in this building.
For correctness of the copy (signed) Berson, Employee.
“Document D-84: Protective Custody for Bible Students [Bibelforschers], Part 02 [translation]”, pp. 1041-1042.
Copy
SECRET STATE POLICE STATE POLICE DEPARTMENT
DUSSELDORF, 27 Apr 39 DUSSELDORF II B 211/7/80.20/JBV: Reference: Protective Custody for Bibelforschers. Subject: Reference my circular decree 15 Dec 37, file reference as above.
Bibelforschers have recently been released from detention after having served a sentence without an appropriate decision having been applied for from this department. I therefore draw your attention once more to my circular decree dated 12 May 37II B. 1035/38/80, 2/JBVand that dated 23 Aug 37II B. 80, 20/ 2119/JBVand, in addition, point out the following.
1. In principle, all Bibelforschers are to be taken into protective custody after having served a sentence. Application for protective custody together with necessary details to be made to Service Department II D.
2. If, for exceptional reasons, Bibelforschers are to be released after having served their sentence, a detailed report giving the reasons for this, if necessary with the relative documents, is to be handed to Service Department II B, which will then report to Gestapo accordingly. If no instructions have been received on such a case on the day of the completion of the sentence, these Bibelforschers are to be taken into protective custody for the time being; further instructions will be awaited, since the Gestapo, as is apparent from the contents of the circular decree referred to above, has reserved itself the exclusive decision on the release of Bibelforschers who have served their sentence.
Para 2 of the above will apply even where the Bibelforschers have made convincing statements to the effect that they will not in future be active, or even where they have signed a document to that effect.
I request that the above directives are observed.
Appendix for information of Sub-prefects
Additional prints for the Burgomaster’s attention. (signed) Sommer.
Certified: Signature Police Office Assistant
To the State Police Service Department. Sub-Prefects of the Districts. Police Administration, Neuss and Viersen.
“Document D-138 [translation]”, pp. 1055-1056.
Beyreuth, 7/27/1934
COPY The Reich Chancellor. Rk. 6798
To the Reich Ministers.
I decree that the Deputy of the Führer, Reich Minister Hess, will have the capacity of a participating Reich Minister in connection with the preparation of drafts for laws in all Reich administrative spheres [Reichsressorts]. All legislative work is to be sent to him when it is received by the other Reich Minister concerned. This also applies in cases where no one else participates except the Reich Minister making the draft. Reich Minister Hess will be given the opportunity to comment on drafts suggested by experts [referentenentwurfen].
This order will apply in the same sense to legislative ordinances. The Deputy of the Führer in his capacity of Reich Minister can send as representative an expert on his staff. These experts are entitled to make statements to the Reich Ministers on his behalf.
(Sgd) Adolf HITLER
“Document D-139: Participation in Legislation of the Reich [translation]”, pp. 1056-1057.
National Socialist German Workers Party. Munich, Brienner Street 45 Telephone: 54901 and 53844. 10/9/1934 SO/Sch
The Deputy of the Führer Reich Ministry for the Enlightenment of the People and Propaganda. 12 Oct 34 Nm,II400/9.10. Encls.
To the Reich Minister for the Enlightenment of the People and Propaganda
Berlin, W.8. Wilhelmsplatz 8-9.
By a decree of the Führer dated 7/27/1934 I have been granted the right to participate in the legislation of the Reich as regard both formal laws and legal ordinances. This right must not be rendered illusory by the fact that I am sent the drafts of laws and decrees so late and am then given a limited time, so that it becomes impossible for me to deal with the material concerned during the given time. I must point out that my participation means the taking into account of the opinion of the NSDAP as such, and that in the case of the majority of drafts of laws and decrees, consult with the appropriate departments of the Party before making my comment. Only by proceeding in this manner can I do justice to the wish of the Führer as expressed in the decree of the Führer of 7/27/1934.
I must therefore ask the Reich Ministers to arrange that drafts of laws and decrees reach me in sufficient time. Failing this, I would be obliged in future to refuse my agreement to such drafts from the beginning and without giving the matter detailed attention, in all cases when I am not given a sufficiently long period for dealing with them.
Heil! (Sgd) R. Hess
[Hand-written note:]
Berlin, 10/17/1934
1. The identical letter seems to have been addressed to all Reich Ministers. In our special field the decree of 7/27/1934 has hardly become applicable so far. A reply does not seem called for.
2. File in file 7B ?)
“Document D-140 [translation]”, p. 1057.
The Reich Minister and Chief of the Reich Chancellery Berlin W.8. 4/12/1938 Wilhelmstrasse 78.
Rk. 736 B. Please quote this ref. No. on all future correspondence.
To the Reich Ministers.
In a decree of the Führer dated 27/7/1934Rk. 6798and supplementary decree reported in my letter dated 4/6/1935 Rk. 2749a copy of which I enclose, the Führer and Reich Chancellor has ordered that the Deputy of the Führer, Reich Minister Hess, will occupy the position of a participating Reich Minister as far as the preparation of drafts of laws and decrees, including all instructions about their being put into effect and instructions about their being carried out, and as far as they are published in the Reich Law Gazette, is concerned.
By order of the Führer and Reich Chancellor I have the honor to inform you of a further supplementary decree of the Führer and Reich Chancellor:
The Deputy of the Führer will also have participation where the Reich Ministers give their agreement to State Laws [Landesgesetzen] and legislative ordinances of States under para. 3 of the first decree concerning reconstruction of the Reich of 2/2/1934 (Reich Law Gazette, I, 81). Where the Reich Ministers have already, at an earlier date, been engaged in the preparation of such laws or legislative ordinances, or have participated in such preparation, the Deputy of the Führer likewise becomes participating Reich Minister. Laws and legislative decrees of the Austrian State [des Landes Oesterreich] are equally affected hereby.
(Sgd) Dr. LAMMERS
“Document D-151 [translation]”, pp. 1060-1061.
Personal.
Dear Mr President. [added in pencil, “Dr Schacht”]
As Dr Hoettgen and I had the opportunity of mentioning to you yesterday, it is proposed to initiate a collection in the most far-reaching circles of German industry, including agriculture and the banking world, which is to be put at the disposal of the Führer of the NSDAP in the name of “The Hitler Fund”, which would replace collections in many cases separately organized of the various NSDAP organizations and the Stahlhelm. It has been decided to appoint a management council for this central collection; I have accepted the chairmanship of the management council at the unanimous request of the principal federations, inspired by the wish to collaborate with my full strength in this task which is to be a symbol of gratitude to the Führer of the nation.
You were kind enough to promise me to obtain from Messrs Otto Christian Fischer, of the Reichskreditgesellschaft, Berlin, and Dr Mosler, of the Deutsche Bank und Doskonto-Gesellschaft, Berlin, full particulars and especially information on how far banks which are public corporations can participate in this task. Dr Fischer will get in touch with you within the next few days.
With the expression of my sincere esteem,
I am, Yours etc. (sgd) Krupp Bohlen Halbach.
[Extract from a Printed Circular]
Berlin, 6/1/1933.
ADOLF HITLER Fund of German Industry.
In order to replace the numerous individual collections of the most diverse authorities and federations of the NSDAP, a central collection of all branches of German industry has been organized under the name of “Adolf Hitler Fund of German Industry”. The management of the fund lies in the hands of a management council composed of representatives of the branches of industry concerned. Dr. Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach has taken over the chairmanship of the management council.
The branches of industry have undertaken to raise within one ear, more particularly during the period from 1st 6/1933-5/31/1934, a fixed amount in the manner most convenient for them in each individual case, and to remit the amount collected to the management council.
The Reich Federation of German Industry and the Federation of German Employers’ Associations request their member associations and firms to support the collection with all means at their disposal. We expect the energetic collaboration of all our organizations and of all undertakings and the personal active co-operation of their leaders. It is a case of acting quickly and generously, of making the administration simple and economical, and of avoiding all red tape.
For the Reich Federation of German Industry. signed:Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach.
For the Federation of German Employers’ Associations. signed:Koettgen.
[Extract from a Printed Sheet in a file from the Private Secretary’s Office of Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach] 8/1933.
The “Adolf Hitler Fund of German Industry” rests upon an agreement between the Reich management of the NSDAP and leading representatives of the German Industry.
It is the purpose of the fund:on the one hand to put at the disposal of the Reich leadership the funds required for the unified execution of the tasks which fall to the lot of the SA, SS, St, [Stahlhelm] HJ, political organizations, etc.
signed:Rudolf Hess.
ADOLF HITLER FUND OF GERMAN INDUSTRY Management Council Berlin W 62, Burggrafenstrasse 11
Mail-book No. VIIa/15150. Berlin, 9/2/1933.
To the federations themselves I address an urgent request to refrain from anything which might impede the participation of firms in the “Adolf Hitler Fund of German Industry” and beyond that to continue recruiting efforts at highest pressure.
The Chairman of the Management Council.Signed: Dr. Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach.
“Document D-157, Part 01 [translation]”, pp. 1063-1064.
Copy File No. 183 v.B.
Dear Mr. Reichs Chancellor!
Referring to the kind letter of the Secretary of State of the Reichs Chancellery, dated the 10th of this month, Ref No. 3646, I respectfully enclose herewith a statement which represents my views concerning the reorganization of the Reichs Association of German Industry and of the trade associations as a whole. I am also adding a synopsis of statements concerning the programme of the Reichs Association of German Industry in previous years.
The standpoint taken by the Reichs Association of German Industry concerning the question of reorganization of trade associations has been characterized, on the one hand, by the simplification and rationalization of all the industrial groups. This was aimed at in the widest circles of the Reichs Association and, last but not least, by myself. On the other hand, it was characterized by the wish to co-ordinate, in the interest of the whole nation, both economic measures and political necessity, adopting the Führer conception of the new German State. Industrial associations should be formed which are as simple and powerful as possible, closest to present conditions, and retaining the valuable privilege of free industrial administration. For me, this standpoint is a political and economic necessity.
I feel convinced that this task of reorganization can be realized only through an active economic self-administration based upon the creative energies of each employer and employee, and recognizing the principle which combines the National Idea with National Responsibility. This should be done by the closest contact between the Reich Government and its representatives on one side and the Reichs Association on the other. In this respect I am convinced that the deciding factor leading to the success of the reform is not to be found in the outward form of the organization itself but in the spirit, in which union between political leadership and economic necessity is established for the benefit of the State and people.
The presiding council of the Reichs Association of German Industry has entrusted me, as its chairman, with the task of reorganization in a resolution passed at its extraordinary session held on the 6th of this month. The Reichs Association of German Industry, dear Mr. Reichs Chancellor, puts itself at your disposal and at the disposal of the Reich Government for all necessary negotiations. At the same time I respectfully request the confidence and assistance of you and of the Reich Government in the task of reorganization which shall serve to render the trade association a most useful instrument towards the purpose of rebuilding a national economy.
Assuring you, dear Mr. Reichs Chancellor, of my highest esteem, I have the honour to be.
Very respectfully yours, KRUPP BOHLEN HALBACH.
To: Reichs Chancellor Hitler Berlin.
“Document D-157, Part 02 [translation]”, pp. 1064-1066.
Enclosure No. 1 to the letter of Dr. Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach to Reichschancellor Hitler, dated 4/25/1944.
On April 6 of this year the Presiding Council of Reichs Association of German Industry empowered me unanimously, as its Chairman, to establish contact with the Reichschancellor, the Government of the Reich and its officials, for the purpose of determining what measures shall be taken to simplify and remodel the trade associations.
By this unanimous resolution of the Presiding Council it is declared that:
1. In view of the authority bestowed upon me to appoint representatives to deal with various problems on hand, I am solely empowered by the Reichs Association of German Industry to hold any necessary conferences with the Government of the Reich and its official, and
2. under the same authority as in para (1) I am solely responsible on behalf of the Reichs Association of German Industry for all organizational reforms, especially those concerning personnel; which may result within the structure of the Reichs Association of German Industry
By the resolution of the Presiding Council, the Reichs Association of German Industry has given me full powers which involve extraordinary responsibilities.
The following considerations led me to the acceptance of this extraordinary authority:
The turn of political events is in line with the wishes which I myself and the Board of Directors have cherished for a long time. I am convinced that, under the threat of the impoverishment of our people, the machinery of government must be simplified to the utmost. For the same reason I did not fail to recognize a long time ago the necessity of rationalizing our economic system.
Convinced that the opportunity of the hour must not be missed to obtain the best for our economic system I am employing the authority bestowed upon me by the Presiding Council to carry out a double task:
1. In the negotiations with the Reichschancellor and his representatives, I shall make it my goal to co-ordinate, in the field of organization of industrial associations, the economically reasonable with the politically necessary.
2. In reorganizing the Reichs Association of German Industry I shall be guided by the idea of bringing the new organization into agreement with the political aims of the Reich Government and at the same time to make it so rational and forceful that it can be an effective instrument of industrial enterprise, according to the relative importance of the industry.
The task of re-organization of industrial groups would be on too narrow a basis if in doing so I were to think solely of rebuilding the Reichs Association of German Industry. I know from my own experience how much individual firms suffer from circumstances of historical development which cause overlappings of industrial groups, frequently resulting in a lack of co-ordination in their formation.
This demands that we must also bring into the sphere of our coming tasks the numerous questions pertaining to the complex occupational formation of our economic system. The foremost aim of our economic system and especially of industry, must therefore be to eliminate organizations which are too complicated. In order to preserve the valuable privileges of free industrial self-management, the resulting organizations must be made as simple as possible.
After the Presiding Council of the Reichs Association of German Industry bestowed upon me the task of re-organization in its resolution of April 6 of this year, it also stated that the still existing groups forming tho Reichs Association of German Industry were to remain to some extent inactive until the task of reorganization undertaken by me is accomplished.
I intend to use the period until reorganization is complete by engaging especially qualified gentlemen as expert advisers for the solution of specific problems. Since the management of the Reichs Association of German Industry needs the guidance of enterprise itself, I intend further to form special committees of experts to study specific questions, as for example, questions of organization, question of the ethics in economic life, the examination of occupational aspects of trade policy, exchange and credit problems, as well as the field of taxation, etc. The decision of the Presiding Council specifies that I am to preside over all these committees that I am creating. As it is impossible for me to be present at all necessary meetings, I must have the authority to appoint various gentlemen as deputy chairmen.
As soon as my negotiations with the Reich Chancellor and his officials are concluded, and as soon as the proposed committees and the management of the Reichs Association of German Industry have drafted a plan for its reorganization, I shall summon the leading groups of the Reichs Association of German Industry to a special meeting. It will be the task of the meeting to la the corner-stone for the new structure of the Reichs Association of German Industry.
“Document D-163: National Socialist German Worker’s Party Circular Letter No. 141/41: Burial of Bodies of Soviet Russian Prisoners of War by the Municipalities [translation]”, pp.
Führer’s H. Q. 11/5/1941.
The Reich Minister of the Interior has addressed the following express-letter in this matter to the Reichs Town Governors and Presidents, which is attached as an enclosure. Please note.
Heil Hitler!
(S) M. Bormann.
1 enclosure F.d.R: Signed: DIEPGARDT [?] Distribution: Reichsleiter Gauleiter Kreisleiter
Copy of a copy.
REICHS MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR EXPRESS LETTER
IV e 10366/41 3991.
To the Reichs Town Governors in the Reich Districts (County Governors ). The Government Presidents and Vice Presidents. President of the Police in Berlin. The Mayor of the Reich Capital, BERLIN.
Not suitable for publication (not even in extract by the press).
Subject: Burial of Bodies of Soviet Prisoners of War by Municipalities.
Wherever the Army Service Departments request the burial of Soviet Russian Prisoners of War it is the duty of the Municipalities to carry out burials immediately after death certificate have been signed by a doctor. It is left to the Municipalities either to make use of already existing grave yards or other suitable places.
The choice of a burial ground outside an existing grave-yard is subject to approval by the Health Department concerned and must be in keeping with the law and all applicable regulations, particularly health regulations, (as outlined by the circular decree of the Reichs and Prussian Minister of the Interior, etc. 18 Jan 37V a I 31/37 (RMBliV.S.113), and by the resolutions of the Scientific Deputation for the Medical matters of 1 Nov 1890, regarding projects for the establishment and enlarging of burial grounds, and by the order regarding places for burial, (viz Gutt, The Public Health Service, volume I, second edition, page 239). Preparations will be started immediately to conform with these regulations. To establish death, medical officers of the army are to be called in whenever they can be reached. To save costs, Service Departments of the army will generally be contacted regarding transport of corpses (furnishing of vehicles) whenever possible. No coffins will be indented for the transfer and burial. The body will be completely enveloped with strong paper (if possible, oil — tar — asphalted paper) or other suitable material. Transfer and burial is to be carried out unobtrusively. If a number of corpses have to be disposed of the burial will be carried out in a communal grave. In this case, the bodies will be buried side by side (but not on top of each other) and in accordance with the local custom regarding depth of graves. Where a grave yard is the place of burial a distant part will be chosen. No burial ceremony or decorations of graves will be allowed. Where new graves are dug, the customary distance from existing graves will be observed. If the deceased Soviet prisoner of war suffered from a contagious disease, transfer and burial will be carried out in agreement with the local health department concerned. Rooms in which corpses were stored (railway sheds, mortuaries), and vehicles used for the transport of corpses are to be disinfected each time. Persons who have been ordered to lay out, transport and bury corpses must be instructed on the necessary hygienic measuresparticularly disinfection after contact with corpses. Costs will be kept as low as possible. They will be collected quarterly by the Municipality from the Army Command Administration in whose district the Municipality is situated. Accounts will be enclosed. Furthermore, whenever a demand is submitted, it will be stated when and through which military service department the corpse was handed over to the Municipal authorities. I request immediate information of the service departments concerned. Spare copies attached.
F.d.R.d.A. Signed: LEITL [?]
“Document D-167, Part 01 [translation]”, pp. 1069-1071.
File: 11/1, 22/1 Reference No. K.M. 44664 Date: 10/14/37
Memorandum of Herr SONNENBERG on the meeting at ESSEN On 10/12/37.
Present: representing Combined Services Intelligence [Abwehr Abtlg. des R.K.M.] Representing KRUPP
Korvetten Kapitaen (E) MENZEL Mue (part time) Grm. Sonnenberg Subject: Exchange of Intelligence.
Menzel represents Intelligence [Abwehrabteilung] (in charge: Admiral Canaris) of the Combined Services ministry (R.K.M.); his department comes under the Defense office [Wehrmachtsamt] (in charge: General Keitel) and is divided into Counter-Intelligence and Intelligence proper, the latter having subsections for Army, Navy and Airforce.
Menzel asked for intelligence on foreign armaments (but not including matters published in newspapers) received by Krupp from their agents abroad and through other channels to be passed on to Combined Services Intelligence [Abwehrabteilung des R.K.M.]. They have been collaborating for some time in this way through frequent visits in a most satisfactory fashion with Messrs. Zeiss of Jena. Other firms were not mentioned, so it can be assumed that no contacts have yet been established with any of them.
On our part we undertook to supply information to the Combined Services Ministry (R.K.M.) as required. Apart from that it would be in the patriotic interest if Krupp were kept informed concerning foreign artillery weapons and new methods and constructions. Menzel agreed to that with the reservation that some information had to be kept secret for stringent reasons; he promised to do his best in this direction.
(Sgd) SONNENBERG (Initialled) Grm
File: 5S12, 5S34, 5S41. Reference No: A.K.24461 Date: 25 June 39
Report of Dr. CONN on his journey to BERLIN 6/11/1939-6/16/1939.
Subject: Intelligence and Information.
In order to get a general impression and to gain information generally, the following Officers were first contacted at the Admiralty (O.K.M.)
Kapitaen zur See Globig, information dept., naval armaments branch [M.Wa., Nachrichten]
Kapitaen zur See Meyer, Staff, naval armaments branch [M.Wa. Stab]
Fregattenkapitaen Menzel, Intelligence, naval sub-section [Abwehr, Abt.Marine]
Kapitaen zur See Arps, dept. A.III, naval information office, Admiralty [Marinenachrichtendienst]
Afterwards detailed discussions took place with Kapitaen zur See Globig and Fregattenkapitaen Menzel. On behalf of the Admiralty they expressed the wish for such visits to take place more frequently, say once in two months, in order to maintain closer liaison.
1. Kapitaen zur See Globig whom I had known for a long time, spoke to me quite frankly and openly. It is therefore impossible to embody parts of our discussion in this report. He does not appear to regard our “R” reports [R’Mitteilungen] as competition to the “Arms technology review” [Waffentechnische Nachrichten] compiled by him. He has been the naval armaments branch expert on foreign navies for years and promised me every assistance.
3. Fregattenkapitaen Menzel, Intelligence, naval subsection [Abwehr. Abt. Marine].
Similarly to Kapitaen zur See Globig he stressed the point that in view of the progressive disappearance of public and easily accessible sources of information, the information obtained through our representatives abroad was on increasing value. This method of obtaining intelligence would have to be followed up much more drastically than in the past. With Messrs. Rheinmetall it was working considerably better than at Krupps, which is partly explained by the fact that one of the ex-employees of Messrs. Rheinmetall is now working in the Intelligence branch and that he knows the executives of that firm and is able to maintain close liaison.
I quite agreed with him concerning the importance of this kind of intelligence report, but reminded him that with so large a business as Krupp it took obviously time to organize matters; also that most of our foreign agencies were directed by foreigners on whom one could only make limited demands in this matter and that finally it was to be avoided at all costs to lend support to the malicious rumours abroad that our agencies indulged in something akin to espionage.
Menzel’s second point was that when our executives travelled abroad they should report, before leaving for information, and on return for a verbal discussion, to the Intelligence branch [Nachrichtenabteilung] at Berlin or at least to the Intelligence subbranch [Nachrichtenstelle] at Cologne. Herr von Buelow on our staff had done so once, but otherwise it had hardly ever occurred.
My personal opinion is that we might be able to pick up quite a lot of useful information if we reported to Berlin.
His third point was a request to utilize foreign visitors for obtaining intelligence. I replied that this was being done already, but that it was necessary to proceed very carefully, to avoid arousing suspicion on the part of the visitors. I furthermore suggested that we should inform Intelligence of such visitors, if this is not being done already, to enable the Armed Forces to invite such foreigners as are considered suitable to a social or function. In the course of such meetings there would be ample opportunity to obtain information on this or that subject.
“Document D-167, Part 02 [translation]”, pp. 1071-1072.
Menzel also mentioned that our information obtained from abroad would not be passed on to our competitors, if a request to that effect was being made at the time.
I gave him to understand that we were slightly disappointed with the collaboration with Intelligence [Abwehr abteilung] since we had supplied information, but had received none in return. Menzel explained that Intelligence was only a collating centre and that they were merely passing on information, the value of which they were unable to judge by themselves, to the departments concerned; any information for us would therefore have to come from those departments only. Exceptions were only made in the case of intelligence of universal importance such as e.g. the long range gun Ferngesehuetz] some time ago.
This remark is important concerning the way in which we should present our information at Berlin. The departments receiving the information through Intelligence, must be able to see that it originates from Krupp, so that they might feel themselves under obligation to let us have some information in return. It might be a good idea to forward our information simultaneously to Intelligence and the departments concerned or else to let Intelligence have one (or more) copies for the departments, thus at the same time saving clerical work.
“Document D-181: Hereditary Health Law [translation]”, pp.
National Socialist German Workers’ Party. Gauleiter WestfalenSouth clerical Dept. Ru/Z Circular letter No. 83/37.
[Rubber Stamp of Kreisleiter (Country Leader) for Siegerland District acknowledging receipt 1/23/1937] Bochum, 21 Jan. 37
Following instructions of the Deputy Gauleiter, I herewith inform you, by copy, of a circular letter of the Deputy of the Führer, dated 1/14/1937, No. 10/37.
In the decree of the Reich and Prussian Minister of the Interior, dated 22 Aug 36, regarding the application of the law for the prevention of descendants with hereditary diseases, Civil Service doctors are instructed to consult with Hereditary Health Law being instituted against a Party member. They will do so before making an application for sterilization on the grounds of congenital imbecility.
The question whether the person is an imbecile cannot be ascertained solely by carrying out an intelligence test, but requires detailed evaluation of the whole personality of the human being. This review shall not only take into consideration the knowledge and intellectual abilities of the presumed imbecile, but also his ethical, moral and political attitude. A number of Civil Service doctors have, up to date, attached little importance to the reviewing of the personality as a whole. They have, up to now, hardly ever called for or used information regarding the political conduct of the supposed patient with hereditary disease.
Now that the Party, by virtue of the decree of the Reich and Prussian Minister of the Interior, is consulted in the proceedings on matters of hereditary diseases against Party members, it is the task of all Gauleiters to ascertain that the law regarding hereditary health will, in fact, be used in the sense in which it was designed. School masterly examination is not to be alone decisive in judging whether a person concerned is an imbecile. It is, in fact, to be ascertained as well, how the person concerned behaves in daily life, whether he can meet the demands which life makes on an average person, and whether he can be regarded as a full member of the community. If the Gauleiter, on the basis of this examination of the personality as a whole of the Party member, comes to the conclusion that the Law For The Prevention of Descendants with Hereditary Diseases is applicable, he must then investigate whether the person about to be sterilized has achieved very outstanding merits for the National Socialist Movement. If the Gauleiter reaches this conviction and feels that he must use his influence to prevent the sterilization, he will report to this department, giving a detailed explanation of the reasons which speak against sterilization.
The Reich and Prussian Minister of the Interior has ordered that Civil Service doctors will report to him any cases where the opinion of the Gauleiter differs from that of the medical officer.
So as not to delay proceedings under the Hereditary Health Law unnecessarily, I also request information and explanation on each one of these cases, stating the reasons which have led to the difference of opinion.
The Department for National Health [Amt fuer Volksgesundheit] is to carry out preparations for the decision of any case concerning Hereditary Health which has to be put before the Gauleiter. All matters of hereditary health will be treated as urgent and secret.
Particular attention will be drawn in each case to the obligation of maintaining secrecy.
I request that reports be made to me from time to time regarding experience gained in dealing with matters of hereditary health.
I request you treat above exposition as strictly confidential, and only for your own personal information.
[signed] Ruschenburg [?]
Distribution: Gauamtsleiter, [Regional Bureau Chiefs] Gauinspekteure, [Regional Inspectors] Kreisleiter. Country Leaders]
“Document D-203: [Speech of Hitler to Leading Members of Industry before the Election of 3/1932], Part 01 [translation]”
With the year 1918 a whole system collapsed. That it had to come about was often predicted, as much by economic leaders as especially, by Geheimrat Kirdorf. The revolution which the year 1918 brought us was only conditional. In any case it did not bring about the revolution such as in Russia, but only a new school of thought, which slowly initiated the dissolution of the existing order. Bismark’s statement:”Liberalism is the pacemaker of social-Democracy” is now scientifically established and proven for us. A given school of thoughtthought directioncan unsuspectedly lead towards the dissolution of the foundation of the State. In our country also, a new direction of thought had gained ground which slowly led to internal disruption and became the pacemaker of Bolshevism.
Private enterprise cannot be maintained in the age of democracy; it is conceivable only if the people have a sound idea of authority and personality. Everything positive, good and valuable, which has been achieved in the world in the field of economics and culture, is solely attributable to the importance of personality. When, however, the defence of the existing order [des Geschehenen], its political administration, is left to a majority, it will go irretrievably under. All the worldly goods which we possess, we owe to the struggle of the chosen [Auserlesenen]. Would we have had the present conditions in the Middle Ages, the foundations of our German Reich would never have been laid.
The same mentality that was the basis for obtaining these values must be used to preserve these values. All values which make up the height of our culture originated from an entirely different mentality than that which seized its administration since 1918 The revolution is the first conclusion of a decade-old development of discord in our people. All over the world we experience this crisis of disunity. The people, however, react differently towards it, as for example in Russia and Italy. In the other countries, Germany included, this crisis, in its last possibilities and consesequences, is not yet being recognized. Our people has not yet sufficiently recognized that there are two souls struggling for it. Our entire life is based upon common agreements. The smallest example of this is the family and it leads on up to the State. It is an impossibility that part of the people recognizes private ownership while another part denies it. Such a struggle splits the people. The struggle lasts until one side emerges victorious. When a man deserts his unit he can be punished. When, however, 15-20% disregard their oath of allegiance, the unit must fail as a military instrument. The same applies to a State, if 15% of the people deny the State as a permanent recognized social order, no sound system can be set up for the general public. Therefore, it is impossible to maintain Culture, Art, Religion and Science, if a large percentage of the Nation refuses to abide by the thoughts which created such a Culture. Justice also can only be established upon generally recognized theories. Therefore, it can also be Bolshevistic, if it has to protect the Bolshevist cause. Such a condition of discord leads slowly but surely to agony, to the death of an ideology. No two ideologies can continuously live alongside one another. In such struggles the strength of a people eats itself completely up internally and therefore cannot act externally. It does not rest. This condition of attrition lasts until one party emerges victorious or the State itself dissolves, whereby a people loses its place in history. We live in such times now, when the die must be cast, and when we must decide whether we want to adopt a form of life that supports the State or to have Communism. The latter is also thinkable. It is often being said that Communism is the last step of humanity. I believe the very opposite; it is the origin of human development. It represents the most primitive form of human life. The deeper one delves into nature, the more alike becomes its achievements, they become as in Communism more and more homogeneous. The Communist principle does not hold water.-It is not by chance that one person accomplishes more than the other. The principle of private ownership which has slowly gone into the general conception of justice and has become a complicated process of economic life, is rooted in this fact. The course which we have to take is clearly indicated. It is, however, not enough to say: We do not want Communism in (our) Economy. If we continue on our old political course, then we shall perish. We have fully experienced in the past years that Economics and Politics cannot be separated. The Political conduct of the struggle is the primary decisive factor. Therefore, politically clear conditions must be reached. As Economics alone has not made the German Reich so did politics not make Economics. But each one built steadily higher upon the other. As a hand-in-hand working of Politics and Economics brought us to our height, so meant the working against one another, as we experienced it after the revolution, continuous downfall. As I lay in the hospital in 1918 I experienced the revolution in Bavaria. From the very beginning saw it as a crisis in the development of the German people, as a period of transition. Life always tears up humanity. It is therefore the noblest task of a Leader to find ideals that are stronger than the factors that pull the people apart. I recognized even while in the hospital that one had to search for new ideas conducive to reconstruction. I found them in Nationalism, in the value of personality, in the denial of reconciliation between nations, in the strength and power of individual personality. On this basis I tried to reach an understanding between two souls struggling with one another within the German people. The struggle which I undertook was so much harder because it was conducted during a time when the law for the protection of the weak and decadent held true, a law under which every nation is doomed to perish. Of course, nothing is being accomplished by simple denial of such ways of thought, one has to offer new thoughts. If one rejects pacifism, one must put a new idea in its place immediately. Everything must be pushed aside, must be replaced by something better.
For 40 years we are experiencing a continuous growth of Social Democracy. Bismark said shortly before he retired:”If this keeps up, Marx must remain victorious”.
The creative and decomposing forces in a people always fight against one another. In this struggle one side always gains ever greater heights than the other, and therefore I have been following the development of Social-Democracy with steadily growing concern and said to myself, we must come to a decision. I have repeatedly taken the occasion to point out to responsible people what dangers were threatening the German people. Time and again it was argued, amongst others, by von Seeckt, that at the present time this would mean civil v.ar. And when, a few years ago, the number of Socialist seats went back a little, I was told triumphantly:”Look here, the danger is already over”. They always comforted themselves with the hope that the Socialist movement would slow down by itself. The danger, however, cannot be overcome by such means. Human beings are nothing less but equal, and if human beings are not led, they drop back into the most primitive ancient state. It was this perception that moved me to found a new Nationalist movement, which after 14 years of struggle has become a leading force in the German Reich. We must not forget that all the benefits of culture must be introduced more or less with an iron fist, just as once upon time the farmers were forced to plant potatoes. For all this however, courage, and iron will and perseverance are essential.
“Document D-203: [Speech of Hitler to Leading Members of Industry before the Election of 3/1932], Part 02 [translation]”, pp.
We stand to-day facing the following situation:Weimar imposed upon us a certain constitutional order by which they put us on a democratic basis. By that we were, however, not provided with an able governmental authority. On the contrary, as l criticized Democracy before, Communism had to bore its wa constantly deeper into the German people. The result was an ever increasing tension. by which alsoand that is almost the worst the courts did not remain uninfluenced. Two fronts have thus shaped themselves which put to us the choice: either Marxism in its purest form or the other side. One cannot assume the point of view and say:the other side will gradually break through again. Such an attitude means defeat. When I wanted to act, I was advised to wait a while. But I did not agree to such tolerance. With the very same courage with which we go to work to make up for what had been sinned during the last 14 years, we have withstood all attempts to move us off the right way. We have turned down the favour (benevolence) of the Catholic Centre Part[Zentrum] to tolerate us. Hugenberg has too small a movement. He has only considerably slowed down our development. We must first gain complete power if we want to crush the other side completely. While still gaining power one should not start the struggle against the opponent. Only when one knows that one has reached the pinnacle of power, that there is no further possible upward development, shall one strike. In Prussia we must gain another 10 seats and in the Reich proper another 33. That is not impossible if we throw in all our strength. Then only begins second action against Communism.
Now we stand before the last election. Regardless of the outcome there will be no retreat [Rueckfall], even if the coming election does not bring about a decision. One way or another, if the election does not decide. the decision must be brought about even by other means, [Eben auf einem anderen Weg fallen] I have intervened in order to give the people once more the chance to decide their fate by themselves. This determination is a strong asset for whatever must possibly happen later. Does the election bring no result, well, Germany won’t go to ruin. Today, as never before, everyone is under the obligation to pledge himself to success. The necessity to make sacrifices has never been greater than now. For Economy I have the one wish that it go parallel with the internal structure to meet a calm future. The question of restoration of the Wehrmacht will not be decided at Geneva, but in Germany, when we have gained internal strength through internal peace. There will, however, be no internal peace until Marxism is eliminated [Erledigt]. Here lies the decision which we must go to meet, hard as the struggle might be. I put my life into this struggle day after day as do all those who joined me in this struggle. There are only two possibilities, either to crowd back the opponent on constitutional grounds, and for this purpose once more this election, or a struggle will be conducted with other weapons, which may demand greater sacrifices. I would like to see them avoided. I hope the German people thus recognize the greatness of the hour. It shall decide over the next 10 or probably even 100 years. It will become a turning point in German history, to which I pledge myself with glowing energy.
Göring:He counted on it that with political appeasement, domestic economy will also quiet down. No experiments would be made. However, to attain the goal, all forces must be mustered on March 5th. Above all it is important to penetrate into the circles that are still disconcerted with Marxism and slumber uselessly in aggravation and bitterness. Most of the internal political obstacles have been removed after unity with the other groups of similar ideology was achieved under one plan. This present unity should be made deeper. No matter how the election comes out, the distribution of forces should remain the same. In the coming struggle everyone must perform in his own field. The German Nationals [Deutschnazionalen] will attack where successes can no longer be achieved by the National-Socialists. On the other hand the National-Socialists will be given a task which has no prospects for the others. Without doubt we must do the most work, for we must penetrate with our S.A. men into the darkest quarters of the cities and operate there from mouth to mouth and fight for every single soul.
Göring considered to some extent the great dangers connected with this election battle. He then led over very cleverly to the necessity that other circles not taking part in this political battle should at least make the financial sacrifices so necessary at this time. These were so much more necessary because not even one penny of the taxpayers money would be asked for. Government funds would not be used. The sacrifices asked for surely would be so much easier for industry to bear if it realized that the election of March 5th will surely be the last one for the next ten years, probably even for the next hundred years.
“Document D-206: Memorandum: Concerns: Distribution of Official Propaganda Literature abroad, with the help of or Foreign Connections [translation]”, pp. 1085-1087.
V.B. No. 431. vR/LB.
Essen, 10/12/1939 Representative’s Office.
On the morning of October 11 the District Representative of Ribbentrop’s private Foreign Office [Dienststelle Ribbentrop] made an appointment for a conference by telephone. A Mr. Lackmann arrived at the appointed time, at 15.30 hrs. In answer to my question, with whom I was dealing and which official Bureau he represented, he informed me that he was not himself the District Representative of Ribbentrop’s private Foreign Office, that a Mr. Landrat Bollmann was such and that he himself had come at Mr. Bollmann’s order.
Mr. L. informed me that there exists a great mix-up in the field of Foreign Propaganda and that Ribbentrop’s private Foreign Office [SS Obergruppenführer Lorenz, Berlin] wants to create a tighter organization for Foreign Propaganda. For this purpose the support of our Firm and above all an index of addresses [Adressenmaterial] were needed.
I informed Mr. L. that our Firm had put itself years ago at the disposal of official Bureaus for purposes of foreign propaganda and that we had supported all requests addressed to us to the utmost. That we do not need a tight organization, that we had the desire to handle things our way, as we had up to now. Above all, we would not like to let our Address-index out of our hands, because only we could estimate, if, for what purpose and to what extent, our connections abroad could be put to use. Only by personal handling can our connections abroad be used and kept receptive to effective propaganda. With the present lively activity of the “Secret Service” it must be avoided, not only in the interest of our Firm but also in the interest of Germany as a whole, that our agents in neutral foreign countries would come through improper handling to the attention of the “Secret Service” and economically ruined by it within a short time.
I repeated that, due to all these reasons, we would like to refrain from giving out any foreign addresses. If additional distributions of propaganda literature were desired, a propaganda leaflet should be sent to us, and after examining it, we would advise the official Bureau what quantity of such printed matter could be mailed abroad through us, at our expense, as heretofore.
Mr. Lackmann mentioned at the end that the distribution of an illustrated extra-edition was being prepared, in which the particulars concerning the safe departure of foreign diplomats from Warsaw shall be given publicity. Expense shall be met through advertisements; a full-page advertisement would cost 8000 Marks. I had to repeatedly explain to Mr. L. that I am not competent concerning advertisements and I implied that we would hardly have any interest in such an advertisement.
[by stamp] v. Raussendorff.
TO:Mr. Dr. Rademacher, General Office. Mr. v. Buelow. Mr. Martiny, Werba. Mr. Loenne, Information Bureau. Mr. Dr. Janssen, Berlin. Mr. Grusonwerk. Mr. Germaniawerft. Mr. Friedrich-Alfred-Huette.
Document D-226
“Document D-226: Ensuring The Discipline And Output Of Foreign Workers, Part 01 [translation]”, pp. 1088-1090.
Reichs Minister For Armament And War Production; Rue A-Artb O.I-Hoe/An Nr. 1980 / 44
BERLIN, SO 16 11/10/1944 Tel. No. 676141
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
1. The Chairman of the Armament Commission, with copies to: Rue IN (RueKdo), WKB and Rue-Representatives.
2. DAF-Department SSV 3. DAF-Department for Employment.
4. Local Distribution A.1. plus Armaments Department Labour E.
The Reichs Minister for the Interior, in agreement with all Departments concerned, has issued an order for ensuring the discipline and output of the foreign workers, dated 9/25/1944, attached herewith. This order is brought to the notice of all armament departments.
It is not essential to notify factories, but it may be advisable to inquire at factories whether this order is known to the factory managers.
By order. (sgd) Dr. HUFFAUER.
Encls. Certified: LANGNER
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.
REICHS MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR. File Ref Pol. S IV B310/44 dated 9/25/1944.
Decree for Ensuring the Discipline and Output of Foreign Workers.
Several million foreign workers are employed in the territory of the greater Reich. Up to the present, on account of just and correct treatment, and sufficient feeding, accommodation and welfare, they have made a considerable contribution to the total German working and output capacity. The present developments at this time, when the most serious decisive battle is being waged, demand the ensuring of the order and discipline amongst the foreign workers under all circumstances, together with the prevention of acts of sabotage, forming of resistance groups and revolutionary gatherings, etc.
It is of particular importance that not only the present good output should be secured, but also that further working reserves should be freed, which, without doubt, can still be obtained from these millions of foreign workers. Care must be taken, furthermore, that no intellectuals or other dangerous elements amongst the foreigners can begin to influence German works members in a defeatist or even pacifist sense. In agreement with the departments concerned, I therefore decree:
1. It is the duty of works managers and foremen to observe any developments of the frame of mind amongst foreign workers with particular care. Close co-operation between departments of the Party, the State and Industry, with departments of the Secret Police, is absolutely necessary for this purpose.
2. All men and women of the NSDAP, its subsidiaries and affiliated bodies in the works, will, in accordance with instructions from the Kreisleiters be warned by their local group leaders, and be put under obligation:
a. to play their part in keeping foreigners under the most careful observation. They will report the least suspicion to the works foreman, which he will pass on to the Defence Deputy, or, where such a deputy has not been appointed, to the Police Department concerned, whilst at the same time, reporting to the works manager and local group leader.
b. to exert untiringly and continuously their influence on the foreigners, both in word and deed in regard to the certainty of German victory and the German will to resist, thus producing a further increase of output in the works. Party members, both men and women, and members of Party organization and affiliated bodies must be expected more than ever before, to conduct themselves in an exemplary manner.
“Document D-226: Ensuring The Discipline And Output Of Foreign Workers, Part 02 [translation]”, pp. 1090-1091.
3. Propaganda within the works is to be increased. Foreign workers must be particularly Influenced by means of camp newspapers, posters, leaflets and loudspeakers in the spirit of the German fight for existence so that a final stop is put to the increasing number of rumors which are circulating amongst them. The Gau Trustee of the DAF will issue detailed instructions in co-operation with the Gau Propaganda leader and the leader of the Gau Dept. for Social Questions.
4. The Defence Deputies appointed by the Secret State Police after investigation by the Party, are responsible for defence questions within the works and will have both the principal and the auxiliary professional work protection squad under their command. Wherever it appears necessary in the interest of a coordinated political policy the Defense Deputies will be called together by the Kreisleiters after consultation with the leader of the Secret State Police, and will be informed of the political situation. In the case of larger and particularly important works, the Secret State Police in collaboration with the Party, where necessary will arrange a strengthening of the work protection squad by suitable forces of the Party and the Army (war, wounded, convalescents, etc.).
5. In order that the tasks of the Defense Deputies may be fulfilled and in accordance with the instructions issued by the Reichs Leader SS and Leader of the Reichs Organization. works, personnel will be subordinate to the Defense Deputies in the event of danger. Organization and the power to issue orders within the works are not affected by this. So as to avoid any dissension amongst these members of the works (compare figure 2) who are members of the NSDAP every effort must be made to organize collectively all the forces concerned and they must place themselves actively at the disposal of both propaganda and security. The Gau Trustee of the DAF will take the necessary steps.
6. If outside help becomes necessary, this will be called for by the Defense Deputy through the nearest police department Arrangements made in that respect must be made known to the works foreman. To avoid delay in calling such outside help, provisions must be made for the event of a breakdown of the Signals Service.
The Party executive concerned must be informed by the works foreman by the quickest possible means whenever the work protection squad is brought into action or outside help is called for.
7. The works manager, together with his Defense Deputy and works foreman is responsible that the works are held during disturbances by the use of his own forces until outside help arrives. In no circumstances is it permissible to accept any demands, nor the least signs of yielding be shown.
8. Appropriate measures to meet similar conditions, if necessary, and wherever conditions demand, are to be taken in agriculture, public transport, etc.
(sgd) Heinrich HIMMLER.
Certified copy: (sgd) Kerl Chancellery Employee.