Chapter XXXVII: Part 3: of the Japanese message quotes Ribbentrop as follows (4)

Hitler promoted Kaltenbrunner on the date of the Anschluss to the rank of SS Brigadefuehrer and leader of the SS _Oberabschnitt_ Donau. On 11 September 1938 he was promoted to the rank of SS Gruppenfuehrer. During the liquidation of the Austrian national government and the reorganization of Austria into Alps and Danube Districts, he was appointed Higher SS and Police Leader to the governors of Vienna, Lower Danube, and Upper Danube, in Corps Area (_Wehrkreis_) XVII, and in April 1941 was promoted to Major General of the Police (_2938-PS_).

On 30 January 1943 Kaltenbrunner was appointed Chief of the Security Police and SD (RSHA), succeeding Heydrich, who had been assassinated in Prague in June 1942. Kaltenbrunner held this position until the end of the war (_2644-PS_).

On 4 October 1943 at Pozen, Poland, in a speech delivered to Gruppenfuehrers of the SS, Himmler made special reference to “our comrade Obergruppenfuehrer Kaltenbrunner, who has succeeded our fallen friend Heydrich” (_1919-PS_).

On 9 December 1944 the decoration known as the Knight’s Cross of the War Merit, Cross with Swords, was given to SS Obergruppenfuehrer and General of the Police Dr. Ernst Kaltenbrunner, Chief of the Security Police and the SD (_2770-PS_).

In addition he held the Golden insignia of Honor and the _Blutorden_. He was a member of the Reichstag after the 9th election period 1938 (_2892-PS_).

Toward the end of the war, Kaltenbrunner’s power increased greatly, especially after the attack on Hitler of 20 July 1944. He gained direct access to Hitler. He was very friendly with Fegelein and his wife, who was the sister of Eva Braun. So powerful had Kaltenbrunner become toward the end that even Himmler feared him. On 13 April 1945 the chief of the German foreign intelligence service, Schellenberg, asked Himmler to receive the representative of the Jewish World Congress, Mr. Storsch, from Stockholm, and Himmler said,

“But how am I going to do that in regard to Kaltenbrunner? I
shall then be completely at his mercy!” (_2990-PS_).

B. _DURING KALTENBRUNNER’S TERM IN OFFICE AS CHIEF OF THE SECURITY
POLICE AND SD, NUMEROUS AND VAST CRIMES WERE COMMITTED BY THE SIPO AND
SD IN THE COURSE OF OFFICIAL DUTIES._

As Chief of the Security Police after 30 January 1943, Kaltenbrunner was the head of the RSHA and the regional offices of the Gestapo, SD, and Kripo. Directly under Kaltenbrunner were the Chiefs of the main offices of the RSHA, including Amt III (the SD), Amt IV (the Gestapo), Amt V (the Kripo), and Amt VI (the SD in foreign intelligence) (_L-219_).

Kaltenbrunner had direct responsibility over the offices of the RSHA. All important matters had to be referred to him or had to be handled under general or special authority granted by him to office chiefs.

“All decisions of principal character are signed by the Chief of
the Security Police personally. An office chief has only the
authority to sign ‘acting for’ and a chairman ‘by order of’ if
the subjects treated in the respective decrees fit into the
general laid-down principles according to the plan of
distribution of authority. In case of doubt it was the duty to
get the question cleared up by reporting it to the Chief of
Security Police and SD.” (_L-34_)

“To my knowledge no chief of office or any of the officials of
the RSHA, authorized to sign, had the right to sign in any
principal affairs of particular political significance without
consent of the Chief of the Security Police—not even during his
temporary absence. From my own experience I can furthermore
declare that the chief of Amt IV, Mueller, particularly was very
hesitant in signing documents concerning questions of general
nature and in some cases of greater importance, and that he put
aside events of such nature in most cases for the return of the
Chief of the Security Police, whereby often much time was lost.”
(_L-50_).

Schellenberg, the Chief of Amt VI of the RSHA, has stated:

“I know of no limitation placed on Kaltenbrunner’s authority as
Chief of the Security Police and SD (RSHA). He promptly entered
upon the duties of the office and assumed direct charge of the
office and control over the Amts * * * He made it very clear in
his official relations with all of us who were his _Amt_ Chiefs
that he was the head of the office exercising full executive
powers and deciding all matters of policy. He permitted us to
issue directives within the organization in our own names
pursuant to fixed policies established by him, but all important
matters had to be submitted to him whether he signed them or we
signed them. He was constantly informed of all matters of
importance which went on in the entire organization. (_2939-PS_)

During Kaltenbrunner’s term in office as Chief of the Security Police and SD, the following crimes were committed by the SIPO and SD pursuant to policy established by the RSHA or orders issued out of the RSHA for all of which he was responsible by virtue of his office.

(1) _Mass murders of civilians of occupied countries by Einsatz Groups._ A general discussion of this and the following twelve crimes of the _Gestapo_ and SD appears in Section 6 of Chapter XV. That this crime continued after January 1943 is shown by the following documents: _3012-PS_; _2752-PS_; _2890-PS_.

(2) _Screenings of prisoner of war camps and executing racial and political undesirables._ That this crime continued after January 1943 is shown by the following document: _2622-PS_.

(3) _The taking of recaptured prisoners of war to concentration camps, where in some cases they were executed._ That this crime continued after January 1943 is shown by the following documents: _1650-PS_; _L-158_; _1514-PS_.

(4) _Establishing concentration camps and committing racial and political undesirables to concentration and annihilation camps for slave labor and mass murder._ That this crime continued after January of 1943 is shown by the following documents: _D-50_; _D-46_; _L-41_; _701-PS_.

(5) _Deportation of citizens of occupied countries for forced labor and disciplining of forced labor._ That this crime continued after January 1943 is shown by the following documents: _3012-PS_; _1063-B-PS_.

(6) _The execution of captured commandos and paratroopers and protection of civilians who lynched Allied fliers._ That this crime continued after January 1943 is shown by the following documents: _1276-PS_; _532-PS_; _526-PS_; _R-110_; _745-PS_.

(7) _The taking of civilians of occupied countries to Germany for secret trial and punishment._ That this crime continued after January 1943 is shown by the following document: _835-PS_.

(8) _Punishment of citizens of occupied territories under special criminal procedure and by summary methods._ That this crime continued after January 1943 is shown by the following document: _L-5_.

(9) _The execution and confinement of persons in concentration camps for crimes allegedly committed by their relatives._ That this crime continued after January 1943 is shown by the following document: _L-37_.

(10) _Seizure and spoliation of public and private property._ That this crime continued after January 1943 is shown by the following documents: _2620-PS_; _L-18_.

(11) _Murder of prisoners in SIPO and SD prisons._ That this crime continued after January 1943 is shown by the following document: _L-53_.

(12) _Persecution of Jews._ That this crime continued after January 1943 is shown by the following documents: _L-18_; _1061-PS_; _2375-PS_; _2605-PS_.

(13) _Persecution of the churches._ That this crime continued after January 1943 is shown by the following document: _1815-PS_.

C. _KALTENBRUNNER HAD DIRECT KNOWLEDGE OF AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE
COMMISSION OF MANY SPECIFIC CRIMES._

(1) _Kaltenbrunner was fully cognizant of conditions in concentration camps and of the fact that concentration camps were used for slave labor and mass murder._ Mauthausen concentration camp was established in Austria while Kaltenbrunner was the Higher SS and Police Leader for Austria, and was frequently visited by Kaltenbrunner before he was appointed Chief of the Security Police and SD (_L-51_). On the occasion of one such visit in 1942, Kaltenbrunner personally observed the gas chamber in operation (_2753-PS_). After he became Chief of the Security Police and SD, Kaltenbrunner visited Mauthausen concentration camp but with less frequency (_L-51_). On one occasion he made an inspection of the camp grounds with Himmler and had his photograph taken during the course of the inspection (_2641-PS_). After a visit to Mauthausen in 1944 Kaltenbrunner reported to his _Amt_ Chiefs with pride that he had helped to build up Mauthausen when he was Higher SS and Police Leader in Austria and that the camp was engaged in valuable armament work (_2990-PS_). Mauthausen concentration camp was classified by Heydrich in January 1941 in category III, a camp for the most heavily accused prisoners and for asocial prisoners who were considered incapable of being reformed (_1063-A-PS_).

There were frequent conferences between the RSHA and executives of the SS _Wirtschaft_ and _Verwaltungshauptamt_ who had charge of the internal administration of concentration camps. The affidavit of Rudolf Mildner states with respect to these conferences:

“SS Obergruppenfuehrer Dr. Kaltenbrunner attended personally
conferences with SS Obergruppenfuehrer Pohl, Chief of the SS
_Wirtschaft_ and _Verwaltungshauptamt_ and Chief of the
concentration camps. Due to these conferences and through talks
with the Chief of Office Gruppenfuehrer Mueller of _Amt_ IV and
Gruppenfuehrer Nebe of _Amt_ V, the Chief of the Security Police
and SD, SS Obergruppenfuehrer Dr. Kaltenbrunner, must have known
the state of affairs in the concentration camps.” (_L-35_)

(2) _With full knowledge of conditions in and the purpose of concentration camps, Kaltenbrunner ordered or permitted to be ordered in his name the commitment of persons to concentration camps._ All orders for protective custody other than short-term confinements were issued in the name of Kaltenbrunner as Chief of the Security Police and SD and bore the facsimile stamp of his signature (_2477-PS_).

The commandant of Buchenwald concentration camp in his affidavit states:

“With the exception of the mass delivery of prisoners from the
concentration camps of occupied territories, all prisoners were
sent to the concentration camp Buchenwald on orders of the
_Reichssicherheitschauptamt_, Berlin. These preventive arrest
orders (red blanks) were in most cases signed with the name
Kaltenbrunner. The few other preventive arrest orders were
signed with ‘Foerster.’” (_L-38_)

On 7 July 1943 an order for protective custody was issued by the Gestapo (_Amt_ IV C 2, RSHA) bearing the facsimile signature of Kaltenbrunner, to be sent in the form of a telegram to the Gestapo office in Koeslin in the case of a woman whose offense was stated to be failure to work, work sabotage, and asocial conduct. She was ordered to be confined in the concentration camp at Ravensbrueck (_2745-PS_).

On 19 January 1944 a warrant for protective custody was issued by the Gestapo (_Amt_ IV C 2 of the RSHA) certified as signed by Kaltenbrunner, to a British subject, C. S. James, on the grounds that he had been proven guilty of activities to the detriment of the German Reich, and that there was reason to expect that he would, if released, commit acts prejudicial to the Reich (_1574-PS_).

Other instances of commitments to various concentration camps on orders, signed by Kaltenbrunner, are contained in the dossiers of 25 Luxembourgers committed to concentration camps by the _Einsatzkommando_ of the Sipo and SD in Luxembourg during the year 1944. The concentration camps to which the persons were committed included Dachau, Natzweiler, Sachsenhausen, and Buchenwald. Among the grounds were: “strongly suspected of working to the detriment of the Reich;” “spiteful statements inimical to Germany as well as aspersions and threats against persons active in the National Socialist movement;” “strongly suspected of aiding desertion;” “as relative of a deserter expected to take advantage of every occasion to harm the German Reich.” (_L-215_).

Further orders for commitments to concentration camps are contained in file of 42 telegrams, all issued by the RSHA, _Amt_ IV A 6, Prague, to the Gestapo Office at Darmstadt, and all signed by Kaltenbrunner, during the period from 20 September 1944 to 2 February 1945. The concentration camps to which people were sent included Sachsenhausen, Ravensbrueck, Buchenwald, Dachau, Bergen-Belsen, Flossenburg, and Theresienstadt. Nationalities included Czech, German, French, Dutch, Italian, Corsican, Lithuanian, Greek, and Jew. Grounds included “refusal to work;” “religious propaganda;” “sex relations with PWs;” “communist statements;” “loafing on job;” “working against the Reich;” “spreading of rumors detrimental to morale;” “_Aktion Gitter_;” “breach of work contracts;” “statements against Germany;” “assault of foreman;” “defeatist statements;” “theft and escape from jail.” (_2239-PS_).

(3) _Kaltenbrunner authorized executions in concentration camps._ Adolf Zutter, the adjutant of Mauthausen concentration camp, avers that, until the assassination of Heydrich, orders for executions at Mauthausen were signed by Heydrich or his substitute, and that after Kaltenbrunner became Chief of the Security Police and SD they were signed either by Kaltenbrunner or by his substitute, Mueller. Zutter mentions a specific instance in which Kaltenbrunner ordered the execution of a group of 12 to 15 uniformed members of an American military mission (_L-51_).

(4) _Kaltenbrunner had knowledge of the commitment of thousands of Warsaw Poles to concentration camps and refused to release them._ During the suppression of the Warsaw uprising of 1944, about 50,000 to 60,000 inhabitants of Warsaw were sent to concentration camps. As a result of entreaties by Hans Frank to Himmler the deportation was stopped. Frank and Buehler, his State Secretary, requested Kaltenbrunner to release the persons who had been committed. Kaltenbrunner refused to release them on the grounds they were employed in making secret weapons for the Reich and declared that the number transported into concentration camps in the Reich was small. Buehler verified the fact that the number of persons so placed in concentration camps for forced labor was 50,000 to 69,999 (_2476-PS_).

(5) _Kaltenbrunner controlled the deportation of Poles, Jews, and other non-Germans from Poland._ Otto Hofmann, former Chief of the SS Main Office for Race and Settlement Matters, stated:

“The execution of all so-called resettlement actions, that is,
the sending away of Polish, Jewish, and people of non-German
blood, inhabitants of a territory in Poland destined for
Germanization was in the hands of the Chief of the RSHA,
Heydrich, and, since the end of 1942, Kaltenbrunner.” (_L-49_).

(6) _Kaltenbrunner ordered the deportation of Jews from Denmark._ In September 1943 Himmler ordered the Danish Jews arrested and shipped to Stettin and from there to Theresienstadt concentration camp. Mildner, the Chief of the Sipo and SD, telegraphed the RSHA to request that the Jewish persecutions be stopped. In reply he received an order from Himmler through Kaltenbrunner to carry out the anti-Jewish action. Shortly thereafter Mildner flew to Berlin to speak to Kaltenbrunner personally about the matter. In Kaltenbrunner’s absence he spoke to Mueller. After his return to Copenhagen, Mildner received a direct order from Himmler through Kaltenbrunner to carry out the anti-Jewish actions immediately (_2375-PS_).

(7) _Kaltenbrunner personally exercised punitive authority over foreign workers._ By order of Kaltenbrunner Labor Reformatory Camps were established under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Security Police (_1063-B-PS_).

In addition to sending workers to Labor Reformatory Camps, Kaltenbrunner, through orders for protective custody signed by him or by facsimile of his signature, committed workers to concentration camps. On 9 February 1945 a French citizen was sent to Buchenwald by order of Kaltenbrunner for shirking work and insubordinate behavior. On 18 June 1943 a Pole was sent to Natzweiler “to be used as a skilled worker” by order of Kaltenbrunner. On 2 December 1944 a citizen of the Netherlands was taken into protective custody “for work sabotage” by order of Kaltenbrunner. On 2 December 1944 a French citizen was taken into protective custody for “work sabotage and insubmissive” (_2582-PS_; _2580-PS_).

(8) _Kaltenbrunner personally attended to matters against Jews and political and concentration camp internees in the Protectorate._ A memorandum found among Kaltenbrunner’s personal effects states in part:

“Radio message to Gruppenfuehrer Fegelein Hq. of the Fuehrer
through Sturmbannfuehrer Sansoni, Berlin.

“Please report to RF SS and to the Fuehrer that all arrangements
against Jews, political and concentration camp internees in the
Protectorate have been taken care of by me personally today”
(_2519-PS_).

(9) _Kaltenbrunner personally ordered the Sipo and SD to encourage the populace to lynch American and English flyers._ In 1944 at a conference of _Amt_ Chiefs Kaltenbrunner said:

“All offices of the SD and the security police are to be
informed that pogroms of the populace against English and
American terror-fliers were not to be interfered with; on the
contrary, this hostile mood is to be fostered” (_2990-PS_).

(10) _Kaltenbrunner personally worked out the form of justification to be submitted to cover up the execution of prisoners of war._ In connection with the shooting of some 50 recaptured prisoners of war who had escaped from a prisoner of war camp near Breslau, Kaltenbrunner worked out with Mueller and Nebe the false reasons which were to be given to the Red Cross, that is, that they had been killed by bomb attacks, or shot while escaping or resisting arrest (_2990-PS_).

D. _CONCLUSION._

Kaltenbrunner was a life-long fanatical Nazi. He was the leader of the SS in Austria prior to the Anschluss and played a leading role in the betrayal of his native country to the Nazi conspirators. As Higher SS and Police Leader in Austria after the Anschluss he supervised and had knowledge of the activities of the Gestapo and the SD in Austria. He had much to do with developing Mauthausen concentration camp and visited it frequently. On at least one occasion he observed the gas chamber in action. With this knowledge and background he accepted in January 1943 appointment as chief of the very agencies which sent such victims to their deaths. He held that office to the end, rising to high prominence in the conspiracy, receiving honors from Hitler and gaining Hitler’s personal confidence.

* * * * *

LEGAL REFERENCES AND LIST OF DOCUMENTS RELATING TO ERNST KALTENBRUNNER

│ │ │
Document │ Description │ Vol. │ Page
│ │ │
│Charter of the International Military │ │
│ Tribunal, Article 6. │ I │ 5
│International Military Tribunal, │ │
│ Indictment Number 1, Section IV (H);│ │
│ Appendix A. │ I │ 29, 59
│ ———— │ │
│Note: A single asterisk (*) before a │ │
│document indicates that the document │ │
│was received in evidence at the │ │
│Nurnberg trial. A double asterisk (**)│ │
│before a document number indicates │ │
│that the document was referred to │ │
│during the trial but was not formally │ │
│received in evidence, for the reason │ │
│given in parentheses following the │ │
│description of the document. The USA │ │
│series number, given in parentheses │ │
│following the description of the │ │
│document, is the official exhibit │ │
│number assigned by the court. │ │
│ ———— │ │
*526-PS │Top secret notice, 10 May 1943, │ │
│concerning saboteurs captured and shot│ │
│in Norway. (USA 502) │ III │ 434
│ │ │
532-PS │Telegram of WFSt, 24 June 1944, │ │
│concerning treatment of Commandos. │ III │ 437
│ │ │
*701-PS │Letter from Minister of Justice to │ │
│Prosecutors, 1 April 1943, concerning │ │
│Poles and Jews who are released from │ │
│Penal institutions of Department of │ │
│Justice. (USA 497) │ III │ 510
│ │ │
745-PS │Letter from Chief of SD, Koblenz, 12 │ │
│June 1944, concerning enemy aviators │ │
│who have been shot down. │ III │ 543
│ │ │
*835-PS │Letter from OKW to the German │ │
│Armistice Commission, 2 September │ │
│1944, concerning the status of │ │
│political prisoners. (USA 527) │ III │ 602
│ │ │
*1061-PS │Official report of Stroop, SS and │ │
│Police Leader of Warsaw, on │ │
│destruction of Warsaw Ghetto, 1943. │ │
│(USA 275) │ III │ 718
│ │ │
*1063-A-PS │Order of Chief of SIPO and SD, 2 │ │
│January 1941, concerning │ │
│classification of concentration camps.│ │
│(USA 492) │ III │ 775
│ │ │
1063-B-PS │Letter signed by Kaltenbrunner, 26 │ │
│July 1943, concerning establishment of│ │
│Labor Reformatory camps. (USA 492) │ III │ 777
│ │ │
*1104-PS │Memorandum, 21 November 1941, │ │
│enclosing copies of report concerning │ │
│anti-Jewish action in Minsk. (USA 483)│ III │ 783
│ │ │
*1276-PS │Top secret letter from Chief of SIPO │ │
│and SD to OKW/WFSt, 17 June 1944, │ │
│concerning Commando operations. (USA │ │
│525) │ III │ 855
│ │ │
*1514-PS │Order, 27 July 1944, from 6th Corps │ │
│Area Command concerning delivery of │ │
│prisoners of war to secret state │ │
│police. (USA 491) │ IV │ 53
│ │ │
1574-PS │Warrant, 19 January 1944, for │ │
│protective custody. │ IV │ 114
│ │ │
*1650-PS │Directive to State Police Directorates│ │
│from Chief of SIPO and SD by Mueller, │ │
│4 March 1944, concerning captured │ │
│escaped PWs except British and │ │
│American PWs. (USA 246) │ IV │ 158
│ │ │
*1815-PS │Documents on RSHA meeting concerning │ │
│the study and treatment of church │ │
│politics. (USA 510) │ IV │ 415
│ │ │
*1919-PS │Himmler’s speech to SS │ │
│Gruppenfuehrers, 4 October 1943. (USA │ │
│170) │ IV │ 558
│ │ │
*2239-PS │File of orders sent by AMT IV, RSHA, │ │
│Prague, to Gestapo office Darmstadt, │ │
│signed Kaltenbrunner. (USA 520) │ IV │ 920
│ │ │
2375-PS │Affidavit of Rudolf Mildner, 16 │ │
│November 1945, concerning activities │ │
│of SIPO and SD. │ V │ 2
│ │ │
2476-PS │Affidavit of Josef Buehler, 4 November│ │
│1945. │ V │ 228
│ │ │
*2477-PS │Affidavit of Willy Litzenberg, 4 │ │
│November 1945. (USA 518) │ V │ 229
│ │ │
*2519-PS │Undated memorandum for radio message │ │
│from Kaltenbrunner to Fegelein, │ │
│concerning arrangements against Jews. │ │
│(USA 530) │ V │ 256
│ │ │
*2580-PS │Protective custody decrees signed │ │
│Kaltenbrunner. (USA 524) │ V │ 305
│ │ │
*2582-PS │Telegrams ordering protective custody │ │
│signed by Kaltenbrunner. (USA 523) │ V │ 307
│ │ │
*2605-PS │Affidavit of Dr. Rudolf Kastner, │ │
│former President of the Hungarian │ │
│Zionist Organization, 13 September │ │
│1945. (USA 242) │ V │ 313
│ │ │
*2620-PS │Affidavit of Otto Ohlendorf, 5 │ │
│November 1945. (USA 919) │ V │ 341
│ │ │
2622-PS │Affidavit of Otto Ohlendorf, 5 │ │
│November 1945. │ V │ 343
│ │ │
*2641-PS │Affidavit of Alois Hoellriegl in │ │
│connection with photographs of │ │
│Kaltenbrunner, Himmler, and others at │ │
│Mauthausen concentration camp. (USA │ │
│516) │ V │ 354
│ │ │
2644-PS │Affidavit of Otto Ohlendorf, 5 │ │
│November 1945. │ V │ 357
│ │ │
*2745-PS │Order for commitment to concentration │ │
│camp, 7 July 1943, Kaltenbrunner’s │ │
│signature. (USA 519) │ V │ 383
│ │ │
2752-PS │Affidavit of Willy Litzenberg, 8 │ │
│November 1945. │ V │ 392
│ │ │
*2753-PS │Affidavit of Alois Hoellriegl, 7 │ │
│November 1945. (USA 515) │ V │ 393
│ │ │
2770-PS │War Decorations, published in Order │ │
│Gazette of the Chief of Security │ │
│Police and SD, Edition A, 5th year, 9 │ │
│December 1944, No. 51. │ V │ 417
│ │ │
2890-PS │Extracts from Befehlsblatt of the Sipo│ │
│and SD. │ V │ 557
│ │ │
2892-PS │Biographical information on Ernst │ │
│Kaltenbrunner, published in the │ │
│Greater German Reichstag, 1938. │ V │ 561
│ │ │
*2938-PS │Article in The German Police, Number │ │
│10, Berlin, 15 May 1943, p. 193, │ │
│concerning Kaltenbrunner. (USA 511) │ V │ 605
│ │ │
*2939-PS │Affidavit of Walter Schellenberg, 17 │ │
│November 1945. (USA 513) │ V │ 606
│ │ │
*2990-PS │Affidavit of Walter Schellenberg, 18 │ │
│November 1945. (USA 526) │ V │ 694
│ │ │
*2992-PS │Affidavits of Hermann Graebe. (USA │ │
│494) │ V │ 696
│ │ │
*3012-PS │Order signed Christiansen, 19 March │ │
│1943, to all group leaders of Security│ │
│Service, and record of telephone │ │
│conversation signed by Stapj, 11 March│ │
│1943. (USA 190) │ V │ 731
│ │ │
3361-PS │Message to all Commanders of Security │ │
│Police from Kaltenbrunner regarding │ │
│arrest of Plant Directors. │ VI │ 96
│ │ │
*3427-PS │Announcement of Kaltenbrunner │ │
│appointed Chief of Security Police and│ │
│SD, in German Police, 15 February │ │
│1943. (USA 512) │ VI │ 130
│ │ │
*3462-PS │Interrogation of Bertus Gerdes, 20 │ │
│November 1945. (USA 528) │ VI │ 161
│ │ │
*3723-PS │Testimony of Gottlieb Berger, 20 │ │
│September 1945. (USA 529) │ VI │ 460
│ │ │
*3762-PS │Affidavit of SS Colonel Kurt Becher, 8│ │
│March 1946, concerning the │ │
│responsibility of Kaltenbrunner for │ │
│concentration camp executions. (USA │ │
│798) │ VI │ 645
│ │ │
*3803-PS │Covering letter enclosing a letter │ │
│from Kaltenbrunner dated 30 June 1944,│ │
│concerning forced labor of Jews in │ │
│Vienna. (USA 802) │ VI │ 737
│ │ │
3838-PS │Statement of Martin Sandberger, 19 │ │
│November 1945, concerning │ │
│Kaltenbrunner’s treatment of │ │
│prisoners. (USA 800) │ VI │ 773
│ │ │
*3839-PS │Statement of Josef Spacil, 9 November │ │
│1945, concerning the meaning of │ │
│“resettlement” and “special │ │
│treatment”. (USA 799) │ VI │ 774
│ │ │
*3840-PS │Statement of Karl Kaleske, 24 February│ │
│1946, concerning the elimination of │ │
│the Warsaw Ghetto. (USA 803) │ VI │ 775
│ │ │
*3841-PS │Statement of SS and Polizeifuehrer │ │
│Juergen Stroop, 24 February 1946, │ │
│concerning elimination of the Warsaw │ │
│Ghetto. (USA 804) │ VI │ 776
│ │ │
*3842-PS │Statement of Fritz Mundhenke, 7 March │ │
│1946, concerning the activities of │ │
│Kaltenbrunner and SS in preparation │ │
│for occupation of Czechoslovakia. (USA│ │
│805) │ VI │ 778
│ │ │
*3844-PS │Statement of Josef Niedermayer, 7 │ │
│March 1946, concerning Kaltenbrunner’s│ │
│part in “bullet” orders at Mauthausen │ │
│concentration camp. (USA 801) │ VI │ 782
│ │ │
*3846-PS │Interrogation of Johann Kanduth, 30 │ │
│November 1945, concerning crematorium │ │
│at Mauthausen and the activities of │ │
│Kaltenbrunner there. (USA 796) │ VI │ 783
│ │ │
*3868-PS │Affidavit of Rudolf Franz Ferdinand │ │
│Hoess, 5 April 1946, concerning │ │
│execution of 3,000,000 people at │ │
│Auschwitz Extermination Center. (USA │ │
│819) │ VI │ 787
│ │ │
*3870-PS │Affidavit of Hans Marsalek, 8 April │ │
│1946, concerning Mauthausen │ │
│Concentration Camp and dying statement│ │
│of Franz Ziereis, the Commandant. (USA│ │
│797) │ VI │ 790
│ │ │
D-46 │Order designating Herzogenbosch as │ │
│concentration camp, 18 January 1943. │ VI │ 1025
│ │ │
D-50 │Order establishing concentration camps│ │
│at Lublin, 9 April 1943. │ VI │ 1027
│ │ │
*D-473 │Letter from Kaltenbrunner to Criminal │ │
│Public Offices, 4 December 1944, │ │
│concerning combatting of crime among │ │
│Polish and Soviet-Russian civilian │ │
│laborers. (USA 522) │ VII │ 64
│ │ │
L-5 │Order of Military Commander Southeast,│ │
│3 September 1944. │ VII │ 755
│ │ │
*L-18 │Official report, Katzmann to General │ │
│of Police Krueger, 30 June 1943, │ │
│concerning “Solution of Jewish │ │
│Question in Galicia”. (USA 277) │ VII │ 755
│ │ │
L-31 │Communique of the Polish-Soviet │ │
│Extraordinary Commission for │ │
│Investigating the Crimes committed by │ │
│the Germans in the Majdanek │ │
│Extermination Camp in Lublin. │ VII │ 772
│ │ │
L-34 │Affidavits of Edmund Trinkl, Chairman │ │
│of Amt I A 6 of the RSHA, 2 August │ │
│1945. │ VII │ 774
│ │ │
L-35 │Affidavit of Rudolf Mildner, 1 August │ │
│1945. │ VII │ 780
│ │ │
*L-37 │Letter from Illmer, Chief of the SIPO │ │
│and SD of Radom, to subordinates, 19 │ │
│July 1944, concerning collective │ │
│responsibility of members of families │ │
│of assassins and saboteurs. (USA 506) │ VII │ 782
│ │ │
*L-38 │Affidavit of Hermann Pister, 1 August │ │
│1945. (USA 517) │ VII │ 783
│ │ │
L-41 │Orders of Mueller, Chief of the │ │
│Gestapo, 17 December 1942 and 23 March│ │
│1943, concerning transfer of workers │ │
│to concentration camps. (USA 496) │ VII │ 784
│ │ │
*L-49 │Affidavit of Otto Hoffman, Chief of SS│ │
│Main Office for Race and Settlement, 4│ │
│August 1945. (USA 473) │ VII │ 795
│ │ │
*L-50 │Affidavit of Kurt Lindow, Director of │ │
│Office for Criminal affairs in RSHA, 2│ │
│August 1945. (USA 793) │ VII │ 796
│ │ │
*L-51 │Affidavit of Adolf Zutter, 2 August │ │
│1945. (USA 521) │ VII │ 798
│ │ │
*L-53 │Order from Commandant of the SIPO and │ │
│SD for the Radom District to Branch │ │
│Office in Tomaschow, 21 July 1944, on │ │
│clearance of prisons. (USA 291) │ VII │ 814
│ │ │
*L-158 │Circular letter from SIPO and SD │ │
│Commander of Radom District, 28 March │ │
│1944, concerning measures to be taken │ │
│against escaped officers and │ │
│non-commissioned officer PWs. (USA │ │
│514) │ VII │ 906
│ │ │
*L-215 │File of orders and dossiers of 25 │ │
│Luxembourgers committed to │ │
│concentration camps at various times │ │
│in 1944. (USA 243) │ VII │ 1045
│ │ │
*L-219 │Organization plan of the RSHA as of 1 │ │
│October 1943. (USA 479) │ VII │ 1053
│ │ │
*L-358 │Extract from register of arrests by │ │
│Gestapo in Poland, 1943. (USA 495) │ VII │ 1107
│ │ │
*R-110 │Himmler order of 10 August 1943 to all│ │
│Senior Executive SS and Police │ │
│officers. (USA 333) │ VII │ 1107
│ │ │
*R-135 │Letter to Rosenberg enclosing secret │ │
│reports from Kube on German atrocities│ │
│in the East, 18 June 1943, found in │ │
│Himmler’s personal files. (USA 289) │ VIII │ 205
│ │ │
Affidavit B │Affidavit of Otto Ohlendorf, 20 │ │
│November 1945, substantially the same │ │
│as his testimony on direct examination│ │
│before the International Military │ │
│Tribunal at Nurnberg 3 January 1946. │ VIII │ 596
│ │ │
Affidavit C │Affidavit of Dieter Wisliceny, 29 │ │
│November 1945, substantially the same │ │
│as his testimony on direct examination│ │
│before the International Military │ │
│Tribunal at Nurnberg 3 January 1946. │ VIII │ 606
│ │ │
Affidavit D │Affidavit of Walter Schellenberg, 23 │ │
│January 1946, substantially the same │ │
│as his testimony on direct examination│ │
│before the International Military │ │
│Tribunal at Nurnberg 4 January 1946. │ VIII │ 622
│ │ │
Affidavit E │Affidavit of Alois Hoellriegl, 22 │ │
│November 1945, substantially the same │ │
│as his testimony on direct examination│ │
│before the International Military │ │
│Tribunal at Nurnberg 4 January 1946. │ VIII │ 630
│ │ │
*Chart No. 1 │National Socialist German Workers’ │ │
│Party. (2903-PS; USA 2) │ VIII │ 770
│ │ │
*Chart No. 3 │Organization of the SS. (USA 445) │ VIII │ 772
│ │ │
*Chart No. 5 │Position of Kaltenbrunner and the │ │
│Gestapo and SD in the German Police │ │
│System. (USA 493) │ VIII │ 774
│ │ │
*Chart No. 19 │Organization of the Security Police │
│(Gestapo and Kripo) and the SD │
│1943-1945. (2346-PS; USA 480) │ End of VIII

7. ALFRED ROSENBERG

A. _THE POLITICAL CAREER OF ROSENBERG._

The political career of Alfred Rosenberg embraced the entire history of National Socialism and permeated nearly every phase of the conspiracy. In order to obtain a full conception of his influence upon and participation in the conspiracy, it is necessary to review his political history and to consider each of his political activities in their relation to the thread of the conspiracy, which stretches from the inception of the party in 1919 to the defeat of Germany in 1945.

It is interesting to note that for Rosenberg the 30th of November 1918 marked the

“Beginning of political activities with a lecture about the
‘Jewish Problem’”. (_2886-PS_)

An official German pamphlet entitled, “Dates in the History of the NSDAP”, discloses that Rosenberg was a member of the German Labor Party (afterwards the National Socialist German Workers Party) in January 1919, and that Hitler joined forces with Rosenberg and his colleagues in October of the same year (_3557-PS_). Thus, Rosenberg was a member of the National Socialist movement even before Hitler himself.

An extract from “_Das Deutsche Fuehrer Lexikon_”, 1934/35 (_3530-PS_) completes the biographical data on Rosenberg:

“From 1921 until the present, editor of the _Voelkischer
Beobachter_; editor of the ‘N.S. Monatshefte’; 1930, Reichstag
deputy and representative of the foreign policy of the movement;
since April 1933, leader of the foreign political office of the
NSDAP; then designated as Reichsleiter; January 1934, deputized
by the Fuehrer for the spiritual and philosophical education of
the NSDAP, the German labor front and all related organizations”
(_3530-PS_).

In July 1941 Rosenberg was appointed Reichsminister for the Occupied Eastern Territories. (_2886-PS_)

B. _ROSENBERG’S PART, AS OFFICIAL NAZI IDEOLOGIST, IN PREPARING FOR THE
SEIZURE OF POWER AND THE LAUNCHING OF AGGRESSIVE WAR._

Rosenberg was the official National Socialist ideologist. Through the ideological tenets which he expounded he exerted an influence upon the unification of German thought, a unification which was an essential part of the conspirator’s program for seizure of power and preparation for aggressive war.

Rosenberg wrote extensively on, and actively participated in, virtually every aspect of the National Socialist program. His first publication was the “Nature, Basic Principles, and Aims of the NSDAP”, which appeared in 1922. Rosenberg spoke of this book in the following terms:

“During this time (that is, during the early phase of the party)
a short thesis was written, which nevertheless is significant in
the history of the NSDAP. It was always being asked what points
of program the NSDAP had and how they each were to be
interpreted. Therefore, I wrote the principal program and aims
of the NSDAP, and this writing made the first permanent
connection between Munich and local organizations being
organized and friends within the Reich.” (_3054-PS_)

Thus, the original draftsman of and spokesman for the party program was Rosenberg.

Without attempting to survey the entire ideological program advanced by Rosenberg in his various writings and speeches, certain of his statements may be considered as indicating the nature and scope of the ideological program which he championed. There was not a single basic tenet of the Nazi philosophy which was not given authoritative expression by Rosenberg.

(1) _The theory of racism._ Rosenberg wrote the “Myth of the Twentieth Century”, published in 1930. At page 479 of this work (_3553-PS_), Rosenberg expressed the following views on the race question:

“The essence of the contemporary world revolution lies in the
awakening of the racial types, not in Europe alone but on the
whole planet. This awakening is the organic counter movement
against the last chaotic remnants of liberal economic
imperialism, whose object of exploitation out of desperation has
fallen into the snare of Bolshevik Marxism, in order to complete
what democracy had begun, the extirpation of the racial and
national consciousness.” (_3553-PS_)

(2) “_Lebensraum_.” Rosenberg expounded the “_Lebensraum_” idea, which was utilized as the dynamic impulse behind Germany’s waging of aggressive war. In his journal, the “National Socialist _Monatshefte_” for May 1932, he wrote:

“The understanding that the German nation, if it is not to
perish in the truest sense of the word, needs ground and soil
for itself and its future generations, and the second sober
perception that this soil can no more be conquered in Africa,
but in Europe and first of all in the East—these organically
determine the German foreign policy for centuries.” (_2777-PS_)

(3) _Persecution of Christian Churches._ Rosenberg expressed his theory as to the place of religion in the National Socialist State in the “Myth of the Twentieth Century”, additional excerpts from which are cited in (_2891-PS_):

“We now realize that the central supreme values of the Roman and
the Protestant Churches, being a negative Christianity, do not
respond to our soul, that they hinder the organic powers of the
peoples determined by their Nordic race, that they must give way
to them, that they will have to be remodeled to conform to a
Germanic Christendom. Therein lies the meaning of the present
religious search.” (_2891-PS_)

In the place of traditional Christianity, Rosenberg sought to implant the neo-pagan myth of the blood. At page 114 in the “Myth of the Twentieth Century” (_2891-PS_) he stated:

“Today, a new faith is awakening—the Myth of the Blood, the
belief that the divine being of mankind generally is to be
defended with the blood. The faith embodied by the fullest
realization, that the Nordic blood constitutes that mystery
which has supplanted and overwhelmed the old sacraments.”

Rosenberg’s attitudes on religion were accepted as the only philosophy compatible with National Socialism. In 1940 Bormann, in writing to Rosenberg, made this statement:

“The churches cannot be conquered by a compromise between
National Socialism and Christian teachings, but only through a
new ideology whose coming you yourself have announced in your
writings.” (_098-PS_)

Rosenberg actively participated in the program for elimination of church influence. Bormann frequently wrote Rosenberg in this regard, furnishing him information as to proposed action to be instituted against the churches and, where necessary, requesting that action be taken by Rosenberg’s department. See _070-PS_ dealing with the abolition of religious services in the schools; _072-PS_ dealing with the confiscation of religious property; _064-PS_ dealing with the inadequacy of anti-religious material circulated to the soldiers; _089-PS_ dealing with the curtailment of the publication of Protestant periodicals; and _122-PS_ dealing with the closing of theological faculties.

(4) _Persecution of the Jews._ Rosenberg was particularly zealous in his pursuit of the “Jewish Question”. On 28 March 1941, on the occasion of the opening of the Institute for the Exploration of the Jewish Question, he set the keynote for its activities and indicated the direction which the exploration was to take. He spoke in part as follows:

“For Germany the Jewish Question is only then solved when the
Last Jew has left the Greater German space.

“Since Germany with its blood and its nationalism has now broken
for always this Jewish dictatorship for all Europe and has seen
to it that Europe as a whole will become free from the Jewish
parasitism once more, we may, I believe, also say for all
Europeans: For Europe the Jewish question is only then solved
when the last Jew has left the European continent.” (_2889-PS_)

Rosenberg had called an Anti-Jewish Congress in June 1944, but the Congress was cancelled due to military events. (_1752-PS_)

Rosenberg did not overlook any opportunity to put these anti-Semitic beliefs into practice. He recommended for instance that instead of executing 100 Frenchmen as retaliation for attempts on lives of members of the _Wehrmacht_, there be executed 100 Jewish bankers, lawyers, etc. (_001-PS_). The recommendation was made with the avowed purpose of awakening the anti-Jewish sentiment.

(5) _Abolition of Versailles Treaty._ In the realm of foreign policy, in addition to demanding “_Lebensraum_,” Rosenberg called for elimination of the Treaty of Versailles, and cast aside any thought of revision of that treaty. In his book, “Nature, Principles and Aims of the NSDAP”, Rosenberg wrote:

“The National Socialists reject the popular phrase of the
‘Revision of the Peace of Versailles’ as such a revision might
perhaps bring a few numerical reductions in the so-called
‘obligations,’ but the entire German people would still be, just
as before, the slave of other nations.”

* * * * * *

“‘We demand equality for the German people with other nations,
the cancellation of the peace treaties of Versailles and St.
Germain.’” (_2433-PS_)

(6) _Foreign Nazi Penetration._ Rosenberg conceived of the spread of National Socialism throughout the world and, as will be subsequently shown, took an active part in promoting the infection of other nations with his creed. In the “Nature, Principles and Aims of the NSDAP”, he stated:

“But National Socialism still believes that its principles and
ideology though in individually different suitable ways of fight
according to racial-national conditions—will be directives far
beyond the borders of Germany for the inevitable fights for
power in other countries of Europe and America. There too a
decision of ideas must take place, and the racial-nationalistic
fight against the ever similar loan-capitalistic and Marxist
internationalism must be taken up. National Socialism believes
that once the great world battle is concluded, after the defeat
of the present epoch, there will be a time when the swastika
will be woven into the different banners of the Germanic peoples
as the Aryan symbol of rejuvenation.” (_2433-PS_)

Thus, Rosenberg gave authoritative expression to the basic tenets upon which National Socialism was founded, and through the exploitation of which the conspiracy was crystallized in action.

(7) _Ideological training and education._ Rosenberg’s value to the conspiratorial program found official recognition in his appointment in 1934 as the Fuehrer’s Delegate for the Entire Spiritual and Philosophical Education and Supervision of the NSDAP. His activities in this capacity were many and varied. The National Socialist Year Book for the year 1938, at page 180, describes as follows the functions of Rosenberg’s office as the Fuehrer’s delegate:

“The sphere of activity of the Fuehrer’s Commissioner for all
spiritual and ideological instruction and education of the
movement, its organization, including the ‘Strength through
Joy’, extends to the detailed execution of all the educational
work of the Party and of the affiliated bodies. The office, set
up by _Reichsleiter_ Rosenberg, has the task of preparing the
ideological educational material, of carrying out the teaching
programme, and is responsible for the education of those
teachers suited to this educational and instructional work.”
(_3531-PS_)

As the Fuehrer’s delegate, Rosenberg thus supervised all ideological education and training in the Party.

It was Rosenberg’s belief that upon the performance of his new functions as ideological delegate depended the future of National Socialism. An excerpt from an article by Rosenberg appearing on page 9 of the March 1934 issue of “The Educational Letter” states:

“The focus of all our educational work from now on is the
service for this ideology, and it depends on the result of these
efforts, whether National Socialism will be buried with our
fighting ancestors or whether, as we believe, it really
represents the beginning of a new era.” (_3532-PS_)

In his capacity as the Fuehrer’s Delegate for Spiritual and Ideological Training, Rosenberg assisted in the preparation of the curriculum for the Adolf Hitler schools. These schools selected the most suitable candidates from the Hitler Jugend and trained them for leadership within the Party. They were the elite schools of National Socialism. An excerpt from “Documents of German Politics” reads as follows:

“_Voelkischer Beobachter_, 19 January 1937.—‘As stated by Dr.
Ley, _Reichsorganisationsleiter_, on 23 November 1937 at
Ordensburg Sonthofen, these Adolf Hitler Schools, as the first
step of the principle of selecting a special elite, form an
important branch in the educational system of the National
Socialist training of future leaders [_Fuehrernachwuchs_]’

“_Voelkischer Beobachter_ dated 24 November 1937.—* * * The
curriculum has been laid down by _Reichsleiter_ Rosenberg,
together with the _Reichsorganisationsleiter_ and the Reich
Youth Leader.” (_3529-PS_)

Rosenberg exercised further influence in the education of Party members through the establishment of community schools for all organizations of the Party. The following statement is taken from the 1934 edition of “_Das Dritte Reich_”:

“We support the request of the Fuehrer’s Commissioner for the
supervision of the whole spiritual and ideological training and
instruction of the NSDAP, Party member Alfred Rosenberg, to
organize _community schools_ of all organizations of the NSDAP
twice a year, in order to show by this common effort the
ideological and political unity of the NSDAP and the
steadfastness of the National Socialist will.” (_3528-PS_)

Rosenberg’s program was endorsed by Schirach as well as by Himmler, Ley, and others.

Virtually every phase of National Socialist training came under Rosenberg’s influence, and unified ideological concepts were inculcated in every echelon of the party due to his influence. The 1936 edition of “_Das Dritte Reich_”, under the heading “Education in the Ordensburg” states:

“Those Party members, selected for training in leadership in
accordance with such points of view (who must have completed
their labor service and their military service satisfactorily)
are to be taught in the Ordensburgen by the best teachers in
history and science of race, philosophy and culture, economics
and specialized training, etc. To determine the ideological
direction of this education, to choose suitable teachers and to
train them, is one of the tasks of the Senior School of the
Party [_Hohe Schule der Partei_] which is to be established in
the near future and will be placed under the direction of the
Reich Leader Party member Alfred Rosenberg in his capacity as
Delegate of the Fuehrer for the Supervision of the Entire
Spiritual and Ideological Teaching and Education of the NSDAP.”
(_3552-PS_)

(8) _Plunder of art treasures._ In his capacity as the Fuehrer’s delegate, Rosenberg established the Institute for the Exploration of the Jewish Question, in Frankfort on Main. (This institute, commonly known as the “_Hohe Schule_”, has been referred to in the discussion of the Plunder of Art Treasures in Chapter XIV.) Into its library there flowed books, documents, and manuscripts which were looted from virtually every country of occupied Europe. As Ideological Delegate Rosenberg conducted the fabulous art looting activities of the _Einsatzstab Rosenberg_, activities which extended to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Norway, Denmark, the Occupied Eastern Territories, Hungary, and Greece. The extent of the plunder is indicated in document _1015-B-PS_ which contains a detailed account of the seizure of over 21,000 valuable objects of art, and in document _L-188_ in which the looting of the contents of over 71,000 Jewish homes is described.

The importance of Rosenberg’s activities as official ideologist of the Nazi party was not overlooked. The Hart biography of Rosenberg, entitled, “The Man and His Work” (_3559-PS_), states that Rosenberg won the German National prize in 1937. The creation of this prize was the Nazis’ petulant reply to the award of the Nobel prize to Carlin Assietsky, an inmate of a German concentration camp. The citation which accompanied the award to Rosenberg read as follows:

“Alfred Rosenberg has helped with his publications to lay the
scientific and intuitive foundation and to strengthen the
philosophy of the National Socialist in the most excellent way.
His indefatigable struggle to keep National Socialist philosophy
clean was especially meritorious. Only future times will be able
to fully estimate the depth of the influence of this man on the
philosophical foundation of the National Socialist Reich. The
National Socialist movement, and beyond that, the entire German
people, will be deeply gratified that the Fuehrer has
distinguished Alfred Rosenberg as one of his oldest and most
faithful fighting comrades by awarding him the German National
Prize.” (_3559-PS_)

The contribution which Rosenberg’s book, “The Myth of the Twentieth Century,” made to Nazi ideological propaganda was appraised in the November 1942 edition of the official National Socialist book review publication, “_Bucher Kunde_”, as follows:

“Next to the Fuehrer’s book it has contributed to a unique
extent to the rise and the spiritual and physical development of
this people. Twelve years after Alfred Rosenberg’s ‘Mythus’
first appeared, a million copies of the book have been published
and circulated.”

* * * * * *

“It must therefore be stated that the phrases coined by Alfred
Rosenberg have passed into the consciousness of the whole
people, and it is just today that they are proving pillars of an
ideological building whose completion is the purpose of the
fight being waged not least today.” (_3554-PS_)

The significance of ideological training in promoting the aims of the conspiracy is emphasized in a brief statement which Hitler made to his supreme commanders on 23 November 1939. On that occasion, Hitler said:

“The building up of our armed forces was only possible in
connection with the ideological education of the German people
by the Party.” (_789-PS_)

The contribution which Rosenberg made through formulation and dissemination of National Socialist ideology was fundamental to the conspiracy. As apostle of neo-paganism, exponent of the drive for “_Lebensraum_,” glorifier of the myth of nordic superiority, and as one of the oldest and most energetic Nazi proponents of anti-Semitism, he contributed materially to unification of the German people behind the swastika. He provided the impetus and philosophy of National Socialism.

C. _ROSENBERG’S ACTIVITIES ABROAD, THROUGH THE APA, IN PREPARATION FOR
AGGRESSIVE WAR._

Rosenberg also actively contributed toward the preparation for aggressive war through the international activities of the APA (The Foreign Policy Office of the NSDAP). Rosenberg became a _Reichsleiter_, the highest level of rank in the Leadership Corps, and was made chief of the Foreign Political Office of the NSDAP in April 1933 (_3530-PS_). The Organizational Manual of the NSDAP (_2319-PS_) describes the functions of the APA as including the influencing of public opinion abroad so as to convince foreign nations that Nazi Germany desires peace. The following excerpt indicates the far-flung activities of the APA:

“* * * II. 1. The APA is divided into three main offices:

“A. Office for Foreign Referats with the Main Offices.

_a._ England and Far East
_b._ Near East
_c._ South East
_d._ North
_e._ Old Orient
_f._ Controls, personnel questions, etc.

“B. Office of the German Academic Exchange Service.

“C. Office of Foreign Commerce.

“2. Moreover, there is in the APA a main office for the press
service and an educational office.” (_2319-PS_)

The Press activities of the APA, designed to influence world opinion in such a manner as to conceal the conspirators’ true purposes and thus facilitate the preparation for waging aggressive war, were conducted on an ambitious scale. “A Short Report on the Activities of the APA of the NSDAP” describes the press activities as follows:

“* * * _The Press_: The Press Division of the APA is comprised
of persons who together master all the languages that are in
use. Daily they examine approximately 300 newspapers and deliver
to the Fuehrer, the deputy Fuehrer, and all other interested
offices the condensations of the important trends of the entire
world press. I know that these press reports are highly praised
by all who constantly follow them. The Press Division
furthermore conducts an exact archives on the attitudes of the
most important papers of the world and an exact archives on the
most important journalists of the world. Many embarrassments
during conferences in Germany could have been avoided had one
consulted these archives (case of Leumas, Nurnberg, 1934; case
of Dorothy Thompson; and others). Further, the Press Division
was able to arrange a host of interviews as well as conducting a
great number of friendly foreign journalists to the various
official representatives of Germany.” (_003-PS_)

The nature and extent of the activities of the APA are amply disclosed in a “Report on the Activities of the Foreign Affairs Bureau of the Party from 1933 to 1943,” signed by Rosenberg (_007-PS_). This report contains a recital of widespread activities in foreign countries. These activities range from the promotion of economic penetration, to fomentation of anti-Semitism; from cultural and political infiltration to the instigation of treason. Activities were carried on throughout the world and extended to such widely separated points as the Middle East and Brazil. (_007-PS_)

(1) _Activities in Hungary, Belgium, Holland, and Luxembourg._ Much of the APA’s achievements were brought about through the subtle exploitation of personal relationship. Activities in Hungary proceeded as follows:

“* * * _The first foreign state visit after the seizure of power
took place through the mediation of the Foreign Affairs Bureau._
Julius Gombos, who in former years had himself pursued
anti-Semitic and racial tendencies, had reached the Hungarian
Premier’s chair. The Bureau maintained a personal connection
with him.” (_007-PS_)

The APA endeavored to strengthen the War Economy by shifting the source of food imports to the Balkans:

“Motivated by reasons of War Economy, the Bureau advocated _the
transfer of raw material purchases from overseas_ to the areas
accessible by overland traffic routes, i.e., primarily _in the
Balkans_, naturally insofar as practicable. At first little heed
was paid to the Bureau in these endeavors, but it later secured
the active support especially of the Food Estate [_Naeurstand_].
Through its cooperation, e.g., on the subject of fruit and
vegetable imports, a very substantial shift in the source of
imports was attained, particularly through the currently
initiated cooperation with Croatian and Hungarian cooperatives
as well as with commercial associations all over the Balkans.”
(_007-PS_)

Activities in Belgium, Holland, and Luxembourg were confined to “observation of existing conditions” and “to the establishment of relations, especially of a commercial nature.” (_007-PS_)