Chapter XX: Section L: (IV/Qu)

44125/41 Top Secret

Fuehrer Hq, 13 March 1941
5 copies, 4th copy

_Subject_: Armed Forces Operational Staff/Section L(I)
#33408/40. Top Secret. 18 December 1940
Directives for Special Areas to Order #21
(Case Barbarossa)

I. Area of operations and executive power

1. The authorization to issue orders and the regulations regarding supply for an area of operations _within the armed forces_ shall be set up by the High Command of the Armed Forces in _East Prussia_ and in the _General Gouvernement_ at the latest four weeks before operations are started. The proposal by the High Command of the Army (OKH) is being made in time, after an agreement with the Commander of the Luftwaffe (Ob.d.L.) has been reached.

It is not contemplated to _declare_ East Prussia and the General Gouvernement _an area of operations_. However, in accordance with the unpublished Fuehrer orders from 19 and 21 October 1939, the Supreme Commander of the Army shall be authorized to take all measures necessary for the execution of his military aim and for the safeguarding of the troops. He may transfer his authority onto the Supreme Commander of the Army Groups and Armies. Orders of that kind have priority over all orders issued by civilian agencies.

2. _The Russian territory_ which is to be occupied shall be divided up into individual states with _governments of their own_, according to special orders, as soon as military operations are concluded. From this the following is inferred:

_a._ _The area of operations_, created through the advance of the Army beyond the frontiers of the Reich and the neighboring countries is to be limited in depth as far as possible. The Supreme Commander of the Army has the right to exercise the executive power in this area, and may transfer his authority onto the Supreme Commanders of the Army Groups and Armies.

_b._ In the area of operations, the _Reichsfuehrer SS_ is, on behalf of the Fuehrer, entrusted with _special tasks_ for the preparation of the _political administration_, tasks which result from the struggle which has to be carried out between two opposing political systems. Within the realm of these tasks, the Reichsfuehrer SS shall act independently and under his own responsibility. The executive power invested in the Supreme Commander of the Army (OKH) and in agencies determined by him shall not be affected by this. It is the responsibility of the Reichsfuehrer SS that through the execution of his tasks military operations shall not be disturbed. Details shall be arranged directly through the OKH with the Reichsfuehrer SS.

_c._ As soon as the area of operations has reached sufficient depth, it is to be _limited in the rear_. The newly occupied territory in the rear of the area of operations is to be given its own _political_ administration. For the present, it is to be divided, according to its genealogic basis and to the positions of the Army Groups, into _North_ (_Baltic countries_), _Center_ (_White Russia_) _and_ _South_ (_Ukraine_). In these territories _the political administration is taken care of by Commissioners of the Reich_ who receive their orders from the Fuehrer.

3. For the execution of all _military tasks_ within the areas under the political administration in the rear of the area of operations, _commanding officers_ who are responsible to the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces (OKW) shall be in command.

The commanding officer is the _supreme representative of the Armed Forces_ in the respective areas and the bearer of the _military sovereign rights_. He has _the tasks of a Territorial Commander_ and the rights of a supreme Army Commander or a Commanding General. In this capacity he is responsible primarily for the following tasks:

_a._ Close cooperation with the Commissioner of the Reich in order to support him in his political task.

_b._ Exploitation of the country and securing its economic values for use by German industry (see par. 4).

_c._ Exploitation of the country for the supply of the troops according to the needs of the OKH.

_d._ Military security of the whole area, mainly airports, routes of supply and supply-dumps against revolt, sabotage and enemy paratroops.

_e._ Traffic regulations.

_f._ Billeting for armed forces, police and organizations, and for PW's inasmuch as they remain in the administrative areas.

The commanding officer has the right, as opposed to the _civilian_ agencies, to issue orders which are necessary for the execution of the military tasks. His orders supersede all others, also those of the commissioners of the Reich.

Service directives, mobilization orders and directives on the distribution of the necessary forces shall be issued separately.

_The time for the assumption of command_ by the commanding officers will be ordered as soon as the military situation shall allow a change in the command without disrupting military operations. Until such time, the agencies set up by the OKH remain in office, operating according to the principles valid for the commanding officers.

4. The Fuehrer has entrusted the uniform direction of _the administration of economy_ in the area of operations and in the territories of political administration to the Reich Marshal who has delegated the _Chief of the "Wi Rue Amt"_ with the execution of the task. Special orders on that will come from the OKW/Wi Rue Amt.

5. The majority of the _Police Forces_ shall be under the jurisdiction of the Commissioners of the Reich. Requests for the employment of police forces in the area of operations on the part of the OKH are to be made as early as possible to the OKW/Armed Forces Operational Staff/Section Defense.

6. The behavior of the troops towards the population and the tasks of the _military courts_ shall be separately regulated, and commanded.

II. _Personnel, Supply and Communication Traffic_:

7. Special orders shall be issued by the OKW Armed Forces Operational Staff for the measures necessary _before the beginning of operations_ for the restriction of travel, delivery of goods and communications to Russia.

8. _As soon as operations begin_, the German-Soviet Russian frontier and at a later stage the border at the rear of the area of operations will be closed by the OKH for any and all non-military traffic with the exception of the police organizations to be deployed by the Reichsfuehrer SS on the Fuehrer's orders. Billeting and feeding of these organizations will be taken care of by the OKH-Gen. Qu. who may for this purpose request from the Reichsfuehrer SS the assignment of liaison officers.

The border shall remain closed also for leading personalities of the highest government agencies and agencies of the Party. The OKW/Armed Forces Operational Staff shall inform the highest government and Party agencies of this fact. The Supreme Commander of the Army and the agencies under him shall decide on exceptions.

Except for the special regulations applying to the police organizations of the Reichsfuehrer SS, applications for entrance-permits must be submitted to the Supreme Commander of the Army exclusively.

III. _Regulations regarding Rumania, Slovakia, Hungary and Finland._

9. The necessary arrangements with these countries shall be made by the OKW, together with the Foreign Office, and according to the wishes of the respective high commands. In case it should become necessary during the course of the operations to grant special rights, applications for this purpose are to be submitted to the OKW.

10. _Police measures_ for the protection of the troops are permitted, independently from the granting of special rights. Further orders in this shall be issued later.

11. _Special orders shall be issued at a later date_ for the territories of these countries, on the following subjects:

Procurement of food and feed.
Housing and machinery.
Purchase and the shipment of merchandise.
Procurement of funds and wage-control.
Salaries.
Request for indemnity-payments.
Postal and telegraph services.
Traffic.
Jurisdiction.

_Requests of units of the Armed Forces and agencies of the OKW_ from the respective governments regarding these subjects, are to be _submitted_ to the OKW/Armed Forces Operational Staff/ Section Defense not later than 27 March 1941.

IV. _Directives regarding Sweden._

12. Since Sweden _can_ only become a transient-area for troops, no special authority is to be granted the commander of the German troops. However, he is entitled and compelled to secure the immediate protection of RR-transports against sabotage and attacks.

The Chief of the High Command of the
Armed Forces
Signed: KEITEL

_Distribution_:
OKH--1st copy.
OKM--2nd copy.
R.d.L.u.O.K.L.--3rd copy.
Armed Forces Operational Staff--4th copy.