Erfurt, 7 April 1938
To the Erfurt Branch Office of the Security Service (SD) of the Reichsfuehrer SS.
Confidential
After thorough and most careful examination in the area of the Ortsgruppe of Melchendorf and in the closest cooperation with the Ortsgruppenleiter, we have come to the following conclusion': '
The following persons will with 100 percent probability vote "No" at the forthcoming plebiscite on the 10th April 1938:
1. Wilhelm Messing, plumber, Trift 49 h, Melchendorf, and
' his wife.
2. Walter Messing, carpenter, Trift 49 h, Melchendorf, and his wife.
3. Fritz Kranhold, lorry driver, No. 75 k, Melchendorf, and
his wife. '
1037
D-902
Explanation :
(1) Wilhelm Messing (taken into protective custody in 1933 because of illegal activity for the Communist Party and printing illegal inciting pamphlets, and later given a long term of penal servitude.) .
(2) Walter Messing (also taken into protective custody in 1933 for slandering the SA).
The wives of both Messings are greatly influenced by their husbands.
(3) Fritz Kranhold (taken into protective custody in 1933 and given a long term of penal servitude for distributing illegal propaganda pamphlets). The wife has been greatly influenced by K.
' The farmer and house owner Hermann Leidel, living at No. 95 Hohenwindenstr, has already twice been fined several thousand Reichsmarks for insulting the late Reich President Hindenburg and for slighting the government of the Third Reich. Imprisonment could not be awarded as L. suffers from diabetes. He only rarely replies to the Heil Hitler salute, and then only if forced to do so. According to his remarks, he is not at all satisfied with the institutions of the Third Reich. For these reasons it may be assumed almost with certainty that Leidel will either vote "No" or hand in a blank paper.
Supervision therefore seems to be called for.
Erfurt, 5.4.38. 46234
Note: His wife has the same attitude.
Report
Guenther Hartung, 113 Johanesstrasse, Wallstrasse entrance, must be reported as being an enemy of the State and opposed to the plebiscite.
Hartung must be described as a morally totally degenerate man and it is necessary to lock the same up in spite of his age (70 years).
Among other things, he referred to the German troops on their entry into Austria as loafers. Sufficient witnesses as to Hartung are available.
Erfurt, 8.4.38. Heil Hitler
[signed]
1038
D-902
Subject: Secret Order 46228 reports the following unreliable fellows:
Kurt Roediger 2 Hospitalplatz, Erfurt, born 16.12.1912 Ida Hartung 38a Kraempferstr., Erfurt, born 23.11.1872
Maria Kilian 16 I Hospitalplatz, Erfurt, born 17.10.1862
Erich Kaul 16 I Hospitalplatz, Erfurt, born 16. 8.1899
(18 names follow) .
46 233
, Erfurt, 11.4.1938
Report in Connection with the Plebiscite of the 10 April 1938
The supervision of the voting that took place after previous discussion was technically impossible to carry out. The returning officer acting in election district No. 40 is so intimately known in this district that the voters put their envelopes with their voting slips into his hand without further ado. Any kind of secret marking of the voting envelopes was therefore hardly possible. A general passing on of the information regarding the measures that had been taken to the entire polling council could by no means take place. Nevertheless, it was possible to keep an eye on some of our fellow Germans who are not well disposed towards us. However, regarding this also, an exact statement cannot be made for reasons of justice. For example, the voting envelopes of the family of the former Master Freemason, senior post office employee Hertel, 40 Steigerstr. were marked. As, however, only one of the voters in question recorded a "No" vote, it cannot be stated whether this vote was recorded by Hertel himself or by his wife. According to the experience I have gained during my 5 years of political activity in the Steiger quarter, the "No" vote recorded can only be that of Hertel himself. As several voting slips were handed in with neither "No" nor "Yes", I consider it to be urgently necessary to have the following fellow Germans visited by an unknown agent, calling with National Socialist pamphlets and also cleverly going into the present political situation.
1. Teacher Korseh 8 Steigerstr. Erfurt
2. Merchant Procopp ' 1 Steigerstr. Erfurt
3. Party Member Ernst Freise and wife 35 Steigerstr. Erfurt
4. Merchant Zimmass 17 Steigerstr. Erfurt
5. Robert Kluge 24 Steigerstr. Erfurt
6. Family Marpuart 25 Steigerstr. Erfurt
7. Merchant Fischer 4 Steigerstr. Erfurt
8. Professor Issel 25a Herderstr. Erfurt
9. Paul Topf 23a Steigerstr Erfurt
In any case, it is remarkable
that the originals
of the voting
1039
D-902
registers were in a state of disgusting disorder. More than 6 electors were not struck off although their names had been specially passed on to the election office at 6 Predigerstrasse for striking off. Two fellow Germans, "Trefz, Steigerstr, 2 and Jenny Thaeumer, 17 Steigerstrasse, ground floor" were not entered in spite of being passed on and a personal report. In another case, the following three 100 percent Jews were entered on the election register:
1. Felix Meyer, 1 Pfoertchenstr, Erfurt
2. Wife Meyer, 1 Pfoertchenstr, Erfurt
3. Erna Schenker, nee Sachs, Milchinselstr, 20.
The wife of the 100 percent Jew Bielschowski, 8 Augustapark (nee Wolff-Malzwolff) who was dragged along just before closing time of the plebiscite, voted "No" as can be proved.
That "No" votes were recorded in the-Steiger quarter was obvious in view of the general attitude of the people listed on sheet 1, but that, after our Fuehrer has been more than 5 years in government, 100 percent Jews are today still on the voting register is clearly due to the fact that it is not the conscientious National Socialist workers who sit in the responsible positions in the municipal administration. A change in the occupants of these positions is in the interests of National Socialism and has nothing at all to do with official positions, which is the general attitude. The time has now come for doing something here particularly and for personal appointments on filling these important offices at the statistical department and its branch offices to be looked upon only in accordance with real performances at last. At the office of registration of the population, changes might also be very necessary. '
. Heil Hitler
[signed] Sonne [.?]
Gispersleben, 21.4.1938
SD of the Reichsfuehrer SS Subsector Erfurt, Thuringia, Weisensee branch office To the Erfurt branch office
Subject: Plebiscite of the 10.4.1938. ,
No previous reference.
On the 10th April of this year the inhabitants of Dielsdorf went to the plebiscite and only the farmer Georg Hoenig, 39 Herrenstr, Dielsdorf, did not. He was asked to come to the plebiscite but he
1040
D-902
remarked: "If I had wanted to vote I should have been there long ago."
On Good Friday, the 15th of this month, the anger and ill-humor of the inhabitants of Dielsdorf showed itself in the form of two placards on every lamp post.
The original of one follows; a copy of the other is inclosed.
Hoenig was a member of the Party until 1934.
2 inclosures.
[signed] WEINGART
(A poem is inclosed referring to his graft, corruption, profiteering from the State, and now turning against the State as its enemy.)
Witterda, 12.4.38
Subject: Unfavorable remark by a farmer in Witterda.
On the 6.4.38 propaganda material was distributed here by Party members. At one farm the dealer in textile fabrics Hirschfeld, from Bleicherode, happened to be there on business. The farmer took the propaganda material and said to the dealer: "I'll put this straight where it belongs," and took it to the lavatory. The dealer has told of this but not named the farmer, as it concerns a good customer of his. '
In view of the recorded "No" votes—I assume that it is the farmer who recorded the "No" vote—I request the SD to take the matter in hand immediately, and to see to it that the dealer Hirschfeld is interrogated and forced to name the farmer.
To the Gispersleben branch office. [signed] MASSINO [?]
Gebesee, 22nd April 1938
SD of the Reichsfuehrer SS
Subsector Erfurt, Thuringia, Weissensee branch office The married woman Lydia Gresser, nee Kraft, living at 28 Horst Wessel Strasse, Gebesee, states:
I have been buying petrol for our car from the motor car workshop of Bender & Weissenhorn, 31 Erfurtstrasse, Gebesee.
On Easter Monday I paid for the petrol that had been supplied during the preceding week. Weissenhorn expressed his surprise' at the small quantity. I told him that it would get less still, we would now have to buy petrol somewhere else as well. When he continued to ask me why it was that he should no longer supply all the petrol, I said to him that I, and my husband also, had had our attention drawn by various persons to the fact that we should
1041
D-902
no longer buy anything from him, as he had voted "No" at the plebiscite. Here in Gebesee it is common knowledge that Weis-senhorn is said to have voted "No." -I can swear in court to the statement made by me.
Read, approved and signed
Lydia Gresser
Completed
Hausmann
Gispersleben, 25.4.1938
SD of the Reichsfuehrer SS Subsector Erfurt, Thuringia, Weissensee branch office To the Erfurt branch office
Subject: "No" voters in Weissensee. Plebiscite on the 10.4.38. Reference: See previous report
Inclosed you will find the personalia cards of the 7 "No" voters. They were detected as follows:
Before the elections, Party member Paul Fritsche of Jakobstr, Weissensee, Thuringia, compiled a list of all persons suspected of being likely to vote "No." On the day of the election everyone listed was handed by a specially selected election official a voting slip that had been marked by embossing a number ivith a ribbonless typewriter. The number of this voting slip was entered by the election official after the voter's name on the above mentioned list. When the voting had finished, the voting slips were gone through and all slips with embossed numbers were sorted out. By comparison with the list, the attitude of the person under surveillance could then be checked precisely.
The names of the "No" voters were reported to the competent collaborator by the above mentioned Party member Fritsch.
[signed] Weingart
Gispersleben, 25.4.1938
SD of the Reichsfuehrer SS
Subsector Erfurt, Thuringia, Weissensee Branch Office To the Erfurt Branch Office
Subject: Reichstag election and plebiscite on the 10.4.1938.
No previous reference
The factory worker Kirschner of Vippachedelhausen was dis-
1042
D-902
D-902
missed by the Rheinmetall-Borsig Company in Soemmerda on the 20th of this month at the instigation of the Weimar sub-prefect, because, at the above mentioned Reichstag elections, he was the only inhabitant of the village of Vippachedelhausen to vote "No."
[signed] Weingart
Gispersleben, 28.4.38
SD of the Reichsfuehrer SS
Subsector Erfurt, Thuringia, Weissensee branch office To the Erfurt Branch Office Subject: Election and plebiscite on the 10.4.38 No previous reference
Inclosed you will receive some statements from Soemmerda for your information and further utilization.
Subject: Plebiscite on the 10 April 1938. No previous reference. , The laborer Otto Wiegand of 17 Erfurter Strasse, Soemmerda, had to be requested four times to record his vote on the day of the election and finally only voted under force. The above was a member of the former international association of Jehovah's Witnesses. His personalia are as follows:
Wiegand, Otto Soemmerda 17, Erfurterstrasse Laborer 7 October 1900
Soemmerda .
Dissident (left the church on 6.2.1937) Married (to Ida nee Raenke, born 22 Aug. 1904 in Soemmerda)
Number of children: Two
Moved to Soemmerda on the 22nd November 1922 from Kulitz.
Name Home:
Address: Occupation: Date of birth: Place of birth: Religion: Status:
Subject: Plebiscite on the 10.4.38. No previous reference.
The married woman Frieda Schreiner, nee Troester, of Soemmerda (Salzmannstrasse 5) did not vote in spite of repeatedly being invited to do so. The above is a fanatic member of the former international association of Jehovah's Witnesses.
The husband, who has the same opinions and who was recently involved in criminal proceedings because of them, recorded his vote. To be sure this was probably exclusively for fear of renewed arrest.
1043
D-902
The wife's personalia are as follows:
Name:
Home:
Address:
Date of birth: Place of birth: Religion:
Status:
Children:
Schreiner nee Troester, Frieda
Soemmerda
5 Salzmannstrasse
2nd March 1897
Oldisleben
Christian free
Married (to the master bricklayer, Paul Schreiner, born 21 Sept 1895 in Leubingen) Two
Moved to Soemmerda on the 5th June 1930 from Leubingen, district of Eckartsberga)
Extract from the "Thüringer Allgemeine Zeitung" 11 April 1938
Erfurt
The avowal before the world :
The united German Yes: 99.08% !
99.75% in Austria! The Fuehrer's thanks: "It is the proudest hour of my life." Gauleiter Sauckel: "Never before has any people thus demonstrated its unity."
*$$$$** 99.29% Yes in Erfurt
List of voters . . ;.............102,428
Voting cards...................... 5,252
Total of people entitled to vote.107,678
Votes recorded...................107,593
. Yes votes.............106,713
No votes ......................... 756
Void votes ......................... 120
Reports on the monitoring of voters presumed to vote "no" in the Austria plebiscite in April 1938, and a newspaper report on the plebiscite result
Authors
R. Weingart (SD officer, Weissensee (1938))
R. Weingart
- Additional details not yet available.
Massino (Witterdau (1938); SD agent or informant)
Massino
- Additional details not yet available.
Lydia Kraft Gresser (Gebesee (1938))
Lydia Kraft Gresser
- Additional details not yet available.
Security Police (Sicherheitspolizei) and/or Security Service (S.D.)
Date: 07 April 1938
Total Pages: 11
Language of Text: English
Source of Text: Nazi conspiracy and aggression (Office of United States Chief of Counsel for Prosecution of Axis Criminality. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Government Printing Office, 1946.)
Evidence Code: D-902
HLSL Item No.: 451487
Notes:D 902 (not necessarily this copy) was entered as UK exhibit 542 in the trial. See also document D 897 for more information on monitoring of the voters. The writer of the report of 11 April 1938 is noted tentatively as "(Sonne (?)."