Affidavit concerning the staging of the supposed Polish attack on Germans at the beginning of the war, using members of the SD under Heydrich's orders

Nürnberg, Germany
20 November 1945
AFFIDAVIT OF ALFRED HELMUT NAUJOCKS
I, Alfred Helmut Naujocks, being first duly sworn, depose and state as follows : '
1. I was a member of the SS from 1931 to 19 October 1944 and a member of the SD from its creation in 1934 to January 1941.
I served as a member of the Waffen-SS from February 1941 until the middle of 1942. Thereafter, I served in the economic department of the military administration of Belgium from September 1942 to September 1944. I surrendered to the Allies on 19 October 1944.
2. On or about 10 August 1939, the chief of the Sipo and SD, Heydrich, personally ordered me to simulate an attack on the radio station near Gleiwitz near the Polish border and to make it appear that the attacking force consisted of Poles. Heydrich said, "Practical proof is needed for these attacks of the Poles for
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the foreign press as well as for German propaganda purposes."
I was directed to go to Gleiwitz with five or six other SD-men and wait there until I received a code word from Heydrich indicating that the attack should take place. My instructions were to seize the radio station and to hold it long enough to permit a Polish speaking German who would be put at my disposal to broadcast a speech in Polish. Heydrich told me that this speech should state that the time had come for conflict between Germans and Poles and that Poles should get together and smash down any Germans from whom they met resistance. Heydrich also told me at this time that he expected an attack on Poland by Germany in a few days.
3. I went to Gleiwitz and waited there fourteen days. Then I requested permission of Heydrich to return to Berlin but was told to stay in Gleiwitz. Between the 25th and the 31st of August I went to see Heinrich Mueller, head of the Gestapo, who was then nearby at Oppeln. In my presence, Mueller discussed with a 'man named Mehlhorn plans for another border incident, in which it should be made to appear that Polish soldiers were attacking German troops. Germans in the approximate strength of a company were to be used. Mueller stated that he had 12 or 13 condemned criminals who were to be dressed in Polish uniforms and left dead on the ground of the scene of the incident, to show that they had been killed while attacking. For this purpose they were to be given fatal injections by a doctor employed by Heydrich. Then they were also to be given gunshot wounds. After the incident members of the press and other persons were to be taken to the spot of the incident. A police report was subsequently to be prepared.
4. Mueller told me that he had an order from Heydrich to make one of those criminals available to me for the action at Gleiwitz. The code name by which he referred to these criminals was "Canned Goods."
5. The incident at Gleiwitz in which I participated was carried out on the evening preceding the German attack on Poland. As I recall, war broke out on the 1st of September 1939. At noon of the '31st August I received by telephone from. Heydrich the code word for the attack which was to take place at 8 o'clock that evening. Heydrich said, "In order to carry out this attack report to Mueller for Canned Goods." I did this and gave Mueller instructions to deliver the man near the radio station. I received this man and had him laid down at the entrance to the station. He was alive but he was completely unconscious. I tried to open his eyes. I could not recognize by his eyes that he was alive, only
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by his breathing. I did not see the shot wounds but a lot of blood was smeared across his face. He was in civilian clothes.
6. We seized the radio station as ordered, broadcast a speech of three to four minutes over an emergency transmitter, fired some pistol shots and left.
The facts stated above are true; this declaration is made by me voluntarily and without compulsion; after reading over the statement I have signed and executed the same at Nurnberg/Germany this 20th day of November 1945.
[Signed] Alfred Helmut Naujocks ALFRED HELMUT NAUJOCKS
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 20th day of November 1945 at Nurnberg/Germany.
. [signed] John B. Martin
JOHN B. MARTIN Lt. (jg) USNR