Army TELEPRINT Network
Command Matter!
By officer only!
Received from HXKO on the 20.9.43 at 1800hrs. by Schueler.
[in blue pencil] Chief, Wehrmacht Ops. Staff. Urgent.
[in blue pencil] Chief OKW [Initialed] "K" [in Keitel's purple pencil] GWNOL Capt. Schueler calling Lieut. Bischoff calling, [stamp] :
OKW/Wehrmacht Ops. Staff courier office 20. Sept. 1943, 1800 hrs. 662322/43 top secret command matter.
' 20.9.43.
S.S.D—H.X.K.O. No. 01608 1750.
To the OKW/Wehrmacht Operational Staff. Top Secret. By Officer only.
The Fuehrer has agreed in principle with Dr. Best's telegram that the Jewish question in Denmark be solved very soon by deportation.
According to Best's proposal, the execution of this measure should take place while the state of martial law still exists. It is not certain yet if sufficient police forces can be provided for the arrest of the Jews and their families—about 6,000 persons, of whom most live in Copenhagen. The army would be heavily burdened by carrying out this measure, and will not be able to act forcefully and efficiently, since Copenhagen and on Fuenen young recruits have to be used mainly.
I believe that the results of the deportation will be serious.
It will no longer be possible to expect the cooperation of the Danish authorities and police machinery for the future. Supplies of foodstuffs will be made very problematic. The willingness of the armament industry to make deliveries will be prejudiced. Considerable disturbances, which will demand the utilization of the army, will have to be reckoned with.
Commander, Denmark. Ic (Intelligence) 350/43 Top Secret. [Pencil note in Jodi's handwriting:] P.T.O.
[On back of teleprint, in Jodi's handwriting:]
D-547
Chief O.K.W.
(1) I know nothing of this.
If a political measure is to be carried out by the Commander, Denmark, the OKW must be notified by the Foreign Office. [Marginal note in Keitel's purple pencil.]
Neither do I!
K.
[in purple pencil:] .
Correct!
[sidelining in purple pencil.]
(2) The Foreign Office must state if it has instigated this measure.
[signed] : Jodi 20/9.
[in Keitel's purple pencil:]
(3) If the Foreign Office has issued this instruction it should also be clear about what means are to be used to carry it out.
[initialed] K. 21/9.
[in purple pencil:]
Deputy Chief Armed Forces Operational Staff.
[in brown pencil:] Qu 2 (N)
(Admin) D.21/9.
Captain Schueler calling. 2/Lt. Sintzenich calling.
Lt. Reinhard HOKW calling.
Command matter by officer only
[pencil note] collects from OKW HR Hauptsturmfuehrer. Reunér.
G W N O L 010589.22/9 1920 hrs.
Commander of German troops in Denmark.
1. For action: Commander of German troops Denmark,
For information: Reichsfuehrer SS and chief of the German police, SS Command Staff Hochwald.
For information: Foreign Office for the attention of Ambassador Ritter.
For information: Chief of Army armaments Dept, and Commander of the Reserve Army.
Top Secret command matter officer only.
The Fuehrer has ordered:
(1) The Reichsfuehrer SS has permission to recruit among the former members of the Danish armed forces who are about to be released, and to send to SS camps in the Reich up to 4,000 men of the younger classes.
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D-547
(2) The deportation of Jews will be carried out by the Reichs-fuehrer SS who is transferring two Police Battalions to Denmark for this purpose.
(3) The state of martial law will remain in force at least until the end of the actions as under pars. (1) and (2). A special order will be issued about its suspension.
(4) The Reich plenipotentiary has been instructed via the Foreign Office in the same sense.
By order, signed Jodi—OKW/Wehrmacht Ops. Staff/Qu. 2 (N) No. 66233 in red pencil 3/43 Top Secret Command Matter HXKO 19.50 hrs. received a top secret command matter message K R GW NOL 010589 Sintzenich 2nd Lt.
By order signed Jodi. OKW/Wehrmacht Ops. Staff/Qu. 2 (N) —No. 662333/43 top-secret command matter TM 2 20.10 hrs. received Lieut Reinhard HOKW. .
[pencil note] Tm 3 tel: Lieut. Reinhard 2045 hrs.
Sending and transmitting tapes destroyed.
[initialed] 22.9.43.
Copy.
[in red pencil:] Denmark . [in green pencil:] Chief OKW.
[initialed] "J" [Jodi] 26/9
KR teleprint 25.9.1943.
23.15 hrs.
HXKO 01740 Top Secret
1 copy.
[in pencil] to 662369/43 top secret, command matter To OKW/Wehrmacht Ops. Staff Command Matter!
For information: Head of Army Armaments Dept.
By Officer only!
Dept, and C in C Reserve army.
Obersturmbannfuehrer Riedweg visited the Plenipotentiary and Commander on orders from Obergruppenfuehrer Berger for a discussion on the subject of volunteers from the Danish army being taken over into the SS. As against the directive sent us by the OKW [underlined in black pencil; marginal note in Jodi's handwriting: "Has this happened?" Marginal note in Keitel's purple pencil: "Yes! only for the older professional soldiers"] to undertake the recruiting of volunteers for the SS in the present internment camps in Denmark, Riedweg reported that it was not
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intended to carry out this kind of recruiting as it was totally pointless. [Underlined in green pencil.] The Reichsfuehrer SS had ordered that &000 men [underlined in black pencil] of the youngest age groups should be transported to Germany in a body to training camps to be established there. [Last sentence sidelined in green and commented "Yes! K" in Keitel's purple pencil.] The recruitment of volunteers was only to begin after a few weeks of training. The total figure of interned members of the Danish army is 5057. [Underlined in Keitel's purple pencil.] It was intended to form a railway police from this interned army on a voluntary basis—the Danish State railways doing the recruiting and appointing. The purpose of this railway protection was to be, to protect and guard the railway's installations, particularly against sabotage. According to the considerations to date, about 800 men will be required for this. [Underlined in green pencil.] There thus remain, in round figures—should the withdrawal of these 800 men be agreed to by you—only U275 soldiers [underlining in green pencil] i. e., strictly speaking, the. whole Danish Army, with the exception of the 800 railway policemen, will have to be transported to Germany. In our opinion the question of the liberation of the regular soldiers—612 officers and 692 War Office officials—does not arise as a result of the deportation of the soldiers. [Underlining in black pencil.] The officers would, under these circumstances, constitute a constant source of unrest and would presumably form the chief contingent of enemy provocateurs. [Sidelining in green beside the two last sentences.] Since the SS cannot recruit any volunteers from amongst prisoners of war, it is proposed to transfer Danish soldiers to Germany for a limited period for employment and for training in the anti-Bolshevist sense. [Underlining and marginal note: "Yes! K" in Keitel's purple pencil.] [Pencil bracket opened.] Since the Danish Officers' Corps has—in its general behavior—taken up a completely antagonistic attitude towards the German armed forces and it can be proved that propaganda was consciously conducted —particularly by the higher ranks—against our conduct of the war and since, in addition, arms and equipment as well as clothing were found in quantities far in excess of what was permitted, and thus the Danish Army Command intentionally broke the agreements [Pencil bracket closed]—I propose that the regular soldiers (officers and War Office officials) be transported to Germany as prisoners of war. [Underlining in green pencil. Marginal note in black pencil in Jodi's handwriting: "And the 4275 soldiers". Marginal note in Keitel's purple pencil: "See above. K." Purple arrows to Keitel's previous marginal note opposite previous lot of
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underlining.] As soon as the proposals of the Admiral, Denmark, regarding the discharge of the Danish Navy are available, they will follow immediately with opinion appended by return.
I draw attention to the fact that, by a decision of the OKW jointly with the Foreign Office, it has been stated with regard to the war material of the Danish Army that this is not to be regarded as war booty, but is only to be made use of. In our opinion, the treatment of the war booty and the intended treatment of the interned Danish soldiers contradict one another. [Underlined in green pencil. Last sentence sidelined and crossed out also in green pencil.]
Obersturmbannfuehrer Riedweg expressed the opinion of the individual departments here in a telegram to Obergruppenfuehrer Berger, the contents of which were approximately as follows: Transportation of Danish soldiers to Germany would after all probably cause serious political and economic harm; in view of the peculiarities of the Danes, it is furthermore questionable whether the recruitment, even after detailed training, will be crowned with success. R. therefore suggests foregoing the action planned. [Last two sentences sidelined in green pencil.]
This view can, as I have already repeatedly stated, only be supported. The reasons given by me above for transferring the Danish Army to Germany and taking the officers prisoner are only far-fetched reasons to make it possible to support the measures politically in Denmark.
Commander, Denmark.
No. 27/43 Top Secret Command matter.
F. v. K.
' [Signature].
[in red pencil:] Denmark
[in red pencil:] Chief of the Wehrmacht Ops. Staff [in green pencil:] Chief O.K.W.
Army teleprint network Command matter only by officer.
Received from -HXKO .
1.10. 1320
by Brockdorff
[Stamp]
O.'K.W./Wehrmacht Ops. Staff.
886
D-547
courier office 1 Oct. 1943 No. 662405/43 Lieut. Bischoff calling Lieut, v. Brockdorff calling. O.K.W. / Operational Staff of the Armed Forces—
Top secret command matter. Only by officer.
KR—HXKO 01803 1/10 1230
The Reich plenipotentiary in Denmark has given the following report to the Reich minister for Foreign affairs :
1. The arrest of the Jews to be evacuated will take place in the night of lst/2nd/10/43, transportation from Seeland will be carried out by ship (from Copenhagen), from Fuenen and Jutland by rail (special train).
2. Should I receive no contrary instructions, I do not intend allowing the Jewish action to be mentioned, either on the radio or in the press.
3. Should I receive no Contrary instructions, I intend leaving the possessions of the evacuated Jews undisturbed, in order that the seizure of these possession can not be imputed to be the reason or one of the reasons for the action.
4. The disadvantageous effects of the Jewish action on the attitude of the local population could be decisively countered if tomorrow—2.10.43—the notification could be made on the radio and in the press that the interned Danish soldiers would gradually be released within the next few days. It would thus be made clear that the sons of Danish peasants are not—as has been affirmed here in the last few days—to be put on a par with the Jews by the Germans and be deported likewise, but that the Jews are to be made primarily responsible for the difficulties which have arisen in Denmark, and treated accordingly. I therefore request, in agreement with the Commander of the German troops in Denmark, authority to publish tomorrow the 2.10.43, on the radio and in the press, that the release of the interned Danish soldiers (it is not necessary* to make any mention of the officers for the time being) will begin in the next few days.
[in blue pencil] Does the Reichsfuehrer SS know? [in black pencil] The Reichsfuehrer SS knows and
in agreement. D. 3/10
Dr. Best's statements on point 4 are fully approved by me. Commander, Denmark, Chief of Staff 30/43 top secret.
(Special' registry book) command matter.
[signed] v. Hanneken.
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D-547
[Pencil note in Jodi's handwriting]
The Fuehrer agrees J [Jodi].
[pencil note] By telephone to Hanneken. W.
Top Secret
[in red pencil] Denmark
Wehrmacht Operational
Staff/Operations Fuehrer's H.Q. the 2. 10. 1943.
3 copies 3rd copy
Command Matter!
By officer only!
Copy.
Teleprint 01810 2.10.,13.20
Received 2.10.,14.00 hours (No. 662417/43 Top Secret command matter)
To the O.K.W./Wehrmacht Operational Staff.
Jewish action carried out in the night of the lst/2nd October by the German police without incidents.
As the Fuehrer has given permission for the release of the Danish Armed Forces, the further maintenance of the state of martial law does not seem to be necessary and suitable.
Even if at present the Danes are not submitting proposals for the formation of a new government, the plenipotentiary can govern for the present in cooperation with the heads of departments, according to the agreement of the plenipotentiary with the Commander—assented to by the O.K.W. and the Foreign Office.
In agreement with the plenipotentiary, I therefore request approval for suspending of the state of martial law on the 6th October.
Commander, Denmark Chief of Staff No. 31/43 Top Secret, Command Jlatter. Certified correct copy: [signature illegible].
Captain.
Distribution:
Chief O.K.W. 1st copy Operations Army 2nd copy.
Qu. 3rd copy. '
888
Teleprint office OWNOL 011065 [in red pencil] Denmark. Ree'd on: B.10. at 2240 hrs. from: H.X.K.O.
Via: Knipping
[in blue pencil:] Chief of the Wehrmacht Ops. Staff
[initial]. 4752.
[Stamp:]
OKW/Wehrmacht Ops. Staff Telepr. No. 15201 3 October 1943
22.55 hours
Top Secret [in pencil] 22.55
H.X.K.O. 01818 3.10. 2050=
To the O.K.W./Wehrmacht Ops. Staff Top Secret.
With reference to Lt. Colonel I. C. Poleck's inquiry the following is reported:
According the statement of the Reich plenipotentiary the Reichs-fuehrer SS has ordered that the Reichsfuehrer SS alone as the person ordering the Jewish Action is to receive the exact figures arrest. The plenipotentiary has therefore given no figures to the Commander of the German troops in Denmark. 232 (two hundred and thirty two) Jews have been handed in by the police troops via the gathering points set up by the Watch Battalion, Copenhagen.
Commander Denmark, Chief of Staff/Qu,No.355/73. [Note in green pencil in Jodi's handwriting] top secret.
Is a matter of complete indifference to us too.
[initialed] J [Jodi]
Reports and instructions on the arrest and deportation of Danish Jews by the SS, the army's views on the operation, and a proposal to transfer interned Danish soldiers to Germany
Authors
Alfred Jodl (chief of wehrmacht operations staff)
Alfred Jodl
German general and convicted war criminal (1890-1946)
- Born: 1890-05-10 (Würzburg)
- Died: 1946-10-16 (Nuremberg)
- Country of citizenship: German Reich; Kingdom of Bavaria; Weimar Republic
- Occupation: military personnel; politician
- Member of political party: Nazi Party
- Participant in: International Military Tribunal (role: defendant)
- Military rank: Generaloberst
- Military branch: artillery
Wilhelm Keitel (Field Marshal, Chief of the High Command of the Armed Forces)
Wilhelm Keitel
German field marshal
- Born: 1882-09-22 (Helmscherode) (country: German Empire; located in the administrative territorial entity: Duchy of Brunswick)
- Died: 1946-10-16 (Nuremberg) (country: Allied-occupied Germany)
- Country of citizenship: Germany
- Occupation: military officer; military personnel; politician
- Member of political party: Nazi Party
- Military rank: general field marshal
- Military branch: artillery
- VIAF ID: https://viaf.org/viaf/74027425
Hanneken, von (German staff officer in Denmark (1943))
Hermann von Hanneken
German general (1890-1981)
- Born: 1890-01-05 (Gotha)
- Died: 1981-07-22 (Herford)
- Country of citizenship: Germany
- Occupation: politician
- Military rank: General of the Infantry
- Military branch: German Army
- VIAF ID: https://viaf.org/viaf/334149196522774792082
- ISNI: https://isni.org/isni/0000000055384102
Date: 20 September 1943
Defendants: Alfred Jodl, Wilhelm Keitel
Total Pages: 7
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-547
HLSL Item No.: 452117
Notes:Not all of the texts have an identified author. The detained soldiers were released. The texts include marginal comments by Jodl and Keitel.