Orders to the state police and SD on the anti-Jewish actions (Kristallnacht), including the arrest and detention of Jews, destruction of synagogues, businesses, and homes, the seizure of archives, and placement of rich Jews in concentration camps

[First Document: Sheet of paper approximately 4 inches by 6
inches, containing pencil notes as follows:]
General Field Marshal has noted. T . , ,
I.A. (by order)
[initials illegible]
15 Nov 38
[initials illegible] 20 Nov.
[Second Document:]
COPY
II Berlin, 10 November 1938
I. Teletype
1. To all Headquarters and Stations of the State Police.
2. To all Sections and Sub-sections of the SD.
Urgently to be submitted!
Re: Measures against Jtews.
Following my order of tonight, I explicitly point out that looting will be barred under all circumstances by using corresponding measures. '
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Looters are to be arrested. For more details, instructions will be given by me.
The Reich "Ministry of Justice" [ReichsjustizministeriumJ has instructed all Public Prosecutors to put at the disposal of the State Police the prisons to hold the arrested Jews.
In addition, the Reich Ministry of Justice asks that in no case are orders to be issued against persons who may have been arrested during the action.
Finally, the Reich Ministry of Justice has instructed the Public Prosecutors not to proceed in any interrogation on matters of the Jewish actions [Judenaktionen].
All this exclusively for your information.
The Chief of the Security Police ' /s/ Heydrich
| Third Document: |
COPY
Berlin, 10 November 1938.
Chief of the Security Police
I. Teletype
To all Headquarters of the State Police.
Referring to my teletype instructions, I instruct you once more that whenever, during the protest action, looting has occurred, you should proceed ruthlessly, by intensive interrogations, to establish the persons guilty and to secure the objects of the looting.
I ask you to inform me by 11 November 1938, at 8 AM, by telegram, all cases of looting known' to you, indicating just the facts and the guilty persons if found.
Before turning over these persons to the examining judge, you must get my instructions.
If necessary, the Kripo can be used to clear up the facts.
Chief of the Security Police
/a/ Heydrich
798
3051-PS
[Fourth Document:]
SECRET
Copy of Teletype from Munich, 10 November 1938, 1:20 AM.
To all Headquarters and Stations of the State Police.
To all Districts and Sub-districts of the SD.
Urgent! Submit immediately to the Chief or his deputy!
Re: Measures against Jews tonight.
Because of the attempt on the life of the Secretary of the Legation von Rath in Paris tonight, 9-10 November 1938, demonstrations against Jews are to be expected throughout the Reich. The following instructions are given on how to treat these events:
1. The Chiefs of the State Police, or their deputies, must get in telephonic contact with the political leaders [Gauleitung oder Kreisleitung] who have jurisdiction over their districts and have to arrange a joint meeting with the appropriate inspector or commander of the Order Police [Ordnungspolizei] to discuss the organization of the demonstrations. At these discussions the political leaders have to be informed that the German Police has received from the Reichsfuehrer SS and Chief of the German Police the following instructions, in accordance with which the political leaders should adjust their own measures.
a. Only such measures should be taken which do not involve danger to German life or property. (For instance synagogues are to be burned down only when there is no danger of fire to the surroundings).
b. Business and private apartments of Jews may be destroyed but not looted. The police is instructed to supervise the execution of this order and to arrest looters.
c. On business streets, particular care is to be taken that nonJewish business should be protected from damage.
d. Foreigners, even Jews, are not to be molested.
2. The demonstrations which are going to take place should not' be hindered by the police provided that the instructions quoted above in section 1 are carried out. The police has only to supervise compliance with the instructions.
3. Upon receipt of this telegram, in all synagogues and offices
of the Jewish communities the available archives should be seized by the police, to forestall destruction during the demonstrations. This refers only to valuable historical material, not to new lists of taxes, etc. The archives are to be turned over to the competent SD offices. -
4. The direction of the measures of the Security Police cbm cerning the demonstrations against Jews is vested with the or-
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gans of the State Police, inasmuch as the inspectors of the Security Police are not issuing their own orders. In order to carry out the measures of the Security Police, officials of the Criminal Police as well as members of the SD of the "Verfuegungstruppe" and the allgemeinen SS may be used.
5. Inasmuch as in the course of the events of this night the employment of officials used for this purpose would be possible, in all districts as many Jews, especially rich ones, are to be arrested as can be accommodated in the existing prisons [Haf-traeumen]. For the time being'only healthy men not too old are to be arrested. Upon their arrest, the appropriate concentration camps should be contacted immediately, in order to coniine them in these camps as fast as possible. Special care should be taken that the Jews arrested in accordance with these instructions are not mistreated.
6. The contents of this order are to be forwarded to the appropriate inspectors and commanders of the Ordnungspolizei and to the districts of the SD [SD-Oberabschnitte und SD-Unter-abschnitte], adding that the Reichsfuehrer SS and Chief of the German Police ordered this police measure. The Chief of the Ordnungspolizei, has given the necessary instructions to the Ordnungspolizei, including the fire brigade. In carrying out the ordered measures, the closest harmony should be assured between the Sicherheitspolizei and the Ordnungspolizei.
The receipt of this telegram is to be confirmed by the Chiefs of the State Police or their deputies by telegram to the Gestapo, care of SS Standartenfuehrer Mueller.
/s/ Heydrich,
SS Gruppenfuehrer.
[Fifth Document:]
COPY
Teletype
To all Headquarters of the State Police To all Districts and Sub-districts of the SD.
Protest actions are stopped (see information of press and radio).
An increased patrol activity is to be instituted for the coming night in cooperation with the Order Police [Ordnungspolizei].
Actions still taking place should be barred. However, the justified indignation of the population should be taken into consideration.
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Ruthless proceedings should be taken against looters.
The arrests should be continued without restriction and exclusively by the State Police [Staatspolizei] stations.
Chief of the Security Police
/s/ Heydrich