The Reich Minister
For the Occupied Eastern Territories
Berlin W 35, 31 October 19
Rauchstrasse 17/18 Telephone: 21 95 15 and 39 50 46 . Cable address : Reichsministerost
Novi / 2591 /U1 It is requested to refer to this number and the subject matter in future correspondence
[Stamp: j
Reich Commissioner East 5 November 1941 Main Division Ila
To the Reich Commissioner for the East (Ostland) in Riga
Hermann Goering Street 26
The Reich and Security Main Office has complained that the Reich Commissioner for the East has forbidden executions of Jews in Liepaja (Libau). I request a report in regard to this matter by return mail.
[Stamp:]
Reich Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories
By order
Signed: Dr. Leibbrandt certified
[illegible signature]
Regierungsinspektor
SECRET
The Reich Commissioner for the East .Ha 4 M 219/41 secret
Riga 15 November 1941
1) To the Reich Minister for the Occupied Eastern Territories B erlin
Rauchstr. 17/18
Re: Executions of Jews
District of Erlau 31 October 1941 1/2591/41
Reporter: Reg.Rat[Trampedach?]
I have forbidden the wild executions of Jews in Liepaja because they were not justifiable in the manner in which they were carried out.
3663-PS
3663-PS
I should like to be informed whether your inquiry of 31 October is to be regarded as a directive to liquidate all Jews in the East? Shall this take place without regard to age and sex and economic interests (of the Wehrmacht, for instance in specialists in the armament industry) ?
[note in different handwriting:] Of course the cleansing of the East of Jews is a necessary task; its solution, however, must be harmonized with the necessities of war production.
So far I have not been able to find such a directive either in the regulations regarding the Jewish question in the "Brown Portfolio" [Brau Mappe] or in other decrees.
Tr. 8.11.
2) Resubmit 1.12.41 Submitted 1.12.
[initialed]
Letter to the Reich commissioner for the East about a complaint that the commissioner had forbidden the execution of Jews in Libau (Liepaja), and a reply about the policies regarding the "cleansing" of the Jews and other interests
Authors
Georg Leibbrandt (Dr., Reich Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories)
Georg Leibbrandt
Nazi leader (1899-1982)
- Born: 1899-09-05 (Tsebrykove)
- Died: 1982-06-16 (Bonn)
- Country of citizenship: Germany
- Occupation: judge; military personnel; politician
- Member of political party: Nazi Party (since: 1933-07-01)
- Member of: Studentenverbindung Leipziger Wingolf; Sturmabteilung; Tübinger Wingolf
- Military rank: soldier
- Military branch: Kriegsmarine
Date: 31 October 1941
Literal Title: [second page:] Re: Executions of Jews
Defendant: Alfred Rosenberg
Total Pages: 2
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: PS-3663
Citation: IMT (page 8006)
HLSL Item No.: 452221
Notes:Liebbrandt's letter is dated 31 October 1941; the reply from the Reich commissioner's office to Rosenberg's ministry of 15 Nov 1941 is not signed. For a response to the reply, see document PS 3666.
Trial Issue
Document Summary
PS-3663: Letter from the Ministry of the east to the Reich Commissioner for the east, 31 October 1941, asking whether the Reich Commissioner had forbidden executions of Jews in Libau. draft of reply from the Reich Commissioner, 15 November 1941: is this question to be taken as an order to destroy all Jews in the occupied eastern territories without reference to the needs of German war economy? (found on the premises of the Ministry of the east in Berlin)
PS-3663: October/November 1941 - Reich Minister for Occupied Eastern Territories and Reich Commissioner for the East correspondence concerning the solution of the Jewish problem.
Letter from LEIBBRANDT, Government Counsellor of the Reich Ministry of the Occupied Territories to the Reich Commissionar for the East, dated 31 October 1941, and reply to this letter, dated 15 November 1941, referring to a complaint of the RSHA that executions of Jews had been forbidden and request of the Reich Commissionar for the East for information whether all jews "without regard to age and sex and economic interests" were to be liquidated or whether the solution of the Jewish problem should be "harmonized with the necessities of war production".