Orders to the Navy for operations in "Fall Weiss" (war with Poland), including the sending of U-boats to the Atlantic

EXTRACT FROM OPERATION ORDERS 1 FOR THE CAPITAL SHIP "SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN"
Kiel, August 21st, 1939.
I Position.
(a) Political.
"Fall Weiss" means that the Polish Army shall be utterly broken and annihilated by surprise, in order to create a state of affairs in the East which meets the defence of the country.
The Free State of Danzig will be declared to be Reich territory on the outbreak of hostilities at the latest. Security measures will be taken in the Baltic and Kattegat against the intervention of foreign states. . . .
Draft signed ALBRECHT pp Chief of Staff for Naval Group Command East..
. Fein.
EXTRACT FROM LETTER TO OKW (L) BY VON BRAUCHITSCH
Berlin, July 3rd, 1939.
The Supreme Command of the Army cannot agree to the measures which the Navy are intending to take before Y-hour—insofar as these could become known to the enemy—and requests that steps be taken to ensure that no measures of any kind which may prejudice a surprise attack be carried out by other sections of the Armed Forces before the time when the army crosses the frontier. The crossings of the frontier by the army takes place at dawn on Y-day. * * *
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RESULTS OF THE DISCUSSION WITH THE SUPREME COMMAND OF THE ARMED FORCES/LII ON TIMETABLES FOR PREPARATORY MEASURES
[Undated]
1. The preparatory measures determined upon in timetable form will be submitted to the Fuehrer for approval. Each section of the Armed Forces can, at its own discretion, proceed with and carry out these measures, when approved, from the time fixed onwards.
2. The measures proposed by the Navy, including exercise in the transmission of orders and intelligence for Group Command East, present no difficulties, since they can be disguised as practice measures.
3. The following should be laid down uniformly for all sections of the Armed Forces:—
Y — 5 24-hour duty for the Senior Staffs, (Army, Group
and "Wehrkreis" H.Qs.)
Y — 3 Sections of the Armed Forces may further extend
24-hour duty.
Y — 4 Switch over to "Martha" network.
Y — 2 Switch over, in the operation area, to the jamming
networks of the two other sections of the Armed
Forces.
An earlier time for putting the Martha network into operation is desired by the Navy as well as being requested by the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces (Armed Forces Communications) so that the Post Office can deal with it in stages.
Y — 6 Disguised stopping of leave, no recalls, especially
not from abroad.
Y — 2 Naval air units to come under the tactical control
of the C.-in-C. of the Navy.
4. It is intended to switch over to the defence network from 3 August 1939.
[No signature]
EXTRACT FROM LETTER TO THE FLEET, F.O. (U/B) &
B.d.P. .
Berlin, August 2nd, 1939.
Attached are Operational Directions- for the employment of U-Boats which are to be sent out to the Atlantic, by way of precaution, in the event of the intention to carry out "Fall Weiss" remaining unchanged. F.O. (U/B) is handing in his Operation Orders to Slk. by 12 August (Ink note—a decision on the sail-.
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ings of U-Boats for the Atlantic will probably be made at the middle of August).
These directions must, if the Operations are not carried out, be destroyed by the 1 September 1939 at the latest * * *
[Initialled] F.A. Slk. 1/Slk.
Berlin 22.6.1939.
Supreme Command of the Armed Forces Re: Preparations for "Fall Weiss".
The Supreme Command of the Armed Forces has submitted to the Fuehrer and Supreme Commander a "preliminary timetable" for "Fall Weiss", based on the particulars so far available from the Navy, Army and Air Force. Details concerning the days preceding the attack and the start of the attack were not included in this time-table.
The Fuehrer and the Supreme Commander is, in the main, in agreement with the intentions of the Navy, Army and Air Force and made the following comments on individual points:—
1. In order not to disquiet the population by calling up reserves on a larger scale than usual for the manoeuvres scheduled for 1939, as is intended, civilian establishments, employers or other private persons who make enquiries should be told that men are being called up for the autumn manoeuvres and for the exercise units it is intended to form for those manoeuvres.
It is requested that directions to this effect be issued to subordinate establishments.
2. For reasons of security, the clearing of hospitals in the area of the frontier which the Supreme Command of the Army proposed should take place from the middle of July, must not be carried out. .
3. It should be ascertained whether it appears to be expedient to transfer the S.S. Artillery Regiment to East Prussia and use it there for the purpose intended, in view of the fact that this regiment had only been formed a short time previously, or whether it seems more profitable to use an Army Artillery Regiment in place of an S.S. Artillery Regiment.
The result of the investigation should be communicated to the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces.
4. The Fuehrer and Supreme Commander will decide at the beginning of August whether the training ships of the Navy will put out according to plan.
Chief of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces
----------- Keitel.
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SUPREME COMMANDER OF THE ARMED FORCES OKW/WFA NO. 170/39gk CHEFS. L.I.
MOST SECRET
Berlin, 31 August 1939.
8 Copies: 2nd Copy.
Known to Ob.d.M.
S.O. only [Stamp] Access only through an officer.
Direction No. 1 for the Conduct of the War.
1. Now that all the political possibilities of disposing by peaceful means of a situation on the Eastern Frontier which is intolerable for Germany are exhausted, I have determined on a solution by force.
2. The attack on Poland is to be carried out in accordance with the preparations made for "Fall Weiss", with the alterations which result, where the Army is concerned, from the fact that it has in the meantime almost completed its dispositions.
Allotment of tasks and the operational target remain unchanged.
Date of attack—1 September 1939
Time of attack—04:45 [Inserted in red pencil]
This time also applies to the operation at Gdynia, Bay of Danzig and the Dirschau Bridge.
3. In the West it is important that the responsibility for the opening of hostilities should rest unequivocally with England and France. At first purely local action should be taken against insignificant frontier violations. The neutrality assured by us to Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland should be scrupulously observed.
and Denmark [red pencil notel
The German land frontier in the West is not to be crossed at any point without my express consent.
The same applies to warlike actions at sea. or any which may be so interpreted.
(According to this, Atlantic U-boats must remain in their waiting positions for the time being, [pencil note])
Defensive measures on the part of the Luftwaffe should at first be confined exclusively to the warding off of enemy air attacks on the frontier of the Reich. In doing so the frontier of the neutral states should be observed as long as possible when dealing with single aircraft and smaller units. Defensive operations should only be permitted over this neutral territory when, where French and English attacking squadrons are operating over
neutral states against German territory in considerable force, air defence in the West is no longer assured.
It is of special importance that the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces should be informed with the least possible delay of any violation of the neutrality of their States on the part of our opponents in the West.
4. If England and France open hostilities against Germany, the task of those sections of the Armed 'Forces which are operating in the West is to uphold, while conserving their strength as far as possible, those conditions necessary for the successful conclusion of the operations against Poland. Within the scope of this duty, damage should be done to enemy forces and their economic sources of supply as far as resources allow. In any case I reserve to myself the order to commence attack operations.
(Warfare against Merchant Shipping [Green Pencil])
(See Directions to Groups, ships and U-Boats) [red pencil note]).
The Army is holding the West wall and is making preparations to prevent its being turned—the Western Powers violating Belgian or Dutch territory in doing so. If French forces move into Luxembourg, the frontier bridges may be blown up.
[Undecipherable note in green pencil]
In its warfare on merchant shipping the Navy is concentrating on England. To intensify the effect of this, a declaration of danger zones is to be expected.
The Supreme Command of the Navy announces in which areas of sea, and within what limits danger zones are considered expedient. The wording of a public declaration should be prepared in conjunction with the Foreign Office and should be submitted to me for approval through the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces.
The Baltic should be secured against penetration by the enemy. The C.-C. of the Navy decides whether the approaches to the Baltic should be mined for this purpose.
(Address to * * * [Undecipherable] General Warning! [Red pencil note])
The primary task of the Luftwaffe is to prevent the French and English Air Force operating against the German Army and German "Lebensraum".
In waging war against England preparations should be made for the use of the Luftwaffe in causing damage to sea transport, the armament industry and troop transports to France. Full use should be made of favorable opportunities to make an effective attack on massed English naval units, especially on battle-C-126
ships and aircraft carriers. The decision regarding attacks on London rests with me.
Attacks on the English motherland should be prepared, bearing in mind that whatever happens, inadequate success with part forces is to be avoided.
[sgd] A. Hitler * * * [undecipherable]
(Warning? [Note in red pencil])
EXTRACT FROM MEMO OF COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF
THE NAVY *
TOP SECRET
To be carried out by the C-in-C of the Navy!
Berlin, 16th May 1939.
The C-in-C of the Navy,
B No. 1, SKL, la Op 48/39 Top Secret Chief Matter.
Chief Matter!
By Officer only! Vfg.
1. Copies to: Group East Copy No. 1, Station N for Group West Copy No. 2, for information: Fleet Copy No. 3, B.d.A. Copy No. 4, F.d.T Copy No. 5, F.d.U Copy No. 6, F.d.M Copy No. 7,
F.d.Luft Copy No. 8, B.S.Q. Copy No. 9, B.S.N. Copy No. 10, Luftwaffe General attd. to C-in-Navy. Copy No. 11.
Subject: Directive "Fall Weiss".
No Action.
* * * * * * *
1. Directive by the Fuehrer: The Fuehrer has issued the following directive :
"Fall Weiss"
Poland's present attitude necessitates military preparations being made over and above the protection of the Eastern Frontiers already dealt with, in order if necessary to eliminate all threats from this side for ever.
2. Conclusions in the military field: The Major aims in building up the German Army continue to be determined by the hostility of the Western democracies. "Fall Weiss" constitutes merely a completion, by way of precaution, of preparations, and should on no account be regarded as the forerunner of a settlement with our opponents'in the West by force of arms.
The isolation of Poland will be maintained the more readily even after the outbreak of war, if we succeed in opening the war with heavy blows struck by surprise and followed up by rapid successes.
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8. (a) * * * It can be expected that Y-hour will be a time
in the early hours of the morning, two hours before it grows light (three hours before sunrise). This time of day is required by the Navy to carry out the measures she has to take, and is recognized by the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces.
(b) With a view to maintaining, on a large scale, the routine of peacetime training, and to avoiding a premature exposure of the measures it is intended to take, a warning (preparation) period of 48 hours may be expected * * *
V. Dat§ fixed for completion of preparations. According to the instructions of the Fuehrer, "Fall Weiss" should be so worked on that it can be carried out at any time from 1 September 1939 onwards * * *
EXTRACT FROM LETTER TO THE FLEET. F.O. (U/B) &
B.d.P.
Berlin, August 2nd.1939.
Attached are Operational Directions for the employment of U-Boats which are to be sent out to the Atlantic, by way of precaution, in the event of the intention to carry out "Fall Weiss" remaining unchanged. F.O. (U/B) is handing in his Operation Orders to Slk. by 12 August [Ink note—a decision on the sailings of U-Boats for the Atlantic will probably be made at the middle of August].
These directions must, if the Operations are not carried out, be destroyed by the 1 September 1939 at the latest * * *
[Initialled] F.A. Slk. 1 /Slk.