Cover letter and Hitler's order to military commands and the SS that Allied commandos found in the field by the military are to be shot ("slaughtered to the last man"), and individual commandos found by other means are to be turned over to the SD

BERLIN, 28 October 1942
Naval War Staff
Ref. No. 1 SKL I Op. 26367/42 Most Secret To:—See Distribution:
Enclosed please find a Fuehrer Order regarding annihilation of terror and sabotage units.
This order must not be distributed in writing by Flotilla leaders, Section Commanders or officers of this rank.
After verbal distribution to subordinate sections the above authorities must hand this order over to the next highest section which is responsible for its confiscation and destruction.
PP: In Draft signed:
WAGNER
Checked
TOP SECRET
Fuehrer HQ, 18 Oct. 1942
The Fuehrer
No. 003830/42 g. Kdos. OKW/WFSt.
12 Copies '
1. For some time our enemies have been using in their warfare methods which are outside the international Geneva Conventions. Especially brutal and treacherous is the behavior of the so-called commandos, who, as is established, are partially recruited even from freed criminals in enemy countries. From captured orders it is divulged, that they are directed not only to shackle prisoners, but also to kill defenseless prisoners on the spot at the moment in which they believe that the latter as prisoners represent a burden in the further pursuit of their purposes or could other-
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wise be a hindrance. Finally, orders have been found in which the killing of prisoners has been demanded in principle.
2. For this reason it was already announced in an addendum to the Armed Forces report of 7 October 1942, that in the future, Germany, in the fact of these sabotage troops of the British and their accomplices, will resort to the same procedure, i.e., that they will be ruthlessly mowed down by the German troops in combat, wherever they may appear.
3. I therefore order: From now on all enemies on so-called Commando missions in Europe or Africa challenged by German troops, even if they are to all appearances soldiers in uniform or demolition troops, whether armed or unarmed, in battle or in flight, are to be slaughtered to the last man. It does not make any difference whether .they are landed from ships and aeroplanes for their actions, or whether they are dropped by parachute. Even if these individuals, when found, should apparently be prepared to give themselves up, no pardon is to be granted them on principle. In each individual case full information is to be sent to the OKW for publication in the Report of the Military Forces.
4. If individual members of such commandos, such as agents, saboteurs, etc. fall into the hands of the military forces by some other means, through the police in occupied territories for instance, they are to be handed over immediately to the SD. Any imprisonment under military guard, in PW Stockades for instance, etc., is strictly prohibited, even if this is only intended for a short time.
5. This order does not apply to the treatment of any enemy soldiers who, in the course of normal hostilities (large-scale offensive actions, landing operations and airborne operations), are captured—in open battle or give themselves up. Nor does this order apply to enemy soldiers falling into our hands after battles at sea, or enemy soldiers trying to save their lives by parachute after battles.
6. I will hold responsible under Military Law, for failing to carry out this order, all commanders and officers? who either have neglected their duty of instructing the troops about this order, or acted against this order where it was to be executed.
Signed:
Adolf Hitler.
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Distribution:
General Army Staff, 1st Copy
Chief of Army Armament and C-in-C Reinforcements, 2nd Copy
Supreme Command of the Navy/Naval War Staff, 3rd Copy
C-in-C Air Force/Air Force Ops Staff, 4th Copy
C-in-C Armed Forces Norway, 5th Copy
C-in-C Armed Forces Netherlands, 6th Copy
C-in-C Armed Forces South East, 7th Copy
C-in-C Armed Forces Eastern province, 8th Copy
C-in-C Armed Forces Ukraine, 9th Copy
C-in-C Armed Forces West, 10th Copy
(Mountain) Army High Command 20, 11th Copy
C-in-C German Troops in Denmark, 12th Copy
C-in-C South, 13th Copy
Panzer Army Africa, 14th Copy
German General attached to H.Q. Italian Armed Forces, 15th Copy
Reichsfuehrer—SS and Chief of German Police and for H.Q. Security Police, 16th-17th Copies
Supreme Command Armed Forces/AWA, 18th Copy A/Ausl./Abw., 19th Copy W.R., 20th Copy
Armed Forces propaganda, 21st Copy
Armed Forces Ops Staff (Army) '
(Navy) Ktb, 22nd Copy (Air Force)
Organization
Qu( draft) 23rd Copy
Note for Distribution:
These instructions are not to be distributed over and above the Battalions and corresponding staffs of the other services. After notification, those copies distributed over and above the Regimental and corresponding staffs of the other services must be withdrawn and destroyed.
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