Extract from notes of a conference of Hitler, Keitel, and Zeitzler, on the use of Russians, Ukrainians, and deserters as workers (particularly to produce coal), and the loss of 500,000 Jews in the Ukraine

Conference of the Fuehrer with General Field Marshal Keitel and General Zeitzler on 8 June 1943 at the Berghof— Extract from stenographic notes.
[Page 6] The Fuehrer: * * * I can only say: we will never
build up a Russian army, that is a phantom of the first order. Before we will do so, it will be much simpler if I get the Russians as workers in Germany; that is much more decisive. I don't need a Russian army which I have to strengthen with German corset stays through and through. It serves my purpose if I get Russian workers instead. Then I can release the Germans and reeducate the Russians. For us the most successful thing lies in the production of the Russian workers who are employed in Germany; of course, we have to feed them in a different way if we thrust a maximum amount of work upon them.
[Page 12] He said: Here, I lose 500,000 Jews. I must take them away, because the Jews are the element of revolt. But in my area, actually, the Jews were the only tradesmen. Now they want to set up high schools and grammar schools, thereby building here, a national Ukrainian state, that should in the future, fight against Russia. I am not even in a position to have the worker, who must work here, have his boots repaired. I can't do that because the tradesmen are no longer here. The Jews are all gone. What is more important, that I train the Ukrainians how to mend boots, or that I send them high schools so that they can build up the Ukrainian state?
[Page 25 | Keitel: Now about the employment of people from deserters camps.
Fuehrer: I am of the opinion that they should be transferred to Germany and used there. They are prisoners of war. If I only could transfer 30, 40 or 50,000 men to the commissioner for coal production! But then they will have to be treated really in a decent way.
959
1384-PS
1384-PS
Zeitzler: I have set as my goal that they should become decent workers in Germany. We can't do much with deserters at the front. I can commit a few of them as volunteers for replacements. But the majority should go to Germany as workers in order to release Germans.
Fuehrer: I can only say: if we do not straighten out our coal affairs, the moment will arrive when I shall not be able to produce either ammunition or explosives anymore, nor will we be able to build submarines. This will happen in 100 other fields too. It is idiotic. But the moment will arrive. It is already tragic when the Italians come and ask us why do we not deliver this or that. I have to deliver it. We cannot, because we haven't got enough coal. That is sloppy, of course.