MR. DENNEY: If Your Honor pleases, the Exhibit 499-A for identification becomes Exhibit 499 in evidence; and that concludes the presentation of this document, and at this time Mr. Rapp will continue with the Norwegian phases of the proceedings.
MR. RAPP: If Your Honors will permit, before I turn to Document Book 22 I would like to make a few general remarks.
We are now turning specifically to Court 29-A of the indictment. These are charges pertaining solely to the defendant Rendulic only. Charges which we submit in his capacity as the then commanding general of the 20th Mountain Army in Finmark, which is a Northern Province of the State of Norway. For the Court, the defense counsel or defendants, and also my own information, I have taken the liberty of putting a map of Norway on the wall. It is not being offered in evidence. I don't think we have to give it an exhibit number. It is merely put there because the Tribunal might, at their convenience and liberty like to glance at it occasionally to locate the places we mention in the document.
I would also like to call Your Honors attention to two charts contained in the basic information booklet. The one chart I have reference to is Chart G, and the other chart I have reference to is Chart E, and that chart is a schematic presentation of the Northern part of Norway. It does not claim to be true to scale. We are not too much concerned with that. Chart G, Your Honor, however, will give you a general order of battle description of the units, or of the main units I should say subordinate to the 20th Mountain Army at sometime during its campaign. We do not submit that this chart is 100 per cent, correct. We have tried to ask various German experts to try and make it for us as well as they can, but it seems there are no two people who can agree on it exactly, but for our purpose I believe it will help us in the presentation.
And now with Your Honor's permission I would like to turn to Document Book 22. Your Honors, turning to page 1 of this document book, we are offering NOKW-1776. May I inquire from the Assistant Secretary General what the number is.
MR. STONE: Exhibit 500.
MR. RAPP:NOKW-1776, being offered as Prosecution's Exhibit 500. The first document we have, Your Honors, is a priority teletype message. The entire message is being offered in evidence. However, we have only extracted page 3 of the original, which we shall read into the record at this time:
"WFST/Op. Stamp, Top Secret. Fuehrer Headquarters, 4 October 1944, 17 copies," this being the 8th. "Official stamp, Officer only. Priority teletype. To: 20th Mountain Army."
Then a distribution of other units where it went to, a distribution list, rather, and "for information Naval Command, Norway, and Reich Commissar for Sea Traffic, Attention Gauleiter Kaufmann." That is for information only.
If Your Honors will turn to page 2, still on page 1 of the German book, under paragraph 6 of this particular instrument it reads:
"6) Evacuation and Destruction:
"All installations which might be of use to the enemy are to be destroyed thoroughly, particularly roads and railroad lines, port installations, airports and other installations of the Luftwaffe, industrial plants, Wehrmacht billets and camps. All snow barriers on the through roads are to be burned in time.
"Rations and other Wehrmacht supplies are to be destroyed unless they can be transported.
"The entire population of Norway capable of bearing arms is to be taken along as far as marches permit and to be turned over to the Reich Commissar Norway for compulsory labor employment.
"Finnish hostages are to be taken along as the situation requires.
"Signed, by order, Jodl, OKW/WFST/Op Nor. 77 3608/44 top secret, official."
DR. FRITSCH (For defendant Rendulic): Your Honors, my attention has been drawn to the fact that the word "allocation" of labor is not translated properly. May I please ask the translator, the interpreter, to retranslate this word?
PRESIDING JUDGE BURKE: That may be done.
DR. FRITSCH: The last paragraph in the German text, the third line from the bottom of page 2 in the English text, where it says, "for compulsory labor employment," Your Honor, the translation is not very good. It should be "allocation of labor".
PRESIDING JUDGE BURKE: I am interested in that error in translation. I have observed the certificate that it has been translated from the German to the English language, and I am a little concerned about the apparent discrepancy in the word "compulsory" and the disposition of it.
MR. RAPP: I quite agree, Your Honor.
PRESIDING JUDGE BURKE: It is inexcusable to me that there should be such a variance in such an ordinary, simple matter of interpretation.
MR. RAPP: Your Honor, I was just about to suggest that we might possibly ask to have the main translation department give us a ruling on the translation of that particular word.
PRESIDING JUDGE BURKE: Very well, that may be done.
MR. RAPP: Your Honors, turning to page 3 of this same document, you will find the distribution of this order, part of which I have just read into the record.
If you will now turn, please, to page 4 of the English document book and page 3 of the German document book, we are offering NOKW-114, Prosecution's Exhibit 501. This is a teletype message from the Commander-in-Chief of the 20th Mountain Army, at that time the defendant Rendulic, and signed by him, to the Corps Headquarters of the XIX Mountain Corps, which was a part of the 20th Mountain Army in Norway.
It is dated the "4th of October 1944, Top Secret, Very Urgent, Officer Courier," and it reads:
"Corps Headquarters, XIX (Mtn) Corps.
"Ref: Corps Headquarters, XIX (Mtn) Corps, Ia, No. 62/44 Top Secret of 4 Oct 44.
"In the given case, all the military installations, industrial installations, architectural structures, etc. in the former Finnish Petsamo territory are to be destroyed. This area is to be devastated. Preparations for this are to be made through reconnaissance, preparation of explosives (therewith making use of bombs, etc.) and organization of corresponding demolition and blockade forces.
"Cunning mining (blocking the march) render difficult and *e*** enemy movements considerably.
"The same measures are to be reconnoitered and planned for the Norwegian territory. There too the carrying out of destructions as in the Finnish Petsamo territory is to be reckoned with.
"20 (Mountain) Army, Ia, No. 422/42 Top Secret, Sgd (Rendulic), (Rendulic) General."
The next document, Your Honor, you will find on page 6, NOKW-097, being submitted as Prosecution's Exhibit 502.
JUDGE WENNERSTRUM: May I inquire as to Exhibit 501, NOKW-114, as to whether the signature of Rendulic is a typed signature?
MR. RAPP: It is a signed signature, Your Honor.
JUDGE WENNERSTRUM: In his own handwriting?
MR. RAPP: In his own handwriting.
JUDGE WENNERSTRUM: May it be handed to the Tribunal?
MR. RAPP: Very well, Your Honor.
(Document handed to Court)
May I continue, Your Honor?
PRESIDING JUDGE BURKE: Yes.
MR. RAPP:NOKW-097, Exhibit 502, this is a teletype message to the OKW operations staff, asking for the destruction of industrial plants and the nickel works in Kolosjoki, signed "Rendulic, Top Secret, Handwritten: WB 228. Handwritten: Enclosure 68.
"Teletype, 5/10/44. By officer only. Stamp, Top Secret, Urgent.
"To: OKW/WFST Chefsache, Armed Forces Hqs Command/Operational Staff. Reference OKW/WFST/Op. No. 773634/44 --
PRESIDING JUDGE BURKE: Just a moment please.
Thank you, you may proceed.
MR. RAPP: "Top Secret Chefsache.
"Army (A.O.K.) considered the following immediate measures necessary in order to insure a coordinated leadership of the operation:
"1) The tactical and supply subordination for the LXXI Infantry Corps under 20th Mountain Army as far as required in the preparatory and introductory withdrawals leading toward the Lyngen positions.
"For the time being, the leadership of the fighting around the north Norwegian coast must remain in the hands of the commander Polar Area under the headquarters of the Wehrmacht Commander Norway.
"2) The regulation of the removal or of the destruction of the Coastal Artillery (including the Army Coastal Batteries) by the Military High Command Norway in agreement with the 20th Mountain Army.
"4) Permit to destroy all war important industrial installations in the north Finnish and the north Norway area; in particular that of the nickel works Kolosjoki and its "subsidiary electricity works and of the Syd-Varanger plant on the basis of the orders to be issued by the 20th Mountain Army.
"5. Appointment of the O.Qu. of 20th Mountain Army "Evacuation Commissar" of the entire theatre of operations, east of the Lyngan position. This requires particularly the subordination of all Wehrmacht units and of all non-military organizations because combat and movement of the 20th (Mountain) Army including the LXXI Infantry Corps stands in mutual relation to the evacuation.
"6. The cover name for the withdrawal on the Lyngen position "Nordlicht " (Northern lights).
The Commander in Chief North Finland la/OP.
No. 424/44 top secret Chefs.
signed Rendulic, Colonel General Certified a true copy:
(signed) UBELHACK (Ubelhack)Lt. Colonel G.S.C."In this particular case, your Honor, the signature is typed, and not handwritten.
However, the signature of Ubelhack is handwritten.
The next document, your Honor is 754-PS, being submitted as Prosecution's Exhibit 503. This is the basic order dated 28 October 1944 from the High Command of the German Armed Forces, signed, "Jodl", to the 20th Army for the evacuation of Finnmark. It reads:
" 28 October 1944 Top Secret 6 copies" This is the 5th copy "Priority - Teletype "1. 20th Mountain Army "2. For information:
KB Norway "3. For Information:
Reich Commissar for the occupied Norwegian territory.
"4. For Information: Naval High Comman/Naval Operation Staff (Koralle) "Due to the lack of willingness on the part of the North Norwegian population to evacuate (the territory), the Fuehrer has agreed to the suggestion of the Reich Commisar for the occupied Norwegian territory and he has ordered, in the interest of its own security, the compulsory evacuation of the entire Norwegian population eastward of the Lyngen Fjords, and the burning down and/or destruction of all habitable dwellings.
"Commander-in-Chief North Finland is responsible for the ruthless execution of the Fuehrer. Only in this way can we prevent the Russians - equipped with strong forces and supported by habitable dwellings and the population which knows the locality - from following our withdrawal movements in the Winter and in a short while appearing before the Lyngen positions. Compassion for the civilian population is uncalled for.
The troops carrying out (this order) must be made to understand that within a few months the Norwegians will be grateful for having been saved from Bolshevism and that the barbarian methods of the aerial war against the German homeland and against its cultural places have brought a thousandfold suffering over our people. The human methods of evacuation and the destruction of habitable dwellings of North Norway are necessary for our warfare and will have to be paid with blood of German soldiers if they are not carried out.
In addition the population of fishers in North Norway disposes over sufficient shipping space enabling them to withdraw with the mass across the water. A large part of the Norwegian small-ship space, which at present is concealed, may be used for this purpose and may later be used for our own transportation needs.
The peril of a formation of Norwegian bands does not seem to be apparent if the bands no longer have the support of shelters.
signed Jodl (signature) OKW/WFst/Op (H) North No. 0012887/44 Top Secret" Distribution :Chief WFSt. 1st Copy Deputy Chief War Diary 2nd Copy Op (H) Op (H) 1 each 3rd and 4th Copy Qu and Ic 1 each 5th and 6th Cop."
There is a note of the translator which says:
"Faulty construction of German original should be noted". I am merely passing this on for defense counsels' information.
The next documents, Your Honors, are on page 10, NOKW 086, being submitted as Prosecution's Exhibit 504. This is the order of the 20th Mountain Army, dated the 29th of October, 1944, signed in handwriting by the defendant, Rendulic, passing on the order of the OKW/WFST which we have just read, to the troops subordinate to the 20th Army. It is top secret, teletype:
"29.10.44 To 1. Corps Headquarters XIX Mountain Corps Urgent(KR) 2. Corps Headquarters LXXI Infantry Corps Urgent " 3. Corps Headquarters XXXVI Mountain Corps Urgent " For information 5. Corps Headquarters XVIII Mountain Corps Urgent " 6. Commanding General of the German Luftwaffe in Finland Urgent " 7. Admiral Polar Coastal Area Urgent " 8. Wehrmacht Commander Norway Urgent " 4. Reichs Commissioner for Occupied Norwegian Territories Oslo Urgent " 9. Naval High Command/1st Naval Operation Staff (Koralle) Urgent (KR) Subject:
Evacuation of North Norway:
1. Because of the lack of willingness of the north Norwegian population to evacuate the country voluntarily the Fuehrer has ordered the compulsory evacuation of the population East of the Lyngenfjords in the interest of the security of the population, which is to be preserved from Bolshevism and that all houses be burned down or be destroyed. It is the responsibility of the Commander-in-Chief of Northern Finland that this order is carried out ruthlessly so that the Soviets supported by dwelling places and a population which knows the country will be prevented from following our withdrawal with strong forces. Pity with the civilian population is out of place.
2. The men will understand the measures to be taken if it is explained that the barbarian methods of the air war against the German homeland and its cultural places have brought a misery on our people surpassing by far that which will follow in the wake of the measures which must be taken now in North Norway in order to prevent an early thrust by the Russians, according to plan.
3. "The evacuation staff North Norway" subordinate to the O.Qu. in his capacity as evacuation commissar is formed as the competent "Page 11 authority." Leader: Colonel Herrmann, Commanding Officer of the Grenadier Regiment 310. Corps Headquarters XXXVI Mountain Corps is to detach Colonel Herrmann immediately to Army/O.Qu.
SS-Obersturmbannfuehrer Neumann joins the evacuation staff as representative of the Reichs Commissar for Occupied Norwegian Territory.
4. The Commanding Generals of the XIX Mountain Corps and of the LXXI Infantry Corps are charged by me with the responsibility of the carrying out of the evacuation. Corps Headquarters XIX Mountain Corps will evacuate the territory East of the East coast of the Porsangerfjord (excluding the fjord).
Corps Headquarters LXXI Infantry Corps will evacuate the area Porsangeyfjord, (inclusive) - Lyngenfjord (inclusive) 5. Execution of the Evacuation:
a. The entire evacuation area is to be emptied of people.
b. Evacuated settlements are to be destroyed unless they are to be used by troops marching through (that is, at the latest by the rear guards).
c. The operation must be a sudden one and the officers of the Reichs Commissar of Norway must participate and Norwegian authorities must be harnessed for it; the latter, however, only from the beginning of the operation.
d. The seized population is to be led to the nearest ports under military guard (also small ports with docks suitable for cutters).
e. Local and district commanders are to erect reception camps in or near these ports.
f. Men capable of working and marching and in the western districts women capable of marching also, are to be coupled to the marching units furthest in front and to be taken along.
g. Inasfar as the population still has small ships available they are to be used for the deportation of the evacuees. Military cover.
h. All ships used by the Wehrmacht (freighters and Army transports) are to be loaded additionally with as many evacuees as possible.
i. Columns on Reichsstrasse 50 to be formed only to an unavoidable degree; invalids, women and children to be assisted by loading them on trucks. Only men really capable of marching to join the march columns.
k. Transportation of all evacuees first into the area west of the Lyngenfjords, from there further control by Corp Headquarters, LXXI Infantry Corps in direct agreement with the Reichskommissar Norway.
l. In the area of the Corps Headquarters XIX Mountain Corps the operations will start immediately; in the area of Corps Headquarters LXXI Infantry Corps on 1-11-44.
m. Mission to be accomplished:
(1) By 9.11.44. in the area Eastward of the line Kistrand - Billejford - Lakselv - Skoganvarre - Karjasjok (including these villages).
(2) By 12.11.44 in the area East of the line Talvik Kautokeino (including these villages).
(3) By 15.11.44 in the remaining area.
Norwegians found in the respective areas after that period are to be arrested and to be brought to the nearest town headquarters. Directives will be issued concerning their further treatment.
6. It is requested that the Reichskommissar Norway will make available as much shipping space as possible as otherwise numerous casualties among the Norwegians will be unavoidable during the evacuation.
7. I request all offices concerned to carryout this evacuation in the sense of a relief action for the Norwegian population. Though it will be necessary here and there to be severe, all of us must attempt to save the Norwegians from Bolshevism and to keep them alive."
Then on page 13, illegible initials. Signed "Rendulic". "Rendulic, Colonel General. Roman Ia/Op. No. 1682/44 top secret."
MR. RAPP: The next document, Your Honors, is on Page 14 of the English, Page 12 of the German Document Book.
DR. FRITSCH: Dr. Fritsch for Defendant Rendulich. Your Honor, I object to the submission of this document. It is a teletype of the Supreme Commander of the Navy. I may perhaps ask first the Prosecutor how far the probative value of this document is against the Defendant Rendulich.
MR. RAPP: Does the Court permit me, at this time, to state this in the nature of argumentation?
PRESIDING JUDGE BURKE: If it may be stated as a factual outline of what you propose to prove, we have no objection.
MR. RAPP: At that time the Province of Finnmark, in which the 20th Mountain Corps ....
PRESIDING JUDGE BURKE: Just a moment. Apparently there's some difficulty with the reception.
MR. HILDESHEIMER (COURT GERMAN ENGLISH INTERPRETER): Shall I repeat? Can you hear me?
PRESIDING JUDGE BURKE: Judge Carter is unable to get it. Very well; you may proceed.
MR. RAPP: Your Honor, we submit firstly that this document comes from the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Germany, at that time.
PRESIDING JUDGE BURKE: Are you referring now to.....
MR. RAPP: Document No. C-48.
PRESIDING JUDGE BURKE: C-48?
MR. RAPP: It has not as yet been offered so we have not given it an exhibit number. Signed Keitel, it is a directive of Keitel to the Commander in Chief of the German Navy in Norway and Denmark, and at that time part of Norway, that is the Province of Finmark, was under the jurisdiction of the Defendant Rendulich. As part of the evacuation, the part of the German Navy needed in the evacuation or in the accomplishment of his mission was under the command of the Defendant Rendulich.
As part of the evacuation, the part of the German Navy needed in the evacuation or in the accomplishment of his mission was under the command of the Defendant Rendulich, we allege. Therefore, we believe that this order has a definite bearing because it pertains both to the Army and the Navy.
DR. FRITSCH: I shall explain my attitude to this when my case comes up.
PRESIDING JUDGE BURKE: Very well.
MR. RAPP: Your Honors, we submit C-48 as Prosecution's Exhibit No. 505. It's a teleprint message to Commander in Chief of the Navy, received 30 November 1944, secret. It is a copy of such message, pertaining to the sabotage in Norway and Denmark.
1) C-in-C, Armed Forces, Norway and C-in-C, Armed Forces, Denmark are charged with effecting the proclamation of an order at the offices of tho Reich Commissar of the Occupied Norwegian territories, or at the offices of the Reich Plenipotentiary in Denmark, and its carrying out by the BDS (Commander of Security-Police). This order shall provide that employees, and if necessary, their families (relatives' liability) (Sippenhaftung) are also held responsible for cases of sabotage occurring in their works. Every ship-yard worker, etc. must know that every case of sabotage occurring in his sphere of work entails the gravest consequences for him personally, and, if he disappears, for his family.
2) C-in-C, Norway, and C-in-C, Denmark, will re-inforce the protection against sabotage which up to the present has been carried out by police, special detachments of the Navy and the Reichs Commissar for shipping. They will re-inforce it with all available means by guard contingents made up of personnel of all arms of the service, in collaboration with (Commander of Security-Police). In Southern Norway, the substantial accumulation of troops in the area around Oslo should be drawn upon for this purpose. If the numerous troops available in this accumulation and the rear units in Oslo and in Denmark too are energetically made use of, the guard can be tripled.
I can, moreover, not allow acts of sabotage of this kind to be accepted as acts of God and inevitable, without the authorities responsible for security being called to account. Troops of the Armed Forces employed on protection against sabotage are to come under the tactical control of the competent Commander of Secret Police.
Chief of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces Keitel Field Marshal Supreme Command of the Armed Forces/ Armed Forces Ops Staff/Qu 2 (North) NR 00139/72/44 Most Secret.
On Page 15 is the distribution of this particular document, with copies to the Naval War Staff Ia, Naval War Staff Ib, and then received 30 November 1944, a rubber stamp; no signature. If Your Honors turn now please to Page 16, Document No. NOKW-090 is being submitted as Prosecution's Exhibit No. 506. This is a document classified "secret":
Supplement 5 Army Headquarter, 25 Nov.
44 War Diary High Command 20 (Mountain Army) (O Qu./Evacuation Staff No. 31/44 Secret The Evacuation of Northern Norway.
I. Mission The intention to induce the population of Finland and East Tromsoe to evacuate these territories voluntarily, failed because of the limited willingness to support this demand.
Accordingly, the Fuhrer ordered the forced evacuation of the territory East of the Lyngenfjord, in order to protect the population for Bolshevism. The Fuehrer-order to the Wehrmacht commander, in Chief of North Finland contains the following demands:
1. The territory is to be emptied of human beings so that the enemy cannot rely on the working potential and local knowledge of the population.
2. All quarters, traffic and economic installations are to be destroyed so ruthlessly that the enemy is deprived of every possibility of living in this area.
3. What ever can be evacuated in important goods, is to be salvaged.
The initial time period set for evacuation, Porsanger territory by 9 November, Alta/Hammerfest territory by 12 November, and East Tromsoe by 15 November 1944 could be prolonged until 20 November 44 as a result could be prolonged until 20 November 44 as a result of a change in the situation.
"Accordingly a salvaging of economic goods in excess of the first planned amounts was possible.
The territory to be evacuated corresponds to 1 and ½ times the size of Denmark. The distances on the single National Highway 50, amount to 1,000 kilometers from Kirkenes to Narvik and from Hammerfest to Tromsoe 599 kilometers. Furthermore this highway was occupied by the Marching movement of the Army, so that first of all the sea lane came into tho question with regard to deportation." If Your Honors permit me, I would like to show you on this map (Pointing to a wall map), this particular highway, because it will be, we believe, of some importance in this particular phase that we are concerned with.
PRESIDING JUDGE BURKE: In the absence of objection, you may do so.
MR. RAPP: (Pointing with pointer to map) This highway hereHighway 50--. I have tried to trace it in red.
PRESIDING JUDGE BURKE: Indicate in the general direction of...
MR. RAPP: Here's the Province of Finnmark, and the troops came from Finland to Finnmark and proceeded in a westerly direction. In other words, the movement is something like this, generally speaking (indicating movement by means of pointer).
PRESIDING JUDGE BURKE: In a westerly direction?
MR. RAPP: In a westerly direction. And once they have reached this crest it is probably what you can call a westerly and southerly direction.
Accordingly a salvaging of economic goods in execss of the first planned amounts was possible.
The territory to be evacuated corresponds to 1 and ½ times the size of Denmark. The distances on the single National Highway, the National Highway 50 amount to 1,000 kilometers from Kirkenes to Narvik and from Hammerfest to Tromsoe, 500 kilometers. Furthermore this highway was occupied by the Marching movement of the Army, so that first of all the sea lane came into the question with regard to deportation.
For tho purposes of the execution an evacuation staff was formed with the High Command of the 20th (Mountain) Army, to which a representative of tho Reichs Commissioner for the occupied Norwegian territories was added.
II. Means 1. Tho possibility was merely offered as far as the sea lane was concerned to utilize the unused transport space on ships of the Reich Commissioner for Naval Transport (German Commercial Glad) and on Ships of the Navy (Reich Service Flags and Reich W&r Flags). Beyond that, Norwegian local ships and numerous cutters were utilized.
2. On land, the population wandered off individually with their own trucks (trucks, omnibusses, and horse drawn vehicles). The Young folk also made use of bicycles frequently, for the march to Narvik.
III. Execution:
1, The inadequate records of the Norwegian resident register were tho basis for the seizure of the population. According to them, the territory to be evacuated, including the nomadic Lapps had before the war a population of about 62,000. The (apparently very restricted) number of those persons who fled the evacuation can accordingly only be estimated.
2. On account of lack of time the order to tho population for evacuation could only take place in the form of an appeal decreed jointly by the Commander & Chief of the 20 (Mountain) Army and by the Reichs Commissioner for the occupied Norwegian territories.
3. Assembly points for the deportation by sea were erected in Billorfjord and Homningsvaag for the area Porsanger and East Finland, in tho Hammerfest for the Island territories, and in Alta-SopnesBurfjord for the territory Alta with Kaugokeino.
The felder Traffic took place with trucks and omnibusses, from the sea with cutters, or from the Islands and the wastal localities in North Baranger, by units of the Navy.
Deportation from the Porsanger area took place in the main through two mass transports with 1700 and 1060 persons on the Steamers "Karal A-rp" and A-dolf Binder'" from Billefjord. In Alta, through a mass transport of 750 persons on the supply ship "Dithmarschen". Deportation for the rest, with Norwegian local ships and cutters.
4. Rounding up organizations were set up through civilian offices for quarters and further transport of the deported population in Tromso, Narvik, and Harstad.
Forwarding to Mosjoen and Trondheim took place with ships of the Norwegian "Huttigrute". Besides them, tho following ships were utilized: the steamers "Brabant", "Dronning", "Sigurd Jarl", "Stella Polaris" as well as the hospital transport ships "Lofotes", "North Star", and "Polar Ice". This forwarding was finished by 25 Nov. 44.
5. Supplies, including quarters and medical help could not be guaranteed by the civilian sector in this wide area to a full extent. The Wehrmacht helped accordingly on a generous scale:
a) through the provision of rations where supplies could not be managed in such bulk by the civilian sector. In the reception stations on land as well as on board the German ships warm rations were given out from field kitchens.
b) through the provision of barrack camps as quarters at the assembly points, Billefjord and Sopnes.
c) through the help of the unit during transport to the coast, as well as during embarkation, especially by assisting families with children.
d) through large-scale care of sick, injured, pregnant women, and mothers with small children by doctors and medical installations. Admission of women for confinement into hospitals, further transport on hospital ships, provision of small children with milk.
The transport of sick and injured from outlying Homes for the Aged and Homes for tubercular cases whose evacuation was necessary, in order not to afford the enemy propaganda material, required and especial regulation. The deportation from Karasjok, Boersely, Kautokeine, and Talvik and/or Korsfjord took place under the responsible leadership of Oberarzt Dr. Gaebler with medical trucks of the Wehrmacht and our own boats used for this.
The population could only take what baggage they could carry, on account of the restrictions of the transport space. The cattle had therefore to be taken over by the Wehrmacht against memoranda receipt, as far as it could not, in individual cases, be taken along.
After extension of the evacuation time an extensive salvaging of important economic goods was also ordered for the civilian sector. Here the execution was the responsibility of the Wehrmacht. Furthermore, a final search was carried out by the Norwegian police detachments on the islands and outlying localities. Destruction will accordingly only be ordered by the subordinate sector commanders (Unterabschnittskommandeure) and/or rear guard officers in agreement with the evacuation commissioners when tho salvaging of valuable economic goods (especially fishery equipment) is finished, or impossible.
Salvaging of the reindeer herds took place by an order to the Lapps to drive their herds to the west over Kantokeino-Holligskogen into a reception territory in Tromsfylke.
A retreat to the South was prevented by a blockade on the Swedish border, a lock at Helligskogen made possible the driving through of the reindeer herds by the march movements of the unit on to the highway Finland-Skibotn. This action cannot be finished yet, since on account of the slight snowfall, the expedition of tho Lapps, could not be put into operation yet to full extent. Where a herd could not be transmitted farther, part of the animals were taken over against memoranda receipts by the Wehrmacht; the Lapps were nevertheless left the minimum necessary for existence, IV Results In the reception organization, including the fishermen already settled on the Lofotes 36,914 persons were taken all together.
About 5,000 persons migrated before the start of the evacuation up till October from East Finland. About 1100 persons have migrated by means of self-aid without passing through the reception organization a smaller residue of workers of the Wehrmacht is to be moved off later with the unit.
About 10,000 persons have remained in the area of Kirkenes, as a result of the war events. In West Finland and Eagt Tromse only 8,500 persons, in the main Lapps, are left behind, whose deportation was only of interest in connection with the finding back of reindeer herds.
The evacuation in the territory between Lyngenfjord and Porsangepfjord could therefore be carried through almost completely. Even voices of the Swedish press had to admit the success of the action and speak of an almost 100% evacuation of the population.
The success of the action was made possible through the excellent cooperation of all participating offices of the Wehrmacht, the Reichs Commissioner, and the Norwegian administration.
Experiences Orderly evacuation under the conditions imposed is only possible if an orderly method of seizure is present in the hands of an administrative medium.