AFTERNOON SESSION THE MARSHAL:
The The Tribunal is again in session.
DR. FRITSCH, (for Rendulic): Your Honor, I would like to ask you that General Rendulic will be excused from the sitting tomorrow in order to prepare himself for his examination.
MR. DENNEY: If Your Honors please, we have no objection to that procedure. It has been followed in several cases that are presently pending, and in cases that have been concluded, if Your Honors see no objection to it.
THE PRESIDENT: The Tribunal has no objection, it being understood that it is without prejudice on the part of any party, the fact that he may be absent.
MR. FENSTERMACHER: Your Honors may--
MR. DENNEY: If Your Honors please, I think we ought to have a statement on the record from counsel for the defendant , Rendulic, to indicate that he heard, understood and agrees to what Your Honor has just stated.
DR. FRITSCH: I have accepted, and the Court agrees that Rendulic need not take part in the proceedings tomorrow.
THE PRESIDENT: And with your understanding that he will not note any exceptions or any prejudice by reason of his absence.
DR. FRITSCH: Yes, I have taken note of that.
MR. FENSTERMACHER: May I make one brief statement at this time to clarify the record of yesterday afternoon?
THE PRESIDENT: Very well.
MR. FENSTERMACHER: Your Honors, I said yesterday afternoon, that I offered as Prosecution's Exhibit 585, Document Number NOKW 1902, which was a report from Town Headquarters 1 to the commanding officer, Wehrmacht Area 553, dealing with the execution of the Battalion Commissar Mahala.
I then offered Prosecution's Exhibit 586, which was a report,-NOKW 843, which was a report from Secret Field Police Group 647 dated 25 August, 1942, and being an activity report for the month of August, 1942. That report dealt with the turning over to the SD of two Jews and commissars.
I then offered as Prosecution Exhibit 587 NOKW 848, but upon objection by Dr. Laternser that it was an identical document with eith Exhibit 585 or Exhibit 586, I withdrew the offer at that time. We have now checked and find that the document which we offered and withdrew is not identical with either of the two proceeding documents, and we should now like to offer NOKW 843 as Prosecution's Exhibit 589.
THE PRESIDENT: Exhibit number?
MR. FENSTERMACHER: Exhibit 589. I have copies for Your Honors, copies for defense counsel, and the original exhibit for the Secretary General.
Your Honors will note that this is an activity report for the month of July, 1942, relating to the execution of the Politruk Grand Commissar, being a report of the same secret field police group 647 that is involved in Prosecution's Exhibit 586, which concerned the month of August, 1942.
JUSTICE BURKE: Do you have an exhibit number for NOKW 1011?
MR. FENSTERMACHER: I believe NOKW 1011 is Exhibit 587.
JUSTICE BURKE: Was that withdrawn yesterday?
MR. FENSTERMACHER: No, the document I am now referring to as 848 was offered yesterday as Exhibit 587 but was withdrawn, and then this morning NOKW 1011 was offered as Exhibit 587.
DR. LATERNSER: Your Honor, may I have a look at the new document before it is submitted?
....Document handed to Dr. Laternser...
DR. LATERNSER: I will object to the submission of this document because I have reason to assume that the names arc the same, which have been given in this document, - that is the same names which have been mentioned in document 306.
If that proves to be the case this would be cumulative evidence, and therefore would be inadmissible.
MR. FENSTERMACHER: I can clarify that, Your Honor. In Exhibit No. 585 which is a report to the town headquarters, to the commanding officer of the rear area 553, it is stated that on the 5th of July, 1942, the Battalion Commissar Hahala was taken prisoner in Kerkeni and shot on the 10th of July 1942.
In Exhibit 386 there is a reference to two Jews and commossirs being turned over to the SD, and 386 is a report to the Secret Police Group 647, an activity report for the month of August 1932. There are no names mentioned in that document, - exhibit 586.
In the document which we have just now offered, NOKW 848, as exhibit 589, we find that the same secret field police group 647 mentioned in Exhibit 586 is sending an activity report for the month of July, 1932. Exhibit 386 was a report of the secret field police group 637 for the month of August 1942.
In Exhibit 589 which we have just offered, two names are mentioned the name of The Politrur Kaliba, Joseph, as well as the name of the Battalion Commissar Hahala.
MR. FENSTERMACHER: The name Kaliba does not appear in either 585 or 586, though the name Mahala does, in fact, appear in Exhibit 585, which, however, is a report not from the Secret Field Police Group 47, involving Exhibit 589, but is rather a report from Towy Headquarters I, to the Commanding Officer of Army Area 553.
DR. LATERNSER: I shall investigate this. It may be as the Prosecution has just suggested, but just at this moment I detect a translation mistake in the document which has just been submitted, No. 589. I ask that the translation of the first paragraph of this exhibit be investigated. "Im Auftrag" is being translated "by order".
MR. FENSTERMACHER: Would you pass the original exhibit to the Court Interpreters, please (to page)
COURT INTERPRETER: This sentence reads "Politruk, Kaliba, Joseph thirty-three years old, and the Battalion Commissar Mahala, Vassili, thirty-five years old were shot by order of the 1-c-b of the 42nd AK -Army Corps."
Were shot "by order".
DR. LATERNSER: May I ask whether "Im Auftrag" and "Auf Befehl" are expressed in the same way in the English language?
COURT INTERPRETER: It all depends. In this context it can only be translated "by order."
DR. LATERNSER: Your Honor, to this point I ask that the Chief of the Translation Division submit a translation of this. For, if it says "by order", then the shooting has to be traced to the order; whereas, if it says "on behalf of", it is quite possible, of course, that it has reference to an edict of a court which was in existence and that this sentence was carried out on behalf of the I-c. The exact translation, therefore, allows such interpretation, whereas the translation just given does not give us this opportunity.
THE PRESIDENT: The Interpreters and Translators for this Tribunal will kindly transmit this request to their superior and report back to the Tribunal.
DR. LATERNSER: Thank you, Your Honor.
THE PRESIDENT: Dr. Laternser, before you leave, may the record show that the Defendant List is excused at this time, subject to the conditions announced in the session this morning and the previous orders of the Court?
DR. LATERNSER: Yes. On my behalf it is all right.
THE PRESIDENT: Very well.
DR. LATERNSER: Your Honor, the other matter I have just touched upon. Because of the possible identify of the documents I shall investigate and I shall then submit my objections to the Court.
THE PRESIDENT: Very well. You may call your next witness.
DR. LATERNSER: Your Honor, I call as the next witness the Oberregierungsrat, Dr. Gert Feine.
THE PRESIDENT: Will you kindly raise your right hand to be sworn. "I swear by Cod the Almighty and Omniscient that I will speak the pure truth and will withhold and add nothing." (Repeated by witness) (Witness Gert FEINE took the stand) DIRECT EXAMINATION BY DR. LATERNSER:Q.- Please give us your full name.
A.- My name is Dr. Gert Feine.
Q.- Would you kindly spell this name?
A.- G-e-r-t F-e-i-n-e.
Q.- Dr. Feine, before you answer my question, would you kindly make a short pause, because the question will first have to be translated.
When were you born?
A.- On the 17th of June 1894.
Q.- What is your present profession?
A.- I'm Oberriegierungsrat at the Senate in Bremen. Oberregierungsrat can be translated as Government Councillor.
Q.- Were you a member of the National Socialist Party?
A.- No, never.
Q.- What was your profession during the time before you became Government Councillor?
A.- I was in the German Diplomatic Service. I was first Secretary with the Legation in the Foreign Office in Berlin.
Q.- Were you, in 1941, Council with the Legation, at the German Legation in Belgrade?
A.- Yes.
Q.- How did it come about that you were still in Belgrade in 1941?
A.- In 1936 I had been transferred to Belgrade. When war threatened to break out in 1941; on the directives of the Foreign Office; the Minister and the staff of the Legation were called back to Germany. All Germans living in Yugoslavia were transported back to Germany as well. I received, however, a telegram from the Foreign Minister Ribbentrop personally, in which he ordered me to remain in Belgrade as charge d'affair.
Q.- When did the German troops march into Belgrade?
A.- On Sunday, the 6th of April 1941, the troops entered Belgrade; after the previous evening a group of six men had penetrated as far as the Legation.
Q.- And on that day you were in Belgrade?
A.- Yes.
Q.- Do you know the Defendant Field Marshal von Weichs?
A.- I do know him.
Q.- On what occasion did you make his acquaintance?
A.- I made his acquaintance during negotiations for the capitulation.
Q.- Which events led up to these negotiations?
A.- Soon after Belgrade had been occupied by the German troops, negotiators from Yugoslavia appeared, a colonel and he asked for the conditions under which a capitulation or an armistice could be concluded.
Q.- Well, what course did these negotiations with this officer take?
A.- First, Field Marshal von Weichs sent him back and demanded that a delegation be sent which was authorized to conclude an agreement.
Q.- What happened after that?
A.- Next a Yugoslavian Army General appeared. He had authority to negotiate but he had no authority to conclude a capitulation agreement. Field Marshal von Weichs did not accept him for that reason, but he stated that an authorized delegation was to appear which was empowered to conclude an agreement.
THE PRESIDENT: Did the witness mean von Weichs or List?
BY DR. LATERNSER:
Q,- When do you mean of the defendants?
A.- Field Marshal von Weichs...
Q.- Now, how did the actual negotiations for the capitulation come about?
A.- On the next day a delegation appeared, led by the former Yugoslavian Foreign Minister Cincar Markovic; an Army General and a Colonel of the General Staff accompanied him.
Q.- Who else was present at these negotiations?
A.- Apart from Field Marshal von Weichs and his staff, a representative of the Hungarian Army and an Italian Military attache in Belgrade, and I as an observer on behalf of the Foreign Office were present. A conference took place in the building in which I was sejourning in Belgrade. That was the former Czechoslovakian Legation. The former German Legation had been destroyed.
Q.- Were the powers and authorities of the Yugoslavian' delegation investigated?
A.- Yes, that took quite some time.
Q.- What do you know about the investigation of these credentials?
A.- I can still remember the following:Cinzcar Markovic presented authority which had been issued by General Kalafatovic/..... Q.- Just a moment.
Could you kindly spell this name? Could you kindly spell both names?
A.- C-i-n-z-c-a-r M-a-r-k-o-v-i-c and the other name K-a-l-a-f-a-t-ov-i-c. General Kalafatovic, at that time, derived his power from an authority which General Simovic had left behind after leaving Yugoslavia.
Q. Have I understood you correctly that the former Foreign Secretary Markovic had an authority from General Kalafatovic?
A. Yes.
Q. And on what was this power of attorney or authority based?
A. It as base on the authority which General Simovic had issued to General Kalafatovic b fore General Simovic left Yugoslavia.
C. Who was General Simovic?
A. General Simovic was Chief of the Yugoslavian Air Force and had led them again Prince Paul and the Government's Svedkovic, by which this Government had been eliminated. After its fall General Simovic took over the Government and he also stood over the Army.
O. General Simovic was, therefore, at that time, the leader of the Yugoslavian Government?
A. Yes, he was Chief in the Yugoslavian Government.
Q. Where was General Simovic?
A. At the moment when the capitulation conferences took place he must have been on his war from Yugoslavia to Egypt, if he hadn't already arrived in Egypt.
Q. Where was Simovic later on?
A. Later on he was in London.
Q. And what was he there?
A. He was leader of the Yugoslavian Government in Exile.
Q. And on whose side was this Government which was led by Simovic?
A. On the side of the Allies.
Q. Were the powers of credentials pronounced to be correct after they had been investigated?
A. Yes.
Q. In which way did the capitulation negotiations take place?
A. In a very dignified form. Everything was done in order to lighten the difficult task of the Yugoslav delegation which it had to fulfill for the sake of its fatherland.
Q. Do you know the contents of the Instrument of Capitulation?
A. Yes. I could not read the contents of his capitulation, but I was present when it was read aloud.
Q. What were the essentials of its contents?
A. One can summarize the contents in one sentence. The Yugoslavian Armed Forces ceased fighting, and laid down their arms unconditionally.
Q. And now, regarding the Yugoslavia Government. What were the stipulations in their case?
A. I don't quite understand your question.
Q. Now, I will arrive at this point by another question, "ho signed on the German side and who on the Yugoslavian side?
A. On the German side Field Marshal von Weichs signed, and for the Yugoslavian Government the three delegates signed. And when Markovic put the pen to paper to sign his name, he put the pen down again and lean back a moment, and he said, "Today, three weeks ago I signed a different treaty with Germany." He referred to the entry of Yugoslavia into the Tri-Partite Pact.
Q. In order to make it quite clear, from whom did Markovic derive his credentials?
A. It was Ciocar Markovic.
Q. Did. certain difficulties arise about certain points?
A. Yes. Mr. Ciocar Markovic protested especially against two points. After he had seen that a mitigation of the general conditions could not be achieved the first point was this: It had been provided that the Yugoslavian troops should altogether lay down their arms and should remain together and go into the captivity. For those soldiers who left their troop voluntarily they were to be punished by death. Mr. Markovic states that at this would result in the most impossible state of affairs. Many troop units were already in a state of dissolution, and the leadership no longer had any control over these troops.
Q. How was this objection on Markovic's part treated by von Weichs?
A. Field Marshal von Weichs admitted that this was a correct protest and ho agreed to cancel this provision and this provision had fully been cancelled.
Q. Did any difficulties arise regarding any other point?
A. Yes, Mr. Ciocar Markovic moved that the Yugoslavian officers should retain their swords in captivity, but this point was not accepted.
Q. What was the situation in which the Yugoslavian delegates found themselves?
A. The Yugoslavian delegates found itself in a very difficult position, and it was very hard for them.
Q. Did Field Marshal von Weichs show some understanding for this situation?
A. Yes.
Q. How was this expressed?
A. This was expressed in the way of welcome of the delegates and how he talked to them and how he conducted the negotiations. It was not allowed either that pictures of them were taken when they entered the room.
Q. After the war did you go to Yugoslavia again?
A. Yes, in June 1946, I was asked by the Yugoslavian Government to come to Belgrade and to give some information regarding my activities in connection with my work at the German Legation in Belgrade.
Q. Did the Yugoslavian Government reproach you with anything?
A. No, they treated me not only absolutely correctly but also in a very friendly manner. At the end of my interrogation I received a certificate that no reproaches were raised against me for my behavior during my activities with the German Legation.
Q.- I have no further questions to ask.
THE PRESIDENT: Is there any cross-examination?
MR. DENNEY: May we have just a moment, Your Honor?
THE PRESIDENT: Very well.
CROSS-EXAMINATION BY FENSTERMACHER:
Q. Dr. Feine, you were in Belgrade on the 6th of April 1941?
A. Yes.
Q, What happened on that day?
A. On that day, at 7 o' clock, the German air bombardment started on that town.
Q. Do you know whether there was a declaration of war before that bombing began?
A. Yes, I hard that on the wireless --
DR. LATE NSER: I object. I have consciously restricted myself during my examination, to the negotiations for the capitulation, and I, therefore, ask that the Prosecution be advised that it can only examine regarding these points.
THE PRESIDENT: Sustained.
BY MR. FENSTERMANCER
Q. Dr. Feine, did you know where King Peter was at the time the capitulation was signed?
A. As far as I know, he was out of the country.
Q. Was King Peter the head of the Yugoslavian government at that t me? Do you know?
A. He was the monarch of Yugoslavia. He was not the chief of the Yugoslav government.
Q. Was Simovic the prime minister of the Yugoslavian government under King Peter's regime?
A. Yes, he was chief of the government and among other offices he occupied the office of prime minister.
Q. Simovic was not present at the capitulation, was he?
A. He was not resent.
Q. Do you know when he fled the country?
A. He must have fled shortly before the capitulation negotiations started. I cannot tell you the data.
Q. Do you happen to know why he fled?
A. Because of the general collapse.
C. You said that the Yugoslavian delegation at the capitulation seemed to be in difficulties, that they had rather a tough time. Did you mean that the - seemed to be under duress to sign the capitulation?
A. One saw that obviously, especially as regards Cinczar-Markovic, he was under gread mental stress. I happened to knew Cinczar-Markovic from former times.
Q. You said that Markovic three weeks earlier signed a different agreement. Was that the Tri-Partite Fact by which Yugoslavia joined the Axis?
A. Yes, that was that contract. It was signed in Vienna.
Q. Did Simovic, the prime minister at the time the capitulation was signed, ever retrn to Germanny? I beg your pardon to Yugoslavia during the German occupation of that country?
A. No, not to my knowledge, he did not.
Q. Did you see the paper which supposedly gave power from Simovic to Markovic to sign the capitulation with Germany.
A. No, I did not see that myself.
Q. I have not further questions, your Honor.
THE PRESIDENT: Is there anything further desired with this witness by Dr. Laternser or any counsel for any of the other defendants?
REDIRECT EXAMINATION BY DR. SAUTER:
Q. Dr. Sauter for the defendant Geitner. I only have two short questions. Dr. Feine, I am interested in this point. The capitulc.tion which was agreed upon at that time in you presence---was this capitulation carried out? In order words, were all weapons taken from the Yugoslavian army at that time?
A. Yes. The capitulation was carried out in the way it had been agreed upon.
Q. And my second question. During the next months after the instrument of capitulation had been concluded, was there quiet and peace in the country? And when, according to your observations, did the bandit wars start?
A. After the conclusion of the capitulation, there was complete peace in the country. It only became restless during the course of the summer.
Q. Well, how many months?
A. I should say in about June.
Q. When was the conclusion of the armistice?
A. In April.
Q. Two to three months after the armistice, if I have understood you correctly, the bandit was started according to your observation?
A. At least, to a greater extent.
Q. I have no further questions. Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: There being no other questions desired apparently from other counsel, the witness will be excused. Pardon me, is there any question on behalf of the Tribunal?
JUDGE BURKE: Not any.
THE PRESIDENT: The witness may be excused.
DR. LATERNSER: With the agreement of the Court, I call the witness Dietloff von Winning.
THE PRESIDENT: Very well.
DIETLOFF VOH MINING, a witness, took the stand and testified as follows:
BY THE PRESIDENT:
Q. The witness will kindly raise his right hand, please. I swear by God, the Almighty and Omniscient, that I will speak the pure truth, and will withhold and add nothing.
(The witness repeated the oath.)
Very well, you may be seated.
DIRECT EXAMINATION BY DR. LATERNSER:
Q. Please give your full name.
A. Dietloff von Winning.
Q. Will you kindly spell it?
A. D-i-e-t-l-o-f-f- v-o-n- W-i-n-n-i-n-g
Q. Before you answer my question, would you kindly insert a small pause so that the question can first be translated. Where were you born and when?
A. On the 8th of March, 1909, in Strassbourg.
Q. What is your profession?
A. I was an active officer.
Q. What was your last service rank?
A. Lieutenant colonel.
Q. Where were you mainly during your service in the war?
A. I was first Ib of a division in the Polish campaign. Then Ib of a division in the French campaign.
For a short time, I was Q-2 at the army high command 12, then Q-1 - with the same army high command. Later Q-1 with Army Group E and F. Finally I was chief of a corps in Bavoria and the Tyrol.
Q. You said that you had been Q-1 with ACK-12 and later on were with Army Group E and F. What were the respective dates which you spent with the offices you have just mentioned?
A. From March, 1941 to June 1944.
Q. What were your tasks as Q-I?
A. As 7-1, I had the task to see to the supplying of the fighting troops with all the material necessary for warfare.
Do you know Field Marshal List personally?
A. Yes.
7. Where was the AOK-12 stationed in August, 1940?
A. In August, 1940, AOK-12 was stationed in Besancon and in a spa near Besancon.
Q. Where were you transferred later on?
A. In August we were transferred to Zakopane near Cracow.
Q. And then?
A. On Christmas Eve, 1940, we were surprisingly transferred to Vienna and on Jew Year's Eve we were transferred to Bukarest or Kronstadt.
Q. What campaign was being envisaged at that time?
A. After the transfer to Rumania, we were counting on a campaign against Greece.
Q. And against Yugoslavia?
A. No campaign against Yugoslavia was mentioned at that time.
Q. Why not?
A. Yugoslavia....
MR DEHNEY: Your honor, that hasn't been mentioned. I submit that that is too speculative.
THE PRESIDENT: What is your objection again?
MR. DENNEY. He is asking him why the campaign against Yugoslavia hasn't been mentioned. He just said none was ever mentioned. He said why not? The question is in improper form and the witness is incompetent to testify to it.
THE PRESIDENT: Sustained.
BY DR. LATERNSER:
Q. Did you see any signs pointing to the fact that the campaign was only intended against Greece?
A. Apart from the fact that all conferences and all planning was merely concerned with Greece, after we had marched into Bulgaria, all measures were taken which prevented any violation of the neutrality of Yugoslavia. I remember, for instance, that a special zone was fixed on the Yugoslav-Bulgarian frontier, the width of this zone may have been about ten kilometers which was out of bounds to every German soldier. We also tried to include in our claiming that a break--through the Rupel lass in southern Bulgaria would be prevented by circumventing the Rodope mountains in the Southwest. It would have been necessary for this purpose to enter a tiny part of Yugoslavia. That would have saved quite a lot of blood on both sides because then there would have been no necessity to break through the so-called Metaxas line.
At that time, the 12th Army requested that the Yugoslav government was to be approached for its agreement which would have enabled us to circumvent, to carry out this by-pass. This request was rejected and we were told that the absolute neutrality of Yugoslavia would have to be guaranteed by every means.
The ideas which prompted us in making provisions for the supply of the army, show that a supply of the troops after, for instance, Salonika had been taken, would have become practically impossible. There was no railway line at our disposal to Salonika, and only one road passing through the Rupel pass. We would have to expect that this road would already have been destroyed and apart from that would have been heavily guarded by troops.
For that reason, we tried to get the agreement of the Yugoslav government to be allowed at least to transport medical supplies, supplies, etc. to transport these materials on the railway line Belgrade-Salonika or at least to be allowed to transport our wounded men from Salonika on this railway, since no other supply for the wounded men seemed to be at our disposal. This request too was rejected quite firmly and we were informed that Yugoslavia would have to be kept quite strictly apart from all actual warfare.
Q What time were you talking about just now?
AAll this took place in the period during which AOK-12 was in Bulgaria. That is, immediately before the Greek campaign.
Q Did later on appear any change in policy against Yugoslavia?
A The situation was changed by a coup d'etat in Belgrade. We were told on very short notice that we had to round off troops in the direction of Yugoslavia in order to collaborate with other forces which were to come from Austria to smash the rebellion in Yugoslavia.
Q What were the preparations of the campaign against Yugoslavia?
A We cannot really talk of the preparation in a military sense, since as I have already mentioned we could not enter the frontier zone previously. Therefore, at the starting point, so to speak, there were no troops at all, especially no stocks had been piled up of munition, fuel, etc.
All this had to be done in a couple of days and that was very difficult because of the very bad transportation conditions in Bulgaria.
Q Mr. von Winning, in what capacity did you come to all these conclusions?
A In my capacity as Q-I. I was responsible that the troops which were to be used were supplied with the necessary war materials.
Q Where were you Q-I? Which office were you attached to?
A With the army high command 12.
Q Now we turn to Greece. The cause of the campaign is known. What do you know about the capitulation of the Greek Army?
AAfter Salonika had been conquered, the Greek Army capitulated, which had occupied the Metaxas line. Later on, when the German advance against Athens had made greater progress and the German armed forces were in the rear of the Epirus Army, the Epirus Army capitulated. I remember that for these capitulation negotiations Field Marshal List and some officers of his revenue flew, I believe, to Larissa and there received the capitulation of the Greek Epirus'Army.
The Italians, who had not found themselves bound by these capitulation conferences, therefore did not adhere to this capitulation. I know that Colonel General Jodl who at that time came to Greece in order to conduct renewed capitulation negotiations with the Greeks, was then in agreement with the Italians.
Q After the capitulation was concluded, did the organized resistance of the Greeks then stop?
A Yes. In southern Greece where there were still fights going on with the British and to what extent Greek troops took part in these fights I cannot remember.
Q After the capitulation had been concluded, was everything quiet in Greece?
A It was quiet in Greece after the capitulation had been con cluded.
Q Now what about the destructions in Greece during the campaign?
A In Salonika, I only saw that the harbor was destroyed to some degree and the oil installations in the harbor.
Q And the railway lines?
A The most essential destructions in Greece, those who had the most weighty results, had been carried out on the main line SalonikaAthens by allied troops.
Q Who had carried out these destructions?
A It was either the British or the Greeks. At any rate, our opponents of that time.
Q Were bridges also destroyed?
A Several bridges had been destroyed, especially on this railway line and particularly the so-called Asopos and Bralo bridges.
Q Would you kindly spell these names?
A I spell Asopos Bridge-- A-s-o-p-o-s and Bralo, B-r-a-l-o.
Q On which line were these bridges?
A The Northern third of the line Salonika-Athens.
Q And who destroyed these bridges?
A These bridges had been destroyed by our opponents at that time.
Q Not by the Germans?
A Under no circumstances by the Germans. We found the bridges already destroyed.
Q How were the Greek prisoners of war treated?
A The Greek prisoners of war were released after the capitulation without exception.
Q On whose order did that take place?
A The order had been issued by Field Marshal von List, I assume on the strength of superior orders, or at least in agreement with his superior officers.
Q What could the prisoners retain after the cessation of hostilities?