THE MARSHAL: The persons in the Courtroom will be seated.
The Tribunal is again in session.
MR. DENNEY: And again page 19 of the German and 19 of the English, for the 11th of December in the Second Panzer Army commanded by the defendant Layser with reference to the 373rd Infantry Division, a report for 11 December, still in Document NOKW-1331, Prosecution Exhibit 367.
"Operation Panzer Jaeger Battalion 373 in the area west of D. Srb encountered a band which was repulsed. 13 enemy dead, (1 commissar).." again referring to Commissars in the reports "....2 prisoners...." and again the mention of "(1 commissar)." "Booty, 10 rifles, 1 machine gun and documents. No losses of our arms. Operation of Reconnaissance Battalion 373 for reconnaissance of bridge near Vojnici, strong machine gun and trench mortar fire. Railway bridge south of Otoka rebuilt . . . . . As reprisal measure houses burned down, taking of hostages ordered, Croatian Sector Commander taken to account! Operation South of Prijedor, with 2 reinforced Battalions and tanks repulsed strong enemy with heavy weapons (4 medium trench mortars, 1 light gun). 42 enemy dead, 3 own dead, 7 wounded, tank total loss (ran onto mine).
"In the night of the 9-10 December the Cetniks raided a Communist local committee in Seliste, 2 bandits shot, 2 escaped."
Again this is from the reports of the Cossack Division which arc in Document 264, and the signature at the left is that of Pfaferott.
Then for the 15th, same addressee, and the same sender. For the 114th Division:
"During the capture of booty depot northeast of Ervenik on 12 December 10 enemy dead, 15 prisoners..." And again the reference to "nine tons of captured ammunitions of different kind" which were referred to in the earlier reports. "Villages friendly towards the bands in area 20 kilometers north-west of Knin burned down, occasioning numerous detonations caused by hidden ammunition. 300 head of cattle and 200 sheep and goats captured.
Own losses: 6 dead, 10 wounded, 49 enemy dead (the number is presumably higher). According to statements of prisoners 50 alone north of Knin, 18 prisoners, 16 deserters..." and again they cite deserters. However, this is the same report as was contained earlier to the XVth Corps, in the prior exhibit.
"Booty, 1 rigle, 1 pistol, 6 horses, 2 pack animals, enemy documents, 8 cows, 54 sheep."
For the 15th of December, again to the same addressee, the 2nd Panzer Army and others, and again from the XVth Mountain Corps, for the 373rd Division, one of the subordinate units to the defendant Leyser.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
General line reached 16 kilometers north of Bos. Novi behind enemy withdrawing toward the north. On the left wing strong enemy resistance. The group Ristow fought off several enemy attacks from the west. Hussar Detachment is attacking a band 400 men strong in the area 20 kilometers west northwest of Cazin. On 16 December 2 dead (Germans, 1 officer), 6 wounded (1 German officer). Enemy losses: since the beginning of operation "Panther": 15 dead, 25 wounded, 41 prisoners, 6 deserters, 34 rifles, 7 machine guns, 2 trench mortars, morta ammunition.
There again the reference to deserters.
Intention: Combing of Samarica towards the north.
In the rest of the area of the Division, during powerful reconnaissance at 0 D. Srb Skirmish with medium sized band which retreated in the mist. 4 of own wounded. Blasting of the line south of Bos, Novi repaired in short time. 2 hostages taken, 2 houses burned down. In the area Prijedor 400 meters of railway rails torn up by bandits 18 kilometers east of Bos. Novi. The line ready for traffic again on 17 December. As reprisal measure houses burned down.
And again we have the XVth Mountain Corps passing up the report of its division which was seen in the earlier document in this book.
Then on the 21st, again to the defendant Rendulic's 2nd Panzer Army and the defendant Leyser's XVth Corps, 264th Division.
..... Medium seized band in English uniform transferred from Brac and Vis to area south of Primosten confirmed. Report about renewed assembly of band on island Uljan not confirmed.
..........
..... 371st Division:
In mopping up Samarica 2 bandits shot to death, 2 German field kitchens, 5 supply depots, 1 small field bakery, 60 tons of food supplies, alcohol, office supplies, light trench mortar ammunition captured, 1 own wounded."
And the signature over at the left hand, "Pfafferott."
And typed at the right, "WVth Mountain Corps." Then there is an enclosure to the War Diary No. K-3 which is dated 5 November 1943 and this is. entitled "Subjects of Conversation Between the Commander-in-Chief of the 2nd Panzer Army and the Commanding General." And of course this is defendant Rendulic, the Commander-in-Chief of the 2nd Panzer Army and Leyser is the Commanding General of the XVth Corps, and then apparently they had a conversation at Banja Luka. There are several others listed here, but this is the only one it reviews. This is number six.
"The certain possession of Banja Luka must also be guaranteed after the Corps Staff has left. The Commander-in-Chief...." It is submitted the defendant Rendulic, ".... made a proposal to shoot immediately a rather large number (1000) of band suspects and to arrest a further 1000 hostages." And then there is a note that -- there is a reference to a conversation between the Fuehrer, who was Adolf Hitler, and the Commander-in-Chief of the 16th of September, 1943.
It is submitted there that the Commander-in-Chief again refers to the defendant Rendulic. Turning now to page 25 in the English, 25 in the German and 27 in the English, we have Document 1375 which becomes Prosecution's Exhibit 368.
This document is typewritten and bears at the end of it typed "XVth Mountain Corps Ic" and is an enclosure to communication of 2 December 1943. It is entitled "Enemy News Sheet". The area Kordun and Banija, preliminary remarks.
"Enemy News Sheet: Area: Kordun and Nanija.
"Preliminary Remarks: The entire area has the decided characteristics of a central chain of mountains. The Kordun is only partially covered with forests, and therefore often allows a very wide survey. The Banija is predominantly wooded. Numerous deep ravines make traffic very difficult away from the larger roads. The population is mainly pro-slavic and friendly toward the bands, and usually flees from the villages when soldiers approach, and, "II) Enemy Forces:
A band Brigade corresponds on the average in strength to a battalion," and it is submitted they are speaking of a German Battalion, "A Band Division to a Regiment." And, it is submitted, they are speaking of a German Regiment.
"The fighting power of the units has gone down considerably in the last months on account of the calling to the colors of draftees, Croatian deserters and prisoners of war, but is very high iu individual units, and the next word is illegible ...
"is subordinated to the Main Staff Croatia (Commander Gosnjak, Political Commissar Bakaric," and I again direct the courts' attention to the use of that term.
"Bakaric, Chief of Staff Terzic, Chief of the Operations Department (la) Crescanin. Subordinated to him is the IV Corps, the Staff of which is located in Kordun, probably near Primislje."
And they give the name of the leader and again the name of the political Commissar who is attached to the staff of the IV Corps, the Enemy News Officer, and then they recite that the 7th, 8th and 13th Divisions are part of the IV Corps, and, "The 8th Division is as a rule designated as the Kordun Division, the 7th as the Banija Division.
In the same manner, the brigades of the divisions bear the designation 'Kordun' or 'Banija-Brigade', sometimes using the number within the division, sometimes using the previous number from the time before the division was established.
"8th Division: Part of the IV Corps. As headquarters of the staff, the following places were named in November: Budacki, Dunjac, and Leskovac, 16 kilometers northwest of Cazin."
And again they give the names of the Commander and the name of the political Commissar of this Division and there again we have them referring to the political Commissar in the staff, Chief of Staff, Operations officer and then the Composition. This 8th Division has 3 Brigades and 1 Mountain Artillery Detachment, as well as I convoy Battalion (which is a battalion armed with heavy trench mortars and heavy machine guns). And, the heavy arms of the division excluding those of the brigade, according to statements of prisoners: 2 canons, 4 mountain guns, 10 anti-tank guns, 4 heavy trench mortars, 1 big Italian tank armed with 2 guns, 2 small Italian tanks.
And, they give the name of the Commander of the Artillery Detachment, and the units: 1 Brigade (of the 8th Division - IVth Croatian Brigade) also designated as 1st Kordun or as IVth Lika-Brigade.
They give area of operations, the Commander, his deputy, again the political Commissar, and also the deputy political Commissar, and the 1c and than the strength report: According to statements of prisoners: 4 battalions total strength, about 950 to 1,200 men.
Heavy Arms: Each battalion has 3 heavy machine guns, 2 light machine guns; each company, 3 light machine guns. The heavy trench mortar and the two guns of this brigade arc presumed to have been assigned to it temporarily from the division.
They give the Commander and the political Commissar of of the battalion for the 1st , 2nd 3rd and 4th; and then, on the 25th, the strength of the 4th battalion was 337 man, 80 of whom were on leave at home. That refers of course to the 25th of August, and the 2nd Brigade, --- oh, before that -- the 1st battalion is said to have available a mounted platoon, and the 2nd brigade which is the Vth Croatian Kordun Brigade, and the area which they operate, their Commander, political commissar, and the composition, it has 3 battalions. The strength of the battalions on 1 November at one o'clock on the 17 November 1,200. Armament: (According to reports of confidential agents) - 4 heavy trench mortars, 7 heavy machine guns, many light machine guns. And they give the names of the three battalions which are included within the brigade, and then they give the commander and political commissar of the battalion for the 1st and 2nd Battalions; the 1st, they list some names without indicating what they are and the 2nd they list one as a political commissar. In the 3rd brigade, the XV Croatian Brigade, they give their area and Commander; again the political commissar, their strength, estimated at 1,100 men, their armament: 4 mountain guns, 1 antiaircraft machine gun, 2 anti-tank rifles, 12 to 14 heavy machine guns, 3 to 7 heavy trench mortars. The 2 to 4 howitzers of this brigade often mentioned probably belong to the Artillery Detachment of the 8th Division. Commander and political commissar of the 3rd battalion according to out-of-date reports, and it gives the 1st, 2nd and 3rd and then lists the convoy company and gives the names of the commander and political commissar there, the units above being of course the 1st, 2nd and 3rd companies in addition to the convoy company.
Then the Plaski Detachment, last at Leskovac, and they give its last location, the names of the commander, the political commissar, the estimated strength: 400 men (2 battalions); 1st battalion, then they give the name of the political Commissar, and their armament, allegedly, 2 heavy machine guns, 4 light machine guns, 1 trench mortar.
The 2nd battalion, which is called Terenski-battalion, gives the name of the commander, that is, 3 companies each of which have 85 men and allegedly one heavy trench mortar, 1 Italian mountain gun, 1 anti-tank gun, 1 light and 3 heavy machine guns.
The Kordun Detachment, formerly designated as 1st order of the Operations Group Una, presumably in the area southwest and south of Petrova Gora.
Commander: Karas?
Deputy: Kreca, Pero.
Strength: 3 battalions together 500 to 600 men, fighting value small, IIIrd battalion, according to list of 3 June 1943, 225 men.
In addition, confidential agents of the Branch Office mention in this area the so-called anti-5th column battalion which supposedly was used against Cetniks only. No confirmation, probably identical with the Kordun Detachment.
The total strength of the 8th Division is estimated (on 15 November) by the Croatian General Staff at 4200 men, this estimate is probably a little too high for the Division alone, counting in the mountain Detachments, too low.
Then they go into the 7th Division, a part of the IV Corps which we spoke of earlier. It speaks of their staff, being a commander who is a professor from Uzice, and they name the political commissar who is a teacher from Borojevici. They also list the deputy political commissar who was a student from Petrinja. They list the Chief of Staff who was a former Yugoslav Major and is now a General. Chief Administrative officer, who was a 2nd class captain in the Yugoslav Army.
"The Division consists of the VIIth and VIIIth Croatian Brigades of the old 7th Division returned from Montenegro and the 2 Brigades of the deactivated Operations Group Una, And, then they cite some places at which they had contacted this 2nd brigade of the deactivated Operations Group Una and, in addition Still a part of the 7th Division, 1 Artillery Detachment, 1 Engineer Detachment, 1 truck column and workshops.
The Engineer Detachment has available 1 ferry and 3 pontoons. The Artillery Detachment (without the heavy arms of the Brigade) has 4 Italian anti-tank guns, 1 Croatian anti-tank gun, 2 mountain guns, 3 heavy trench mortars and the 4 guns captured in Cazin. A convoy battalion of the staff is in possession of the heavy machine guns.
In addition, every brigade has at least 2 heavy trench mortars and 4 heavy machine guns.
The Brigade. is armed with 1 anti-tank gun, 4 heavy, Of the 1st brigade they list the commander, the deputy commander, and the political commissar with the note that he was replaced by someone else with a question mark after it; Chief of Staff, and then the political department, strength of 600 and 700 men and the commander of the various companies in the brigade, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, and they list the political commissars for the 2nd and 4th.
"The Brigade is armed with 1 anti-tank gun, 4 heavy and several light trench mortars, several heavy machine guns, 24 light machine guns, ---"
These figures all according to prisoners taken on 16 November.
Then the 2nd brigade which is the VIII Croatian Brigade also the VIII Kordun Brigade and lists commander and deputy and again we have reference to a political commissar, chief administrative officer, and then they have many listed as Joka, physician, veterinary, M.D. Babetko, who was a Czech and in the political department, 1st Battalion Commander, F Cavic, Simo, and the political commissar. Strength: 800.
They list their arms: 2 anti-tank guns, 6 heavy, 4 light trench mortars, 12 heavy, 50 light machine guns.
IIIrd Brigade, which was formerly IVth Banija Brigade, lists headquarters, commander, political commissar, strength of 900, 1st Battalion has a strength of 1,400 to 1,500 from statements of prisoners from this IVth Brigade and their armament: 2 anti-tank guns, 2 heavy trench mortars, 16 light trench mortars, 8 heavy, 60 light machine guns.
Then a little more information about this brigade:
Dispersed amongst this Brigade, there is an Einsatz Battalion of Jews from the Reich Autobahn concentration camp. This Battalion (consisting of 160 men) was formed in October under the leadership of the Yugoslav Captain of the Reserve, Aaron Kabiljo from Sarajevo. Banija Detachment composed of 3 Battalions, of which the 1st Battalion is usually situated around Zirovac, the IInd Battalion in the district Dvor around Vrpolje, the IIIrd Battalion northwest of Kostajnica.
The Detachment which formerly was fairly strong has, by its employment in the 7th Division become fairly weak, according to statements of prisoners of 27th September, 800 men, according to the Croatian General Staff of 15th November, 500 men.
They list the Commander:
Again the Political Commissar: and 1c: and he seems to have been a non-commissioned officer who deserted the Luftwaffe and then they list the Commanders of the 3 Battalions:
The strength of the Division has been stated by prisoners to be 5000 (assumedly too high). Newly formed: Cezin Detachment, The 28th Division presumably identical with the former 10th Slavonic Division which was put at the disposal of the Main Staff Croatia as reserve for attacks, the XVII and XXI Slavonic Brigades having a maximum strength of 3000 men) are, according to reliable sources, in the area of Sisak.
The II zone has requested that this division be transferred to the area Turopolje. However, it must be taken into consideration that the division may also be ordered into the area of our own operation or that the 7th Division may try to join the former by withdrawing to the northwest.
Then several paragraphs on Communist Organization:
"The entire area is strictly communistically organized. In every village there is a communist committee, a kind of self administration above which there is, for purposes of appeal, a conmunity-Odbor and a district-Odbor. This district-Odbor takes care of the tasks which are those of the Chief of District in the Croation administration. (From captured documents from the districts Veljun and Vojnic containing detailed regulations concerning Signal service, securing the harvest, vet. Police statistics, agriculture, settlement and raw-materials, etc.)
In addition, there are the military authorities of the area behind the zone of operations (town headquarters together with partisan guards) and a kind of gendarmerie subordinated to the local headquarters of the area.
1) for Kordun in Gorni Budacki
2) for the Banija presumably in Klasnic Every person travelling in the area outside of his place of residence must have a pass issued by a military or civilian communist office.
The relay stations have been replaced by post offices and the main post offices are situated at the headquarters of the regional headquarters. Every post office has a code number and is a control office for the military bands which also have a code number.
List of post offices with their code number (B-Banija, K - Kordun):
Klasnic (26 km.south southwest of Petrinja, code no. B 1 Ravno Rasce (20 km southwest of P. " " B 2 Bacuga code no.
B 3 Rujavac(34 km south of P.) " " B 4 Kepcija (34 km south southeast of P.) " " B 5 Dobretin (48 km south of P.) " " B 6 For Bosnia:
Zarkovac " " B 7
G. Pastusa " " B 8 Mostanica (10km southeast of P.) " " B 9 Klobucak (9 km southeast of P.) " " B 10 Mecencani (20 km southeast of P.) " " B 11
V. Gradusa (7 Km southeast of P.) " " B 12 Krcevo (24 km southeast of P.) " " B 13
G. Hrastovac " " B 14 Meminska (28 km southeast of P.) " " B 15 Utolica (37 km southeast of P.) " " B 16 Slabinja (40 km southeast of P.)for Bosnia " " B 17 Kostresi (33 km southeast of P.) " " B 18 Strmen (34 km southeast of P.)for Moslavina" " B 19 Ivanjski Bek (38 km southeast of P.) for " " B 20 Slavonia And then they list these post offices with their code numbers, the B being Banija, and the K for Kordun, and they give a list starting on this page of 20 of them with the code number preceded by the letter "b" for Banija, and on the next page they list Main Post Offices, if which there are eleven more and again they give their location with their "code" numbers and the numbers 1 to 11, and each of these preceded by "K" for Kordun.
Paragraph IV, "Communist Tactics.":
Except for the attacks of protected villages which the Communists as a rule only risk on purely Croatian headquarters and in which, after careful preparation, they use forces as strong as possible, method of fighting is limited to surprise attacks from ambushes. In the area occupied in a finger like spreading way, an excellent signal service has been established by utilizing the apparently harmless civilian population (women and children). Every enemy march column is observed from certain points of survey (not only patrols, but also so-called village guards, as a rule three to four men) and reported to the next communist unit.
Most of the time, the ambushes are "multiple". An automatic weapon is placed ahead of the march column. On all sides, security and scouts are placed. An intensification of the "multiple" ambush by surprise attacks from several posts forms the so-called "combined" ambush. It is carried out by strong forces and aims at the extermination of the adversary. The posts occupied are chosen so that the march column may be fired on in its whole extent. A signal agreed upon beforehand is the signal to open fire; often for reasons of morale, accompanied by hurrah shouts.
Fire is usually opened by rather weak units from the flank or from the rear. The adversary who is being fired on then instinctively seeks to withdraw from the fire attack in the direction of the march and just then clashes with the most powerful units of the encirclement. A counter-attack toward the opening fire therefore can often free the troop from his grip.
During the combat, whistle signals ordered for the occasion are used, e.g. three long blasts ... to the right; one long blast, three short ones .... the commander of the 3rd Company.
During the attack, the adversary often sends women and children ahead, whom the kind German soldier does not shoot at. At a whistle signal, the women and children throw themselves down as soon as the band has deployed for the attack. In the frequent night attacks, the civilian population has been trained to simulate a stronger enemy by shouting and to take care of the wounded and dead.
At every attack and raid, the bands usually block the roads of approach by their reserves in order to be protected against surprises.
Fire raids from heights on troops held up in road bands by road blocks are frequent. Bands on the march are always well protected (often women or children are sent ahead as scouts). The band withdraw from encirclement at worst by dissolving into small groups. Everywhere one must count on a large amount of ammunition and with numerous automatic weapons originating from Italian booty. When the bandits are definitely inferior, they let themselves be overrun. In these cases also one must count on raids from the rear. Our own troops must assume an entirely different attitude; they do not have to deal with an adversary fighting openly, but with a master in evasion and in insidious and treacherous combat who knows how to utilize in a masterly fashion the terrain that is very difficult to survey almost everywhere."
And then a section with reference to Details, Depots and Dumps:
"Depots and hideouts of bands are to be expected in groups of houses situated near the border of forests, so that the bandits are able to disappear quickly. Food and ammunition depots are often in caches in the ground ( 4 x 4 x 5 meters, lined with boards and carefully camouflaged). Such depots are to be presumed in the vicinity of every communist Local Headquarters (usually therefore also near the post offices). The following Town Headquarters have become known in (and they list them).
A telephone line leads from Brojevici via Trnovac-Klasnic - Zirovac Slunj. presumably on to the IV Corps and to the Main Staff Croatia; in part it is laid underground.
"Area for the 373rd Infantry Division:
"The ordnance shop is in Poderove", and this of course is speaking about the German unit here, "8km south southwest of Vrnograc," and of course the recital about the communists, the details in whose division, and whose section it is. "Footholds of bands in Ljubina (Northwest of Novi), Majdan, Vrpolje (5 km. from the Banija to S. Dobretin (8 km. southwest of Novi) south of height 153. Ferries and boats are weighted down with stones under water during the daytime, the ferryman, Welko ... chauffeur in Dobretin, lives in the house between heights," and then gives the location of the hills from the map coordinates.
Peljska Kosa and the wood Tavenac, 27 km south southwest of Karlovac contain underground potatoes. The wood Kneja, 12 km west southwest of Slunj contains food supplies at the east border.
Zbieg, 8 km southwest of Slunj, (hospital in several houses).
V. Crkvina, 20 km south of Karlovac (arms and ammunition). Underground depot, hospital in the school, Grn. Skrad, 1 km. northeast of Crkvina.
Primislje, depot to be presumed.
At Gorni Budacki, 21 km. south southeast of Karlovac, depot to be presumed, regional headquarters, hospital.
In the forest Debelakosa, 1 km. east from there, barrack containing a hand grenade workshop, a bakery, a butchery, workshops, a carpenter's shop, and an ordnance workshop.
At Burci, Dunjak, Eristinja, depots to be presumed.
Depot weapons at Rijeak, 19 km. south southeast of Karlovac.
Road blocks on the road to Vukmanic, at the fork, 8 km southeast of Karlocac, also at the north border of the Babina Gora, footholds of bands are to be exptected, the same Northwest of Vukmanic, at height 197, according to aerial reconnaissance, presumably enemy positions, also northwest of there at Miljusi.
Numerous road blocks on the road west of the Korana from Barilovic to Perjasice, 22 km south southwest of Karlovac (Doline country).
Area Topusko on the road 1 km southwest of (N.Vrh.) field positions (in the north the bandit villages Perna and Pecka).
West of Topusko field positions. Topusko Toplice, formerly named as headquarters of a staff.
Along the road, Slunj-Vrnograc, according to aerial reconnaissance, presumably positions at Gladno Brdo, 5 km. east of V.Kladusa.
In the Banija allegedly numerous ground caches in the Samarica and presumably in the Prolom forest, 12 km. south of Glina.
The essential area: forest and border of the forest villages in the area Drngotine, Bojna, Zirovac. Favored staff headquarters Brestik (radio station reported there, presumably the station of the 7th Division and Mrnovac.)
At Klasnic, 12 km south southeast of Glina, weapons depot, at Dodosi, 16 kilometers south of Petrinja, sawmill and electricity works.
At Tremusnjak, 16 km. east southeast of Glina, at the end of October, salvage depot for Italian guns.
Area Cossack Division: Band footholds in Levca (Printing shop Krst - 3 km. northwest of Lovca, ordnance shop Komogovina and Brojevici 13 km northwest of Kostajnica, weapons depot and transfer point Svinjica.
The weapons transports from the Main Staff Croatia to Slavonia go from Klasnic via Trmusnjak. The crossing point into Bosnia is near Slabinje, 10 km east of Kostajnica. Meminsko and Crkveni Bok are transfer points (according to the usual statements).
In the villages north of the road Petrinja - Kostajnica, there live scattered Croatians (Severovac), however even the Croatian population cannot be considered reliable. In the Sunja-Dubica-Kostajnica triangle there is a home-defense organization composed of Pravoslavs with an anti-communist attitude. However, the good postal net just in that district aids the communist infection. It must be considered that this home-defense organization is formed under toleration of the communists so that they may be able to sluice their weapons transport all the more undisturbed across the Save through the supposedly pacified country. At present, transports are probably not possible on account of high water."
Then we have a "Insignia rank" -- we have had some evidence about this before, but here is some more.
"At the 7th Division the officers' yellow insignia (1-3 stars with 1-3 stripes, generals 3, staff officers 2, other officers 1 stripe) have already been adopted.
Reports on the subject with regard to the 8th Division are not available."
Then we have a supplement about Ammunition depot, and other sorts of depots.
"Ammunition depot in Veljun 28 km south of Karlovac (headquarters of a district office).
There is a food supply depot in Lovca, 13 miles west of Kostajnica; Northeast of there on the Krst, northwest of Kostajnica, there is allegedly a radio station and printing shop; northwest of Kostajnica there is an ordinance work shop and mine workshop.
The population was forced by the communist party organization to hide away the crops (underground caches). Nearly the entire population is organized by the party: the AFZ takes care of the women, the Skoj of the youth and the "Prioneers" of the children. In 1942, in the region around Zirovac, according to captured documents, the women were grouped and formed garrison companies under the leadership of men. Every village has a committee of women under whom one group works as a so-called combat group (other groups are for cultural work, work, or spy service).
Typed at the end is, XV Mountain Corps Ic On page 45 of the German text and page 44 of the English, is Document NOKW-1425, which is offered as Prosecution Exhibit 369 in evidence.
This is a series of orders and reports concerning units which at this time are subordinate to the XV Mountain Corps, commanded by the defendant Leyser.
This is first a division order from the 373rd Croatian Division, dated 22 December 1943, concerns an operation south of the Save and between Prijedor and Bos. Novi:
The 383 Regiment mops up and combs the area South of the Save between Bos. Novi - Suhaca-Volar - Prijedor. The enemy encountered in this area is to be destroyed. The population capable of bearing arms is to be arrested. Supplies and cattle are to be taken away as far as they are not guarded or they are to be destroyed in order to deprive the bandits of the basis for their provisioning. (Evacuation of the male population capable of bearing arms and of cattle along the read South of the Save to Prijedor.)
Duration of operation, about three days.
It is signed "Aldrian" Major General and Division Commander, and in the distribution list where it says, "383rd Division", that should be "373rd Infantry Regiment". Obviously the division would not give and order to another division except under very unusual circumstances.
The 383rd is an Infantry Regiment which is one of the regiments of the Division.
Then there is a report to the Corps Headquarters, XV Mountain Corps, from a Colonel and Brigade Commander of the 373rd Croatian Infantry Division, and this is dated 25 January, 1944:
"Enclosed the Division submits a combat report of the fourth Croatian Jaeger Brigade concerning the defense of Banja Luka from 31 December 1943 to 2 January, 1944."
And that is for the Division Headquarters, the 1st General Staff Officer, and there is an illegible signature of a Lt. Colonel, General Staff Corps.
The Colonel and Brigade Commander's report, paragraph 4 - this is an enclosure to the earlier report:
"In a house across from the Brigade Headquarters, 4 civilians were shot to death, on suspicion that firing came from that house. It was established later that these people were innocent since the culprit was caught."
The signature is illegible. However, it bears the designation, "Colonel and Brigade Commander".
Then on page 51 of the German, and page 47 of the English, from the first Cossack Division to the 15th Mountain Corps -and this again has to do with the commitment of this Division from the 20 December to the 20 of January, over the year 1943-44:
Cossack Brigade (Caucasus) 2:
E n e m y S i t u a t i o n:
On the basis of confidential reports and of statements by deserters about 6000 to 8000 bandits are present in the area between the Bosni and the Vrbas.