In any criminal society, and particularly in a numerous society with many ramifications, single accomplices commit criminal acts comprised by the general plan of the conspiracy, but they can practically remain unknown to a number of the members of this society. Nevertheless, as these crimes result from a single criminal plan, common to the whole society, the accomplices who have not personally committed, these separate criminal actions and were not practically informed of them, bear the responsibility for them.
In this special case the existence of the conspiracy is not precluded by the circumstance that, for instance, Schirach could be unaware of some of the measures taken by the slave trader Sauckel or the "pogrom maker" Streicher. Neither is the existence of the conspiracy precluded by the differences of opinion among individual accomplces of the conspiracy concerning particular questions such as the intrigues of Goering against Bormann etc. Such dissensions may take place in any band of robbers or thieves, but the gang does not cease to exist on account of this.
In nearly every society there exists a certain hierarchy among its members. Very often the head of a criminal band usurps the unlimited power over the other members of the band, even the very right of life and death. However it seems that it never occurred to any lawyer in the world to deny the existence of a criminal society only because its accomplices were not alike and one of them had power over the others.
It is at any rate strange to deny the existence of the conspiracy in the present case on account of the indisputable fact that great personal power was concentrated in the hands of the ring leader - Hitler. In the same way the existence of the conspiracy does not preclude, but on the contrary it implies, a definite distribution of the parts played by the accomplices of the criminal group, when achieving the common aim (one coordinates the entire criminal activity, the other is in charge of the questions of ideological training, the third one prepares the army, the fourth organises the work of the war industry, the fifth carries on the diplomatic preparations, etc.) Therefore, the Fascist conspiracy does not cease being a conspiracy, but is a conspiracy which presents special danger, because the whole machinery of the state and enormous resources of men and material are in the hands of the conspirators.
In the hands of the international criminals, in the hands of Goering, Keitel and other defendants, the enormous fources of people become an instrument of very great crimes.
This is the reason why these special traits that distinguish the con spirators of Fascist Germany from any other gang lend it a special dangerous character without changing the legal character of the conspirary.
Thus I complete the analysis of the legal arguments of the defense, which were examined in detail by my honorable colleagues.
As you have seen, your Honors, the arguments of the defense were found to be inconsistent and incapable of refuting the charges.
Now I shall consider the question concerning the guilt of individual defendants.
INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY GOERING In Hitlerite Germany the defendant Goering was next in importance to Hitler himself.
He was his first successor. He took upon himself extensive powers, and seized the most responsible posts.
He was the President of the Cabinet of Ministers for the Defense of the Reich, he was the Fuehrer for the direction of German economy -- the Pleni potentiary General for the Four Year Plan and the Commander-in-chief of the Airforce.
The main point is that this extensive field was utilized by him and all his forces were dedicated to the organization and the realization of the crimes which are set out in the Indictment.
As we already know, the essential element of this conspiracy consisted in the submission of Europe prior to world supremacy of the Hitlerite Germany, regardless of any methods, however inhuman and criminal.
- To achieve this aim, a way had to be cleared, as Hitler declared already 39 SA in February 1933 at a conference with the prominent German industrialists, 18 and the Parliament system must be destroyed.
Goering took upon himself this task. He exterminated ruthlessly the political opponents of fascism, and for this purpose carried out mass arrests of the members of political parties unfavourable to the nazism.
He organized concentration camps, where he interned without trial all people who disagreed with fascism.
He created the Gestapo, which from the day of its birth established a bloody regime of terror.
He de manded of all the officials in the camps and the Gestapo to hesitate be fore nothing - and savage punishments of the people, mutiliations and massacres, became - under his direction - the elementary working methods.
PS It is he, Goering, who declared: "Each bullet fired from the pistol 2324 USA of a policement, is my bullet, and if anyone calls it murder, this means 233 that I have committed murder" (from Goering's book 'Rebirth of a Nation'-published by him in 1934).He thus cleared the way for fascism, and paved the way for the un hampered progress and the realization of the fascist conspiracy.
PS- Goering was tireless in his efforts to abbihilate everybody and everything 3442 USA- which hampered the consolidation of this conspiracy. And Hitler praised. 576 him for this.
For example, on 13.VII.1934 he declared to the Reichstag that Goering:
"... with his iron fist smashed the attack against the national-socialist state before it could take force".All this terroristic activity of Goering's was calculated to clear the way for the realization of the fundamental idea of the fascist conspiracy, i.e.the conquest of Europe, and to achieve world supremacy of the Hitlerite Germany.
The legal proceedings have proved Goering's guilt in the planning and the preparation of aggressive wars by the Hitlerite Germany.
Numerous documents havebeen presented to the Tribunal, testifying to the PS- active part played by Goering in the initiation of aggressive wars. I 3441 USA shall remind you of Goering's declaration in 1935 at a conference of the 437 Luftwaffe officers.
At that conference he declared that it is his intention "to create the Luftwaffe which shall strike the enemy as an avenging blow.
Even before the attack, the enemy must feel that his cause is lost", and this intention, as we know, he put into effect, preparing for war from day to day.
At the conference of the leaders of German air industry, on 8 July P-140 1938, Goering hints that war is near, and that, if Germany come victorious USA160 out of it, she will be the most powerful state in the world, dominating the world market and she will become rich.
To attain this objective "We must be prepared to take risks". Such was the slogan which Goering threw on that occasion.
On 14.X.1938, not long before he presented demands to Czechsslovakia PS-1301 USA- Goering declares that he has began carrying out a vast program in com123 Trans. parison with which previous undertakings were insignificant. Evn.Sess. 23.XI. "In the shortest possible time, the Luftwaffe must be increased fivefold; page the Navy must be rearmed at a much greater speed, and the Army must be 18.
rearmed much more extensively... especially as regards the heavy artillery and the heavy tanks.
At the same time, the production of war materials and explosives must be intensified.
PS-447 The active participation of Goering in the preparation for aggresUSA-135 1185- sion against the USSR has been established beyond all doubt. PS USA-141 The Tribunal will find proof of Goering's active participation as early as November 1940 in the development of a plan for the attack against the USSR, in the record of the conference of 29 April 1941 on the organi zation of economic staff "Oldenbourg", in the record of the conference which took place on 23 February 1941 at the house of General Thomas, as well as in the testimony of Goering himself during the session of 21 March 1946.
It was Goering who, together with Rosenberg, Keitel and Bormann, at the conference with Hitler on 16.
7.1941, gave concrete form to the plans for the dismemberment of the Soviet Union, the enslavement of its peoples and the plundering of its riches.
The plan to "level Leningrad to the L-221 USA- ground and hand it over to the Finns" was conceived with his participation. 317 It was he who recommended that hangman of Koch for the post of Reichs kommissar for the Ukraine, as a "personality with great initiative and good training". Therefore, it can be considered that the guilt of Goering in the planning, and the preparation of aggressive wars by the Hitlerite Germany has been fully established, and for this he must bear responsibility.
My colleagues have already drawn the attention of the Tribunal to the criminal treatment of the prisoners of war.
I shall only remind the Tribunal the testimony given by the witness Moris Lamp during the evening session of 25.
1.1946, concerning the executions of Soviet, British, French and other officers in the Mauthausen camp, the extermination camps of Auschwitz and Majdanek, the Notes of People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of USSR, Molotov, of 24.
XI.1941 and 27.
VI.1942, presented to the Court, concerning the monstrous treatment in flicted by the German military authorities on the Soviet war-prisoners, for which Goering is personally greatly responsible.
I shall also remind USSR341 about the depositions of the witness Halder on 31.X.1945 which described PS-884 USA-351 the conference at Hitler's office on the non-application of the Hague PS-1191 Trans convention with respect to the treatment of Russian war-prisoners and the Mn.sess. 13.2.46 order issued from Hitler's headquarters on 12.5.1941 concerning the treatpp 30 32 ment of captured Russian sommanding officers and political workers.
All these facts of crimes, established beyond doubt before the Court, have no need for further clarification, as the Defense was unable to advance in their statements any arguments refuting them.
SSR-89 In the "12 Commandments for the behaviour of the Germans in the East" of 1 June 1941, the sixth commandment reads as follows:
"You must clearly understand that for a whole century you are the representatives of great Germany and the standard bearers of national socialism in new Europe.
You must, therefore, with full conscience of your worth, carry out the most ruthless and most cruel masures which shall be requested of you by the State."
The initiation of the systematic persecution and extermination of the Jewish population, is connected with the name of Goering.
It was he who signed the misanthropic Nurnberg decrees, the decrees for the expropriatation of Jewish property for the imposing on the Jews of the penalty of 1 billion and other decrees; such activity was in full keeping with the whole world of Goering's cannibalistic conception of the world.
S-3458 At the trial Goering denied that he was an adherent of the racial theory USA-588 Trans. whilst in 1935, he made a speech before the Reichstag in the defense of even.s. 8.1.46 the Nurnberg racial provocators. On that occasion, he loudly declared; page 21 "...God has created races, He did not will equality and for this reason we reject (energetically every attempt to pervert the idea of the purity of race.
.."
Numerous documents presented to the Court by the Prosecution, expose the criminal actions of Goering in respect to other nations.
C-410 Goering's order issued on 19 October 1939 demonstrates clearly the SA-298 attitude of the defendant towards the Polish people, the Polish State.
In an order relating to the economic policy in the East, issued on 23 May 1941, just before the attack on the USSR, Goering writes as follows on the attitude towards the Russians:
EC -126 "Germany is not interested in maintaining the productivity USA-316 USSR-93 in this territory. She is supplying food only to the troops USSR-36 USSR-60 stationed there.... The population in those regions, and especially the urban population, is doomed to starvation.
It will be necessary to deport this population to Siberia." USSR-93 In his capacity as Plenipotentiary for the Four Year Plan, Goering USSR-36 USSR-60 is responsible for the plunder and the spoliation of state property and personal property of the citizens, carried out by the nazis on occupied territories of the USSR' in Czechoslovkai, Poland, Jugoslavia, and other countries.
It was indeed Goering who headed the activity of the nazi con spirators directed towards the economic plunder of the occupied territories of the USSR.
1157-PS A conference in connection with the elaboration of economic measures USA-141 according to case Barbarossa took place on 29 April 1941, prior to the treacherous attack against the USSR.
As a result of this conference, there was created the economic staff of special purpose "Olderbourg" which was subordinated to Goering.
The creation of special economci inspectorates and units in the largest centers of the USSR was planned; they were to handle important tasks for the utilization and the plunder of Soviet industry and agriculture.
USSR-89 The file of the district agricultural fuehrer contained instructions to agricultural fuehrers, who were given full freedom in the choice of methods is for the fulfillment of their criminal aims.
The demand for ruth less treatments of the Soviet peoples, and, in the first place, of the Russians, the Ukrainains and the Byelorussians, were put forward.
USSR-2 The report of the USSR Extraordinary State Commission on the crimes USSR-9 committed by the Hitlerites in Kiev, in the region of Stalin and other places, states that these criminal plans of the defendant Goering and his accomplices were for the greater part realized.
To secure the necessary manpower for the German war industry and agriculture, and at the same time for the purpose of physical extermination and the economic weakening of the enslaved peoples, the defendant Goering and his accomplices in the nazi conspiracy, utilized the labour of foreign workers.
L-79 The utilization of forced labour had been planned by the Nazis even USA-27 before the war.
It is sufficient to remind you of the conference at Hitler's office, which took place on 23 May 1939, and in which the defendant Goering also took part.
USSR-10 At the conferences of 7 November 1941 and in his order issued on USSR-386 USSR- 10 January 1942, Goering demanded of all the departments subordinated to him, the securing of necessary manpower for the German industry, at the expense of the population of the occupied Soviet territories.
On 6.8.42 Goering held a conference with the Reichskommissars for the USSR- occupied territories and the representatives of military command.
Addressing himself to the participants in this conference, Goering said:
"You are being sent there not to work for the welfare of the peoples entrusted to you, but for the purpose of squeezing out all that is available.
..
You must be like hounds, where there is still something left.
I intend to plunder and to do it efficiently."
These intentions were carried out. Goering plundered; the Reichs ministers plundered, and Reichskommissars for the occupied territories plundered; the representatives of military command plundered, beginning with generals and ending with ordinary soldiers.
Such was the activity of the defendant. Goering.
There is not a single measure executed by the fascist party, not a single step taken by the Hitlerite Government, in which Goering did not participate.
He participated actively in all thecrmies of the fascist gang and for all his deeds he must be duly punished.
HESS The defendant Hess occupied a leading position among the Nazi con spirators from the very beginning of the Nazi empire.
Trans. It was Hess who had been the leader of the Fascist organization, of the even.
s.
7-2-46. University of Munich, It was he who had participated in the Munich Puts p. 37-38 312-PS It was he, who, together with Hitler had worked at the Bible of Fascism USA-952 "Mein Kampf", carrying out the duties of Hitler's private secretary.
It he who had been president of the Central Political Commission of the Fascist Party, and it was he who had carried into effect the bestial policy of the Fascist cutthroats as "Deputy-Fuehrer" after the seizure of power.
PS-3196, It was indeed Hess to whom, according to Hitler's decree of 21 trans.
even. s. April 1933,"the full right was given to take decisions on behalf of 7-2-46 p. 38-39 Hitler on all questions concerning the leadership of the party." Transc. After this, Hess continued to take over one new post after the other even. s. 7-2-46 in Hitler's government. After 1 December 1933 he was Reichsminister withp. 42 37-38 out portfolio "to secure close collaboration of the party and shock 1395-PS GB-252 troops with the civil authorities; on 4 February 1938 he was appointed 1389-PS GB-249 member of the secret council; on 30 August 1939, member of the Cabinet 2018-PS GB-250 for the defense of the Reich, and on 1 September 1939 Hitler declared Hess as successor of Goering.
Hess was also appointed Obergruppenfuehrer SS and SA.
D-138 By the Decree of 27 July 1934 Hitler obliged all leaders of all the USA-403 D-139 departments and ministries of Germany to present projects of laws to Hess USA-404 for preliminary sanction.
PS-3180 Hess had to select and nominate leadership corps of the Fascist trans. even. s. cadres. This is testified to by Hitler's decree of 24 September 1935 7-2-46 p. 49-50 and by other documents submitted to the Tribunal by the Prosecution.
We must take special notice of the active part played by Hess in planning and carrying out aggressive wars.
All the aggressive actions of Hitler's Germany had been planned and prepared with the direct assis tance of Hess and the party machinery of the Nazi was subjected to him.
M-102 GB-260 Already on 12th October 1936 in his speeches made in Bavaria, Hess appealed to the German "to use a little less fat, a little less perk, fewer eggs.
..."."We know", said Hess, "that the foreign currency that is saved in this way, goes for armament.
And the slogan of the day is 'Cannons instead of butter.
'" M-105 Hess spoke about this on the eve of his flight to England on 1st GB-261 transc. May 1941, speaking at the Messerschmitt factory when he made an appeal even s. 7/11/46 for the continuation of an aggressive war. page 56 Trans. Together with Hitler, Goering and other leaders of the Nazi coneven. s. 7/11/46 spiracy, Hess signed the decrees concerning the annexation of other page 65 territories seized by the Germans.
PS-3179 The misanthropic Nurnberg laws, for the publishing of which the USA-200 Transc.
defendant is also responsible, contain a special provision authorizing even. s. 7/11/16 Frick and Hess to issue the necessary decrees to carry these laws into p. 53-54 effect.
Hess signed the law on the "protection of race and honour", the decree of 14 September 1935 deriving the Jews of their right to be employed at public offices, and also the decree of 20 May 1938 extending the Nurnberg laws to Austria.
The question of the part played, by Hess in organizing a network for spies and terroristic groups abroad, in creating SD (Security Service) and recruitment of SS units has been sufficiently elucidated at this trial.
Transc. The very position occupied by Hess in the Fascist party and Hitler's even s. 7/11/46 Government shows the active leading participation of the defendant p. 56-61 in the preparation and realization of the common criminal plan of the Fascist conspirators, consequently an enormous share of the guilt and responsibility for the crimes against peace and for the war crimes and the crimes against humanity.
M-102 Your Honours, in order to evaluate more correctly the importance GB-254 of the criminal activity of the defendant Hess as one of the notorious leaders of the Nazi Party and Hitler's Government, I shall remind you of the article in the newspaper "National Zeitung" of 24 April 1941, dedicated to Hess:
"Many years ago, it was before the beginning of the war Rudolf Hess was called "the conscience of the Party". If we inquire why this honorable name was given to Fuehrer's deputy, it is not difficult to answer this question:
There is not an event in our public life that is not connected with the name of the deputy Fuehrer.
He is so versatile and singular in his work and in his field of activity, that they cannot be described in a few words.
... Many measures carried out by the Government, especially in the field of war economy and in the party were realized entirely by the deputy Fuehrer.
' Transc. Hess refused to give explanations to the Tribunal. His Counsel even. s. 22 March Seidl declared with false pathos that Hess considered the present Tribunal 1946 incompetent to judge the German war criminals.
... and immediately after.
wards without a pause he presented proofs in defense of Hess.
Transc. Hess even tried to declare himself insane to avoid the merited f 11-30 1945 punishment.
But when Hess convinced himself that such a maneuvre p. 57-58 would not help, he was obliged to tell the Tribunal that he had simulated loss of memory, that it had been a trick of his and he had to admit that he bore full responsibility for all that he had done and signed together with the others.
Thus this clumsy attempt of Hess to avoid the responsibility was fully exposed at the trial and Hess must suffer punishment to the full extent, for his participation in the common plan or conspiracy for committing crimes against peace, war crimes and the most heavy crimes against the world and against humanity, committed by him together with the other defendants.
BORMANN The name of Martin Hermann is closely connected with the setting up of Hitler's regime.
He was one of these who committed the most outrageous crimes, aiming at the annihilation of hundreds of thousands of people.
Together with the defendant Rosenberg, Bormann carried on a propa ganda of racial theories and persecutions of Jews with cruel perseverance Numerous instructions were issued by him aiming at the discrimina tion of Jews in Hitlerite Germany, which afterward had such a fatal effect and resulted in the annihilation of Jews.
By this activity of his, he won the confidence of Hitler, he was "authorized to represent the party in the field of government activity" (regulations and orders of the party chancellory v. II p. 228) and he did represent it.
Thus, as chief of the party chancellory, he directly participated in the annihilation of Jews, Gypsies, Russians, Ukrainians, Poles and Czechoslovaks.
NSDAP under his leadership became a police organization, in close contact with the German secret police and SS.
Bormann not only knew of all the aggressive plans of Hitler's Government, but also took an active part in realizing them.
He made full use of the entire party machinery of NSDAP to realize the aggressive plans of Hitler's Government, and appointed the party Gauleiters as Plenipotentiaries for the Reich defense in the regions of their activity.
The NSDAP party machinery and Bormann personally, took an active part in all treasures of the German military and civil authorities for the inhuman exploitation of war prisoners.
This is proved by the murderous instructions and (directions issued by Bormann.
The materials of the Prosecution and the legal proceedings have now established the scope of the mass annihilation caused by the bestial ill-treatment of the prisoners-of-war.
The party machinery and the defendant Bormann, personally took a direct part in the measures of Hitler's government connected with the de portation of the population of theocccupied territores for slave labor.
The secret deportation of Ukrainian girls to Germany for forced Germanization, was carried out with Bormann's approval.
By Hitler's order of 18th October 1944, Bormann and Himmler were en trusted with the leadership of the "Volkssturm" consisting of all men PS-3018 from 16-60 years of age, capable of wearing, weapons.
On the eve of the sollapse of Hitler's Germany, Bormann headed the under-ground organization "Wehrwolf" for divertionist and subversive activity behind allied lines.
USA-690 Bormann took a direct part in plundering historical treasures and 1690-PS treasures of culture and art in the occupied territories.
In 1945 he made a suggestion to intensify the economic plunder in the USA-692 occupied territories. 061-PS Such are the crimes of the defendant Bormann, Hitler's closest colla borator, who shares the full responsibility for the numerous crimes of Hitler's government and of the Nazi party.
RIBBENTROP Joachim von Ribbentrop was not only one of the principal instigators and leaders of the foreign policy of Hitlerite Germany, but he was also one of the most active participants in the criminal conspiracy.
Having officially entered the Nazi Party in 1932, the defendant however, contributed to the seizure of power by the Nazis, before 2829-PS USA-5 this actually occurred, and he became shortly the official advisor of the Party, inasmuch as he was the "collaborator of the Fuehrer on matters of foreign policy.
Ribbentrop's promotion is indissolubly connected, with the development of the Nazi conspirators' activity which was directed against the interests of peace.
In his testimony, Ribbentrop declared: "He (Hitler) knew that I was Session of his loyal collaborator". That is why on 4 February 1938, Hitler made 2.4.46, transcript the convinced and faithful nazi-Ribbentrop, the official leader of page 19 (evening) foreign policy, a post which was one of the most important levers for the realization of the entire Nazi conspiracy.
However, Ribbentrop did not limit his activities to the field of foreign policy.
As member of the Hitlerite Government, the Reich Defense Council and of the Secret Council, he participated in the solution of all the innumerable problems connected with the prepara tion of aggressive wars.
That is why he, Ribbentrop, although he was Minister for Foreign Affairs, took part in the solution and realization of prlblems, but faintly relevant to foreign policy, such as the Transcript ev.
session utilization of manpower in wratime, the organization of the concentra2.4.46, pp 6-8 tion camps, and so forth, In this connection, it should be noted that USSR-120 Ribbentrop signed a special, large-scale agreement with Himmler on the organization of a common intelligence service.
Ribbentrop became Reich Foreign Minister precisely at the outset of the realization of the plans of aggression, which visualised the submission of Europe to Germany.
This coincidence is no accident, Ribbentrop was considered, not without reason, as the most adequate person for the realization of this criminal conspiracy, he was pre ferred even to such an expert in matters of foreign provacation as Rosenberg, upon which the latter made an official complaint, not with out some reason.
And Hitler was not mistaken in his choice, for Ribbentrop fully justified his confidence.
As early as 12 February 1938, a week after his nomination, Ribben trop - together with Hitler and the defendant Papen, who for a long time prior to this date had been directing the diversionist activity of the of the Nazi agencies in Austria, participated in a conference at the Obersalzberg.
At this meeting he addressed an ultimatum punctuated by threats, to the Austrian Chancellor Schussnigg and the latter's Foreign Minister Schmidt, demanding their agreement to sacrificing the independence of Austria, and this object was attained.
As Minister, Ribbentrop was present at the conference of 28 May 1938, during which a decision was made for the execution of plan "Gruen -- the plan for aggression against Czechoslovakia.
In conformity to the Nazi tactics of weakening their future victim by striking at the home front, Ribbentrop constantly kept a close contact with and gave material assistance first to the German Sudeten party, and then to the Slovak nationalists, with the object of attain ing an internal split and fratricidal war in Czechoslovakia.
Having seized Czechoslovakia, the Nazi conspirators, and Ribbentrop amongst them, began to make preparations for and to realize the next aggressive act, which had already been outlined by them in their criminal plan against peace, -- the attack on Poland.
Being compelled -- because of the recently realized annexation of Austria and Czechoslovakia, to conceal temporarily the further inten tions of Germany, Ribbentrop personally, and through the agaency of his diplomats, endeavoured to allay the vigilance of the European states, by making hypocritical declarations to the effect that Germany had no further territorial demands.
Doc. On 26 January 1939, in Warsaw, the Foreign Minister of fascist 2530-PS GB-36. Germany, Ribbentrop declared: "that the consolidation of friendly reTranscript Morn.sess- lations between Germany and Poland on the basis of existing agreements, ion.6.12.45 Pages 6-7 constituted the most important factor of German's foreign policy".
A very short time elapsed, and Poland experienced the value of these assuranges of Ribbentrop.
I will not dwell here on the perfidious part played by the defend ant Ribbentrop in the German aggression against Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg, for my colleagues have already dealt with this matter convincingly enough.
..
The defendant Ribbentrop personally participated in the commission of aggression against Jugoslavia and Greece.
Reverting to his favourite method of riving false guarantees in order to conceal the future aggression, defendant Ribbentrop assured Jugoslavia in April, 1938, that after the Anschluss Germany's frontiers with Jugoslavia were considered as final and unalterable.
719-PS At that time manifold preparations for aggression were being B-58 Transcrips) carried out with the assistance of the defendant Ribbentrop.
on 12 and *.12.4-5 afternoon 13 August 1939 at the conference of Hitler and Ribbentrop with Ciano session . 6. at Salzburg an agreement was reached concerning the liquidation of the neutrals one after the other.
With the direct and immediate assistance of the defendant Ribben trop the Nazi conspirators planned, prepared and carried out the treacherous attack on the USSR on the 22nd of June 1941.
SA-135, PS-447 The defendant Ribbentrop himself admitted here, in the Court room SA-31, PS-446SSR-263 that at the end fo August and the beginning of September 1940, i.e. at SSR-149 SSR-156 the time when the elaborate plans of the plan "Barbarossa" was being carried out as it is evident from the dpositions of General Varlimont, General Mueller and Fieldmarshal Paulus the defendant Keitel was dis cussing with him the question of attacking USSR.
The activity of the defendant and the ministry directed by him, played a primary part in the organization of war against the USSR with the participation of Finland.
2896-PS Already after the beginning of the aggression of Germany against USA-155 the Soviet Union the defendant Ribbentrop continued to apply his effort to attract new accomplices to Germany's side.
Thus in a telegram to the German Ambassador in Tokio of 10th July 1941 he waid:
I beg you to try all means at your disposal to influence Matzuoka in order to make Japan start war against Russia as soon as possible.
The sooner -
the better. The final aim should be that Japan and we shake hands on the Siberian railway before winter comes on."
As it has been established at this trial Ribbentrop together with the other defendants was preparing the policy of extermination and plunder, planned by the Hitlerites and then applied it in the temporarily occupied territories of Soviet Union.
The defendant, Rosenberg who was elaborating the plans of exploitation of the occupied territories in Eastern Europe, held a conference on this question with OKW, the Ministry of Economics, Ministry of the Interior.
1039-PS In his "Report about preparatory work on the Eastern-
US-146 European question" he wrote: "As a result of the negoTranscript tiations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the 10.12.45 latter appointed General Consul Mr. Brotigham as their morn.sess. representative to Rosenberg. Defendant Rosenberg's p.38 Office.
Thus it is indisputable that Ribbentrop not only knew about the preparation for the military attack on USSR, but that he, together with the other conspirators, had planned before hand the colonization of the territory of the Soviet Union, the enslavement and extermination of the Soviet citizens.
Transcript The defendant was compelled to admit that he had known 2.4.46. the notes of the Public Commissar of Foreign Affaris W.M. afternoon Molotiv concerning the atrocities of the Hitlerites in the sess. temporarily occupied territories of the Soviet Union. He, p.13 as well as the other conspirators, had also known the other declarations of the Chief's of the Allied Governments concerning the responsibility imposed upon the Nazi Govern ment for committing the monstrous atrocities in the occupied countries.
Tr.27.3.46 von Ribbentrop, as the witness for the defense the former morn.sess. Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs conpp.53-54. firmed, had been one of the initiators and was intended to be nominated honorary member of the International Anti-Jew ish Congress which the Germans supposed to convene in July 1944 in Cracow.
Tr.2.4.46 Ribbentrop himself admitted at the Trial that he had negomorn.sess tiated with the Governments of European countries about the p.6 banishment of the Jews. (3688-PS According the record of Ribbentrop's conversation with Horty RF-502) "The Minister of Foreign Affairs declared to Horty that the Jews should be either exterminated or sent to concentration camps.
There could be no other decision".
This sufficiently confirms the fact that Ribbentrop was aware of the existence of the concentration camps through he tried hard to prove the contrary.
Ribbentrop lent his support to other Nazi leaders and above all, to the defendant Suackel, in deporting the inhabitants of the occupied territories for forces labor in Germany.
Besides, defendant Ribbentrop, by carrying out the common plan of conspiracy including the destruction of the national culture of the peoples of the occupied territories, took a most active part in plundering treasures of culture, which are the common property of all nations.
In order to carry out this task, and on Ribbentrop's instructions, a "Battalion of Special Service" had been created at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which, during the whole war, followed the advance units, requisitioned and deported to Germany all kinds of treasures of culture from the occupied territories in the East, according to the directives of Ribbentrop.
Thus the deifendant Ribbentrop took part in the seizure of power by the Nazis, played a leading role in planning, preparing and waging aggressive plundering wars; together with the other conspirators, he participated, according to the Fascist plans in the leadership, when committing most heavy crimes against the nations, whose territories had been termporarily occupied by the Hitlerite invadors.
THE MILITARY GROUP Several of the defendants in the dock at this major War Criminals Trial may be said to form a military group.
If we do not include Goe ring who represents a peculiar figure, uniting in one person - politi cian, administrator, and soldier, there remains Keitel, Jodl, Doenitz and Taedar.
In the course of these proceedings not only have all the counts of the indictment against them been sustained, but as a result, even more incriminating evidence has been brought to light.
The documentary evidence, the testimony given by the witnesses, including those applied for by the Defense, could not but tip the scales in favor of the Prosecution.
The Counsel for the defense tried to convince the Tribunal that their clients had become involved in this sinister tragedy by a whim of fate in spite of themselves.
The defendants themselves - Keitel, Jodl, Doenitz and Raeder here in court, try to appear in the role of noble simpletons. We must do the defense justice: it did its best to aid them in this attempt. We have heard a great deal about the soldier's honot, military discipline, fidelity to duty and oath of allegiance - all making obligatory, therefore, the fulfillment of Hitler's orders, including those which aroused their doubts and direct protest. Such a view of their position completely distorts the actual state of affairs. Before passing to the question of the guilt of Keitel, Jodl, Doenitz and Raeder, I deem it necessary to put the following 4 questions, and to answer them:
1) Did these defendants know that Hitlerite Germany, in violation of its international obligations had prepared a series of aggres sive and predatory wars?
2) Did they take an active part in planning, preparing, unleashing and waging of these wars?
3) Are they guilty of cynically trampling down the laws and customs of warfare?
4) Are they responsible for the atrocities and extermination of the peaceful population, for the sinking of passenger and hospital ships, for the towns and villages destroyed by the Hitlerite Reich military machine?
It seems to me that after this investigation which has so carefully gone into all the details of this case, unless one remains blind to the facts, it is impossible to give other than an affirmative answer to these questions.