Official Transcript of the International Military Tribunal in the matter of the United States of American, the French Republic, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics against Hermann Wilhelm Goering et al, Defendants, sitting at Nurnberg, Germany, on 30 July 1946, 1000-1700, Lord Justice Lawrence presiding.
GENERAL RUDENKO:Gentlemen of the Tribunal:
I have already indicated in my Opening Statement that the action of deporting civilians: men, women and children for forced labor into Germany, was one of the most important in the chain of heinous crimes committed by the germane-fascist usurpers.
The decisive role in this sinister crime was enacted by the defendant Fritz Sauckel.
During cross-examination in this court-room defendant Sauckel could not help out admit that during the war about 10 million enslaved laborers originating from both occupied territories and from the ranks of prisoners of war, were utilized in German industrial undertakings and also partly for German agricultural labor.
Whilst admitting the deportation to Germany and the utilization for the war industry of Hitlerite Germany of millions of workers from the occupied territories, Sauckel denied the criminal character of this action, affirming that the recruiting of labor was allegedly carried out on a voluntary basis.
This assertion is not only a lie but a slander against the millions of honest patriots of the Soviet Union, of Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Poland, Franc and Holland, who, devoted to their country, were forcibly sent for labor into Hitlerite Germany.
The attempts of defendant Sauckel to depict his part of plenipotentiary general for the utilization of manpower as merely consisting of coordinating and controlling other government labor organizations are futile. As the Plenipotentiary general for labor employment, Sauckel was invested by Hitler with supreme and all-encompassing powers, and was, in his activity, directly and personally subordinate to Goering.
And Sauckel extensively used these full powers in order to deport to Germany labor from occupied territories.
There is no need to refer to the extensive documentary evidence presented to the Tribunal and which irrefutably establishes the criminal character of the methods of mass deportation into slavery of the population of occupied territories as well as the role of the defendant Sauckel in organizing these crimes. How far these crimes extended is shown in the operation carried out by the German military and civil authorities, and ciphered under the name "Seno" which provided for the forced deportation of Ukrainian girls destined by Hitler for Germanisation.
The defendant Sauckel has tried to assure the Tribunal that he had strictly complied with the demands of the Geneva and Hague Conventions concerning utilization of labor of prisoners of war. However his own instructions fully expose his lies.
The defendant Sauckel had planned beforehand the forced utilization of Soviet war prisoners for the war industry in Germany and never made any difference between them and the civilian labor forces.
The inhuman conditions under which the foreign workers and prisoners of war deported for slavery lived, are testified to by the numerous documents submitted as evidence.
The defendant Sauckel himself was obliged to admit that foreign workers were kept in camps behind barbed wire and were obliged to wear special identifying badges.
The witness Dr. Wilhelm Eger summoned to the Tribunal by counsel for the defense was obliged to give an awful picture of the conditions under which the enslaved workers at Krupp's works lived.
After all this, the deposition of the other witness Fritz Wishofer seems ridiculous because trying to excuse Sauckel, he manifestly overdid it by informing the Tribunal that he allegedly saw foreign workers walking and enjoying themselves in the Prater in Vienna.
The defendant Sauckel showed great activity in committing all these crimes.
in April 1943, he personally visited the towns of Rowno, Kiev, Dniepropetrovsk, Saporozhie, Simferopol, Minsk, Riga and in June of the sane year - Prague, Cracow and again Kiev, Saporozhie and Melitopol in order to force the deportation of lab And it was as a result of his journey to the Ukraine in 1943 that Sauckel expressed his gratitude for the successful mobilization of labor forces, to the Reichskommissar of the Ukraine Koch, known for the drastically cruel measures which he applied with regard to the Ukrainian population.
And it is not mere chance that the criminal activity of Sauckel was so highly appreciated in Hitlerite Germany.
On 6th August 1942 the defendant Goering declared at the conference of the Reichskommissars for the occupied territories:
"I do not wish to praise Gauleiter Sauckel. He does not need it.
But what he has done in this short time in order to gather workers rapidly and to have them brought to our enterprises is a unique achievement.
I muse tell everybody, gentlemen, that if each of you applied but the tenth part of the energy which Gauleiter Sauckel applied in his sphere, it would be easy indeed to fulfil the tasks imposed upon you.
...."
In the article published in the Reichsarbeitsblatt for 1944 and dedicated to the 50 anniversary of Sauckel it was said:
"True to his political task, he pursues his responsible course with unyielding consistency and steadfastness, with a fanatical belief.
As one of the most faithful adherents of Hitler, he gathers his creative and spiritual strength from the Fuehrer's trust in him."
When estimating the criminal activity of Sauckel, Your Honors will surely consider the tears shed by the millions of people who languished in German slavery, of the thousands of people tortured in inhuman conditions in the workers camps - they will consider this and will judge accordingly.
The defendant Arthur Seyss-Inquart was appointed by Hitler Chief of the civil administration in Southern Poland at the beginning of Sep tember 1939 and since 12 October of the same year -Deputy Governor General of Poland.
He held this post till May 1940.
Over a period of seven months Seyss-Inquart personally, under the leadership of Frank and jointly with him established a regime of terror in Poland, and took an active part in elaborating and realizing the *l*rs for the exte*--* of amny thousands of people, for the economic plunder and enslavement of the people of the Polish state.
Transc. On 17 November, 1939, Seyss-Inquart addressed the chiefs of the admi16-1-46 ev.
sess. nistration and departments of the Warsaw Government. He mentioned p. 24 among other things, that when the German administration acted in the General Government "its leading principle must he -the interests of the German Reich.
By means of a severe and unrelenting administration this region must be utilized for German economy, and in order not to show any unnecessary charity, one must remember how the Polish race usurped the German territory."
Two days later Seyss-Inquart instructed the Lublin Governor Brigaden same transcript fuehrer Schmidt on the same question in the following way :"The re pp.
33-34 sources and the inhabitants of this country must serve Germany, and they may prosper only within these limits.
The development of inde pendent political thinking cannot be permitted.
Perhaps the Vistula will have an even greater significance for the fate of Germany than the Rhein."
The report on the official journey of Seyss-Inquart establishes that the governor of Warsaw Fischer informed the defendant that all valua bles of the Warsaw bank in gold, precious metals and bills of exchange were transferred to the Reichsbank, whilst the Polish inhabitants were obliged to leave their depostis in the banks; that he was informd that the German administration was employing forced labor; that the Lublin Governor Schmidt declared in the presence of Seyss-Inquart:
PS-2278 "This territory with its strongly marked swampy nature could serve as US-487 a region for the Jews, where conditions could be created to shoot every tenth Jew."
I draw the attention of the Tribunal to the fact that it was exactly at Maidanek near Lublin that the Hitlerite henchmen created and enour mous death concern in which they exterminated about one million and a half of human beings.
Doc. of It is also known that Seyss-Inquart, as Frank's deputy, fulfilled on Def.
v.I p. 125 his behalf so-called "special tasks".
On 8th December 1939, Seyss-Inquart participated in a conference on the following subjects:
the appointment of Frank as authorized USSR-223 PS-2233 plenipotentiary for the 4 lear Plan and the tasks of the Governor General "to obtain from, the economy of the Government-General all that is best and useful for the Reich"; on the numerous trains of Jews and Poles which had arrived since the 1st December from the re annexed territories, and that these transportations would continue -according to Obergruppenfuehrer SS Krueger-till the middle of De cember; the issue of supplementary order extending labour recruite ment to persons of the age of 14 to 18 years.
USSRO On 21st April 1940 the defendant took part in the conference 223 at which measures for forced deportation of Polish workers to Germany were elaborated.
On 16 May 1940 the defendant participated in the elaboration of the AB operation, which was nothing but a plan of wilful mass extermination of the Polish intelligensia.
Transc. In connection with the appointment of Seyss-Inquart as Reichskom16.1.46 ev. pp. 25-26 missar for the Netherlands, Frank and his worthy deputy exchanged farewell speeches:
"I am exceedingly gald, said Frank, to assure you that the me mory of your work in the Government General will live forever when the future world Reich of the German nation will be created.
..."
"I have, Seyss-Inquart replied, learned much here above all about the initiative and firm leadership of the kind I saw in my friend, Dr. Frank.
.... All my thoughts are connected with the East. In the East we have a National-Socialist mission, in the West we have functions."
The function of Seyss-Inquart in the West, as the functions of other Reich ministers and Kommissars in all territories occupied by the Germans are well known:
it was the function of henchman and plun derer.
My colleagues have given the details about the criminal part played by Seyss-Inquart when annexing Austria and realizing other aggressive plans of the Hitlerite conspiracy; they have clearly shown how Seyss Inquart applied in the Netherlands the Sanguinary experiment, learned by him whilst collaborating with Frank in Poland.
For this reason I may fully support the charges against Seyss-Inquart as they are for mulated in the Indictment.
As early as 1932, whilst still Reichschancellor of the German republic, the defendant Franz von Papen actively contributed to the development of the fascist movement in Germany.
Papen rescinded the decree of his predecessor Bruening prohibiting the activities of the SA storm units.
It was he who overthrew the Braun Severing social-democratic government in Prussia.
These measures strengthened greatly the position of the fascists and contributed to their accession to power.
In this manner Papen cleared the way for Hitler. Having secured the power for the Nazis, Papen himself assumed the post of Vice-Chancellor in Hitler's cabinet.
In this capacity von Papen participated in the elaboration and the promulgation of a series of legislative acts which aimed at the consolidation of German fascism.
And later on, during the course of many years, and until the collapse of Hitlerite Germany, von Papen remained true to his fascist friends and participated to the utmost of his abilities in the realization of the criminal conspiracy.
The defendant von Papen is attempteing now to explain away his role in the development of the Nazi movement and in Hitler's rise to power by the political situation of the country which, according to him, made Hitler's accession to power unavoidable.
The real motives which guided von Papen are that actually he himself was a convinced fascist devoted to Hitler.
Speaking at Essen on the 2 November 1933, during the election campaign Papen declared "From the time that destiny called upon me to become the pioneer Transc.
of the national reawakening and rebirth of our Fatherland, I strove 23-1-46 evening with all my might to support the work of the national-socialist movesess. p. 14 ment and all of its leaders. Just as I pronounced myself, when I became chancellor, for paving the way for the young shock movement of liberation, just as on the 30th January I was chosen by a merciful providence to transfer the power to the hands of our Chancellor and fuehrer, so today I felt it incumbent upon me to tell the German nation and all those who have kept their trust in me : merciful God has blessed Germany by giving her, in the days of deep distress, a leader with the reliable intuition of a statesman, who will lead her through all misfortunes and weaknesses, through all crisis and dangers to a happy future."
The International Military Tribunal will appreciate to the full the criminal activity of the de fendant von Papen, who played a decisive part in the seizure of power by Hitler and, in doing so, contributed to the creation of the dark powers of nazism who brought sanguinary wars on the world and caused innumerable calamities.
Long before the Nazi came to power the architect, Albert Speer, was a personal friend of the architect's draftsman, Hitler and remained one till the end.
Not only common professional interests but political interests brought them together.
Speer be an his career in 1932 with the reconstruction of the "Brown House" -the headquarters of NSDAP in Berlin, and 10 years' latter he was at the head of all the military constructions and war production in Fascist Germany.
Starting with the onstruction of the Reichs "Parteitag", Speer ended by setting up the "Atlantic Wall". Speer held an important post in the government and military machinery of Hitler's Germany and played a direct and active part in planning and bringing into effect the criminal conspiracy.
What is Speer's "line of defense" at the trial? Speer presents his case in the following way; he was pressed upon by Hitler to take on the post of minister; he was a closer friend of Hitler's, but he knew nothin about his plans; he was a member of the Nazi party for 14 years, but he stood far from politics and had never even read "Mein Kampf". It is true, that upon being given the lie Speer confes sed that he had lied during his preliminary interrogation.
USA-575 Speer lied when he denied that he had never belonged to the SA, and Ps-3568 then to the SS.
The Tribunal possesses the original file of the SS man Albert Speer, who belonged to the personal staff of the SS Reichsfuehrer SS Himmler.
Speer held also a rather high rank in the Nazi party. In the party chancellery, he was delegate for all technical problems he headed the chief technical administration of the party, he directed the union of German National Socialist technicians, he was plenipotentiary on the Staff of Rudolf Hess and a leader of one of the major German Labor Front organizations.
After all this can Speer's declaration that he was a apolitical spe cialist be taken into consideration?
In reality, as a close colla borator of Hitler, Hess, Ley and Goering, he directed the German technique not only as Reichsminister, but also as a Nazi political leader.
1435-PS Upon succeeding to Todt, Speer, as he expressed himself in his speech Transc.
before the Gauleiters, devoted himself completely to the solution of m. sess.
war problems. By means of the pitiless exploitations of the popula p. 43-82 ev.
sess. tion in the occupied territories and of the prisoners of war of the p. 20-82 allied countries, at the expense of the health and lives of hundreds of thousands of people, Speer increased the production of armament and USSR-480 USSR-482 ammunition for the German army.
By plundering the raw materials and USSR-483 other resources of the occupied territories, Speer increased the war potential of Hitler's Germany.
His powers grew with every month of the war.
By Hitler's Decree of 2 September 1943 Speer became pleni potentiary and responsible for the supply of raw materials, for the direction and production of war industry.
He was even commissioned to regulate the turnover of commodities and by Hitler's Decree of August 24, 1944 Speer was practically made dictotor of all German Authorities in Germany as well as in the occupied territories whose activity was in any way connected with the strengthening of German military power, And when the Fascist flyers bombed peaceful towns and villages, killing women, old men and children, when the german artillery shelled Leningrad with heavy artillery, when the Hitlerite pirates sank hosDoc.
def. p. 119 pital ships, when the "V" bombs destroyed town in England, all this was as a result of Speer's activity.
Under his leadership, the pro duction of gas and of other means of chemical warfare was widely in creased.
The defendant himself, when interrogated by Justice Jackson at the trial, confessed three factories were turning out products for chemical warfare and that they were working at full speed till Novem ber 1944.
Speer not only knew of the methods used by Sauckel for deporting to Doc. Def.
v. II, p. slave labor the populations of the occupied territories, but he him123 USA-179 self took part, to ether with Sauckel, in conferences with Hitler USA-225 PS-1292 and on the "Central Planning Board", where decisions were taken to deport millions of people to Germany from the occupied territo ries.
Doc. Def. Speer kept up a close contact with Himmler; He received from Himm-
v. II, p. 88 Transc. ler prisoners for work in war factories; branches of concentration 12.XII 45 p. 31 & 88 camps were organized in many factories subordinated to Speer; in & USA-179 recognition of Himmler's services Speer supplied the SS with ex pertenced specialist and with supplementary war equipment.
Speer has said a lot here about his having sharply criticized Kilter's environment, that he had allegedly had very serious dissesions with Hit ler and that in his letter to Hitler he had written about the useless ness of continuing the war.
When the representative of the Soviet Pro secution asked Speer:
which of the persons close to Hitler he had criti cized and in what connection, the defendant asnwered:
"I shall not tell you".It is quite evidence that Speer no only did not want, but could not tell it, for the simple reason that he had never criticized anyone who was close to Hitler, Moreover, he could not criticize them as he was a convinced Nazi himself, and belonged to this close environment.
As to the so-called "serious dissesions", they began as Speer admitted, when it became clear to him that Germany had lost the war.
Speer's letters to Hitler are dated March 1945.
At that time Speer could, without great rist, depict Germany's hopeless condition.
It was apparent to everyone and was no longer a subject of discuccion.
And it was not by accident that Hitler appointed precisely Speer, on 30 March 1945, to direct measures for the total destruction of the industrial enter prizes, by obliging all Party, State and military offices to render him extensive Doc.
def. help. V.Ip.76-80 That is the true picture of the defendant Speer and the real part played by him in the crimes committed by Hitler's gang.
Constantine von Neurath's part in the consolidation of the Nazi conspirators power and in the preparation and realization of aggressive plans, is a remarkable one.
Over a period of many years, every time that traces had to be cov ered up, that acts of aggression were to be veiled by diplomatic mani pulations, Neurath, Nazi diplomat and SS general, came to the help of the Hitlerites, bringing them his longstanding experience of world affairs.
I will recall the official evaluation of Neurath's activity, as it appeared in all the news-papers of fascist Germany on the 2nd of February 1943:
USSR-485. "The departure from the Geneva disarmament conference on the 14th October 1933, the return of the Saar territory, and the proclamation and denunciation of the Locarno Tre aty will rank among the most outstanding political events since the coining to power of the Nazi regime.
In these, Baron von Neirath played a decisive part and his name will always be connection with them."
Trans. In his capacity of Reich protector of Bohemia and Moravia, ven.s. Neurath was to the Nazi conspirators, those so-called "firm 5.6.46. and reliable hands", of which General Frederici wrote in p.75 his memorandum, and which were to turn the Czechoslovak 63-PS. republic into an "indissoluble part of Germany". In order to attain that object, Neurath established the notorious "new order", the nature of which is now known to all and sundry.
Neurath attempted to assert, here, that all the atrocities were committed by the police and Gestapo, upon Himmler's direct order, and that he knew nothing of them.
It is quite understandable that Neurath should say so, but one can hardly agree with him.
Interrogated on the 7 March 1946, Karl Frank testified that Neurath recieved regularly the reports of the Chief of Security Police, as well as those of Frank himself, regarding the "most important events in the Protectorate, pertaining to the Security Police". He stated also that it was possible for Neurath to issue directives to the Gestapo, and that he did indeed do so; whilst, as far as USSR-494.
the SD was concerned, his rights were still more vast depending in no way upon the consent of the Main Reich Security Office Tras.
I wish also to recall to your memory, paragraphs 11, 13 even.s. and 14 of the order issued on 1 September 1939 by the Reich 25.6.45. Defense Council which prove that the Reichsfuhrer SS and pp. 78079. Chief of the German Police carried out administrative measures in Bohemia and Moravia with the knowledge of the Reich Protector, and that the German Security Police organs in the Protectorate were obliged to inform the Reich Protector, as well as the offices subordinated to him and keep them aware of all major events.
If I add that, on the 5 May 1939, the defendant Neurath appointed an SD Fuhrer and Plenipotentiary of the Security Police to the post of political case reported in his cabinet; if we recall the testimony of Richard Wienert, the former Premier of Bohemia and Moravia under Neirath, which has been read before the Court, to the effect that the Gestapo carried out arrests on orders of the Reich Protector, we can hardly have any doubt but that Neurath gave his sanction to the mass arrests, cummary executions and other inhuman acts, committed by the Gestapo and police in Czechoslovakia.
I will pass ont to the events of the 17 November 1939, when 9 students were shot without trial, whilst over a thousand were hurled into concentration camps and all the Czech high schools and universities were closed for three years.
Neurath said that he heard of these acts of terror post factum. But we have submitted to the Tribunal a report on the shooting and arrests of the students, which bears Neurath's signature. Neurath then seeks another loop-hole: he declares that Frank signed this report in his, Neurath's name and to be more convincing he even adds, that later he heard from an official that Frank often misused his name in documents. Are Neurath's statements to be credited? One has only to analyze briefly the actual facts, in order to answer this question in the negative.
Neurath says that Frank misused his name. What did Neurath do in answer to this? Did he demand Frank's resignation or his punishment for fraud? No. Did he, perhaps, report this forgery officially, to somebody? Neither. On the contrary, he continued to collaborate with Frank as before.
Neurath says that he heard of Frank's misuses from an official. who is that official? What is his name? Why wasn't any application made to call him to the witness stand, or, at least, to secure his written testimony? This is simply because nobody spoke to Neurath of Frank having forged his signature on the documents, and nobody could have done so for there was no forgery.
But on the contrary, the Tribunal has evidence which con-
firms the fact that the report of 17 November 1939 was signed by Neurath and that the terroristical measures mentioned therein, were actually sanctioned by Neurath.
I am speaking of two statements of Karl Frank, who dir ectly participated in these bloody events:
USSR-60 During his interrogation on 26 November 1945, Karl Frank testified:
"This document was dated 17 November 1939 and was signed by von Neurath, who did not protest either against the shooting of the 9 Students, or against the deportation of numerous students to the concentration camps."
USSR-494 I quote Karl Frank's second testimony on this matter, dated 7 March 1946:
"By countersigning the official reports which in formed his of the shooting of the students, the Reich Protector von Neurath, sanctioned this action.
I informed von Neu rath in detail of the course of the investigation and he signed the rport.
Had he not agreed and had he demanded a modification of the penalty, or its mitigation, and he had a right to do so, I would have been obliged to give in to his opinion".In August 1939, in connection with the "special decree" by hich he proclaimed Bohemia and Moravia to be an "in tegral part of the Greater German Reich", Neurath issued a so called "warning". Therein he stipulated that "not only single persons, but the entire Czech population would be responsible for all acts of sabotage". Thereby he esUSSR-490 tablished the principle of collective responsibility and introduced the hostages system.
The events of 17 Novem ber 1939, considered in the light of this directive of Neurath, supply more irrefutable proof against the defen dant.
Starting from 1 September 1939, some 8,000 Czechs were arrested as hostages in Bohemia and Moravia.
The major ity were sent to concentration camps; many were executed, or died of hunger and toture.
On this subject you have heard, Your Honors, the testimonies of Wienert, Kreitchi, and Gavelka.
There is no doubt that these terror acts against the Czech intellectuals were carried out in conformity with Neurath's so-called "warning".I do not need to relate in detail all the events which occurred at Lidice, and later in the village of Lejaki, as they are already well known, Were not the German oc cupnats acting in accordance with Neurath's "warning", did they not conform themselves to his principle that the entire Czech population, and not the individual persons, must bear the responsibility.
It was Neurath who initiated mass terror against the Czechslovak population in August 1939.
He has on his hands the blood of many thousands of women and men, children and old people, murdered end tortured to death, and I see no difference between Karen von Neurath and the other ringleader's of the criminal Nazi regime.
The defendant Hans Fritzacheis part in conspiracy, the war crimes and the crimes against humanity, is certainly great er thar it might appear at a, first glance.
The criminal activity of Fritzsche, who was Goebbels' closest assistant, carried out systematically, day after day, was a very important link in the general plan or conspiracy and it contributed singularly to the creation of the conditions, under which the numerous crimes of the Nazis were con ceived and cultivated.
All the attempts made by the defendant himself and his coun sel in order to minimize his importance and the part he played in the perpetration of these crimes, have clearly failed.
In "Mein Kampf", Hitler describes the very special part attributed in Nazi Germany to mendacious propaganda.
He writes: "The problem of the ressurection of German might can be defined not as to 'How we will make weapons' but 'How we will create the spirit which will make our people capable of bearing weapons'. If this spirit in vades the people, will power shall discover thousands of way, and each of them will lead to weapons". (Quote from pages 365-366 of "Mein Kampf", 64th ed.
1933).
Neither is it na accident that at the 1936 Congress of the Nazi Party in Nurnberg, the following slogans were pro claimed:
"Propaganda helped us to come to power" "Propaganda will help us to keep power" "Propaganda will help us to conquer the world".Owing to his position, t he defendant Fritzsche was certain ly one of the notorious propagandists and also one of the best informed persons in Nazi Germany.
Besides, he enjoyed Goebbels' particular confidence.
As we know, from 1938 to 1942, Fritzsche was head of one of the key departments of the Propaganda Ministry, that of the German press.
And ever since 1942 and until the defeat of Nazi Germany, he was head of the German radio.
Having grown up, as far as journalism is concerned, 30 July M LJG 4-1 In the reactionary press of Hugenberg, Fritzsche, who was a member of the Nazi party since 1933, in his capacity of Government spokesman, played with his personal propaganda on important part in the dissemination of Nazism throughout Germany, in the political and moral depravation of the German people.
SSR 472 This was testified to, in detail, by witnesses such as SSR 4-71 former Field marshal Ferdinand Schoerner and former vice admiral Hans Voss.
The defendant Fritzsche's broadcasts, taken down by the BBC, and submitted to the Tribunal as document 3064-PS and USSR Exhibit 496, fully confirm those charges of the Prosecution.
German propaganda in general, and the defendant Fritzsche in particular, made good use of provocational methods, lies and slanderous statements, and this was especially the case when Nazi Germany's acts of aggression had to be justified.
For did not Hitler himself write in "Mein Kampf" that, page 302:
USA 276 With, the help of an able and continuous application of propaganda, one can even picture to the people, heaven as being hell, and on the contrary, the most sorrowful life can be pictured as heaven."
Fritzsche truned out to be the best man to carry out this dirty work.
In his declaration to the Tribunal, on the 7 January 1946, Fritzsche gave a detailed description of the provocative methods applied on such a vast scale by German propaganda and by him, personally, in connection 3465-PS with the acts of aggression against Austria, the Sudetenkand, USA 614 Bohemia and Moravia, Poland and Jugoslavia.
On the 9 April and the 2 May 1940, Fritzsche broadcast mendacious explanations of the reasons which led to the occupation of Norway by Germany.
He declared:
30 July M LJG 4-2 "Nobody was wounded, not one house was destroyed, life and work continued unhindered as before."
Meanwhile, the official report presented by the Norwegian Government states:
"The German attack against Norway on the 9 April 1940, brought war to Norway for the first time in 126 years.
For 2 months, war was fought throughout the country, causing destruction.
Over 40 thousand houses were damaged or destroyed and about 1000 civilians were killed."
German propaganda and Fritzsche, personally, spread insolent slander in connection with the sinking of the British passenger steamer "Athenia".But German propaganda was particularly active on the occasion of Nazi Germany's feloneous attack upon the Soviet Union.
The defendant Fritzsche has attempted to assert that he first heard of the attack upon the Soviet Union when he was called on the 22 June 1941, at 5 a.m. to a press conference hold by Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop.
As far as the aggressive purposes of this attack were concerned, he allegedly only had knowledge of them, as a result of his personal observations, in 1942.
However, these statements are disavowed by such documentary evidence as the report of defendant Rosenberg.
1039 PS This document establishes the fact that a long time prior USA 146 to the attack upon the USSR, Fritzsche know of the appropri ate measures which were being taken and that in his capacity of representative of the Propaganda Ministry, he partici pated in the working out by the Ministry for Occupied Eastern Territories of propaganda measure's in the East.
In answer to the questions put to him by the Soviet Prosecution during his cross-examination, Fritzsche stated that he would not have gone along with Hitler had he had knowledge of the Nazi government's criminal orders, of 30 July M LJG 4-3 which he heard for the first time here, in Court.
And here again, Fritzsche has told the International Military Tribunal a lie.
He was compelled to admit that he had knowledge of the criminal Nazi orders regarding the exter mination of Jews and the shooting of Soviet commissars as early as 1942.
And yet he continued thereafter to remain at his post and to spread mendacious propaganda.
In his broadcasts on the 16 June and 1 July 1944, USSR 496 Fritzsche made a great case of the utilization of new weapons, doing his best to whip up the army and the people to further senseless resistance.
And even on the eve of the crash of Nazi Germany, specifically on the 7 April 1945, Fritzsche broadcast an appeal to the German people to continue to resist the allied armies and to participate in the Werwolf-movement.
Thus, the defendant Fritzsche remained true to the last to the criminal Nazi regime.
He gave his entire self to the task of realizing the Nazi conspiracy and of perpetrating all the crimes which were conceived and carried out in view of putting that conspiracy into effect.
As an active participant of all the Nazi crimes, he must bear the fullest responsibility for them.
Your Honours, All the defendants have passed before you - men without honour or conscience; men, who hurled the world into an abyss of misery and suffering and brought enormous calamities upon their own people.
Political adventurers, who stopped before no evil Good in order to achieve their criminal designs; cheap demagogues who concealed their predatory plans behind a veil of menda cious ideas; henchmen, who murdered millions of innocent people, these non joined in a gang of conspirators, seizing power and transforming the German state machinery into an instrument of their crimes.
30 July M LJG 4-3 Now, the hour of reckoning has come.
For the past nine months, we have been observing the for nor rulers of fascist Germany. In the lock, before this Court, they have suddenly become meek end humble. Some of them, even, actually condemned Hitler.. But they blame Hitler, not for the launching of a war, not for the extermination of peoples and the plundering of states; th e only thing they cannot forgive him is Defeat. Together with Hitler, they were ready to exterminate millions of human beings, to enslave the elite of mankind in order to achieve their criminal aim of world domination.
But History judged otherwise; victory did not follow upon the steps of Crime. Victory came to the freedomloving nations. Truth triumphed, and we are proud to say that the justice which is noted out by the International Military Tribunal will be the justice of the right cause of peace-loving nations.
The Defense spoke about humaneness, We know that the concepts of civilization and humaneness, democracy and humaneness, peace and humaneness - are inseparable. But we, the defenders of civilization, democracy and peace - we categorically reject insensible humaneness which is considerate of the murderers and indifferent to their victims. Counsel for Kaltenbrunner also spoke here of love for one's fellow-men. Connected with Kaltenbrunner's name and actions, all mention of love for one's follow man sounds like blasphemy.
my Lord, Your Honours, by statement concludes the case for the Prosecution.
Speaking here on behalf of the peoples of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, I consider all the charges against the defendants as fully proven.
And in the name of the sincere love of mankind which inspires the peoples who consented to the greatest sacrifice in order to save the world, freedom, and culture, in memory 30 July M LJG 4-5 of the millions of innocent human doings slaughtered by a gangs of murderers, who are now before the Court of a progressive mankind - In the name of the happiness and the peaceful labor of future generations, I appeal to the Tribunal to sentence all the defendants, without exception, to the supreme penalty.