Archive/File: imt/nca/nca-02/nca-02-16-responsibility-19-02
Last-Modified: 1997/06/08

   Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, Volume Two, Chapter XIV
          
                                                  [Page 957]
                                                            
B. SEYSS-INQUART USED HIS POSITIONS AND INFLUENCE SO AS TO
PROMOTE THE NAZI SEIZURE AND CONSOLIDATION OF CONTROL OVER
AUSTRIA.

(1) Seyss-Inquart was a member of the Nazi Party and held
the rank of General in the SS. Seyss-Inquart has admitted
that he became a member of the Nazi Party on 13 March 1938;
that he was made a General in the SS on 15 March 1938, and
held both membership and rank until 8 May 1945. (2910-PS)

Seyss-Inquart, in a letter to Goering, on 14 July 1939,
asserted that he had been a member of the Nazi Party since
1931. The following is an excerpt from that letter:

     "Until July 1934, I conducted myself as a regular
     member of the Party. And if I had quietly in whatever
     form paid my membership dues, the first one according
     to a receipt, I paid in December 1931." (2219-PS)

                                                  [Page 958]
                                                            
In a voluntary statement signed by Seyss-Inquart, with the
advice of his counsel, he discussed his affiliation with the
Nazi Party as follows:

     "I supported also the National Socialist Party as long
     as it was legal, because it declared itself with
     particular determination in favor of the Anschluss.
     From 1932 onward I made financial contributions to this
     Party, but I discontinued financial support when it was
     declared illegal in 1934." (3425-PS)

In contrast with the foregoing assertions of the defendant,
Seyss-Inquart wrote a letter to Heinrich Himmler on 19
August 1939 in which he confirmed the-fact that he became a
member of the Nazi Party in 1931 and also stated that he
continued his membership in the Nazi Party even after it was
declared illegal in Austria. The following is an excerpt
from that letter:

     "Concerning my membership in the Nazi Party, I want to
     state that I never was asked to enter the Nazi Party
     but I asked Dr. Kier in December 1931 to take care of
     my relation to the Party. At that time I saw the basis
     of the solution of the Austrian question only in the
     Party. I wrote this already in the year 1929 to Dr.
     Neubacher to adjust his hopes which he had put in the
     Austria-German Volksbund. After that, I paid my
     membership fees and, as I remember, direct to the Gau
     Wien. The payments were made even after the party was
     forbidden. Some time later, I got in direct touch with
     the Ortsgruppe in Dornbach. The membership fees were
     paid by my wife but the Blockwart couldn't possibly
     have any doubt that those payments were for my wife and
     myself since the amount of the fees, S 40 [40
     Schillings] a month, was a sure indication of this fact
     and I was treated in every respect as a Party member.
     Besides that, I was, since 1932, a member of the
     Steirischen Heimatschutzes Kammerhofer. In this
     organization I made every effort to absorb the
     Steirische Heimatschutz in the Party and mainly on
     account of my efforts, von Habicht declared that the
     members of the Steirische Heimatschutz were members of
     the Party. That proves that I felt myself, in every
     respect, as a member of the Party and I was regarded as
     belonging to the Party and as I said before, already in
     December 1931." (3271-PS)

(2) Seyss-Inquart, even before he became a member of the
Nazi Party, belonged to an organization conceived and
founded upon principles which later became those of the Nazi
Party.

                                                  [Page 959]
                                                            
Seyss-Inquart has stated in writing that he had been a
member of a secret organization known as the "German
Brotherhood" (Deutsche Gemeinschaft). This is evidenced by
the following excerpts from his letter to Himmler of 19
August 1939:

     "It must be known to you that at the time of the Black-
     Red Coalition, there existed an extremely secret
     organization under the name of 'German Community.' Here
     met all sorts of Nationalists and Catholic elements
     who, at least at that time, were anti-Semitic and anti-
     Marxists. Dr. Doelter, who was my office chief, was one
     of the leaders of this association and through him I
     came into this movement. Dolfuss was also active here.
     He was of my age and was a very active anti-Semitic. It
     is through success of the activities of this
     organization that the Black-Red Coalition was broken
     and the Marxists never came back in the government.
     After the establishment of National Socialism, this
     organization was dissolved." (3271-PS)

The secret organization, "German Brotherhood", (Deutsche
Gemeinschaft), was organized to promote the anti-Semitic and
anti-Free Mason doctrines later adopted by the Nazi Party.
This fact is evidenced by Seyss-Inquart's copy of the
minutes of a meeting of this organization on 28 December
1918 and by it constitution and by-laws, a portion of which
appear in the following quotation:

     "The purpose of this organization is the liberation of
     the German people from Jewish influences, and combat
     against Jewry with all available means. The
     organization is secret. Since a contact of the
     organization with the public can't be avoided it has to
     be done under pretense of unsuspicious purposes and
     without showing the actual set-up." (3400-PS)

New members of this organization were required to make a
sworn statement, i.e.:

     "As a German man, I assure with my honor, as far as I
     know, there is no Jewish blood in my descendency.
     Furthermore, I am not connected by marriage with a wife
     or other companion of Jewish descendency, and I never
     will have relation with one of those. I am not a Free
     Mason, I assure to be forever a good member of the
     Deutsche Gemeinschaft and I will always represent the
     interest of the German people against the Jewish people
     and I am willing to fight the Jewish people with all my
     power, any place and at any time. I promise to obey all
     orders and decrees of the leadership of the
     organization and to preserve complete secrecy about
     their institution,
     
                                                  [Page 960]
                                                            
     about the persons of the organization, and the events
     within it, as long as I live." (3400-PS)

New members were also asked the question: "In case you will
be accepted, are you willing to employ only Aryan
physicians, attorneys, and businessmen?" (3400-PS)

(3) Seyss-Inquart, after the Austrian Nazi Party was
declared illegal in July 194, posed as a non-member of the
Nazi Party but continued to support it in its activities,
principles, and objectives in a subversive manner.

Seyss-Inquart has stated that:

     "Before the Anschluss, I worked for the legal,
     political activities of the Austrian Socialists under
     the conditions laid down in the Austrian Constitution.
     *** From 1932 onwards I made financial contributions to
     this party but I discontinued financial support when it
     was declared illegal in 1934. From July 1934 until the
     year 1936 I supported individual National Socialists as
     lawyer and in collaboration with the welfare work
     Langoth in Linz. From July 1936 onwards, I endeavored
     to help the National Socialists to regain their legal
     status and finally to participate in the Austrian
     Government. *** I was sympathetic towards the efforts
     of the Austrian Nazi Party to gain political power and
     corresponding influence because they were in favor of
     the Anschluss. *** On 10 March 1938 I suggested to
     Chancellor Schuschnigg, as a solution to the
     difficulties resulting from his plebiscite plan, that
     the National Socialists be appointed to the Cabinet,
     after I became in May 1937 State Councillor and then on
     16-2-1938 Minister of Interior and Security." (3425-PS)

Seyss-Inquart was an official in the Austrian Government,
yet he rendered services, and physical and moral support to
the illegal Austrian Nazi Party during those years, knowing
that the radical elements engaged in terroristic acts.

     "During this time, particularly after the Party was
     forbidden in July 1934, I knew that the radical element
     of the Party was engaged in terroristic activities,
     such as the attacks on railroads, bridges, telephone
     communications, etc. I knew that the governments of
     both Chancellors Dolfuss and Schuschnigg, although they
     held the same total German viewpoint in principle, were
     opposed to the Anschluss then because of the National
     Socialist regime in the Reich. I was sympathetic
     towards the efforts of the Austrian Nazi Party to gain
     political power and corresponding influence, because
     they were in favor of the Anschluss. On the day of the
     un-
     
                                                  [Page 961]
                                                            
     successful 'putsch,' 25 July 1934, I was at my home in
     Stannern near Iglau, Czechoslovakia. I learned later
     that the murder of Chancellor Dolfuss on that day was
     the outcome of a 'putsch' plan, in which SS circles
     were mainly involved, to arrest the Chancellor and put
     in an Austrian government with National Socialist
     participation. Eight or ten days before this
     unsuccessful 'putsch' Chancellor Dolfuss sent for me.
     We discussed the disturbances and troubled state of
     affairs created in Austria by the radical element of
     the Austrian National Socialists. I advised Chancellor
     Dolfuss to make an arrangement with Hitler because the
     Austrian National Socialists and even this radical
     element would obey Hitler's orders. I conjectured --
     later I found confirmation that these terroristic
     activities had a certain support from the Reich.
     Chancellor Dolfuss told me he would think the matter
     over and made a tentative future appointment for a
     further discussion. I informed among others, also
     acquaintances, of this conversation whom I knew had
     influence among the Austrian National Socialists. About
     one week later Chancellor Dolfuss informed me that at
     the moment he had no time for further discussion."
     (3425-PS)

(4) Seyss-Inquart derived personal benefits and political
power as the result of the subversive manipulations and
terroristic activities of his fellow Nazi collaborators. He
was appointed State Councillor of Austria in May 1937, and
Minister of the Interior and Security of that country as the
direct result of Nazi manipulation. These facts he has
admitted:

     "My appointment as State Councillor was the result of
     an agreement between Austria and Germany on 11 July
     1936. My appointment as Minister of the Interior and
     Security was one of the results of the conference
     between Chancellor Schuschnigg and Hitler at
     Berchtesgaden on 2 December 1938." (425-PS)

Another result of the Berchtesgaden conference was that
Austrian Nazis were thereafter allowed openly to demonstrate
their conviction, an advantage which they exploited to the
full.

     "The Austrian National Socialists must certainly have
     taken my appointment as Minister of Interior and
     Security as an indication of their right to activity.
     Still more, however, the outcome of the agreement of 12
     February 1938 allowed them to demonstrate their
     convictions. This right they utilized in more and more
     widespread demonstrations." (7425-PS)

(5) Seyss-Inquart used his affiliation with the Nazis to pro-

                                                  [Page 962]
                                                            
mote the absorption of Austria into the Greater German Reich
according to plan as conceived by his fellow Nazi
conspirators. Seyss-Inquart had had a continuous and
constant interest in the union of Austria and Germany for
twenty years, and during all that time worked, planned, and
collaborated with others until the union became an
accomplished fact.

     "In 1918 I became interested in the Anschluss of
     Austria with Germany. From that year on I worked,
     planned, and collaborated with others of a like mind to
     bring about a union. *** It was my desire to effect
     this union of the two countries -- in an evolutionary
     manner and by legal means. Among my Austrian
     collaborators were Dr. Neubacher, City Councillor
     Speiser, the University Professor Hugelmann, and Dr.
     Wilhelm Bauer, Professor Wettstein and others. Later,
     during the rise of National Socialism, Dr. Friedrich
     Rainer, Dr. Jury, Glaise-Horstenau, Major Klausner, Dr.
     Muehlmann, Globotschnigg, and others. *** After I
     became State Councillor, I discussed several tires with
     von Papen, the German Ambassador, the possibilities of
     an understanding between the Austrian government and
     the Austrian National Socialists, respectively the
     Reich. We did not talk of the Anschluss as an actual
     program. However, we were both of the opinion that a
     successful understanding would bring about in the
     course of time the Anschluss by evolutionary means in
     some form. The last time I spoke to von Papen was in
     January 1938 in Garmisch where I met him by chance."
     (3425-PS)

Seyss-Inquart contributed his efforts to revive the Austrian
Nazi Party after the unsuccessful "putsch" of 25 July 1934,
and to provide relief for the families of arrested and
condemned Nazis. He has described these activities in the
following words:

     "The effect of the 'Putsch' was a complete catastrophe
     to the National Socialist Camp. Not merely the leaders,
     but party members were arrested in so far as they did
     not escape; the confiscation of their fortunes was
     announced; the revolt which led to military actions in
     Steiriermark, Karnten and Oberoesterreich did cost
     victims; the political management was seriously
     compromised by the Nazis and above all, a most sinister
     looking situation was created in regard to foreign
     politics. In any case, the idea of a union had suffered
     a severe setback. was in agreement about the effect
     with Dr. Neubacher, and it was our desire to assist
     easing the tension. Following this situation I felt
     urged to take up politics beyond the question of the
     'Anschluss.' *** The former
     

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