[Page 437]

"IV. The Russian in the Reich territory including the Protectorate.

"The number of the employed depends on the requirement. By determining the requirement, it is to be considered that workers of other states who produce little and eat much are to be shipped out of the Reich and that in the future the German woman should come less into the foreground in the labor process. Beside the Russian prisoners of war, free Russian workers should also be used.

"A. The Russian Prisoner of War.

"1. The selection has to take place already in the collecting camps, beyond the Reich border. The profession and physical condition are decisive. At the same time screening as to nationality and according to the requirements of the security police and counter- intelligence must take place.

"2. The transportation has to be organized just as the selection and not improvised. The prisoners are to be forwarded rapidly. Their feeding should be orderly and their guarding unconditionally secured.

"3. Officers are to be excluded from the work as much as possible, commissars as a matter of principle.

"4. The Russian belongs in first line to the following work places (in order of priorities):

Mining.
Railroad maintenance (including repair shops and construction of vehicles).
War industry (tanks, artillery pieces, airplane parts).
Agriculture.
Building industry.
Large scale workshops (shoe shops!)
Special units for urgent, occasional and emergency work.

*******

B. The Free Russian Worker.
Employment and treatment, will not be handled in practice differently than for Russian prisoners of war. In both cate-

[Page 438]

gories, particularly good production can be acknowledged by a limited distribution of luxury items. Sufficient, adequate nourishment is also the main thing for the free workers." (1193-PS)

In a set of top secret notes on what was apparently the same conference, the following appears:

"NOTES
On outlines layed down by the Reichsmarschall in the meeting of 7 November 1941 in the Reich Ministry for Air (RLM)

"SUBJECT: Employment of laborers in war industries.

"The Fuehrer's point of view as to employment of prisoners of war in war industries has changed basically. So far a total of 5 million prisoners of war employed so far 2 million.

"Directives for employment:

"Frenchmen: Individual employment, transposition into armament industry (Rue-wirtschaft).

"Serbs: Preferably agriculture.

"Poles: If feasible no individual employment achievement of Russian armament industry surpasses the German one. Assembly-line work, a great many mechanical devices with relatively few skilled workers.

"Readiness of Russians in the operational area to work is strong. In the Ukraine and other areas discharged prisoners of war already work as free labor. In Krivoy Rog, large numbers of workers are available due to the destruction of the factories. ***

"Some points as to general Arbeitseinsatz

"Rather employ PW's than unsuitable foreign workers. Seize Poles, Dutchmen, etc. if necessary as PW's and employ them as such, if work through free contract cannot be obtained. Strong action." (1206-PS)

In a secret letter from the Reichsminister of Labor to the Presidents of the Regional Labor Exchange Offices, the following appears:

"Upon personal order of the Reich Marshal, 100,000 men are to be taken from among the French PW's not yet employed in the armament industry, and are to be assigned to the armament industry (airplane industry). Gaps in manpower supply resulting therefrom will be filled by Soviet PW's. The transfer of the above-named French PW's is to be accomplished by 1 October." (3005- PS)

(3)Looting and Destruction of Works of Art. The Nazi con-

[Page 439]

spirators planned and organized the cultural impoverishment of very country in Europe: the plunder of works of art by the Government General in occupied Poland and the activities of the Einsatzstab Rosenberg are outstanding examples. (See Chapter IV on the Plunder of Art

Goering was continuously connected with these activities. In October 1939 he requested a Dr. Kajetan Muehlmann to undertake immediately the "securing" of all Polish art treasures. In an affidavit, Dr. Muehlmann states:

"I was the special deputy of the Governor General of Poland, Hans Frank, for the safeguarding of art treasures in the General Government, October 1939 to September 1943.

"Goering, in his function as chairman of the Reich Defense Council, had commissioned me with this duty.

"I confirm, that it was the official policy of the Governor General, Hans Frank, to take into custody all important art treasures, which belonged to Polish public institutions, private u collections and the Church. I confirm, that the art treasures, mentioned, were actually confiscated, and it is clear to me, that they would not have remained in Poland in case of a German victory, but that they would have been used to complement German artistic property." (3042-PS)

Indicative of the continued interest taken by Goering in these operations, it appears from Dr. Muehlmann's report that at one time 31 valuable sketches by the artist Albrecht Durer were taken from a Polish collection and personally handed to the defendant Goering, who took them to the Fuehrer's headquarters. (1709-PS)

The part played by Goering in looting of art by the Einsatzstab Rosenberg has been shown in Chapter XIV. On 5 November Goering issued an order under his own signature directed the Chief of the Military Administration Paris, and to the Einsatzstab Rosenberg, as follows:

"In conveying the measures taken until now, for the securing of Jewish art property by the Chief of the Military Administration Paris and the special service staff Rosenberg (the Chief of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces 2 f 28.14. W.Z.Nr 3812/40 g), the art objects brought to the Louvre will be disposed of in the following way:

"1. Those art objects about which the Fuehrer has reserved for himself the decision as to their use.

"2. Those art objects which serve to the completion of the Reich Marshal's collection.

"3. Those art objects and library stocks the use of which seem useful to the establishing of the higher institutes of

[Page 440]

learning and which come within the jurisdiction of Reichsleiter Rosenberg.

"4. Those art objects that are suited to be sent to German museums, of all these art objects a systematic inventory will be made by the special purpose staff Rosenberg; they will then be packed and shipped to Germany with the assistance of the Luftwaffe." (141-PS)

In view of the high priority afforded by the foregoing order to the completion of Goering's own collection, it is not surprising to find that he continued to aid the operations of the Einsatzstab Rosenberg. Thus, on 1 May 1941, Goering issued an order to all Party, State, and Wehrmacht Services, under his own signature, requesting them

" to give all possible support and assistance to the Chief of Staff of Reichsleiter Rosenberg's staffs. *** The above-mentioned persons are requested to report to us on their work, particularly on any difficulties that might arise." (1117-PS)

By 30 May 1942, Goering was able to boast of the assistance which he had rendered to the work of the Einsatzstab Rosenberg. In a letter to Rosenberg, of that date, he stated:

" On the other hand I also support personally the work of your Einsatzstab wherever I can do so, and a great part of the seized cultural goods can be accounted for because I was able to assist the Einsatzstab with my organization." (1015-I-PS)

The original plaintext version of this file is available via ftp.

[ Previous | Index | Next ]

Home ·  Site Map ·  What's New? ·  Search Nizkor