Text: English     International Military Tribunal "Blue Series," Vol. 4, p. 477
		7 Jan. 46 VON DEN BACH-ZELEWSKI: General of the Infantry Von Schenkendorff. COL. TAYLOR: Was he directly subordinate to the commander of the army group? VON DEM BACH-ZELEWSKI: Yes. COL. TAYLOR: Who was your immediate superior in the SS? VON DEM BACH-ZELEWSKI: Heinrich Himmler. COL. TAYLOR: And who was your immediate superior in the rear zone of the army? VON DEM BACH-ZELEWSKI: General Von Schenkendorff. COL. TAYLOR: What was your principal task as Higher SS and Police Leader in central Russia? VON DEM BACH-ZELEWSKI: My principal task was fighting partisans. COL. TAYLOR: Are you generally familiar with the operations of the so-called Einsatzgruppen of the SD? VON DEM BACH-ZELEWSKI. Yes. COL. TAYLOR: Did these units play any important part in large-scale anti-Russian operations? VON DEM BACH-ZELEWSKI: No. COL. TAYLOR: What was the principal task of the Einsatzgruppen? VON DEM BACH-ZELEWSKI: The principal task of the Einsatzgruppen of the Sicherheitspolizei was the annihilation of the Jews, gypsies, and political commissars. COL. TAYLOR: Then what forces were used for large-scale antipartisan operations? VON DEM BACH-ZELEWSKI: For anti-partisan activities formations of the Waffen-SS, of the Ordnungspolizei, and above all, of the Wehrmacht were used. COL. TAYLOR: Please describe the nature of these regular army units that were used for anti-partisan operations. VON DEM BACH-ZELEWSKI: These units of the Wehrmacht were composed, in the first place, of the security divisions in the rear zone, just behind the battle front; then there were the so-called Landesschützen battalions which were independent units under the orders of the Wehrmacht commanders; and there were also Wehrmacht formations used for the defense of certain installations such as railways and landing grounds and other military objectives. Moreover, as from 1943 or 1942, there were the so-called "alarm units" composed of formations in the rear zone. 477
		Text: English     International Military Tribunal "Blue Series," Vol. 4, p. 477     Last modified: February 10, 2001 Technical/administrative contact: webmaster@holocaust-history.org