already at the beginning of hostilities Fritzsche was
fully aware of the fact that the Nazis were carrying out their
decision to do away with all Jews in Europe. For instance, when
commenting on Hitler's statement that "among results of the war
there will be the annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe"
(Transcript, Afternoon Session, 22 November 1945), Fritzsche stated
that: "As the Führer predicted it would occur in the event
of war in Europe, the fate of the European Jewry turned out to be
quite sad" (Transcript, Morning Session, 23 January 1946). It is
further established that the defendant systematically preached the
anti-social theory of race hatred and characterized peoples
inhabiting countries victimized by aggression as
"sub-humans" (Transcript, Afternoon Session, 27 June 1946;
Transcript, Morning Session, 28 June 1946).
When the fate of Nazi Germany became clear, Fritzsche came out
with energetic support of the Defendant Martin Bormann and of other
fanatical Hitler adherents who organized the undercover fascist
association, the so-called "Werewolf".
On 7 April 1945, for example, in his last radio address,
Fritzsche agitated for all the civilian population of Germany to take
active part in the activities of this terroristic Nazi underground
organization.
He said:
"Let no one be surprised to find
the civilian population, wearing civilian clothes, still continuing
the fight in the regions already occupied and even after occupation
has taken place. We shall call this phenomenon "Werewolf"
since it will have arisen without any preliminary planning and
without a definite organization, out of the very instinct of
life." (USSR-496)
In his radio addresses Fritzsche welcomed the German
use of the new terror weapons in conducting the war, specifically the
use of the "V" rockets. On receiving a plan for the
introduction of bacterial warfare he immediately forwarded it to the
OKW for acceptance. (USSR-484; Evidence submitted during the
Afternoon Session, 28 June 1946)
I consider Fritzsche's responsibility fully proven. His activity
had a most basic relation to the preparation and the conduct of
aggressive warfare as well as to the other crimes of the Hitler
regime.
IV. Concerning the Sentence of the
Defendant Rudolf Hess
The Judgment of the Tribunal correctly and
adequately portrays the outstanding position which Rudolf Hess
occupied in the leadership of the Nazi Party and State. He was indeed
Hitler's closest