28 Nov. 45
German Government, and had thus without reason dragged the German
Reich into an internal Austrian affair in public sight.
This statement appears in a letter which Hitler sent to Defendant
Papen on July 26, 1934. I shall offer that letter a little later.
Although the German Government denied any knowledge or complicity
in this Putsch, we think there is ample basis for the conclusion that
the German Nazis bear responsibility for these events. It is not my
purpose, with respect to this somewhat minor consideration, to review
the extensive record in the trial of the Austrian Nazi Planetta and
others who were convicted for the murder of Dollfuss. Similarly I
have no intention of presenting to the Court the contents of the
Austrian Braunbuch issued after July 25. The Court will, I
think, take judicial notice.
I should like, instead, to mention a few brief items which seem
to us sufficient for the purpose. I quote again from our Exhibit
Number 1760-PS, from the Messersmith affidavit, USA-57 on Page 7, the
paragraph in the middle of the page:
"The events of the Putsch of July
25, 1934, are too well known for me to repeat them in this statement.
I need say here only that there can be no doubt that the Putsch was
ordered and organized by the Nazi officials from Germany through
their organization in Austria made up of German Nazis and Austrian
Nazis. Dr. Rieth, the German Minister in Vienna, was fully familiar
with all that was going to happen and that was being planned. The
German Legation was located directly across the street from the
British Legation, and the Austrian secret police kept close watch on
the persons who entered the German Legation. "The British had
their own secret service in Vienna at the time, and they also kept a
discreet surveillance over the people entering the German Legation. I
was told by both British and Austrian officials that a number of men
who were later found guilty by the Austrian courts of having been
implicated in the Putsch had frequented the German Legation. In
addition, I personally followed very closely the activities of Dr.
Rieth, and I never doubted, on the basis of all my information, that
Dr. Rieth was in close touch and constant touch with the Nazi agents
in Austria, these agents being both German and Austrian. Dr. Rieth
could not have been unfamiliar with the Putsch and the details in
connection therewith. I recall, too, very definitely from my
conversations with the highest officials of the Austrian Government
after the Putsch their informing me that Dr. Rieth had been in touch
with Von Rintelen, who, it had