29 Nov. 45
and that, pending Hitler's approval, Seyss-Inquart would pretend
to negotiate with Schuschnigg about details of the plebiscite.
This information is all contained in the report of Gauleiter
Rainer to Reich Commissioner Bürckel, transmitted as I have
already pointed out to Seyss-Inquart, and which has already been
received in evidence--our Document 812-PS, Exhibit USA-61.
I quote briefly from Page 7 of the English text, the paragraph
beginning on Page 11 of the German original:
"The Landesleitung received word
about the planned plebiscite through illegal information services, on
9 March 1938 at 10 a.m. At the session which was called immediately
afterwards, Seyss-Inquart explained that he had known about this for
only a few hours, but that he could not talk about it because he had
given his word to keep silent on this subject. But during the talks
he made us understand that the illegal information we received was
based on truth, and that in view of the new situation, he had been
cooperating with the Landesleitung from the very first moment.
Klausner, Jury, Rainer, Globocnik, and Seyss-Inquart were present at
the first talks which were held at 10 a.m. There it was decided that:
"First, the Führer had to be informed immediately;
secondly, the opportunity for the Führer to intervene must be
given to him by way of an official declaration made by Minister
Seyss-Inquart to Schuschnigg; and thirdly, Seyss-Inquart must
negotiate with the Government until clear instructions and orders
were received from the Führer. Seyss-Inquart and Rainer together
composed a letter to Schuschnigg, and only one copy of it was brought
to the Führer by Globocnik, who flew to him on the afternoon of
9 March 1938.
"Negotiations with the Government were not successful.
Therefore, they were stopped by Seyss-Inquart in accordance with the
instructions he received from the Führer .... On 10 March all
the preparations for future revolutionary actions already had teen
made ... and the necessary orders given to all unit leaders ....
During the night of the 10 to 11, Globocnik returned from the
Führer with the announcement that the Führer gave the Party
freedom of action that he would back it in everything it
did."
--That means the Austrian Nazi Party. Next, Germany's actual
preparations for the invasion and the use of force.
When news of the plebiscite reached Berlin, it started a
tremendous amount of activity. Hitler, as history knows, was
determined