1
Dec. 45
Keitel
actually said to you. When speaking to you or in
your presence, did he use the expression "dispose
of" or "eliminate"?
LAHOUSEN:
I cannot remember the expression he used, but it
was perfectly clear what it was all about.
Whatever it was, it was not a question of
sparing Giraud's life or imprisoning him. They
had had the opportunity to do that while he was
in occupied territory.
DR. NELTE: That
is what I want to speak about now. You are
familiar with the fact that after Giraud's
flight and his return to Unoccupied France, a
conference took place in Occupied France.
LAHOUSEN:
Yes, I heard of that.
DR. NELTE:
Ambassador Abetz had a talk with General Giraud
which dealt with the question of his voluntary
return to confinement. You know that?
LAHOUSEN:
Yes, I heard of that.
DR. NELTE: Then
you probably also know that at that time the
local military commander immediately called up
the Führer's headquarters by way of Paris.
It was believed that an important communication
was to be made; namely, that Giraud was in
Occupied France and could be taken prisoner?
LAHOUSEN: I know about this in its
broad outline.
DR. NELTE: Then you
know also that the OKW — that is to say in
this case, Keitel — then decided that this
should not happen.
LAHOUSEN: No, that
I do not know.
DR. NELTE: But you do
know that General Giraud returned to Unoccupied
France without having been harmed?
LAHOUSEN:
Yes, I do know that.
DR. NELTE: Well,
in that case, the answer to my previous question
is self-apparent.
LAHOUSEN: I speak
the truth when I say I do not know. I could not
have known unless they had talked about it in my
presence.
DR. NELTE: Well, it is so,
and the facts prove it to be so. Did you know
that General Giraud's family lived in Occupied
France?
LAHOUSEN: No, I did not know
that.
DR. NELTE: I thought the Abwehr
division was entrusted with surveillance of this
region?
LAHOUSEN: No, you are mistaken
— certainly not my department. I do not
know whether another department was in charge of
that.
DR. NELTE: The question was asked
simply to prove that the family did not suffer
because General Giraud escaped and later