3
Dec. 45
On 30
September, when it became clear that the Munich
settlement would result in a peaceful occupation
of the Sudetenland, the Defendant Keitel ordered
that the Free Corps Henlein, in its present
composition, be placed under the command of
Himmler.
I read from Item 38, at Page
63, of the Schmundt file:
"1.
Attachment of the Henlein Free Corps.
The Supreme Commander of the Armed
Forces has just ordered that the Henlein
Free Corps in its present composition be
placed under command of Reichsführer
SS and the Chief of German Police. It is
therefore not at the immediate disposal
of OKH as field unit for the invasion,
but is to be later drawn in, like the
rest of the police forces, for police
duties in agreement with the Reichsführer
SS."
I
have been able, if the Tribunal please, to
ascertain the dates the Tribunal asked about
before the recess.
The first visit of
Chamberlain to Germany in connection with this
matter was 15 September 1938. Chamberlain flew
to Munich and arrived at 12:30 o'clock on 15
September. He went by train from Munich to
Berchtesgaden, arriving at 1600 hours, by car to
Berghof, arriving about at 1650, for three talks
with Hitler. On 16 September Chamberlain
returned by air to London.
The second
visit was on 22 September. Chamberlain met with
Hitler at Bad Godesberg at 1700 hours for a
3-hour discussion, and it was a deadlock. On 23
September discussions were resumed at 2230
hours. On 24 September Chamberlain returned to
London.
The third visit was on 29
September. Chamberlain flew to Munich and the
meeting of Chamberlain, Mussolini, Daladier, and
Hitler took place at the Brown House at 1330 and
continued until 0230 hours on 30 September 1938,
a Friday, when the Munich Agreement was signed.
Under the threat of war by the Nazi
conspirators, and with war in fact about to be
launched, the United Kingdom and France
concluded the Munich Pact with Germany and Italy
at that early morning hour of 30 September 1938.
This Treaty will be presented by the British
prosecutor. It is sufficient for me to say of it
at this point that it was the cession of the
Sudetenland by Czechoslovakia to Germany.
Czechoslovakia was required to acquiesce.
The
Munich Pact will be TC-23 of the British
documents.
On 1 October 1938 German
troops began the occupation of the Sudetenland.
During the conclusion of the Munich Pact the
Wehrmacht had been fully deployed for the
attack, awaiting only the word of Hitler to
begin the assault.
With the cession of
the Sudetenland new orders were issued. On 30
September the Defendant Keitel promulgated
Directive