7 Dec.
45
"Though the
German Government are at present doing everything in their power to
arrive at a peaceful solution of the questions at issue between the
Reich and Poland, they nevertheless desire to define clearly here and
now the attitude which they propose to adopt towards Belgium should a
conflict in Europe become inevitable.
"The German
Government are firmly determined to abide by the terms of the
declaration contained in the German note of October 13, 1937. This
provides in effect that Germany will in no circumstances impair the
inviolability and integrity of Belgium and will at all times respect
Belgian territory. The German Government renew this undertaking,
however, in the expectation that the Belgian Government for their part
will observe an attitude of strict neutrality and that Belgium will
tolerate no violations on the part of a third power, but that on the
contrary, she will oppose it with all the forces at her disposal. It
goes without saying that if the Belgian Government were to adopt a
different attitude the German Government would naturally be compelled
to defend their interests in conformity with the new situation thus
created."
My Lord, may I
make one short comment on the last part of that document? I submit it is
clear that the decision having been made to violate the neutrality, as
we know, those last words were put in to afford some excuse in the
future.
That document will be Exhibit GB-102. My Lord, TC-40,
the next document, is a similar document communicated to Her Majesty the
Queen of the Netherlands on the same day, the 26th of August 1939.
Subject to the Tribunal's direction, I don't think I need read it. It is
a public document in the German document book, and it has exactly the
same features.
That will be Exhibit GB-103.
Then My
Lords, TC-42, the next document (Exhibit GB-104) is a similar document
relating to Luxembourg. That is dated the 26th of August, the same day.
I am not certain; it has two dates. I think it is the 26th of August. My
Lords, that is in the same terms a complete guarantee with the sting in
the tail as in the other two documents. Perhaps I need not read it.
My Lords, as the Tribunal knows; Poland was occupied by means
of the lightning victory; and in October German Armed Forces were free
for other tasks. The first step that was taken so far as the Netherlands
and Belgium are concerned is shown by the next document, which is, I
think, in as GB-80; but the two central Portions refer to Belgium and
the Netherlands. It is the next document in Your Lordships' bundle:
Number 4.