13 Dec.
45
THE PRESIDENT: I see.
MAJOR WALSH: Document 2709 has been given Exhibit Number USA-265. From
Paragraph 1 of Page 1, 1 quote:
"In Dresden, several weeks ago,
uniformed Nazis raided the Jewish prayer house, interrupted the
evening religious service, arrested 25 worshippers, and tore the holy
insignia or emblems from their headcovering worn while praying."
At a meeting here in Nuremberg, before the representatives of the German
press, the Defendant Streicher and Mayor Liebel of Nuremberg revealed in
advance to the gathered members of the press that the Nuremberg
synagogue was to be destroyed.
I offer in evidence Document 1724-PS, Exhibit Number USA-266, which is
minutes of this meeting, dated 4 August 1938. From Page 1, Paragraph 4
of the original, I quote the translation before the Court:
"The breaking up of the synagogue
(information must still be secret). On August 10, 1938, at 10 o'clock
a.m., the breakup of the synagogue will commence. Gauleiter Julius
Streicher will personally set the crane into motion with which the
Jewish symbols, Star of David, etcetera, will be torn down.
This should be arranged in a big way. Closer details are still
unknown."
The Defendant
Streicher himself supervised the demolition.
In support of this, I offer Document 2711-PS, a newspaper account of 11
August 1938, Exhibit Number USA-267, Paragraph 1 of the translation
before the Court:
"In Nuremberg the synagogue is being
demolished; Julius Streicher himself inaugurates the work by a speech
lasting more than an hour and a half. By his order then — so to
speak as a prelude of the demolition — the tremendous Star of
David came off the cupola."
These accounts of violence were not localized anti-Semitic I
demonstrations but were directed and ordered from a centralized
headquarters in Berlin. This is established by a series of teletype
messages sent by the Berlin Secret State Police headquarters to chiefs
of police throughout Germany on 10 November 1938, which contained
instructions pertaining to the pre-arranged demonstration.
I now refer to Document 3051-PS, previously offered in evidence as
Exhibit Number iJSA-240. I shall quote the relevant part of one of these
confidential orders signed by Heydrich, the translation before the
Court, the last half on Page 2:
"Because of the attempt on the life
of the Secretary of the Legation, Vom Rath, in Paris tonight, 9-10
November 1938, demonstrations against Jews are to be expected
throughout