17 Dec. 45
absolute minimum necessary to supply the bare needs of
the people in these particular regions, who produced the materials which
were to be removed to Germany. This region had previously supplied the
northern area of the Soviet Union, which the conspirators called the
forest zone. The latter zone embraced some of the leading industrial
areas of the Soviet Union, including Moscow and Leningrad.
2. They deliberately and systematically planned to starve millions of
Russians. Starvation was to be accomplished by the following means:
a. As indicated under point 1, products from the south and southeast of
the Soviet Union, which ordinarily were sent to the industrial regions
of the north, were to be forcibly diverted to Germany. Moreover, all
livestock in the industrial regions was to be seized for use by the
Wehrmacht and the German civilian population. The necessary consequence
was that the population of the northern regions would be reduced to
starvation.
b. They established the following order of priority in which food
produced by the Russians would be allocated:
First, the combat troops; second, the remainder of troops in enemy
territory; third, troops stationed in Germany; fourth, the German
civilian population; and lastly, the population of the occupied
countries.
Thus even Russians in the food surplus area of the Ukraine, who were
not essential to the production of products for the German war machine,
were to be systematically starved.
3. They planned the permanent destruction of all industry in the
northern area of the Soviet Union in order that the remnants of the
Russian population would be completely dependent upon Germany for their
consumer goods.
4. They planned to incorporate a part of Galicia and all of the Baltic
countries into Germany and to convert the Crimea, an area north of the
Crimea, the Volga territory, and the district around Baku into German
colonies.
I now turn to the specific items of proof.
I first offer in evidence Document Number EC-472, Exhibit Number
USA-315. This document is offered for the particular purpose of showing
the status and functions of the Economic Staff East, Group La. The
exhibit which we shall next offer in evidence was prepared by this
organization. Document Number EC-472 is a directive issued by Defendant
Göring's office for "The Operation of the Economy in the Newly
Occupied Eastern Territories." It is the second edition and it is
dated Berlin, July 1941. The first edition was obviously published some
time before July 1941. The document was found among the captured OKW
files at Fechenheim.