17 Dec. 45
jurisdiction over all matters within his
zone relating to the Movement, and is fully responsible to the
Zellenleiter."
The
Blockleiter, as in the case of other Political Leaders, was charged with
planning, disseminating, and developing a receptivity to the policies of
the Nazi Party among the population in his area of responsibility. It
was also the expressed duty of the Blockleiter to spy on the population.
I quote from Pages 14 and 15 of this same document:
"it is the duty of the Blockleiter to
find people disseminating damaging rumors and to report them to the
Ortsgruppe, so that they may be reported to the respective State
authorities.
"The Blockleiter must not only be a preacher and defender of the
National Socialist ideology towards the member of the Nation and Party
entrusted to his political care, but he must also strive to achieve
practical collaboration of the Party members within his block zone....
"The Blockleiter shall continuously remind the Party members of
their particular duties towards the people and the state. The
Blockleiter keeps a list (card file) about the house-holds.... In
principle, the Blockleiter will settle his official business verbally,
and he will receive messages verbally and pass them on in the same
way. Correspondence will only be used in cases of absolute
necessity.... The Blockleiter conducts National Socialist propaganda
from mouth to mouth. He will eventually awaken the understanding of
the eternally dissatisfied as regards the frequently misunderstood or
wrongly interpreted measures and laws of the National Socialist
Government.... It is not necessary for him to fall in with complaints
and gripes about possibly obvious shortcomings of any kind in order to
demonstrate solidarity.... A condition to gain the confidence of all
people is to maintain absolute secrecy in all matters."
It will be shown that there were in Germany nearly half a million
Blockleiter. Large though this figure may appear, there can be no doubt
that these officials were in and of the Leadership Corps of the Nazi
Party. Though they stood at the broad base of the Party pyramid rather
than at its summit, where rested the Reichsleiter, by virtue of this
fact they were stationed at close intervals through-out the German civil
population.
THE PRESIDENT: I think, Colonel Storey, it would be an assistance to
the Tribunal if you could tell us, that is, at some time convenient to
yourself, approximately how many there were of each of these ranks in
the corps.
COL. STOREY: If Your Honor please, that is the next subject.