19 Dec. 45

I now skip to the SA participation in the Jewish pogrom of 10-11 November 1938 shown by Document 1721-PS, Exhibit Number USA-425. This is a confidential report of the SA-Brigadeführer to his group commander, dated. 29 November 1938. In the English translation, starting at the beginning without reading the addresses, it is to SA Group Electoral Palatinate (Kurpfalz) Mannheim:

"The following order reached me at 3 o'clock on 10 November 1938.

"On the order of the Gruppenführer all Jewish synagogues within the 50th Brigade are to be blown up or set on fire immediately.

"Neighboring houses occupied by Aryans are not to be damaged. The action is to be carried out in civilian clothes. Rioting and plundering are to be prevented. Report of execution of orders to reach the brigade Führer or office by 8:30.

"I immediately alerted the Standartenführer and gave them the most exact instructions; the execution of the order began at once. I hereby report that the following were destroyed in the area of ... "

Then there follows a list of 35 synagogues that were destroyed. I just refer to a few of them:

"1) The synagogue at Darmstadt, Bleichstrasse, destroyed by fire.... 4) The synagogue at Gräfenhausen, interior and furnishings wrecked." — And then under "Standarte 145" — "The synagogue at Bensheim, destroyed by fire."

And then the next four items are synagogues destroyed by fire. In Standarte 168 eight synagogues are shown to have been destroyed by fire. In Standarte 86 the synagogue in Beerfelden was blown up; and then follow several others where the furnishings were wrecked. In Standarte 221 the synagogue and chapel in Gross-Gerau was destroyed by fire, and the next one torn down and the furnishings destroyed. And then it is signed by the Führer of Brigade 50, by the signature which is illegible, "Brigadeführer."

In connection with the persecution of the Jews, we again find the SA performing its function of propaganda agency for the Nazis. In this connection it was the function of the SA to create and foster among the people an anti-Jewish spirit and sentiment without which the terrifying Crimes against Humanity perpetrated against the Jewish race certainly would not have been tolerated by any civilized Peoples. Substantial and convincing evidence of this function is to be found in these bound volumes of Der SA-Mann. Throughout the period covered by these volumes, there appeared in this publication article after article consisting of the most cruel and vicious sort of anti-religious propaganda designed to engender and foster hatred and hostility toward the Jewish race.