19 Dec. 45
in evidence; and it is an excerpt from Das Archiv and
contains Hitler's characterization of the task of the SA in this
respect. It is on Page I of the English translation of 3215-PS.
I start the reading where it says:
"Already in 1920 by the founding of
the National Socialist Sports Section (SA) the Führer established
the extensive mission of this SA at that time by declaring in the
protocol of its charter ... ' The Sports Section (SA) shall one day be
the bearer of the military thought of a free people.' "
In the same sense the Führer said in his book, Mein Kampf:
"Give the German nation 6 million
bodies perfectly trained in sport, all fanatically inspired with the
love of the fatherland and trained to the highest offensive spirit,
and a national state will, if necessary, have created an army out of
them in less than 2 years ... "
The military character of the SA is demonstrated by its organizational
composition. I refer to the chart on the wall, which is our Document
Number 2168-PS. It is taken from this book, being the pamphlet of the SA
Sturmführer; and the chart is taken from the official book. I
simply refer to the chart and call to the attention of Your Honor that
it was organized into units closely corresponding to those of the German
Army. As the Tribunal will see, the organizational scheme consisted of
divisions; at the top in that pyramidal structure the division, next the
brigade, the regiment, the battalion, the company, the platoon, and the
squad.
In addition, there were special units and branches, over to the right
as Your Honor will notice, including cavalry, signal corps, engineer
corps, and medical corps. There were also, as Bayer pointed out in his
pamphlet, three officer training schools. Similarly, SA members wore
distinctive uniforms adapted to military functions, bore arms, and
engaged in training, forced marches, and other military exercises.
SA members, moreover, were governed by general regulations which
closely resembled service regulations of an armed force. They are
contained in Document Number 2820-PS, Exhibit Number USA-427, which I
offer in evidence. If Your Honor pleases, they are found at Page 3 of
the translation. I will simply refer to a few of them. These regulations
provide for punishment, designating them as penal regulations, for
disobedience of orders and infractions of regulations. The punishments
which are provided demonstrate the militaristic character of the SA and
include the following: Reprimand in private; reprimand in presence of
superiors and announcement thereof at formations; prohibition of the
right to wear service Uniform; house arrest, et cetera.