19 Dec. 45
Preparation for war through the SA training program was
commenced in Germany as early as 1933, but the scope of this program was
not made public because of the fact that it actually constituted a
violation of the Treaty of Versailles. The strict secrecy with which the
program was surrounded is shown in Document D-44, Exhibit Number
USA-428, which I offer in evidence.
On Page 1 of the English translation — this is from the Supreme
Command of the SA, Chief of Staff — and it has to do with
publications on the SA:
"Further to my instruction Z 11
1351/33 dated 11 July 33, I find cause to ask all SA authorities to
exercise the greatest caution with regard to any publicity given to
the SA service not only in the press but also in the information and
news sheets of the individual SA units.
"Only during the last few days the Reich Ministry of the
Interior at the request of the Foreign Office has given strict
instructions to all Reich authorities according to which the most
severe control is to be exercised on all publications which might give
other countries an occasion to construe German infringements of the
terms of the Versailles Treaty.
"As is known from the Geneva negotiations, our opponents have
piled up material, collected in Germany and submitted to them, which
they use against us on every occasion during the conferences.
"From this point of view, the information sheets circulating
among the subordinate SA units cause the liveliest concern. I hold all
higher SA leaders responsible that any such internal information
sheets appearing in the district of their command are submitted to the
most stringent control before they go into print; and I feel compelled
to draw attention to the liability to prosecution for treason, as
pronounced in official instructions issued in the last few days, in
cases where such reports, printed no doubt in good faith, are
published and therefore exposed to the danger of falling into the
wrong hands.
"On principle, pictures of the special technical units of the SA
and SS, in particular of the motorized, signal, and possibly also of
the air squads which now exist outside these formations, are
forbidden, such pictures enabling other countries to prove the alleged
formation of technical troop units."
Similarly, secrecy was provided for in the order assigning a Wehrmacht
officer to the SA in January 1934 to assist in the SA training program.
This Document, 2823-PS, Exhibit Number USA429, which is a copy of a
memorandum of SA headquarters dated January 1934, designates an officer
of the Wehrmacht to assist in