19 Dec. 45
SS, and it was a purpose which was not kept by Himmler
to himself, but a purpose which was explained and publicly announced
again and again.
THE PRESIDENT: You haven't yet shown us where it was announced, have
you?
MAJOR FARR: I have not, Sir, and I am coming to that very shortly; but
I wanted first to show Your Honor what the racial basis of selection
was. That is, one aspect of the racial selective process. The second is
this: The negative side of the racism. Not only did Himmler intend to
build up an elite which would be able to take over Europe, but he
indoctrinated that elite with hatred for all "inferior," to
use his word, races.
Now, I think unless it is clearly understood that that is the basis of
the SS, we cannot understand the organization. I am quite prepared, if
the Tribunal desires, not to go further into a discussion of the detail
of the process of selection. I do think it important that I quote
Himmler's own statement — what his aims were. And also I quote to
the Tribunal the publicly announced basis for selection.
With the Tribunal's permission then, I would like to quote one passage
from the Organization Book for the Nazi Party, which explains
the racial basis on which the SS was founded. That is our Document
Number 2640-PS, which has already been introduced in evidence as Exhibit
Number USA-323. I quote from Page 417 of the German text and from Page 1
of the translation, fourth paragraph, entitled "Selection of
Members." And I quote this because this is not a hidden
pronouncement. This is what the official Nazi Party publication said the
SS was:
"Selection of members.
"For the fulfillment of these missions a homogeneous, firmly
welded fighting force has been created, bound by ideological oaths,
whose fighters are selected out of the best Aryan humanity.
"The conception of the value of the blood and soil serves as
directive for the selection into the SS. Every SS man must be deeply
imbued with the sense and essence of the National Socialist movement.
He will be ideologically and physically trained so that he can be
employed individually or in groups in the decisive battle for the
National Socialist ideology.
"Only the best and thoroughbred Germans are suited for
commitment in this battle. Therefore it is necessary that an
uninterrupted selection is maintained within the ranks of the SS,
first roughly, then with more and more scrutiny."