20 Dec. 45
Likewise members of the Komsomolz are to
be arrested only if they were active in leading positions."
The next subparagraphs have been read into evidence, 3 and 4, in a
previous presentation.
"5. The reporting of partisan bands
as well as drives against them is not affected hereby. I point out,
however, that all drives against those bands are to take place only
with my approval.
"6. The prisons are to be kept empty as a rule. We must be aware
of the fact that the Slavs interpret all soft treatment on our part as
weakness and that they will act accordingly, right away. If we
restrict our harsh Security Police measures through the above orders
for the time being, it is done only for the following reason: the most
important thing is the recruiting of workers. No check of persons to
be sent into the Reich will be made. There are therefore no written
certificates of political reliability or the like to be furnished. "
— Signed — " Christensen, SS Sturmbannführer and
Commanding Officer."
I
understood that Your Honor wanted to adjourn at 4 o'clock, and I believe
that I can introduce one more statement. It was the Einsatz Groups of
the Security Police and SD that operated the infamous death vans.
Previously, Document 501-PS, which was received as Exhibit USA-288,
referred to this operation. The letter from Becker, which is a part of
this exhibit, was addressed to Obersturmbannführer Rauff at Berlin.
We now refer to Document L-185. I simply refer to Document 501-PS as a
reference to the death vans. Document L-185, Exhibit USA-484, is the one
I now offer in evidence, Page 7 of the English translation — L-185.
It will be observed that the chief of Amt II D of the RSHA in charge of
technical matters was Obersturmbannführer Rauff. Mr. Harris advises
me that the only point to be proved by that is that the chief of Amt II
D of the RSHA, who made this report on technical matters, was the
Obersturmbannführer Rauff; and then he refers in the same
connection to Document 2348-PS, which is Exhibit USA-485. The previous
one was to identify Rauff, and then to offer his affidavit which is
2348-PS, second volume. Reading from the beginning of the affidavit —
it was made on 19 October 1945 in Ancona, Italy — quoting:
"I hereby acknowledge the attached
letter, written by Dr. Becker ... on the 16 May 1942 and received by
me on the 29 May 1942, as a genuine letter. I did on 18 October 1945
write on the side of this letter a statement to the effect that it was
genuine. I do not know the number of death vans being operated and
cannot give an approximate figure.