3 Jan. 46
like to ask you: Do you know anything regarding the
commanding generals of the other armies?
OHLENDORF: In general they must have been informed through the speech
of the Führer before the beginning of the Russian campaign.
DR. EXNER: That is a conclusion that you have drawn?
OHLENDORF: No, it is not a conclusion that I have drawn; it is merely a
report on the contents of the speech which, according to Himmler's
statement, Hitler had made to the commanding generals.
DR. EXNER: Now you have spoken about directives given by the Commanding
General of the 11th Army. What kind of directives were they?
OHLENDORF: I first spoke about the commanding general in the Nikolaiev
incident, that is, about the order given at that time that the
liquidations should take place 200 kilometers away from the headquarters
of the High Command of the army. The second time, I did not speak about
the commanding general of the army but about the High Command of the
army at Simferopol, because I cannot say, with any certainty, who had
requested the competent Einsatzkommando at Simferopol to speed up the
liquidations.
DR. EXNER: That is the very question I should like to put to you: With
whom in the 11th Army did you negotiate at that time?
OHLENDORF: I, personally, did not negotiate at all with anyone on this
subject, as I was not the person directly concerned with these matters;
but the High Command of the Army negotiated with the competent local
Einsatzkommando either through the responsible army office, which at all
times was in touch with the Einsatzkommandos, namely the I-C or the
I-CAO, or else through the staff of the OQ.
DR. EXNER: Who gave you orders for the advance?
OHLENDORF: The orders for the advance came, as a rule, from the Chief
of Staff.
DR. EXNER: From the Chief of Staff? The Commanding General of the army
at the time referred to was Von Manstein. In this case was there ever an
order signed by Von Manstein?
OHLENDORF: I cannot remember any such order; but when the advance was
being discussed there were oral consultations with Von Manstein, the
Chief of Staff, and me.
DR. EXNER: When the advance was being discussed?
OHLENDORF: Yes.
DR. EXNER: You said that the Army was opposed to these liquidations.
Can you state how this became evident?