4 Jan. 46
"The OKW Operations Staff was also
divided into sections. Of these the most important was the section of
which Warlimont was chief. It was called the National Defense Section,
and it was primarily concerned with the development of strategic
questions. From 1941 onwards Warlimont, though charged with the same
duties, was known as Deputy Chief of the OKW Operations Staff.
"There was during World War II no unified General Staff such as
the Great General Staff which operated in World War I.
"Operational matters for the Army and Air Force were worked out
by the group of high ranking officers described in my statement of 7
November (in the Army, the General Staff of the Army; and in the Air
Force, the General Staff of the Air Force).
"Operational matters of the Navy were, even in World War I, not
worked out by the Great General Staff but by the Naval Staff. Signed:
Halder."
The Tribunal will
note that this affidavit is primarily concerned with the functions of
the General Staffs of the four commands of OKW, OKL, OKH, and OKM and
fully supports the inclusion in We group of the Chiefs of Staff of the
four services, as well as the inclusion of Warlimont as Deputy Chief of
the OKW staff because of his strategic planning responsibilities.
I have just one other very short affidavit covering a matter of detail.
The Tribunal will remember that the highest fighting formation in the
German Air Force was known as an air fleet or Luftflotte and that all
commanders-in-chief of air fleets are included in this group. That is
the box in the lower right-hand corner. The commanders of air fleets
always had the status of Oberbefehlshaber, but they were not formally so
designated until 1944. These facts are set forth in an affidavit by the
son of Field Marshal Von Brauchitsch. His son had the rank of Oberst, or
colonel, in the German Air Force and was personal aide to the Defendant
Göring as Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force. His affidavit is
Number 9 and becomes Exhibit Number USA-534 (Document 3705-PS). It reads
as follows:
"Luftflottenchefs have the same
status as the Oberbefehlshaber of an army. During the war they had no
territorial authority and, accordingly, exercised no territorial
jurisdiction.
"They were the highest troop commanders of the Air Force units
subordinate to them and were directly under the command of the
Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force.