7 Jan. 46
people suspected of belonging to bands,
there were numerous women and children.
"By order of the chief of anti-partisan units, SS Obergruppenführer
Von dem Bach, units of the Wehrmannschaften have also participated in
the operation. SA Standartenführer Kunze was in command of the
Wehrmannschaften, among whom there were also 90 members from my office
and from the District Commissariat of Minsk. Our men returned from the
operation yesterday without losses."
I need not read the rest of that. The next paragraph shows again the
participation of the Armed Forces personnel.
The SS Obergruppenführer Von dem Bach, referred to in this
quotation, will be a witness later in the day, and in this connection I
want to call the Court's attention to 1919-PS, Exhibit USA-170, which is
Himmler's speech on October 4, 1943 to a gathering of SS generals at
Posen. In this speech Himmler mentioned the appointment of Von dem Bach
to be chief of all anti-partisan units, and I would like to read one
paragraph from Page 3 of the document merely for purpose of
identification of the witness:
"Chief of the anti-partisan combat
units:
"In the meantime I have also set up the department of the Chief
of the anti-partisan combat units. Our comrade SS Obergruppenführer
Von dem Bach is Chief of the anti-partisan combat units. I considered
it necessary for the Reichsführer SS to be in authoritative
command in all these battles, for I am convinced that we are best in a
position to take action in this struggle, which is decidedly a
political one. Except where the units which had been supplied and
which we had formed for this purpose were taken from us to fill in
gaps at the front, we have been very successful."
There is one further document which has already been introduced from
which I wish to read new material. That is L-180, which is already in
evidence as Exhibit USA-276. It is the report of Einsatzgruppe A,
covering the period up to 15 October 1941. 1 think the excerpts which I
will read will make clear beyond doubt the participation of the German
military leaders and Armed Forces in the activities of these
Einsatzgruppen. I read first from Page 2 of the translation, the top of
the page:
"Einsatz Group A, after preparing
their vehicles for action, proceeded to their area of concentration as
ordered on 23 June 1941, the second day of the campaign in the East.
Army Group North, consisting of the 16th and 18th Armies and Panzer
Group 4, had started the advance the day before. Our task was to
establish hurriedly personal contact with the commanders of the armies
and with the commander of the army