7 Jan. 46
Guderian and Jodl about the atrocities of
the Russian SS Brigade Kaminski, which fought on the German side."
Now, the foregoing documents and the testimony of Ohlendorf and
Schellenberg relate to the arrangements which were made between the OKW,
OKH, and Himmler's headquarters with respect to anti-partisan warfare.
They show conclusively that these arrangements were made jointly and
that the High Command of the Armed Forces was not only fully aware of,
but was an active participant in, these plans.
Turning now to the field, I would like to read three statements by
General Hans Röttiger, which will be Affidavits Numbers 15 and 16:
Exhibit USA-559, Document Number 3713-PS; and USA-560, Document Number
3714-PS. General Röttiger, attained the rank of general of panzer
troops, the equivalent of a lieutenant general in the American Army, and
was Chief of Staff of the German 4th Army, and later of Army Group
Center on the Eastern Front, during the period of which he speaks.
The first statement is as follows:
"As Chief of Staff of the 4th Army
from May 1942 to June 1943, to which was later added the area of the
9th Army, I often had occasion to concern myself officially with
antipartisan warfare. For the execution of these operations the troops
received orders from the highest authority, as for example even the
OKH, to use the harshest methods. These operations were carried out by
troops of the army group, and of the army, as, for example, security
battalions.
"At the beginning, in accordance with orders which were issued
through official channels, only a few prisoners were taken. In
accordance with orders Jews, political commissars, and agents were
delivered up to the SD.
"The number of enemy dead mentioned in official reports was very
high in comparison with our own losses. From the documents which have
been shown to me I have now come to realize that the order from the
highest authorities for the harshest conduct of the anti-partisan war
can only have been intended to make possible a ruthless liquidation of
Jews and other undesirable elements by using for this purpose the
military struggle of the Army against the partisans."
The second statement:
"Supplementary to my first
declaration of 8 December 1945, I declare:
"As I stated orally on 28 November 1945, my then commander of
the 4th Army instructed his troops many times not to wage war against
the partisans more severely than was required at the time by the
position. This struggle should only be pushed