8 Jan. 46
arrests of priests. Finally, the priests
were arrested on account of their 'caritative' work. It was, for
instance, forbidden to give anything to foreigners or prisoners. A
priest was arrested because he gave a cup of coffee and bread to two
hungry Dutchmen. This 'caritative' act was seen to favor elements
foreign to the race.
"In 1939 and 1940 a new activity began. Cloisters and abbeys
were seized, disbanded, and many churches belonging to them closed.
Among these two convents were disbanded: the cloister of the Dominican
Sisters of Bludenz and that of the 'Perpetual Adoration' of Innsbruck.
In the latter the Sisters were dragged, one by one, out of the
cloister by the Gestapo. In the same way ecclesiastical property such
as association-houses, parish and youth homes were seized. A list of
these closed churches, disbanded cloisters, and ecclesiastical
institutions is attached.
"Despite all these measures the results were not satisfactory.
Then priests were not only arrested, but also deported to
concentration camps. Eight priests of Tyrol and Vorarlberg have been
imprisoned, among them the Provicar Monseigneur Dr. Charles Lampert.
One died there on account of the ill-treatment, the others returned.
Provicar Lampert was released but required to remain in Stettin, where
later he was re-arrested and executed in November 1944, after having
been condemned to death by secret proceedings."
There is attached to this report a three-and-a-half-page list entitled,
"List of churches, convents, monasteries, and ecclesiastical
objects of Tyrol and Vorarlberg seized — that is, confiscated —
and of the institutions, confessional schools, et cetera,
disbanded." Unless the Tribunal requires it, I shall not read these
names.
I offer in evidence Document 3274-PS, Exhibit Number USA-570, received
from Cardinal Innitzer of Vienna and authenticated by him. This is the
first joint pastoral letter of the Archbishops and Bishops of Austria
after liberation, dated October 17, 1945. I quote from Page 1, second
paragraph of the English and German texts, which sums up the Nazi
conspirators' campaign in Austria:
"A war which has raged terribly and
horribly, like none other in past epochs of the history of humanity is
at an end. ... At an end also is an intellectual battle, the goal of
which was the destruction of Christianity and Church among our people;
a campaign of lies and treachery against truth and love, against
divine and human rights, and against international law."
I quote further from the fourth and following paragraphs: