Memo secret 7/ 4
(Annex 2 to H. Dr. g. 1 Page 7 current 1910.4)
High Command of the armed forces
WFSt. (Org. 1) amt. AUSL.ABW/ABT ABW.III
Nr. 8725/ 7. 42 g. (IIIb 2)

Berlin, 4 August 1942

SECRET

Combatting of single parachutists, 4 Aug. 1942.
Unaltered reprint 1943.
Reference: OKW/ WFSt/ ABt. L (II) Nr.1858 geh. v. 10.8.40

I. In case of enemy landings by air, a difference has to be made between:

A. Parachute troops and airborne landing troops committed to fighting activities.

B. Single parachutists and small groups of parachutists who are dropped in order to execute missions of sabotage, espionage, terror or disruption.

to a [A] The combatting of enemy airborne forces is the exclusive mission of the armed forces according to the reference orders.

to b [B] For combatting single parachutists. In alteration of fig. 7 v. a. the following is decreed:

1. In territories (Reich territories and occupied territories) the combatting on single parachutists is the mission of those agencies of the Chief of the Security Police and Security Service [SD] designated as executive; in this matter it is immaterial whether the parachutists are in uniform or civilian clothes.

2. To what extent armed forces and agencies of the armed forces should be committed for these missions is to be decided directly by the district commanders [Wehrkreisbefehslhaber] or by territorial commanders [territorialen Befehlshaber] endowed with the powers of district commander with the competent agencies of security police and SD.

3. So far as single parachutists are captured by members of the armed forces, they are to be delivered to the nearest agency of the Chief of the Security Police and SD, without delay ; simultaneously reports must be made to the competent intelligence agency. The same procedure is also valid for combat action directed against parachute troops or airborne-landing troops, in case the troops realize that they have to do with saboteurs or spies. If it should be discovered that the parachutists brought to security police by armed forces, or captured directly by members of the police are soldiers, the SS Reich leader and Chief of the German Police will take care that they will be transferred to the competent air forces agencies after the completion of the necessary inquiry.

4. Reports concerning confirmed single parachutists are to be submitted without delay to the nearest agency of the Chief of Security Police and of the SD, simultaneously informing the counter intelligence agency in charge which immediately has to forward the report to district command headquarters commander as well as the airforces command. Moreover, in principle fig. 4 of the reference order is applicable.

5. In territories not mentioned in fig. 1, present regulations. remain valid (transfer to secret field police).

II. With regard to the use of objects captured or discarded, in the case of parachutists, as far as these items are sabotage materials, or radio equipment, a supplementary order to fig. 9 v. a. is decreed:

1. Captured sabotage material to be delivered to the nearest security police agency and SD.

The army will dispose of sabotage material captured by troops in the Eastern theater. With regard to further utilization of sabotage material delivered or reverting to the Security Police, agreements made between the Chief of Security Police and SD and foreign section of counter intelligence remain valid.

2. Captured radio equipment, including the directions for operations, code-material, voice material (Sprach-Material) in plain and in code text, are to be delivered immediately via local counter intelligence agencies to OKW (Ag WNV Fu III) for use. The agencies concerned will be informed of results. After a completion of investigations the captured radio equipment will again be at disposal, if needed. If further use af captured radio equipment is considered by either counter intelligence or Security Police, then the delivery of the equipment might be omitted, upon agreement each time with Ag. WNV/ Fu III, however, in this case photostatic copies of the directions for use, the code keys, etc., as well as technical descriptions of the equipment are to be forwarded quickly to Ag-WNV/ Fu III.

The Chief of High Command of the Armed Forces

KEITEL