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East
knowing that War Crimes and Crimes against
Humanity were being committed under his
authority.
In mitigation it must be
remembered that Von Neurath did intervene with
the Security Police and SD for the release of
many of the Czechoslovaks who were arrested on 1
September 1939, and for the release of students
arrested later in the fall. On 23 September 1941
he was summoned before Hitler and told that he
was not being harsh enough and that Heydrich was
being sent to the Protectorate to combat the
Czechoslovakian resistance groups. Von Neurath
attempted to dissuade Hitler from sending
Heydrich, but in vain, and when he was not
successful, offered to resign. When his
resignation was not accepted he went on leave,
on 27 September 1941, and refused to act as
Protector after that date. His resignation was
formally accepted in August 1943.
Conclusion
The Tribunal finds that
Von Neurath is guilty under all four Counts.
FRITZSCHE
Fritzsche is indicted on
Counts One, Three, and Four. He was best known
as a radio commentator, discussing once a week
the events of the day on his own program, "Hans
Fritzsche Speaks." He began broadcasting in
September 1932; in the same year he was made the
head of the Wireless News Service, a Reich
Government agency. When, on 1 May 1933, this
agency was incorporated by the National
Socialists into their Reich Ministry of Popular
Enlightenment and Propaganda, Fritzsche became a
member of the Nazi Party and went to that
Ministry. In December 1938 he became head of the
Home Press Division of the Ministry; in October
1942 he was promoted to the rank of Ministerial
Director. After serving briefly on the Eastern
Front in a propaganda company, he was, in
November 1942, made head of the Radio Division
of the Propaganda Ministry and Plenipotentiary
for the Political Organization of the Greater
German Radio.
Crimes
against Peace
As
head of the Home Press Division Fritzsche
supervised the German press of 2,300 daily
newspapers. In pursuance of this function he
held daily press conferences to deliver the
directives of the Propaganda Ministry to these
papers. He was, however, subordinate to
Dietrich, the Reich Press Chief, who was in turn
a subordinate of Goebbels. It was Dietrich who
received the directives to the press of Goebbels
and other Reich Ministers, and prepared them as
instructions, which he then handed to Fritzsche
for the press.
336
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