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From
time to time, the "Daily Paroles of the
Reich Press Chief", as these instructions
were labeled, directed the press to present to
the people certain themes, such as the
Leadership Principle, the Jewish problem, the
problem of living space, or other standard Nazi
ideas. A vigorous propaganda campaign was
carried out before each major act of aggression.
While Fritzsche headed the Home Press Division,
he instructed the press how the actions or wars
against Bohemia and Moravia, Poland, Yugoslavia,
and the Soviet Union should be dealt with.
Fritzsche had no control of the formulation of
these propaganda policies. He was merely a
conduit to the press of the instructions handed
him by Dietrich. In February 1939 and before the
absorption of Bohemia and Moravia, for instance,
he received Dietrich's order to bring to the
attention of the press Slovakia's efforts for
independence, and the anti-Germanic policies and
politics of the existing Prague Government. This
order to Dietrich originated in the Foreign
Office.
The Radio Division, of which
Fritzsche became the head in November 1942, was
one of the 12 divisions of the Propaganda
Ministry. In the beginning Dietrich and other
heads of divisions exerted influence over the
policies to be followed by radio. Towards the
end of the war, however, Fritzsche became the
sole authority within the Ministry for radio
activities. In this capacity he formulated and
issued daily radio "paroles" to all
Reich propaganda offices, according to the
general political policies of the Nazi regime,
subject to the directives of the Radio-Political
Division of the Foreign Office, and the personal
supervision of Goebbels.
Fritzsche,
with other officials of the Propaganda Ministry,
was present at Goebbels' daily staff
conferences. Here they were instructed in the
news and propaganda policies of the day. After
1943 Fritzsche himself occasionally held these
conferences, but only when Goebbels and his
State Secretaries were absent. And even then his
only function was to transmit the Goebbels'
directives relayed to him by telephone.
This
is the summary of Fritzsche's positions and
influence in the Third Reich. Never did he
achieve sufficient stature to attend the
planning conferences which led to aggressive
war; indeed according to his own uncontradicted
testimony he never even had a conversation with
Hitler. Nor is there any showing that he was
informed of the decisions taken at these
conferences. His activities cannot be said to be
those which fall within the definition of the
common plan to wage aggressive war as already
set forth in this Judgment.
War
Crimes and Crimes against Humanity
The Prosecution has
asserted that Fritzsche incited and encouraged
the commission of War Crimes by deliberately
falsifying news
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