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Volume III · Page 940
| [Ex…] hibit 291, that is Document
NG-770.¹ It deals with the problem whether church services could be held
in penal institutions. I ask you whether you had anything to do with that
matter? DEFENDANT KLEMM: Yes, and I remember it quite well because I had a rather hot argument with Thierack about that matter.² Thierack, without informing me, prohibited that any church services could be held in penal institutions. I found out about that directive through the Deutsche Justiz — the periodical for German Justice — of 1944, on page 270. I immediately went to Thierack and referred to ethical reasons, but he did not abstain from his intentions. Then I used stronger arguments. I told him that I knew from the period of my work in the Party Chancellery that Hitler himself had issued a strict order that during the war all measures which might cause struggles with the church should be abstained from. Thierack doubted that. I offered that I would get a written confirmation from the Party Chancellery about that. He forbade that I write to the Party Chancellery. I told him in the course of the conversation that I was quite sure what the outcome of that matter would be. The moment one bishop would turn to Hitler, Hitler on account of his basic attitude would disavow Thierack. A short time later when letters were received from German bishops, from the Protestant side as well as from the Catholic side, I went to Thierack and he became rather thoughtful and agreed to rescind the former order. That happened in a very carefully stated form, but it actually occurred. Especially for that matter, I claim a certain amount of credit. |
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¹ Reproduced above in this section.
² At this time the defendant Klemm was Under Secretary in the Reich Ministry of Justice.
