The Mazal Library

©MAZAL LIBRARY

NMT03-T1053

NUERNBERG MILITARY TRIBUNAL
Volume III · Page 1053

A letter from Hamm (Westphalia), 26 January 1944, to the Reich Minister Thierack, signed by defendant Joel, suggests the speeding up of proceedings to avoid delays in NN cases, and suggests that:

"The Chief Public Prosecutor submits record to the chief Reich prosecutor only if, according to previous experience or according to directives laid down by the chief Reich prosecutor, it is to be expected that he will take over, or partly take over the case.

"As a rule, even now when the draft of the indictment is submitted for approval to the Reich Minister of Justice, the records are not enclosed. The decision rests with me, to whom the documents are brought by courier."

A note signed by Dr. Reicholt, 20 April 1944, copy to defendant von Ammon, expresses the same difficulty experienced by defendant Joel and asks that Chief Public Prosecutor at the People's Court decide quickly which of the accused persons he wanted to keep so that they may be transferred as quickly as possible.

The foregoing requests for speed in handling NN cases were due to disturbances caused by air raids. The Reich Minister of Justice replied, 26 April 1944, that in the main "the delay in the proceedings is unavoidable."

Defendant von Ammon reported on a conference with German occupying forces of Belgium and northern France, held in Oppeln on 29 and 30 June 1944. Von Ammon stated that since the Allied invasion had not caused undue tension as yet, it was unnecessary at that time to make penalties in NN cases more severe. This report was initialed by defendant Mettgenberg.

Disposition of NN Cases

A statistical survey of NN cases as of 1 November 1943 made to Ministerial Director Dr. Vollmer, Berlin, 22 November 1943, shows cases and sentences passed on NN prisoners as follows:

1. Turned over by the Wehrmacht authorities to senior public prosecutors at Kiel, 12 cases with 442 defendants; at Essen, 474 cases with 2,613 defendants; at Cologne, 1,169 cases with 2,185 defendants.

2. Charges filed by senior public prosecutors as follows: At Kiel, nine cases with 175 defendants; at Essen, 254 cases with 860 defendants; at Cologne, 173 cases with 257 defendants; by chief public prosecutor at the People's Court (Lautz), 111 cases with 494 defendants.

3. Sentences passed by Special Courts at Kiel, eight on 768 defendants; at Essen, 221 cases with 475 defendants; at Cologne,

1053