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Volume IV · Page 82
| would have failed at the latest when it got
to Bormann. Bormann's actual role in that unequaled European tragedy, the story
of who he was, will be recorded by some future historian. If one assumed any other possibility for Ohlendorf to gain influence, one would forget, that he was only an SS colonel at that time, without any political powers, i.e., without any position in the Party based on political powers. He knew neither Hitler nor Bormann. No Reichsleiter or Gauleiter or any other politically influential personalities were his acquaintances, let alone on his side. All he could do was to interpret the order in as limited a way as he could possibly do and to try to execute it as humanely as possible under the given circumstances, contrary to the interpretation of the indictment not only in the interest of his men but first of all in the interest of the victims, since the protection of the men against brutalization is a protection of the victims against brutalized men. Ohlendorf's entire life shows that in spite of all setbacks and threats his fight was not only directed against the tyranny of Nazi leaders within the Reich, but that immediately after his return from the Einsatz he started fighting against the exponents of extermination and colonial power politics in the East, especially against Koch, Globocnik, and Einsatzgruppenfuehrer SS Major General (SS Gruppenfuehrer) Thomas. Ohlendorf continued in this fight, even though Himmler threatened him not only with liquidation of his office in case he should continue with this kind of reporting, but also threatened to arrest him. At that moment it became evident that, as soon as there is no purely military relationship where no resistance is possible, Ohlendorf made use of the slightest opportunity in order actively to intervene against the policies of power and extermination. This is the picture that will result from the evidence as presented by the defense. The tragedy of Ohlendorf's life will become clear to every man. |
| B. Opening Statement for
the Defendant Blobel* |
| DR. HEIM: May it please your Honor, before I occupy myself with the facts as presented by the prosecution as far as it concerns the defendant Blobel, may I ask permission to present a few ideas of a general character, for which there is reason in this trial, paradoxical as this may sound at first. I shall mainly limit myself to reproducing such ideas as originate from the pen of non-German authors and which sine ira et studio endeavor to solve the difficult task of prying into the depths and abysses |
* Tr. pp. 332-341, 6 October 1947.
