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Volume IV · Page 541
"From talk by members of the Kommando, I know that SS Standartenfuehrer Dr. Blume, my predecessor in this Kommando in White Ruthenia, carried out shooting of Jews besides fighting against partisans." |
| And — |
"I know that my predecessors, SS Standartenfuehrer Blobel and SS Standartenfuehrer Weinmann carried out shootings of Jews and other atrocities, mainly during the march through the Ukraine." |
| It is incredible that, although the two
Kommandos involved were engaged in the execution of Jews prior to Steimle's
arrival, they should suddenly cease performing their principal function while
the Fuehrer Order was still in force. The defendant's other statement that there were no more Jews in his territory is discredited by Report No. 108. |
"The Sonderkommando 7a executed a local, leading Bolshevist official and 21 Jewish plunderers and terrorists in Gorodnya. In Klintsy 83 Jewish terrorists and 3 leading party officials were likewise liquidated. At a further checking up 3 Communist officials, I Politruk [political commissar at the front] and 82 Jewish terrorists were dealt with, according to orders." [Emphasis supplied.] |
| The defendant stated that, when he took over
the command of Sonderkommando 7a, Foltis, the subcommander, informed him of the
Fuehrer Order. He added that he was opposed to it and, thus, by failing to
shoot Jews, he exculpated himself from any responsibility under that order.
But, neither the Fuehrer Order nor the indictment in this case is limited to
the extermination of Jews. The ruthless killing of members of the civilian
population other than Jews is also murder. Nonetheless the Tribunal is
convinced that the Einsatz units under Steimle's leadership and authority
killed Jews on racial grounds and also killed Jews on supposed offenses without
affording them the trial called for under the rules of war and international
law. It is also clear that Steimle did not attempt to prevent Foltis, his
subordinate, from killing Jews under the Fuehrer Order. The Tribunal finds from
all the evidence in the case that Steimle authorized and approved of killings
in violation of law and is guilty of murder. From all the evidence in the case, the Tribunal finds the defendant guilty under counts one and two of the indictment. The Tribunal also finds that the defendant was a member of the criminal organizations SS and SD under the conditions defined by the judgment of the International Military Tribunal and, therefore, is guilty under count three of the indictment. |
