. NMT04-T0992
Volume IV · Page 992
| scope of the SS, still less is it correct to
say that with reference to children the Lebensborn was the deciding authority
for all measures taken by the SS. However, it seems necessary to discuss
briefly the question whether the SS had a program with regard to foreign
children, and if so, what it was. For this purpose I should like to pick out a
few documents of entirely different character. On 11 July 1941, that is, immediately after the beginning of the war with Russia, Himmler issued an order to take care of German ethnic children in Russia. (NO-4274, Pros. Ex. 442.) It would certainly be an unfounded suspicion if behind this order one should try to scent the starting of a program for a crime of kidnaping children. Even from a hostile nationalistic point of view it ought not to be regarded as a criminal action to take care of children of one's own nationality in a hostile country without going into any considerations of citizenship in advance. One year later, on 19 July 1942, a report was written from the Central Russian territory concerning a secret experiment which the Sonderkommando Pflaum had carried out in Bobruisk and the object of which was the selection of 30 children. (NO-3727, Pros. Ex. 443.) We can readily suppose that this was a Germanization experiment which was carried out with Russian children and can readily state that this went beyond the bounds of what can be defended. The fact that this was an experiment, in which, moreover, the Lebensborn in no way participated, is again insufficient, however, to justify the suspicion of a criminal program of kidnaping children. (NO-2218, Pros. Ex. 447.) In a letter from Himmler of 20 May 1944 he says (NO-2218, Pros. Ex. 447) : "I consider it very important that the orphans, in the entire Balkan areas be collected by our divisional commanders. We are Germans and cannot look on while innocent children belonging to a nation which is in itself decent and fine are neglected and perish due to unfavorable circumstances. I have endowed scholarships for these poor orphans in schools and will even establish special schools for them, so that later, when order and stability are restored, they will be given back to the Croatian State as decent men and women and desirable citizens." Himmler looks out for foreign orphans in the Balkans. One can perhaps say: Of course Himmler did not have any humane motives and intentions in doing this, he was planning to kidnap these children. There is only one thing to be said against this, namely, that at that time it was by no means necessary for Himmler to camouflage his intentions of kidnaping foreign children through humane remarks. Once again it must be mentioned in connection with this that the Lebensborn was completely ignorant of this matter too |
