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Volume V · Page 21
| Foreign Office informs the
Swedish Embassy that the assumptions on which the Swedish Government based its
acceptance of responsibility for the protection of Polish interests in the
German Reich, in the opinion of the Reich Government no longer exist, owing to
the development of events. The protective mandate by the Swedish Embassy has
consequently to be regarded as terminated. The proposed organization of a Polish shadow [exile] government outside Poland, after the collapse of the Polish State, is of no legal significance. Various states, such as Hungary and Italy, have met the situation by leaving the notification of the organization of the shadow government unanswered. The facts that the former Polish diplomatic representatives are serving the shadow government, and that military formations consisting of Polish nationals have been organized in France and England, do not imply the continued existence of a Polish State. Furthermore, the continuation of the war by England and France, the Allies of the former Polish Republic, against Germany, represents no factor against the extinction of the Polish State. With reference to the last paragraph of the letter by the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces of 15 April 1940, the Foreign Office wishes to suggest that the highest Reich authorities, as well as the Governor General for the occupied Polish territories and the Reich Protector for Bohemia and Moravia, be informed of the viewpoints mentioned above and in the enclosure. However, the Foreign Office does not desire that this letter, especially the arguments about the extinction of the Polish State, become publicly known. |
| Acting for: |
| [Signed] WEIZSAECKER¹ |
| To the Reich Minister and Chief of the Reich Chancellery |
| 4. CONDUCT OF THE DEFENDANTS
IN ACCORDANCE WITH VALID GERMAN LAW |
| EXTRACT FROM THE CLOSING
STATEMENT FOR DEFENDANT EBNER² |
| * * * * * * * * * * |
| The Lebensborn started its activities based upon and in accordance with the Decree 67/I of the Staff Main Office. The Staff Main Office was a supreme Reich authority, i.e. it was on the |
¹ State Secretary in Foreign Office. Defendant in case of the United States vs. Ernst von Weizsaecker, et al., vols. XII, XIII, XIV.
² Complete closing statement is recorded in mimeographed transcript, 18 February 1948, pp. 5206-5219.
