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Q. Did the Armed Forces High Command have a special department for
prisoners of war?
A. Yes, there was the special agency for prisoner of
war affairs. This was the Office of the Chief for Prisoner of War Affairs in
the Armed Forces High Command. |
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Q. General, what do you know about the question of employment of
prisoners of war in the Germany industry, particularly in the armament
industry? I should like you to distinguish between the various nationalities.
A. According to the Geneva Convention, all prisoners of war, except
officers and noncommissioned officers, can be put to work. Officers and
noncommissioned officers may volunteer for work, and if they do, the detaining
power should comply with their request, if possible. However, no compulsion may
be used. The employment of prisoners of war in armament manufacture is
prohibited according to the Geneva Convention. Actually, prisoners of war were
employed in armaments in Germany during the war. To begin with, Russian
prisoners of war. This condition existed before 1943 when I joined the Armed
Forces High Command Prisoner of War Office —
Q. Pardon the
interruption. The agency of the Chief of Prisoner of War Affairs of the Armed
Forces High Command existed before you joined this office?
A. Yes.
Q. And who was your predecessor?
A. General von Graevenitz.
Q. Please tell the Court what the situation was concerning Russian
prisoners of war when you took over the office.
A. When I joined the
OKW in 1943 Russian workers were employed in the armament industry.
Q.
Who had ordered this?
A. I inquired as to why these people worked in
armament manufacture in violation of the Geneva Convention. I was told by my
superior —
Q. Who was that? A. General Reinecke — no, that
was General von Graevenitz, I made a mistake. First of all Russia was not a
contracting party to the Geneva Convention. Consequently, it was generally
known that German prisoners of war in Russia were used in all sorts of work.
The order to employ Russian prisoners of war was given by Hitler himself.
JUDGE DALY, Presiding: Was that a written order?
WITNESS
WESTHOFF: I don’t remember whether it was a written order. |
1271 |
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