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better expressly to add a remark which mitigated the order, which
perhaps, could have expressed that only such commissars are to be shot who have
been convicted of having committed individual offenses against international
law?
A. If I had added such a remark like that, it would have been the
same as rescinding the order and it would have had all the results which I
described. Whether I did make such a remark orally at least on that line, I
cannot really tell you.
Q. Are the reports concerning the shootings of
commissars consistent with the facts?
A. It is difficult to decide.
These reports came from the front line. Whether these commissars were actually
shot or whether they were killed in action could not be checked by anyone.
Therefore, the troops could act more or less as they deemed right and it was
their attitude and training and feeling that one does not kill a captured
enemy. The additional factor was that the troops knew, of course, that from the
top level there were demands for reports about the killing of commissars. That
had been the same in other campaigns. It is easily possible therefore, that if
commissars were killed in action the deaths were reported in such a way that
one could entertain doubt as to whether they were killed in action or executed.
It is also possible that at some times reports were made intentionally which
were false. That is, of course, a matter which is very unpleasant seen from the
military aspect and which in no way supports the discipline among the troops.
Unfortunately, however, in the National Socialist State sometimes we were
forced to resort to such very undesirable measures. Such steps brought about
many interval conflicts for us.
Q. You talked about the killing of captured enemies. You meant
captured commissars, didn’t you?
A. Yes |
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| B. Treatment of the Population in the East |
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| 1. THE BARBAROSSA JURISDICTION ORDER |
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| a. Introduction |
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| Paragraph 71 of the indictment charged the defendants Warlimont and
Lehmann with participation in the drafting and preparation of the, “Order
Concerning the Exercise of Military Jurisdiction in the Barbarossa Area and
Special Measures to be taken by the troops.” (Document C-50, Pros. Ex.
594. ) This order was commonly termed the “Barbarossa Jurisdiction
Order.” The order |
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1112 |
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