July 28th 1947,

UNITED NATIONS WAR CRIMES C(MOSSICN.

(Research Office)

7 A R CRIMES NEPS DIGEST*

C .2 2 3 : The above title replaces that of Press Sunnoiy Nows used in the early nubbers of this series* For internal circulation to the Cocjnisaion._7

CONTENTS*

Page. sroiAJgo p Evarrsi

EUROPE. ••• ••• ••• ••• • •• 1•

MISCELLANEOUS... ••• ••• ••• ••• 12.

THE PAR EAST. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 3 .

PURL: https://www.legal-tools.org/doc/9b3890/ SUMMARY OF EVENTS.

EUROPE.

AUSTRIA.

Lenient treatment of ex-Nazi a.

The Vionna correspondent of theC .S . Monitor (14*6.47) «rote that undue leniency v^s being shown to higher Nazi officials« He olted the case of Rudolf PAUSFERTL, District Inspector of Gendarmerie, the investigation of whose crimes was suspended;Franz RICHTER, Standart- ®nfuhrer,SS; WITZANY and Otto HARTMANN whoso esoapes were apparently connived at* £ RICHTER, WITZANY and HARTMANN were recaptured^

The.article contained the following figure*;

Austrian* registered as Nazis, under the Anti-Nazi law; 556,660« Of this total 377*266 were parly members; 61,198 belonged to the S.Af and 22,729 to the SS.

BELGIUM.

War Crimes Trials.

Reuter reported (9«7*47) from Brussels that Belgium's war crimes trials wero expected to begin on September 15th« It has not yet been decided whether the German war criminals who are to be tried would be allowed to seleot German lawyers or whether Belgian latgrers would bo appointed*

GERMANY.

TRIAL3 BY GERMAN COURTS.

Denazification plan drawn up,

.News of Germany reported( 2 .7 .4 7from ) Stuttgart that General C IAI, U .S. Military Governor, had rovoalod at a pross oonforonce that a new plan calling far a uniform denazification system in all four ocoiqaation zones was drawn19 ty tho foreign ministers' conference at Moscow and - submitted to tho Alliod Control Counoil.

Progress of Denazification.

It was officially stated in Berlin (2.7.47) that denazification courts of the U .S. zone had cocpletod 44,000 oases in May 1947* This total raiaod the number of cockleted cases to 324,920 sinco the courts bogan functioning in June 1946« Hie May 1947 report of Spruchkanaer activities indicated that 1,409,646 persons, chargeable under the denazi-

/-fication « ••••

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GERMANY.

TRIALS BY GERMAN COURTS (CONT)

Progress of denazification, (Cont)

ficaticn law, remained to be tried. Another 1,500,000 had been spared trial on grounds of youth and acne sties.

Arrest of. all members of "Criminal Organisations*.

The Bona German News Agency reported ftron Frankfurt (16.7.47) that General CIAY, U.S. Military Governor in Germany* bad ordered all former members of Nazi organisations which were declared criminal at Nuremberg to be arrested and transferred to inter, xaent camps if they had not yet been tried by denazification tribunals. The order was signed on July 9th and sent to a l l directors of American M ilitary Government in the various states. ,

Arrest of Frits Wiedemann.

Reuter reported fron Frankfurt (18.7*47) that ifcitz WIEDEMANN, described as Hitler's farmer adjutant, had been arrested by order of the denazification court.

£ Fritz WIEDEMANN was former German Consul in the United States and A.D.C. to HITL3R._7

PTau Vagier sentenced.

An Agency message (1 .7.47) stated that i*au Winifred WAGNER, daughter-in-law of Richard WAGNER, was olassifiod as "active Nazi" by the denazification court at Bayreuth. She was ordered to surrender 6q£ of her fortune and to work for 450 days for the comunity*

Sohacht to appeal, (see No. XXVIII, p. 2 of this Digest)

The Daily Telegraph reported from Munich (9*7*47) that the Military Government had announced that Herr SCHACHT, fornor German Ministor of Finance, who was sentenced to eight years* imprisonment by a denazifi­ cation court, had been granted a review of the sentence. The hearing will take place next month.

AMERICAN ZONE.

THE SECOND NUREHBERG- TRIAL3.

Judicial Appointment.

News of Germany reported from Berlin ( 2 3 .6 .4 7 ) that Janes BRAND had boen named presiding judge of M ilitary Tribunal H I replacing Carrington MARSHALL, retiring because of ill health. JUstico William HARDING, until now an alternate, had been added to the panel.

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AMERICAN ZONE (CQNT)

THE SECOND NURBfflERG TRIAIS.

Jtegal meaning of "Conspiracy" . . .

A speoial session of a l l Nureriberg tribunals was ocnvenod on JUly 9th,at T/hich the use of the legal tern "conspiracy" w»s to bo disoussod. Defence counsel had repoatedly requested that the tern should be dropped froo indiotnents as it was unkncr./n in Ge^an law*

£ For text of Genoral Telford TAYLOR's statement on tho subject see doounent R7/US/14/7B; available in the Secretariat,^

The Trial of the 23 Doctors and Scientists, (Case 1#) 8eo XTV,0 f this ^

A special release No, 135 dated 14,7*47 said that in ti»8** ■flunnation spoech" delivered on that day, tho prosecution enphasised that the evidence had shovm that tho subjects of the experiments were not voluntoers and that tho medical leaders not only knew of the experi- nents but personally took part in then. Theprosecution ridiculed the attempt of Dr* BRANDT to pose as a "stenographic automaton " , and argued that, though the State ordered tho experiments, it could not oxeqpt the doctors who performed then from their responsibility.

£ For list of the defendants see Rosearch Circular No* 24*_7

The I.G. Ptxrbon Caso. (Case Ho. 6.) see No, XXVII, p*3 & XXVIII, p*3*

As mentioned in No, XXVIII of this Digost the indictnent in this case was filed, on 3*5*47 (For list of the defendants see Research Circular No* 24).

A U .S . special reloase No* 131 roforring .to tho indictment said : "Tho indictment charges that I.G. Ruben had close connections with HTMMUBR and his associates through which tho firm obtained slave labour, A letter written by Baron von SCHROEDER to HIHMLHRin ifay 1944 contains a l is t of members of tho so-called "H im lo r C irc lT *, a select group of prominent Industrialists who subsidized HDJMLER and his organi­ sations to tho tune of about 1,000,000 narks a year. The list indicates that two of the defendants »Heinrich BUETEFESCH and Dr* Hornann SCHMITZ, acting on behalf of I.G.ihrbon, contributed altogother 100¿000 Reioh- narks during that year. At tho regular meetings of the Circle BUETE- PISCH met both HIMMUSR himself and also one of the chief assistants, the S3 General Kurt WOLFF."

"The importance of thoso nootings becomes clear from tho indictment, whioh charges that General WOLFF arranged with tho I.G . Rxrbon o ffic ia ls in Berlin to furnish the Combine with concentration camp labour at tho prico of one and a half narks per day per porson. The indictment further assorts that the defendant Otto AMBROS, the Rxrben expert on buna rubber who had been a school-mte of HBliLER's and knew him personally, had roconnended tho Auschwitz sito and had called attention to tho availability of concentration labour. It is maintained that AMBROS, when in chargo of the Auschwitz plant, used his connections with HD&'LER to assure tho continous supply of slave labour fron the camp. "

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SECOND NUREMBERG TRIAIS (CONT)

The I.G.PUrben Case. (cont)

The Homing Advertiser (16.7*47) ropcrtcd that 30 British, ooc- prisoners had responded to the appeal far witnesses broadcast by the B.B.C an 21.6.47 ( see Research Circular No. 23.) and that 5 or 6 of than would go to Nuronberg to give evidence. The report continued;

"Mr- E.E. KENSKOFF, legal adviser to the U.S. Treasury, on loon to the War Crimes Commission as assistant prosecutor at the trial, will take statements fron ex-prisoners of war at their hones in Durham, Manchester, Bristol, Dorchester, Glasgow, Liverpool, Cardiff and Gloucester* He told a Hom ing Advertiser" reporter: " A conservative estimate of the workers from I.G.Firben who died was between 22,000 and 25,000»” Mr* MINSKOFF said that about 2,000 British prisoners of war were eqalcyed by I.G. iUrbenindustrie in factories and nines* "

Nows of Germany (9*7*47) reported M thatslx BHUGGS uANN, former director General of I.G.Forbon, one of the defendants, had been s.mt to a sanatorium in the Britiah zone suffering fron heart diaeaae. It waa not know whether he could take his place with the 23 other defen­ dants* ¿ “The trial was expected to begin on 15*8*47^7

The "Hostages" Case. (Case No. 7*) see XXVIII, p* 3 of this Digest.

Field liar aha 11s LIST and von WEICHS and the other generals accused in this case were arraigned on 8.7*47*

The Trial begin on 15*7*47 before Tribunal V, consisting of Judge WENNERSTRUU (president), judge CARTER and judge BURKE*

A special release No*136 of 15*7*47 aaid that in opening the prosecution General Telford TAYLOR, U.S. Chief of Counsel, stated that the defendants wore not accused as being responsible for occasional outrages by their troops but of having inaugurated a deliberate programme of terror and extermination. He contested the view that, military men wore a race apart, not responsible for their acts, because thoy had to obey orders, and citod the German arry code which nade it the duty of a soldier to refuse to obey orders which he knew to be criminal.

Mr. Clark DENNY, who continuod the prosecution, ‘cited Harshal von WEIdE* order of 28,4*41 that 100 Serbs wore to be shot for every soldier injured by surprise attacks by the Serbs; he quoted a report nade by KUNTZE to the O.K.ff. that 11 ,522 of tho enecy were k ille d in battle and 21,809 in reprisals. Hr. FENSTERMA.CHER, another prosecutor, showed that Serbia under Generals PEIBER and GEHNER was "an adminis­ trative extermination camp", and Greoce was no better. General TAYLOR next discussed the law of hostages and reprisals, and said the German practice had gone for beyond the accepted linits and had "deterioardtad rapidly into a bloodbath."

¿""For list of tho defendants see Research Circular No* 2 4 ^

No decision has been taken whether tho two field-marshols in B ritiah hands, HUNDSTEDT and BRA.UCKITSCH, w ill bo arraigned in thisgroup but it is learned that ovidenco has cone to light during tho investigation which is being passed to the Attomoy-General.

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GERMANY.

kHERIOiN ZCHE (c o n t)

THE SECOND NURELSERG T R L J S .

Tho " R .K .F .D .V " T ria l. (Caso No. 8)

A special release No. 132 datod 1.7»4T atatod, in part : "An indictment charging 14 generals and other high officials of the SS, inoluding one woman, with kidnapping foreign children, with abortions, enalavonent, externination and other crinos against humanity and war crimes, was filed with tho Secretary General for the QM3US Military Tribunals."

The indictment alleges that tho crimes committed by tho de­ fendants woro carried out against thousands of Germn civilians, prisoners of war and foreign nationals as part of a systematic programs of genooide to exterminate and weaken foreign nationals and ethnic groups and to strengthen the German nation and tho "Aryan" race.

Tho defendants during the war, woro associatod with four offices of the SS whose main purposo was to safoguard the "superiority* of Nordic blood. Those offices aro; the Main Staff Office* of the Roioha Ccmissioner for the strengthening of Germanism (Reiohskommissar fuer die Festigung des deutsohaiVolkstums, commonly known as tho "RKEDV"), tho Repatriation office ’for Ethnic Germans (Volksdeutsche Hittelstello, oon- monly knewn as "VOHI"), tho SS-i£xin Race and Settlement Office (SS-Rasso 1 und Siedlungshauptamt, oonmonly known as "RUSHA"), and the Hells o f Life Society (Lebensbom, e.V.).

The defendants included one woman, Inge VUSRIIETZ, deputy chief of Department A of Lebensbom. In this office it is alleged that she took a prominent part in the Nazi programo of kidnapping foreign children and was partly responsible for installing tho "racially desirable" ones in foster homes or "children's hones" where they woro indoctrinated with tho Nazi idealogjr.

In carrying out tho objectives of their organisations the defendants ccnaitted the crimes sot forth in the first two counts - crimes against humanity and war crimes. The third count is membership in the SS, an organisation judged criminal by tho International Military Tribunal last year.

The kidnapping char go accusos tho defendants of forcibly taking Czech, Polish, Yugoslav and Norwegian ohildrcn away from their parents. Tho children woro then classified according to thoir"raoial .value". Those considered to be "racially dcsirablo" were placod in foster hones or children's hones and taught tho Nazi idealogy.

Another crino wa3 large-scale abortion. All known casos of pregnancy among Eastern slave workers woro submitted to tho RUSHA. I f it was decided that the children would not bo "raoially valuablo" the nothers were induced to undergo abortions. .Children considered "racially superior" were Germonisod. Tho a in was to keep women available to work for the Reich and to reduoo the population of the Eastern nations. If a child bom was found to bo "racially desirable" it \/as taken over by either tho Nazi Welfare Association or the Lebensbom for Germanisation. Children judged inferior wore oo-llocted for extermination.

Citizens of enemy countries, hold to be of "othnic Germans" wore classified. Seme wore inducted into tho German Armed Forces or tho Police and forced to fight for Germany. Others wore deported to Germany, forced into slave labour or sent to concentration camps.

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GERMANY.

AMERICAN ZONE (CONT)

'THE SECOND NURHtBERG TRIALS. .d?\ ------

Tho " R .K .F .D .V .” T rial. ( Cont)

The case was oxpeoted to bo brought to trial within two or throe months. The prosecution team was to be headed by Mr. J . MACHANEY, assisted by Mr. E. SCH57ENK, Mr. D. SHILLER and Mr. H. NEELY.

£ For list of the defendants' see Research Circular No. 24._7

Tho Elnsatzgruppon T rial. (Case No.9.)

A spooial release No. 133 dated 3*7»47 said that the indict* nent filed on that day charged the 18 defendants with over a million murders. It vas tho biggest murder case among the Nurecfcerg war crimes trials. All the accused were members of the Einsatzgruppen (Special task foroos). These were murder uni to of 500 to 800 men whose special purpose was to exterminate tho Jews and other races in the East, regarded by the Nazis as racially "inferior”.

The most barbarous methods were employed. The Chief of Counsel believes that the trial will set a precedent in international law by olarifying tho torn "crimas against humanity".

A further special release ,No.3 4 1,said that tho indictments jfc wore served on the defendants on8.7 «47»

£ Persist of the defendants see Research Circular21+7/ No.

+ + + + +

Removal of Major War Criminals from Nuremberg.

Reuter reported from Berlin (1 0 .7 »4 7 ) that the seven German war crim inals, HESS, RJNK, RAEDER, von SCHIRACH, SPEER, von NEURATH and DGNITZ, *ho were sentenced to terms of imprisonment by the International M ilitary Tribunal at Nuremberg last October, were removed from Nurenfcerg to Spandau prison, Berlin on that day. The American, British, Rrench and Russian representatives control tho prison with a quadripartite staff.

The Trial of Dietrich.

Nows of Germany reported from Dachau ( 3 .7 .4 7 ) that the trial of Fritz DIETRICH, former polioo president of Saaxfcruoken, and seven policemen and former SS men opened there during that week before an American military oourt. The defendants woro accused of ordering the shooting of seven shot down American pilots in July and August 1944.

Trial of former concentration camp Officials.

The New York Times reported from Dachau (24.6.47) that eight former officials at German concentration camps in Austria had been senten­ ced to death by an American war crimes court thoro. . Three were sentenced to life imprisonment and seven received sentences ranging from two to twenty years. The dofendants had been stationed at camps at Linz and Wioner-Neustadt.

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GERMANY.

AMERICAN ZONE (CCNT) {

Jfra Buchenwald Cacp Trial, (see No. XXVII, p. 4 of thia Digest)

An Agency message fran Dachau (1.7.47) reported that Arthur DLBTSCH, one of the 31 defendants in this t r i a l , gave evidence that ho was ordered to assist Dr. DINGSHULER in experimenting on other prisoners. Thia work included giving injections to produce typhus and typhoid«

Wing Commander DEROSS, H .C ., testified that DIETSCH saved his life by enabling him to exohango his identity with a prisoner who' had diod under experiments. iteuthausen-Gusen Camp guards convicted.

News of Germany reported ( 8 .7 .4 7 ) that former SS Sgt. Rudolf KLEIN of Gusen concentration camp No. 1 was sentenced to death by an American military court at Dachau for cruelties that caused the death of a nxxaber of innate s. Six former sergeants accused of mistreatment of prisoners at this camp were sentenced to penal servitude from two to ten years« ^fGusen is a sub carp of Ifeuthauaen

Conviotion of guards of Nuehldorf Cam.

An Agency message of 17.7.47 said that four former SS guards at the Nuehldorf concentration camp had been sentonced to life imprison­ ment ty a Dachau war crimes court for torturing and killing aanp prisoners«

Crial of otto Skorzeny.

The U.P. Agency reported from Dachau (24«7*$7) that SKORZENY, former» lieutenant colonel of tho SS, and nine other SS men were arraigned on that day before an American war crimes court, on charges of torturing United States soldiers captured during tho Ardennos offensive in December 1944, in order to oxtort information, and afterwards aurdering than.

An A.P. message of the same date said that SKOftZEVY had admitted having taken part in carrying off Admiral HQRTHY, the former Hungarian Regent, and bringing him to HITLER.

Arrost of Gauleiter SPRITZER.

News of Germny repartod from Kassel (9*7.47) that Erich SPRITZER, former leader .of the Netzo Gau and SS colonel had been arrested "by polico in Gensungen and had been sent to the Darmstadt internment cany.

Reported escape of Wesenann. a Gestapo agent.

Tba’ Telegraf * reported (1 0 .7 *4 7 ) that among Germans granted an immigration visa to the USA was tho former Gestapo agent Hems WESEMANN. Under the alias of Bergpann and by claiming to be a Jewish emigrant and a former concentration camp innate, ho managed to enter the USA. Meanwhile the US authorities had roceived inform tion of WESEMANN"s

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GERMANY.

AMERICAN ZONS (CONT)

Reportod escape of Wosomann. (cont)

antecedents, but ao far he had evaded arreat in New York»

¿"TTESEmANN was the nan who kidnappod the anti-fascist author’ Borthold JACOB from S w it z e r la n d .^

Releaso of Goman prisoners of war at Dachau.

Nows of Germany reported fron Dachau2. 7 (. 47) that the last batch of German prisoners of war,690 in nunber, had now been released fron Dachau. The camp at Dachau, however, will continue to be operated for another throe months to process prisoners of w a r. • *

General von Rxlkenhausen. (see No. XXX, p.6 of this Digest)

Information received fron United States Headquarters, European Command, states that General von FALKENKUJSai has been released from captivity as a prisoner of war but has been re-arroBtod as a war criminal.

BRITISH ZONE.

The Stalag Lurt III Trial, (soe No. XXX, . p6 of this Digest )

The Times correspondent reporting (1.7*V7) on the’ opening of the trial wrote; •* . "The accused (for list see No. XXX,. 6p of this Digest) all pleaded »Not Guilty* both to two general charges of killing and carrying out orders in Violation of the laws and usages of war and to seven charges gf shooting particular officers. Altogether76 officers made the mass escape through a tunnel from Stalag Luft I I I . Of those30 wore shot, 15 were returned to the carp at Sagpn and eight were- detained by tho Gestapo; three nanaged to oscapo.

Tho President of the court is Major-General H.L.LCNQDEN. Colonel HAISE, the prosecutor, stating the facts,-said that after . a* local hue and cry WIELEN ordered a nation-wide search. Tho news of tho escape reached KITUSR'a ears, and an order was issued, presumably to HIMMI£R that "more than h alf” of the escapod prisoners wore to bo 'shot. General TZESTHOFP, head of war prisoners* sootion of tho High Coroand, protested, but KEITEL told him that the order was fron HITLER himself.

Tho shootings wero to be explained away as h-ving occurred during attempts to escape. The list of officers solooted for killing was discussed with KALTEHBRUNNHR -over lunch. In one instance there was a rehearsal of tho shooting. Whan i t became known that the British authorities liad heard of the shootings a "white-washing conference** was held, Tho Gestapo and.the Kripo wore told to rewrite thoir reports and laxko then "roalistic," as representatives of the protecting Power of tho

/international ••••••.,

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G E R li A N Y.

BRITISH ZCME (CONT)

Stalag Luft III Trial. (Cont)

International Red Cross night bo visiting the oanps and tho scenes of the alleged escapes. WIELEN was prosent at that crucial oonforenoo, although he denied i t .

On July 2nd General UESTHOFF gavo ovidonee ontte sane lines as in his statenent when callod for tho dofonce at the trial of tho na jor War Originals at Hurenborg. Potcr lEOOR, a witness callod on July 3rd, stated that HEBE, hoad of tho Crininal Police, who had nado up tho list of non to bo executed had afterwards taken part in tho plot agdnst HITLER and had been hanged.

In tho proceedings on JUIy 8th Dr. CHISRT, a wcrnn barrister, counsel for ZACHARIUS, objected to tho admission of tho latter's state- . nent an the ground that it was obtained under pressure* The allegation t o s not substantiated and tho objection was disallowed.

Two Gornan wooon, suanonod as witnesses, were reportod (14.7.47) to have disappeared on their way to Binburg.

Parthconing Trial.

The Ccccissicn was infom-d of the following:

Trial of Ifauror and Others.

This trial was to be hold at Hanburg on July6 th1 1947# Tho accused, Otto HA.URER, Wilholn SCHWINN, Johann HEXER, Wilheln HAIGIS, and Wilholn GEISLER aro charged with being concerned in tho killing of two British airaen at Koenig, Kreis Erbach, Germny on or about Novodber 21 st 1944#

Results of Trials.

The Coccissicn was informed of tho following:

The Söllingen Case.

At this t r ia l, which was hold at Hamburg on tho 22nd and 23rd of May 1947 ¿7ILIJNSKI was sentcncod to death; KOHN to irprisonnont; WAHLEN was acquitted and tho charge against LOIBERG was withdrawn« Tho defendants were charged with tho ill-troatoent of allied airnon at Sollingen during 1944.

Rengsdorf Case.

At this trial,which was held between the 19th and 30th Juno 1947 »CORNELIUS and BAUHOiSR were sontonced to death; WIEBENS and KAGEL to irprisennent and PAUSEBACK was acquitted, They were charged with the killing of alliod airnon near Rengsdorf in 1944 and 1945*

Trial of Schulze.

Rritz SCHULZ was son ten cod to death by a Military court held at ffariburg fron 8th to 17th July 1947* Ho had boon found guilty of being concerned in tho killing of two R.A.P. prisonors of *»r at Söllingen on or about Doceribor 31 st 1944.

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FRENCH ZONE.

Death sontenco on Issolhorst»

Tho name of Erich ISSELHORST, Chief of the Security Police (who was condocnod to death together with SS General Karl QEZSG by a British Court at TTuppertal in Juno 1946) appears in tho latest return of Fronch trials as having been sentenced to death an Hay17 th 1947 an a charge of complicity in nurdors.

RUSSIAN ZONE,

Tho Daily Telograph roportod tint Rrofosoor Paul NITSCH was among four persons sentenced to doath by a Dresden court trying doctors and nursos charged with the nur dor15 ,0 of 0 0 lunatics in on asylum at Sonnesteinf Saxony

Tho samo source reported that Dr, L HAHDT, one of tho defendants sentenood to doath in this trial, had ccanittod suicide*

ITALY.

Kesselring. Hack cm sen and iJaolzer reprieved, (soe ITo.XXIX, p.6 of this D ig o s t .)

It was officially announced at British G.H.Q in Venice on 4*7*47 that "aftor full consideration of all the circumstances" Sir J, HARDING, deputy Commander in Chiof of tho Control Mediterranean Forcos, had dooidod to coonuto tho sentences to imprisonment for lifo in all three oases,

Tho Italian "H Toqpo" sovoroly ariticiscd the decision cantrasting tho repriovo of those German generals, found ¿-uilty of the deaths of Italians,with the oxecution of tho Italian General BELLOS©, found guilty of the murder of one B ritish soldier,

¿"General BELIXHO was convictod by a British Military Court in Italy of killing cw re captured British prisoner* of war. He was 3hot on 1 1 *9 ,4 ^

iioscow radio in a broadcast on July9th 1946 said; ",,,,Tho military casta of some nations wants to take the HITLCR bandits in generals' uniforms under its protection,.

/ In tho

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ITALY (CONT)

Ropriovo of Koaaolring. lîackenaen and Maelzor. (oont)

In tho Fortnightly Review, July 1947, prior to the announce» nent of tho reprieve, Mr. Elwyn JONES, K.C., one of the assistant prosecutors in the first Nuremberg Trial, expressed his concern at the clamour in KESSEUHNG's favour in tho British Press* Ho obsorved that this trial was a parallol contribution to the vital effort made by th® Anar loan war orimes authorities in indie ting Field Marshal LIST and nine other generals (Case7) at Nuremberg. " The whole object of our occupation of tho British zone in Germany,” ho concluded " is to denazify and to da-militarise it. It is therefore remarkable that the vory men who personify that militarism should now bo defended by British publicists in tho name of Christian forgiveness and chivalry. The French are al­ ready asking nervously — must tho British learn anothor lesson ? TTead gently ,ycu apologists for KESSELRING. For you are troading on ctynamito."

¿"The text of another article by Ur. Elwyn JONES on the sane subject was givûn in the appendix to No. XXIX of this Digest,J

NETHERLANDS.

Four Dutchman sentenced. '

The Daily Telegraph reported (11.7*47) that one death sentence had been among thoso passed at the Hague on four Dutch mentoers of the Connando Frank, special police working for the Gormans during tho occupation.

N 0 R ïï A Y .

Fohmer sentenced.

An Agency messago reported (28,6.47) that sentence of death had boon passed at Oslo on Siegriod JEHMER, leading German Gestapo agent in Norway during tho occupation, who was found guilty of torturing his victims, which, in somo cases, led to their deaths.

YUGOSLAVIA.

Trial of fTiedrich Rojnor.

The New York Herald^ correspondent writing from Belgrade (11*7*47) said: "Thirteen...... , alleged war criminals, wero indio- ted in a Ljubljana court today. The Chiof defendant, SEINER, was charged with responsibility for crimes committed during his leadership of tho Nazi Bxrty in Carinthia and Slovonia. According to tho indict- mont SEINER bo came supremo commissioner for the Adriatic coastland by

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YUGOSLAVIA (CONT)

Trial of Reiner* (Cent)

HITI£R,s spocial decree, and subsoquontly "carriod out torrori3 t measures with 'the purpose of Germanising tho Slovono population»"

The Prosecutor said that RSINSR had a limitless power of decision of lifo and death over the Sloveno people* Ho is also charged with closing down all tho Slovene sohool s and replacing thon with German institutions whioh attempted to "inculcate tho Nazi spirit into Slovene youth."

Also cantainod in tho indictment was a chargo that ho syste­ matically plundered Slovene national and private property for tho pur­ pose of strengthening the Gorman economic and war potential« REINER also faces charges of responsibility for tho shooting of thousands of hostages and innocent oivilians.

Tho other defendants, all of when held important military positions, are charged with mass shootings, arrests, deportations and destruction of national property."

An Agency message (21»7.1+7) from Belgrade said that REINER, Gauleiter of Slovenia and six other defendants had teen sentenced to "bo hanged “by tho war crinQ3 court at Ljubl.lana; and five others defendants to death by shooting* The defendants named wore; HEIMER} Helmut GIASSER; Gen* Lu&rig KUE3IER; Lt* Gen. Bins von HESS LIN; Col CHRISTI; Hans PISCKNKR, police officer; Josef V0G5J and Reinhold GERIACH of tho «Kripo*; Kreisleiters HRADET2XI, HOCiSTINNER and KUSS; Dr. HCjwum DUJAK, admini- strativo adviser and Franz HILLER of tho Gestapo*

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MISCELLANEOUS.

U.N.T7.C.C. Iaw Report*

The National Ho view for July 1947 contains a short notice of volume I of the Ia w Reports, "/ill of this material" it states " is of the greatest interest to students of the origins and conduct of tho war on tho German side and of tho behaviour of tho Germans in occupied coun*ries gonerally* It is much hoped that tho Nuremberg material before it is finished will include tho volumes of documents which at present are obtainable with great difficulty (if ot all) only from the United States Government Printing Offico in Washington. At tho very least an exchange arrangoment should bo mado which would enablo librarian of loamod institutions and qualified sorious students of tho and its background to obtain these volumos of ossontial documents, porhaps the American could bo porsuaded to give his attention and help in this matter*"

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PURL: https://www.legal-tools.org/doc/9b3890/ - 13 - r s

THE. FAR EAST.

JAPAN.

Trial of the Mi .lor War Criminal3.

The Economist in a report dated July19 th 1947 said ; The trial of General TOJO and other former Japanoso leaders charged as major war criminals is still going on, though the world at largo has quite forgotten about it# If, indeod, it wero morely a mattor of hearing tho case against yesterday’s rulers, tho trial would not bo news again until tho delivery of tho judgment* But i t has taken a most surprising turn; the Tokyo courtroan has, in fa c t , become one of the ■battle-grounds of contemporary Soviot-American conflict* The trial has from the beginning differed from the Nuremberg nodol in that tho defence has not been conflnod to Japanoso, but has been op on to American lawyers and these havo fought as hard far their clients as if they wore acting In an ordinary criminal case* A orisis involving a prolonged adjourn­ ment of tho trial has now been reached on aocount of the Soviot prosecu­ tion's refusal to produco for cross-examination throo Japanese generals whose signed statements obtained under Russian interrogation in prisons have been produced in evidence. The point at issue is the responsibility for tho outbreak of fighting on tho Hmchurian-Siberian border in August 1 9 3 0 .

Russian official comment shows great anger at the truculenco of tho American defence counsel, and this is only natural in view of the Russian conception of whit a political trial ought to be* "The defence," complains x* if&CCN in Soviet News* "makes no attempt to assist the Court in getting a clear picture of the war crimes and the dogreo of tho individual guilt of each defendant*" That defence cousel should actually try to defend their olionts when State Interests oro at stake is in any case in tolerable to minds trained in Cccnunlst idealogy* But mare is involved in this mttor than the offoctivtmess of Allied nations1 prosecution of TOJO and his fellow defendants* Tho Fir Eastern Comission in Washington has laid it down that tho sharing of reparations from Japan is to be determined an a "broad political basis, taking into due aocount the soopo of material and human destruc­ tion and damago sufforod by each claimant country as a rosult of japanoso aggression, and taking into duo aocount each country’s contribution to the defoat of Japan, including tho extont and duration of its resis­ tance to Japanese aggression*" To make a good claim for themselves as victims of’ aggression, tho Russians havo to prove their version of all itvnohurian border inoidonts from 1932 onwards*"

BURMA.

Bxeoution of Murderers of prisoners of 'Jar.

Tho Times reported (28*6*47) from Rangoon that Lt* Okani HIRQSHUf, Lt* Kanno YASUTOKA and Katoraaya SHIRO were hanged in Rangoon gaol on that date for tho murder of four R .A .F . men whom they took prisoner in 1945* Thuy wore found guilty of having chopped off their hoads after torturing them* A numbor of other Japanese who wero triod w ith them were sentenced to terms of imprisonment*

PURL: https://www.legal-tools.org/doc/9b3890/