HIGH COMMAND TRIAL The United States of America vs. Wilhelm von Leeb et al. US Military Tribunal Nuremberg, Judgment of 27 October 1948 Page numbers in braces refer to US Military Tribunal Nuremberg, judgment of 27 October 1948, in Trials of War Criminals Before the Nuremberg Military Tribunals , Vol. IX 1 JUDGMENT.........................................................................................................................5 THE INDICTMENT..........................................................................................................................6 Objections during the Trial..........................................................................................................16 Conspiracy Count........................................................................................................................18 Controlling Principles in Trial.....................................................................................................19 COUNT ONE OF THE INDICTMENT—AGGRESSIVE WAR ......................................................20 War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity.................................................................................24 Crimes against Civilians..............................................................................................................27 German Military System .............................................................................................................31 A. THE OKW (OBERKOMMANDO DER WEHRMACHT)— SUPREME COMMAND OF THE ARMED FORCES ..........................................................................................................31 B. THE OKL (OBERKOMMANDO DER LUFTWAFFE)— HIGH COMMAND OF THE AIR FORCE.............................................................................................................................32 C. THE OKM (OBERKOMMANDO DER KRIEGSMARINE) — HIGH COMMAND OF THE NAVY .............................................................................................................................32 D. THE OKH (OBERKOMMANDO DES HEERES) — HIGH COMMAND OF THE ARMY......................................................................................................................................33 E. ARMY FIELD HEADQUARTERS....................................................................................33 F. OCCUPATIONAL HEADQUARTERS AND UNITS— ARMED FORCES COMMANDER .......................................................................................................................34 Superior Orders ...........................................................................................................................35 Orders ..........................................................................................................................................37 Commissar Order ........................................................................................................................41 Barbarossa Jurisdiction Order .....................................................................................................45 Commando Order........................................................................................................................48 Night And Fog Decree ................................................................................................................49 Hostages And Reprisals...............................................................................................................50 Partisan Warfare..........................................................................................................................50 The Hague And Geneva Conventions.........................................................................................53 Responsibility Of Commanders Of Occupied Terretories ..........................................................60 Hitler and the Wehrmacht ...........................................................................................................65 Wilhelm von Leeb.......................................................................................................................68 1. THE COMMISSAR ORDER ..............................................................................................69 2. CRIMES AGAINST PRISONERS OF WAR .....................................................................71 3. THE BARBAROSSA JURISDICTION ORDER................................................................72 4. CRIMES AGAINST CIVILIANS .......................................................................................73 5. PILLAGE OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTY.......................................................74 6. CRIMINAL CONDUCT PERTAINING TO THE SIEGE OF LENINGRAD...................74 Hugo Sperrle................................................................................................................................75 Georg Karl Friedrich -Wilhelm von Kuechler ............................................................................76 1. THE COMMISSAR ORDER ..............................................................................................77 2. THE COMMANDO ORDER ..............................................................................................78 3. NEGLECT OF PRISONERS OF WAR AND THEIR USE IN PROHIBITED LABOR...78 4. ILLEGAL EXECUTION OF RED ARMY SOLDIERS AND MURDER AND ILL- TREATMENT OF PRISONERS OF WAR ............................................................................78 5. DEPORTATION AND ENSLAVEMENT OF THE CIVILIAN POPULATION..............79 6. PLUNDER OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTY....................................................84 7. MURDER, ILL-TREATMENT AND PERSECUTION OF CIVILIAN POPULATION..85 8. ENFORCEMENT OF THE BARBAROSSA JURISDICTION ORDER...........................85 Hermann Hoth .............................................................................................................................87 2 COUNT TWO OF THE INDICTMENT..........................................................................................87 THE COMMISSAR ORDER ..................................................................................................87 TREATMENT OF PRISONERS OF WAR IN HOTH'S AREA ............................................90 WAR CRIMES AND CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY CONSISTING OF CRIMES AGAINST CIVILIANS ...........................................................................................................92 COOPERATION WITH THE SD ...........................................................................................97 Hans Reinhardt............................................................................................................................98 1. THE COMMISSAR ORDER ..............................................................................................98 2. THE COMMANDO ORDER ............................................................................................100 3. PROHIBITED LABOR OF PRISONERS OF WAR ........................................................101 4. MURDER AND ILL-TREATMENT OF PRISONERS OF WAR...................................101 5. TURNING OVER OF PRISONERS OF WAR TO THE SD ...........................................102 6. DEPORTATION AND ENSLAVEMENT OF CIVILIANS ............................................103 7. DEPORTATION AND ENSLAVEMENT FOR LABOR IN THE REICH.....................105 8. PLUNDER AND SPOLIATION.......................................................................................107 9. MURDER, ILL-TREATMENT, AND PERSECUTION OF CIVILIAN POPULATIONS ................................................................................................................................................107 Hans von Salmuth .....................................................................................................................110 1. THE COMMISSAR ORDER ............................................................................................111 2. THE COMMANDO ORDER ............................................................................................111 3. PROHIBITED LABOR OF PRISONERS OF WAR ........................................................112 4. MURDER AND ILL-TREATMENT OF PRISONERS OF WAR AND RED ARMY SOLDIERS.............................................................................................................................112 5. DEPORTATION AND ENSLAVEMENT OF CIVILIANS ............................................113 6. PLUNDER OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTY...................................................113 7. MURDER, ILL-TREATMENT AND PERSECUTION OF CIVILIAN POPULATIONS ................................................................................................................................................113 8. DISCRIMINATION, PERSECUTION, AND EXECUTION OF JEWS, INCLUDING COOPERATION WITH THE EINSATZGRUPPEN IN THIS PROGRAM .......................115 Karl Hollidt................................................................................................................................118 1. THE COMMISSAR ORDER ............................................................................................119 2. THE COMMANDO ORDER ............................................................................................119 3. PROHIBITED LABOR OF PRISONERS OF WAR ........................................................119 4. MURDER AND ILL-TREATMENT OF PRISONERS OF WAR...................................120 5.