The Nuremberg Trials (Vol.9). International Military Tribunal

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СКАЧАТЬ and I could not know what they dealt with in detail. In this particular case it was a question for a specialist and I merely signed in order to relieve the Medical Inspector of responsibility who, for the reason mentioned this morning, did not want to sign himself.

      MR. ROBERTS: Very well, I am leaving that point.

      Now then, the last point. You said on Friday that a German general has been executed for looting jewelry. Where did the looting take place?

      MILCH: I cannot say that. I seem to recollect that it was in Belgrade. The name of the general is General Wafer, this I still remember.

      MR. ROBERTS: It was jewelry looted from Belgrade?

      MILCH: That I cannot say. I know only what I said on Friday.

      MR. ROBERTS: So the German authorities regarded the death penalty as a suitable one for looting; apparently that is right.

      MILCH: I could not hear the question.

      MR. ROBERTS: Well, perhaps it was a comment. I will ask you the next question. What was the value of the jewelry which was looted?

      MILCH: I can say only that I do not know how it was stolen, or what was stolen, or how valuable it was; but only that it was said to be jewelry which he had appropriated and that he was sentenced to death.

      MR. ROBERTS: Did Göring ever speak to you about his art collection he was getting from occupied countries?

      MILCH: I do not know anything about that.

      MR. ROBERTS: May I read you a piece of evidence, shorthand note 2317, and it is an order of Göring signed on the 5th of November 1940.

      “Göring to the Chief of the Military Administration in Paris and to the Einsatzstab Rosenberg:

      “To dispose of the art objects brought to the Louvre in the following order of priority:

      “First, those art objects . . .”

      THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Roberts, he has never seen this document and he says he knows nothing about it.

      MR. ROBERTS: If your Lordship pleases, if you do not think I should put it to him . . .

      [Turning to the witness.] You say Göring never discussed with you his art collection?

      MILCH: No.

      MR. ROBERTS: Did you not know that valuable art objects, according to an inventory over 21,000 objects, were taken from the western occupied countries?

      MILCH: No; that is not known to me.

      MR. ROBERTS: What ought the general who looted the jewelry, perhaps from Belgrade, to have done with it? Given it to the Führer, or given it to Göring?

      MILCH: I ask to be excused from answering this question.

      GEN. RUDENKO: Will you please tell me when you heard of Hitler’s plan to go to war with the Soviet Union? In January 1941?

      MILCH: As I said on Friday, I heard in January from Reich Marshal Göring that Hitler had told him he expected there would be an attack on Russia. Then for several months I heard nothing more about the whole thing, until by chance I found out from a subordinate that war with Russia was imminent and preparations for the clothing of the troops were being made.

      GEN. RUDENKO: Did you know about Case Barbarossa?

      MILCH: I had heard the name, and I heard the plan expounded at a Führer conference with the commanders of the various army groups and armies 1 or 2 days before the attack.

      GEN. RUDENKO: And when did this take place—1, 2 days before the invasion?

      MILCH: I will let you know the exact date in a minute.

      GEN. RUDENKO: Please do.

      MILCH: On 14 June. That is about eight days before the attack which took place on the 22d.

      GEN. RUDENKO: And before that, you had neither heard of, nor seen this plan?

      MILCH: I say that I had probably heard the name Barbarossa before.

      GEN. RUDENKO: And how long before?

      MILCH: That I cannot say, because during the months of January, February, March, and also in April I was outside Germany and I did not return until May. I was in Africa, Greece, Yugoslavia, and the West.

      GEN. RUDENKO: I am interested in the period when you were in the High Command of the German Air Force. Were you in Germany in December and January?

      MILCH: In December 1940.

      GEN. RUDENKO: So?

      MILCH: Only part of December as during that month I was in France and also in Italy.

      GEN. RUDENKO: And where were you in January 1941?

      MILCH: I was in the West, and as far as I remember not one day in Germany.

      GEN. RUDENKO: But you just told us that in January 1941 you had a talk with Göring about the plan of war against the Soviet Union.

      MILCH: Yes, I . . .

      GEN. RUDENKO: In January 1941?

      MILCH: Yes, on 13 January, but I cannot say now whether I spoke to Göring in France, or whether it was over the telephone, or whether I was in Germany for a day or two. That I cannot say, I did not make a note of it.

      GEN. RUDENKO: Excuse me; what has a telephone conversation to do with an attack on the Soviet Union?

      MILCH: Not an attack on Russia, but an attack by Russia on Germany was mentioned at that time, and we had . . .

      GEN. RUDENKO: You mean to say you discussed over the telephone the question of an attack by the Soviet Union on Germany?

      MILCH: No, I have not stated anything like that, but I said I do not know whether I received the information on a special line which could not be tapped, or whether the Reich Marshal told me about it in France, or whether on that particular day I was in Germany.

      GEN. RUDENKO: And when did you discuss this question with Göring, and when did Göring express his apprehension as to this war against the Soviet Union?

      MILCH: That was on 22 May.

      GEN. RUDENKO: The 22nd of May 1941?

      MILCH: 1941, yes.

      GEN. RUDENKO: And where was this question discussed?

      MILCH: In Veldenstein near Nuremberg.

      GEN. RUDENKO: Did you discuss this question with Göring alone, or was anybody else present at this conversation?

      MILCH: At that time only with Göring. We were alone.

      GEN. RUDENKO: And you assert that Göring did not wish to go to war with Russia?

      MILCH: That was my impression.

      GEN. СКАЧАТЬ