The Commander of the Security Police Radom July 19, 1944 and of the Security Service (S.D.)
for the district of Radom SECRET STATES MATTER
The commander'of the Security Police and of the Security Service for the District of Radom ( Foreign Service Office Tomaschow
Entry on May 22, 1944 Section IV Log. No. 21/44
IV Bc-5/UU gRs
To the Foreign Service Office
in the hands of SS-Captain Thiel—o.V.i.A.—
in Tomaschow
Subject: Collective responsibility of members of families of
assassins and saboteurs.
Previous correspondence: None
The higher SS- and police Fuehrer Ost has issued on 28 June 1944 the following order:
"The security situation in the General Government has in the last months grown worse to such an extent, that from now on the most radical means and the harshest measures must prevail against the alien assassins and saboteurs. The Reichsfuehrer SS in agreement with the general government has ordered, that, in all cases of attack and attempted assassination against Germans, or where saboteurs have destroyed installations essential to life, that not only the seized perpetrators be shot but that all male kin also be executed and their female relatives over 16 years of age be put into Concentration camps. Strict presumption is hereby taken for granted, that if the perpetrator or the perpetrators are not seized, their names and addresses will be readily ascertained. Male kin may be considered to include, for example: the father, sons, (so far as they are over 16 years of age), brothers, brothers-in-law, cousins and uncles of the perpetrator. Against the women, proceedings must take place in the same manner. With this procedure it is intended, to insure a total liability of all male and female kin of the perpetrator. It furthermore affects to the utmost the family circle of the political criminal. This practice has shown for example already at the end of 1939 the best results in the new eastern territories especially in the Warthe district. As soon as this new method for combating assassins and saboteurs becomes known to these foreign people,— this may be achieved by oral propaganda [Mundpropaganda]— the female kin of members of the resistance movement or of bands will, as shown by experience, exert a curbing influence."
I hereby give notice of this and request in the pertinent cases
U37
(not previous ones) to locate and to arrest immediately, with the greatest possible speed the corresponding family members. I am then to be notified of the results and further instructions are to be awaited.
[signed] ILLMER Temaschero, July 29, 1944
1. Confer in details with the section chiefs
[ Sachgebietsleitern]
2. Z.d.A. IV L F.K.
R
The commander of the Security Police
and the Security Service of the Radom District
IV L 21/44 gRs