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Order that the occupying forces in the east are to establish security by punishing resistance by "drastic measures" that induce "terror" in the population and "crush every will to resist"

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Authors

Wilhelm Keitel (Field Marshal, Chief of the High Command of the Armed Forces)

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Wilhelm Keitel

German field marshal

el Mariscal Keitel
  • Born: 1882-09-22 (Helmscherode) (country: German Empire; located in the administrative territorial entity: Duchy of Brunswick)
  • Died: 1946-10-16 (Nuremberg) (country: Allied-occupied Germany)
  • Country of citizenship: Germany
  • Occupation: military officer; military personnel; politician
  • Member of political party: Nazi Party
  • Military rank: general field marshal
  • Military branch: artillery
  • VIAF ID: https://viaf.org/viaf/74027425

Adolf Hitler (Fuehrer, Reich Chancellor, Supeme Commander of Wehrmacht)

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Adolf Hitler

Austrian nationalized German politician, leader of the National Socialist party and dictator of Germany (1889-1945)

Image of Adolf Hitler
  • Born: 1889-01-01 1889-04-20 (Braunau am Inn) (country: Austria-Hungary; located in the administrative territorial entity: Archduchy of Austria above the Enns; statement is subject of: Adolf-Hitler-Geburtshaus)
  • Died: 1945-04-30 (Berlin Führerbunker) (country: Nazi Germany; located in the administrative territorial entity: Berlin; statement is subject of: death of Adolf Hitler)
  • Country of citizenship: Cisleithania (period: 1889-04-20 through 1918-11-11); First Republic of Austria (period: 1919-01-01 through 1925-04-30); Nazi Germany (end cause: death of Adolf Hitler; period: 1933-01-30 through 1945-04-30); Republic of German-Austria (period: 1918-01-01 through 1919-01-01)
  • Occupation: painter (statement is subject of: paintings by Adolf Hitler); political writer; politician (reason for preferred rank: generally used form); soldier
  • Member of political party: German Workers' Party (period: 1919-09-12 through 1921-07-11); Nazi Party (series ordinal: 556)
  • Member of: Nazi Party
  • Participant in: Aktion T4; Beer Hall Putsch; The Holocaust; ethnic cleansing
  • Significant person: Albert Speer; Benito Mussolini; Eva Braun; Joseph Stalin

Date: 23 July 1941

Literal Title: Supplement to Directive No. 33

Defendant: Wilhelm Keitel

Total Pages: 1

Language of Text: English

Source of Text: Nazi conspiracy and aggression (Office of United States Chief of Counsel for Prosecution of Axis Criminality. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Government Printing Office, 1946.)

Evidence Code: PS-459

HLSL Item No.: 451878

Notes:The order was issued by Hitler on 22 July and distributed by Keitel on 23 July 1941.

Trial Issues

Criminal organizations (Gestapo, Leadership Corps, Cabinet, SS, SD, OKW) (… Partisan fighters (and commandos), operations against, and treatment of (I…

Document Summary

Staff Evidence Analyses

PS-459: OKW Instructions supplementing Fuehrer Order No. 33 re: Russian War

Fuehrer Hq., 23 July 1941
Chief of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces No. 442254/41, Most Secret WFSt/ Section L(IOp)
Supplement to Directive No. 33
On 22d July, the Fuehrer, after receiving the C-in-C of the Army, issued the following orders with a view to supplementing and enlarging Directive No. 33:
1 to 5: (Strategic measures).
6. In view of the vast size of the conquered Territories in the East, the forces available for establishing security in these areas will be sufficient only if instead of punishing resistance by sentencing the guilty in a court of law, the Occupying Forces spread such terror as is likely, by its mere existence, to crush every will to resist among the population.
The respective Commanders, together with available troops, should be made responsible for maintaining peace within their areas. The commanders must find the means of keeping order within their areas, not by demanding more security forces, but by applying suitable, drastic measures.
[signed] Keitel A true Copy [illegible signature] Major (staff)
The Reichsfuehrer-SS

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