The order reads as follows: "Staff headquarters 19.10.43. Subject: Railroad and Road Security." "Supplementing the order mentioned in reference above, attention is called to the following:
1.) In creating closed areas attention must be paid that the unit assigns new shelters in territory secure from bands to the civilian population which must leave the closed area. For this purpose the help and advice of the competent Croatian Administrative Authorities is to be requested. In cases where the Croatian authorities resist cooperating with advice and help in the evacuation, report is to be made to the division.
"The population is to be given opportunity to take their moveable possessions with them to their new shelters. Before they are being evauated, they are to be informed that it is not a matter of a penalty measure but of a necessary security measure.
"It is to be avoided under all circumstances that part of the population goes over to the bandits because of the evacuation.
2.) The road Bos. Novi - Bihac, running along side the railroad limes to be secured and the road Bihac - Lapac - Crecac, are contained within this closed area. Because of the necessary provisioning of the civilian population the civilian traffic on these roads cannot be prohibited. For this reason road traffic is to be supervised severely. As many check points as possible, which are to change their control points continuously, are to make sure that unauthorized persons are not permitted to be on the roads within the closed area. The use of the streets is to be permitted only to local residents who are known to be unobjectionable. Any civilian wishing to use these roads must have a short term special pass issued by a German-Croatia Military authority.
"Along the roads 'Closed Roads' signs are to be installed which point out that leaving the streets is permitted only on specially marked points. Special passes are to be issued only to persons having in their possession the identification card prescribed by law for Croatian territory.
"Whoever does not have an identification card and the special pass is to be arrested and - if he belongs to a band - is to be shot to death or if he is suspected of belonging to bands - to be sent to a hostage camp.
"The civilian population must be informed of these severe restrictions. The Division will inform the Croatian civilian authority.
3. The hostages camps ordered by paragraph 7 of the order mentioned in reference above are to be erected not only by the German Headquarters Authority but also by the Croatian Military Authority.
"Captured bandits and hostages seized are to be put separately into these hostage camps.
"The division is to be informed by name of incoming bandits and hostages. The report must show further: sex, place of birth, date of birth and residence.
"In regard to seizure of hostages attention is called to the circle of persons pursuant to order Ic secret 2 Enclosure.
(Signed in draft)
Certified True Copy Fischer Signature illeg.
Major General Mojor (Brigadier General) Distribution:
Your Honors will recall that this particular division commanded by General Fischer fought as a part of the XVth Mountain Corps at that time.
Your Honors, turn now to page 77, defense counsel to page 55 please. We are now offering NOKW-1117, prosecution Exhibit 348. There again, your Honors, we have a number of German teletype reports which were addressed to the XVth Army Corps which at that time was under the command of the defendant Leyser. It was transmitted by the advance command poat of Lueters and it says:
"East SARAJEVO Light Infantry Reserve Regiment 1 (JAEGER RESERVE REGT) drove the Cetniks back toward East. Houses fortified for defense and several hide-outs burned down. 7 enemy dead counted. 1st Company 6th Croatian Mountain Regiment dispersed during a weak night attack without any noteworthy resistance. With that almost the entire 6th Regiment dissolved now. East of SOKOLAC supposedly.
"fighting between Cetniks and Communists. Enemy concentrations near LASVA and KARANJ recognizable. There Cetniks and Communists are united. Northwest of SARAJEVO surprise attacks on truck column, railway stations, and railway.
27 Cetniks will be hanged in retaliation. . . . . . .
Command Post Gen. Lueters (?)" Your Honors, on page 78, page 55 and 56 respectively of the German document book, we find the end of this particular message which was attached to the one which I have just previously read into the record.
If you turn now to page 79 or page 57 of the German document book, we will find part of this message I just have referred to. Your Honors, the first two lines, which is marked on top of this page as page 4, do not appear in the German document book. I will now, with your Honors' permission, hand this to the interpreter who merely will read the translation into the record if this is agreeable to your Honors.
THE PRESIDENT: It is acceptable and you may have it presented to the interpreter. If the interpreters will please indicate the place in the German document book where the insertion should be made and then pause a moment so that they may find it before they commence reading, it will perhaps be helpful to counsel.
(The interpreter read the document in German).
MR. RAPP: Your Honors, I believe this appears in the German document book. It is the previous paragraph I have pointed out to your Honor what the interpreter was to translate. I was just following this in the German language, and I notice that they wore putting into the record the wrong paragraph. It is on page 4 of the original and I believe in German it should start out "In Vergeltung." I believe so.
MR. RAPP: Thank you, that is all.
PRESIDING JUDGE MENNERSTRUM: Did the German Counsel get the insertion? They have indicated that they have.
MR. RAPP: Very well, your Honor.
PRESIDING JUDGE MENNERSTRUM: You may proceed.
MR. RAPP: Your Honor now we offer NOKW-944. You find it on page 80 of your Honors' document book and page 78 of German Defense counsel book. This the Prosecution offers as Exhibit 349. Your Honors, this is an order of the 369th Croatian Infantry Division issued on the 25th of October 1943 and it is a basic order as it refers to the treatment of captured bandits, disposal of their uniforms, arrest of hostages, hostage ratio to be used, etc. etc. We have before us, in the original, the 59th copy of this order. There were 60 copies issued altogether.
Department Ic No. 54/43 Top Secret.
Subject: Combatting bands, measures of reprisal and evacuation.
1. The increased activity of the bands demands severity and resolution in combatting them even with respect to every individual man.
11. Therefore, I order:
1.) All operations against organized groups of bands and single bandits are to be carried out with ruthless severity. The troop that is combatting the bands is not to stop at a mere dispersion of the bands, but must try to eradicate the bands, or at least part of them.
The plan of the operation must, of course, be made according to the above demand.
2.) The malicious combat manner of the bandits and their helpers in the Serbo-Croatian area often compels us to forbid the taking of prisoners in order to avoid unnecessary hazard to the troops. Such a providential instruction can be given out by the Commanders of regiments and Commanders equal in rank.
Without these orders the local leaders will act accordingly on their own responsibility.
3.) If, nevertheless, single bandits get into the hands of our troops alive, they are to be treated in the following way:
a.) Male members of bands capable of work who surrendered in combat in enemy uniform or in civilian dress can be treated as prisoners of war or kept back as hostages.
b.) All members of bands(irrespective of sex) found in German uniform or in the uniform of an Allied Army (malicious manner of combat, contrary to international law) are to be shot. They are to be carefully interrogated previously. A copy of the interrogation is to be sent to the Ic Department of the Division. The clothes are to be sent to the Clothing center of the Division (D.V.A.). Prisoners, however, who can make important statements are to be sent to the Ic Department of the Division.
4.)Members of bands, of whatever age or sex, who surrendered outside of combat actions, with or without arms, in whatever dress, to a German of Allied troop, are to be treated as enemy deserters. Bandits who desert during combat need not count on advantages. That means that they are to be treated as under Paragraph 3.). After a short interrogation by the troop for the purpose of our own information the members of bands counting as enemy deserters are to be sent to Ic Department of the Division.
5.) The propaganda of desertion is to be carried into the population by all means as up to now. Women and parents of members of bands who are still in liberty must be warned at every occasion, that they must count with the destruction of their houses or the arrest of hostages if their bandit does not surrender in time.
The same reprisals are to be threatened as are used towards those of the Division who are on leave. Corresponding leaflets will be sent separately to the troop units.
The propaganda of desertion, moreover, is to be encouraged by allowing to the deserters in every instance the good treatment and food that was assured them. The number of deserters is to be listed in the Daily Report.
6.) The taking of hostages is of special importance as a preventive measure of protection. It is to be carried out on orders of a Commander with the disciplinary authority of a regimental commander at least.
All classes of society are to be used. Selection is to be made in the first place from the following groups of persons:
Relatives of members of bands, Persons who are guilty of aiding and abetting the bands, Other suspicious persons.
The arrest of hostages is to be made known, to the population in the areas in question. Attention is to be drawn to the fact, that the hostages will be shot to death as soon as an attempt occurs. The publication has to be made in writing in accordance with the enclosed sampel. For the posting of this publication the mayors and Croatian Gendarmerie posts are to be employed. A copy of the publication is to be sent to Ic department of the Division.
In further raids on members of the Wehrmacht or damages caused on installation necessary for the war will be answered by shooting to death or hanging of hostages as well as destroying of the surrounding villages. Before the villages are destroyed the population capable of bearing aims is to be arrested as far as possible. Only then will the population denounce concentrations of bands to the German authorities, so as to be safe against reprisal measures.
As measure of reprisal there can be shot to death, or hanged:
For 1 German killed - up to 50 Hostages For 1 German wounded - up to 25 hostages.
Your Honors will recall that this relates to the Rendulic order which was read previously into the record and the order was issued on the 15th of September 1943 and was offered as Prosecution Exhibit No. 340 and here we find that this order permeated all the way down to the Division DVA which was part of the 15th Corps at that time.
"The kidnapping of a German is equivalent to a killing, if the victim does not return within a given period.
"In carrying out the measures of reprisal the Croatian Police and the Gendarmerie are to be employed extensively.
"Measures of reprisal will be carried out on orders of a least a commander of a regiment or of a commander of equal rank.
"The arrest of hostages carried out as measures of reprisal is to be included in the Daily report.
Previous orders in regard to measures of reprisal and hostages are annulled and are to be destroyed."
Next turn to page 83 of the English and page 60 of the German Document Book:
"In order to purge infected areas the evacuation of all male inhabitants from 15 to 60 years of age may be necessary. The corresponding petitions are to be made through Ia and Ib Departments of the Division. The evacuation must be carried out with lightning speed so as to prevent a premature flight of the population. The arrested are to be conducted to the labor employment offices."
Then we find below a distribution according to draft and a suggestion on how the posters to notify the population of the pending killings of hostages should be made up.
JUDGE CARTER: Isn't it a fact, Mr. Rapp, that the Rendulic order was made on September 12 and not the 15th?
MR. RAPP: I believe that it was.
JUDGE CARTER: Isn't that the order issued three days before the Keitel order which was on the 15th?
MR. RAPP: No, your Honor, this particular order, this is Exhibit 340, dated 15 of September and pertains to the ratio of hostages which the defendant Rendulic felt was adequate for execution purposes in retaliation for losses suffered by the German Wehrmacht. It is on page 15 of the English Document Book. I believe, your Honor, there is another Rendulic order of the date quoted by your Honor but pertaining to the reprisals against Italians, also issued by the defendant Rendulic.
PRESIDING JUDGE WENNERSTRUM: You may proceed.
MR. RAPP: Thank you, your Honor. Your Honors please turn now to page 84 which is page 61 of German Defense Counsel's Book and we are offering NOKW 079, Prosecution Exhibit No. 350. This is a collection of daily reports of the 69th Reserve Corps and the XV and XXI Mountain Corps respectively to the 2nd Panzer Army. It states, in the middle of the page -- it first starts out:
11. Croatian Corps ---- As reprisal measures for the attack on the railroad base Southeast of Gracanica (20 kilometers Southeast of Doboj) (see Daily Report 13.10) 1 village was burned down and 100 bandits shot to death.
Then below daily report XV Mountain Army Corps dated 14.10.1943:
"11. Croatian Corps: Reprisal measures (see Daily report of yesterday) village of Petrovica burned down. 100 shot to death.
"Sender: 1st Lieutenant Ziegner, 1050 hours. Received: 1st Lieutenant Schulz/ Corporal Schmitz."
On the next page Your Honor there is a daily report dated the 14 of October by the 69th Reserve Corps, received from the 187th Reserve Division:
"187th Reserve Division:
"In Koritna (20 kilometers northwest of Vinkovici) a total of 74 hostages arrested."
Then the various identifications of the document when it was sent and when it arrived. At the bottom of this page, 85, we find again:
"187th Reserve Division : In Koritna ( 20 kilometers northwest of Vinkovci) 2 bandits arrested, 1 hanged on the spot. Levying of hostages."
The next page, your Honor, page 86 of the English Document Book and page 63 of the German Document Book:
"118th Jaeger Division: In the area 10 Northeast of Grahowe, an enemy combat group was attacked and destroyed in a concentrate attack from the Northeast and West by Reconnaissance Section 118 and 1./738. Individual combat actions still under way. III./750 drove enemy from ridge 1177 (6 North of Podhan), then turned West--"
A little below that we find enemy losses:
"Order issued for shooting of officers. Presumably the figure will be considerably larger. Loss of enemy lives; not ascertainable."
Then, signed by 1st Lieutenant Schulz and Corporal Riemer.
Court No. V, Case No. VII.
Your Honors, turning now to page 87, please, pages 63 and 64 of the German Document book, respectively, we find again 187th Reserve Division, and it reports that:
"5.10 near Ivankovo 2 Communists wanted for a long time were arrested wearing German uniforms and carrying arms and written matter. 1 of them was a Volksdeutscher. Both Communists were hanged in Ivankovo. On 5.10. 43 the Wehrmacht telephone connection near Ivankovo was interrupted by Communists. Hanging of inhabitants of the village in case of recurrence was threatened."
And then under "d)":
"In Pivnica according to confidential report assembly of the XII Communist Brigade of about 2000 men said to have been ordered to attack Virovitica."
The next page, Your Honor, page 86, page 64 of the German Document Book, under "f)" we find:
"f) Taking of hostages in Andrijecci as reprisal measure for mines laid during the night from the 4th to the 5th of Oct."
And then a little bit below we find another reference saying:
"In reprisal for the attack reported in the morning report of 9.10 made on 9.10 at 0130 hours on the freight train on main railroad line 12 Southeast Vinkovci 20 bandit suspects from the locality of the incident executed at the place of the crime."
This, Your Honors concludes Prosecution Exhibit 350.
Your Honors, if you turn now, please to page 89 of your Document Book, and page 65 of the German Document Book, you will find NOKW-1010. This will be Exhibit 351.
If Your Honors, please, we believe that this particular order, which we are about to introduce into evidence and which was signed on the covering letter by the defendant Foertsch, will prove one of the most important basic orders we have to concern ourselves with herb in our case in chief. This order highlights and points out for us the order of battle, the relationship of all units stationed in this area during that time, and we believe that this order proves the connection of the various defendants commanding their respective units, and how they are all interlocked and tied together to the top man at that time.
For all intents and purposes this order possibly involves the command of every one of the defendants in the docks, either by insinuation, by name, by mentioning the unit he commands, or in an way that order of battle will enter this case. The order is called:
"Commander-in-Chief Southeast -155 (High Command Army Group F) War Diary Ia/Id - No. 1067/43 Top Secret Headquarters 30.
10.43 I enclosure, stapled 8 Copies 3 Copy file H2 No. 26 "To Distribution:
Enclosed find draft of the basic order regarding the Command authority in the Southeast area.
Naval group Headquarters South and Luftwaffe Headquarters Southeast are requested to examine it, and to return it before 10.11.43.
Before 5.11.43 the following is to be submitted:"
I believe we can skip this very unimportant paragraph, and then it is signed:
"For the Commander-in-Chief Southeast (High Command Army Group F) The Chief of General Staff (signed) Foertsch "Distribution:
Naval Group Headquarters South Luftwaffe Headquarters Southeast Commander-in-Chief Southeast O.Qu.General of Transportation Southeast
Ic General of Engineers" And then it names on the right hand side of the sheet the copies they are to receive.
Then the next page we find:
"Army Group Senior Signals Officer 7th copy I d (E - Draft) 8th " (stamp) "Commander-in-Chief Southeast (High Command Army Group F) Received 31 Oct.
1943 No. 657 Section Q-1 Section Also read by:
(illeg. init.) J" And underneath it says:
"(handwritten) "Qu 2 with the request to add paragraph 2 and to contribute to enclosure 6. (illeg.
signature)" And the date, "31.
10".
On page 91, and page 66 of the German Document Book, we find:
"Enclosure to Commander-in-Chief Southeast (High Command Army Group F) Ia/Id- No. 1067/43 Top Secret dated 30.
10.1943 "Command authority in the Southeast area.
Organization:
Operational Channels of command.
Territorial Channels of command.
Execution stipulations regarding coastal defense.
Special Areas and concluding stipulations."
And then we have a, "Table of Enclosures" "Service instruction for the Military Commander Southeast.
Service instruction for the German General-Plenipotentiary in Croatia.
"Service instruction for the German General-Plenipotentiary in Albania, Simultaneously for the Administrative Sub-area headquarters in Montenegro.
"Service instruction for the German Military Attache in Sofia.
"Fuehrer Directive No. 40 "Supply Transportation "Political Problems and Counter Intelligence.
"Engineering and Fortifications.
"Signal Enclosure To Commander-in-Chief Southeast" On your next page, Your Honor, page 92, which I believe is pages 66 and 67 of the German Document Book:
(page 1 of original cont'd)
(High Command Army Group F)
Ia/Id - No. 1067/43 Top Secret dated 30.
10.1943" "Command authority in the Southeast area.
I.
"(Operational Channels of Command) "1.) The Commander-in-Chief Southeast ( Commander-in-Chief of Army Group F) is charged with the conduct of the war in the entire German Area of operations in the Southeast."
At that time, Your Honors, the defendant Weich was Commander and Chief, Army Group F, and was Commander-in-Chief Southeast.
"The Commander-in-Chief Southeast is directly subordinate to the Furhrer.
"2.) The following are subordinate to the Commander-in-Chief Southeast (High Command Army Group F):
a) Army Group E
b) 2nd Panzer Army" (At that time commanded by defendant Rendulic).
"c) The German General-Plenipotentiary in Croatia with regard to his powers which go beyond his territorial duties and his duties as attache (service instruction enclosure 2) "d) The German Military Attache in Sofia with regard to his powers which go beyond his duties as attache (service instruction enclosure 4) "e) The Military Commander Southeast regarding all questions of the security of the country."
Your Honor will recall that the Military Commander Southeast was the former General Hans Felber, and his Chief of staff is present here in the dock in the person of defendant Geitner.
"3.) The main task of the Commander-in-Chief Southeast is the defense of the Southeast area against Anglo-American landing attempts from the sea or from the air.
The following assignments are made:
a) To the 2nd Panzer Army: - The defense of the area Croatia, Montenegro and Albania, in particular, the East Coast of the Adriatic.
"b) To Army Group E: - The defense of Greece including the Peloponnesus, the anterior Ionic Islands of Corfu, Cephalonia and Zante, of the Fortress of Crete, of the Island of Rhodes and of the following Aegean Islands: Skarpanto, Milos, Cos, Leros, Samos, Chios, Mytilene and Lemnos.
"4.) In addition the Commander-in-Chief Southeast is responsible for the security in the interior of the country as well as for the combatting of bands and for counter-intelligence measures against sabotage.
"In all questions regarding the security of the country:
"a) The Military Commander Southeast in his capacity as Military Commander Serbia is directly subordinate to the Commander-in-Chief Southeast.
"b) The Military Commander Greece is subordinate to the Commanding Officer of Army Group E.
"c) The German General-Plenipotentiary in Albania and Administrative Sub-Area Headquarters Montenegro as well, if the occasion arises, the German Commanding General-Plenipotentiary in Croatia are subordinate to the Commander-in-Chief of the 2nd Panzer Army. All security units are subordinate to the Commander-in-Chief of the territory in which they are stationed. The Commander-in-Chief makes decisions regarding their commitment and their conditions of subordination."
If you will permit Your Honors, the part we just read under para.b) "The Military Commander Greece is subordinate to the Commanding Officer of Army Group E," at that time the defendant Speidel was the Military Commander in Greece.
"The Commander-in-Chief is authorized to charge the Military Commanders with certain security duties and for this purpose to Court No. V, Case No. VII.
"subordinate the required security units to them.
"The conduct of the war at sea in the Southeast area is carried out by Navy Group Headquarters South. For this purpose the Commanding Admiral Aegean for the area of the Aegean and of the Ionic Sea, and for the area of the Adriatic Sea the Commanding Admiral Adriatic are subordinate to Navy Group Headquarters South.
"In questions of coastal defense the Commanding Admiral Aegean is subordinate to the Commander-in-Chief of Army Group E, the Commanding Admiral Adriatic Subordinate to the Commanderin-Chief of the 2nd Panzer Army by virtue of Fuehrer directive No. 40.
"The conduct of the war in the air in the Southeast and in the Eastern Mediterranean area, as well as preparation and leadership of aerial defense is the duty of the Luftwaffe Headquarters Southeast in accordance with detailed directives of the Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe. By virtue of the Fuehrer directive No. 40 Luftwaffe Headquarters Southeast is subordinate to the Commander-in-Chief Southeast with regard to the preparation and carrying out of coastal defense.
"Subordinate to the Luftwaffe Headquarters Southeast are; the 10th Fliegerkorps for the area Greece; the 'Fliegerfuehrer Albania', for the area Albania-Montenegro and the 'Fliegerfuehrer Croatia' for the area Croatia and Serbia.
"(Territorial Channels of Command) "1.) The Military Commander Southeast exercises the territorial authority and the executive power in the Southeast area.
In this respect he is subordinate to the Chief of the Wehrmacht High Command.
"Subordinate to him are:
"The Military Commander Greece". That is the defendant, Speidel.
"The German General-Plenipotentiary in Croatia". His name you will find, your Honors, on the map, in Croatia, Glaise-Horstenau.
"The German General-Plenipotentiary in Albania and the Administrative Sub-area Headquarters Montenegro", Gullman and Keiper, "only by special order if the interior situation of Albania permits a transfer of the executive power.
"2.) The Commander-in-Chief Southeast issues directives to the Military Commander Southeast as far as affairs of troop leadership are concerned. He is authorized to intervene, as far as this is necessary, in essential questions in the interests of his tasks.
"The Commander-in-Chief Southeast has delegated these powers to the Commander-in-Chief of Army Group E as concerns the Military Commander Greece, to the Commander-in-Chief of the 2nd Panzer Army as concerns the Military Commander Serbia as concerns the Commanding General-Plenipotentiary in Albania (Military Commander Albania-Montenegro) and as concerns the Commanding General-Plenipotentiary in Croatia. "Orders issued by virtue of this directive are to be reported to the Commander-in-Chief Southeast as they occur.
(Service instruction for Military Commander Southeast, Enclosure 1.)
3.) Service instruction of the German General-Plenipotentiary in Croatia, see enclosure 2."
Then if Your Honors will turn to the next page:
"4.) Service instruction of the German General-Plenipotentiary in Albania, simultaneously for Administrative Sub-area Headquarters Montenegro, see enclosure 3.
"5.) The uniform treatment of questions of foreign policy of the southeast area is the responsibility of the 'Special Plenipotentiary of the Foreign Office for the Southeast Area'. He receives his directives from the Reich Foreign Minister and is instructed to inform the military authorities (Commander-in-Chief Southeast, Military Commander Southeast) concerning these directives as far "as they concern military leadership or administration, as well as to inform them regarding foreign--political intentions and measures1 "III "(Execution stipulations regarding Coastal Defense) "1.) The responsibility in the sense of the Fuehrer Directive No. 40, III paragraph 1.) for the preparation of and carrying out of the defense of the coastal territories in the Southeast area against landing attacks of the enemy powers rests with the "Commander-in-Chief Southeast "It is the task of the Commander-in-Chief Southeast to secure the required close and complete co-operation of all branches of the Wehrmacht including the Allies.
"2.) Authoritative for this are in General:
a) Fuehrer Directive No. 40 (Enclosure 5)
b) "Orders for the defense of the Southeast area."
c) Supplement regarding experiences in coastal defense (OKW/WFST/Op. No. 02914/42 secret dated 23.9.1942)
d) "Individual orders for coastal defense" issued by the Commander-in-Chief Southeast.
e) Supplement regarding defense of parachutists and airborne troops dated 10.5.1943.
"3.) Within the framework of the preparation and the carrying out of the defense of the coasts, the Commander-in-Chief Southeast has command authority as concerns Headquarter authorities of the branches of the Wehrmacht, as concerns civilian offices installed there, as well as concerns units and organizations outside of the Wehrmacht which are present in its area.
"The Commander-in-Chief of Army Group E and the Commander-inChief of the 2nd Panzer Army have the same authority within their area.
"4.) Navy:
"According to the directives issued by the Commander-in-Chief Southeast for the preparation and for the conduct of the war, the following tasks devolve on the Commanding Admiral Aegeen."
Then if your Honors will look at the middle, at the bottom of the page, we find:
"Agreement of the High Command of Army Group E or of the High Command of the 2nd Panzer Army is required with regard to the disposition of the Army Coast Artillery.
"The Commanding Admiral Aegean (Adriatic) is responsible for the fulfillment of tasks set to him by the Commander-in-Chief of Army Group E (Commander-in-Chief of the 2nd Panzer Army) to the latter. He is responsible to the Naval Group Command South for the technically correct execution of the measures taken.
"Accordingly in the preparation and the execution of the defense at and around the coasts naval leadership authorities subordinate to the Commanding Admirals (Naval Commanders, etc.) have the same rights and duties with respect to sector commanders, etc."
Turning now to paragraph 3 for the duties of the Luftwaffe, and this is on page 73 of defense counsel's book:
"Luftwaffe!
"For the duties of the Luftwaffe Command Southeast in regard to execution and preparation of aerial defense see "Orders for the defense of the Southeast Area".
"If the danger threatens -- for instance in case of a surprise enemy landing -- all Luftwaffe units (without the flying units) are subordinate directly to the Commander-in-Chief of Army Group E and of the 2nd Panzer Army in the areas concerned.
"6.) Exchange of information of all forces participating in the defense of the Southeast Area is of particular importance in the fulfillment of the mutual tasks.
"Commander-in-Chief Southeast will audit directly the reconnaissance circle of the Luftwaffe and the Navy.
"Naval Group Command South, independently of the above, will submit to the Commander-in-Chief Southeast all important information which has a direct connection with the affairs of the Commander-in-Chief Southeast. The Commander-in-Chief Southeast himself will apply the same procedure.
"Luftwaffe Command Southeast sends all news and enemy information from this area continuously to the Commander-in-Chief Southeast.
"Enemy information and reports are exchanged directly between "a) Luftwaffe Command Southeast after its transfer X Air Corps with the High Command Army Group E. The cooperation of the High Command Amy Group E with the 10th Air Corps intended at present will not be interfered with thereby.
"b) The Commanding Admiral Aegean with High Command Army Group E.
"c) Fliegerfuehrer Croatia or Field Air District Command XXX respectively with 2nd Panzer Army.
"d) Commanding Admiral Adriatic with 2nd Panzer Army.
"Within their own areas the High Command Army Group E and 2nd Panzer Army will regulate exchange of news and information according to their own judgment.
"To secure a standard reception of all news broadcasts in the Mediterranean circle which are heard by the command authorities, summarized short announcements of the results of "Reconnaissance Mediterranean", edited by the Commander-in-Chief Southeast, will be broadcase additionally.
"News and information above and beyond the area of the High Command Army Group E or the 2nd Panzer Army will be transmitted to them from case to case by the Commander-in-Chief Southeast.
"Continuous personal contacts of the counter intelligence officers (Ic) is deemed advisable.
IV (Special areas and concluding stipulations) We can skip this sub-section 1. Sub section 2 says:
"This order is to be passed on to subordinate authorities only in excerpts and then only insofar as absolutely necessary.