"Subject: Shooting to death of women and children.
"To the Commanding General and Commander in Serbia.
"Original Document will be sent in supplement to your report of 23 September concerning the enquiry of the OKW/Office Counter Intelligence of 2 November 42 requesting another answer after examination of the matter.
Signed for the Wehrmacht Commander Southeast.
(12 th Army Headquarters)
The Chief of the General Staff. I.A."
The receipt stamp of the Commanding General and Commander in Serbia for the 14th of November appears on the bottom of that particular page and document. At the bottom of page 141 of the English and 101 of the German is a communication from the Commanding General and Commander in Serbia dated 17 November 1942:
To the Wehrmacht Commander Southeast. After conversation with the Commander of the 714 Infantry Division it was confirmed that his attitude of 18 September 42 Ia No 328/42 top secret is entirely maintained. This attitude is given literally in the letter of the Commanding General and Commander of 23 September 42.
The character of Lieutenant Colonel von Wedel guarantees that an order, in the style of the order issued by the 7th company of the Demonstration Regiment Brandenburg was not issued.
and the letter is initialed "B" The next document NOKW 722 has already been introduced in evidence, in document book IX so we will pass it, and continue on page 153 of the English and 110 of the German, NOKW 793 which is offered as Prosecution Exhibit 535.
This is an order of the XXII Infantry Division of 13 December 1942. At the time that division was operating on Crete, the Wehrmacht was directly subordinated to Wehrmacht Commander Southeast who at the time was General Loehr whose Chief of Staff was the defendant Foertsch.
"Subject: Alert Plan, Arrest of Hostages.
"1. The arrest of hostages is to be considered in the alert plans, according to the order referred to. The setting-up of lists of hostages serves for the preparation of this measure. The lists of hostages are to be set up and presented by the section and sub-section heads, according to expert and local suggestions of the Secret Field Police and the District Headquarters. This is to be carried out according to the following principles:
"a) Lists of hostages are to be set up for all localities and their neighboring localities occupied by troops. The section heads are to determine which localities are to be considered as neighboring localities. The concept 'neighboring locality' is to be construed as narrowly as possible with regard for the strong load on the fighting units. Localities which lie more than three kilometers away from the quarters of the troops are not, in general, to be regarded as neighboring localities.
"b) Those persons, if occasion arises also of the female sex, are especially to be regarded as hostages who have shown an attitude inimical to the Germans or allow such to be expected. Mayors in office and local clergy are not to be utilized as hostages.
"c) In general one percent of the local residents, however not less than 5 and not more than 150 per locality, are to be considered for hostages. The arrest of substitute hostages is to be prepared for hostages who have fled.
"d) The lists of hostages are to be presented to the division, branch Ic, by 1 Jan 43 for examination by the counter intelligence agencies.
"II. Arrest and collection of hostages in prepared shelters (churches, schools, and similar) is to be ordered by the section and subsection heads. The arrest and guarding of the hostages is to be carried out by the unit. The feeding of the hostages is to be the obligation of the communities.
"III. The section commanders are to decide about the further use of hostages. Shooting may take place only with the approval of the division. The section commanders have the right to decide about the lives of the hostages only in the prospect of danger.
"IV. The arresting of hostages according to special decree (in searches for weapons and similar measures) remains unaffected by this.
"(Signed) Mueller."
The order is signed by Mueller, Commanding Officer 22nd Infantry Division, who Your Honors will recall was executed in Greece as a war criminal sometime in May of this year.
The next document is NOKW-1710, which has previously been submitted in evidence in Document Book 9, so we will pass it at this time and continue instead to page 158 of the English and page 114 of the German. This exhibit is NOKW-1807, offered as Prosecution Exhibit 536. This is a photograph which we were unable to put into the document book itself. We have put into the document book the translation of the writing which appeared on the photograph. I now hand Your Honors three copies of the photograph which is to be inserted at page 158 of the document book, and copies for the Secretary General. Attached to it is a certificate issued by Vincent Zeisler, a research analyst in charge of the Washington screening team, which certifies the photograph showing a group of soldiers in the Yugoslav Army was secured by him from the files of the XV Mountain Corps and that the file at the present time is located in the Document Center in the Pentagon Building, Washington, D.C. On the back of the photograph there is certain writing in the Yugoslav language which we have translated. It reads:
"VIS to 2 January 1943 - souvenir from a trip of a group of Likanians. Starcevic, Stjel...? Miskovic, Antic, Uselac."
We call Your Honors attention to the full uniform which the men in the photograph are wearing and to the red stars appearing on their capes. The photograph was found in the files of the XV Mountain Corps, and from the writing on the back of the photograph, "2 January 1943," we may feel that this was the date on or about which the photograph was taken.
I call Your Honors' attention to the date and type of uniform which the men in the photograph were wearing at that time.
We turn next to page 159 of the English and page 115 of the German document book, NOKW-1755, which is offered as Prosecution Exhibit 537. This exhibit is a series of excerpts from the War Diary of the Commanding General and Commander of Serbia, February 2, 1943. At that time the Commanding General and Commander in Serbia was Bader, and his Chief of Staff was the defendant Geitner. The Commanding General and Commander in Serbia was subordinate to the Commander-in-Chief Southeast, who at that time was Loehr, and whose Chief of Staff was the defendant Foertsch. The entry in the War Diary is:
"2 February 1943.
"Teletype orders to 610th Administrative Sub Area Headquarters to shoot to death a total of 16 communists and D.M. followers in reprisal for destruction of telephone line Krusevac-Aleksandrovac 25 and 27 January. The above to be made known publicly and the execution to be reported. The Chief of the Security Police---"
THE PRESIDENT: From what page are you reading?
MR. FENSTERMACHER: Page 159 English, page 115 the German document book. The entry in the War Diary for the Commanding General and Commander in Serbia, February 2, 1943.
"---will see that prisoners for reprisal measures are available.
"Teletype reprisal orders to the 610th Administrative Sub Area Headquarters for the blasting of the line Lajkovac-Cacak on 31 January for the shooting to death 20 communists and 20 D.M. followers, additional reprisal orders for the murder of the official in the taxation department in Boljkovac for the shooting to death of five communists and five followers of D.M."
Next, the entry for 3 February 1943:
"The Commandant of District Headquarters of Zajecar complains about independent arrest of hostages by the SD and proposes the removal of the confidential agent Arsenijevic.
The Chief orders a settling of the matter by personal conversation with SS-Standartenfuehrer Schaefer (compare enclosure)."
Continuing the entry for 16 February 1943:
"The civilians arrested after the murder of Colonel Hens of the 704th Infantry Division are not to be shot to death as reprisal as formerly intended but deported for work as most of them are innocent. Four hundred communists from the camp in Belgrade are to be shot to death as reprisal measure. Corresponding teletype instructions to the Commander of the 704th Infantry Division and the Commander of the Security Police."
Finally, the entry in the War Diary of the Commanding General and Commander in Serbia for 18 February 1943:
"Teletype message to 809th Administrative Sub Area Headquarters that there is no objection to the use of the 2000 male persons considered as hostages in the District Leskovac, as workers for B, provided that a sufficient number of reprisal prisoners remain available."
Turning next to page 161 of the English, page 117 of the German, NOKW-1748, which is offered as Prosecution Exhibit 538. This is a telephone message from Reserve Grenadier Battalion of 135th Regiment to Group West, dated 7 February 1947.
"Yesterday the area of the group Hofmann was combed according to orders. In Novi Grabovac and in Subockigrad three partisans were encountered with weapons and communist papers, and were shot to death. In the rest of the area no bands were encountered. Novi Grabovac was half burned down and fifty percent of the population was sent to the transit camp in Sisak as partisan suspects. The number of hostages from this place, including women and children, amounts to about 70 persons; the exact number will follow.
"The communist papers as well as a list will be forwarded to the division via the courier service.
"Group Hofmann requests information where requisitioned cattle is evacuated."
Signed "Captain Hofmann".
On page 162 of English, page 118 of the German, is a document NOKW1806, which is offered as Prosecution Exhibit 539. This exhibit contains excerpts from a booklet on the Draza Mihajlovic movement, which was issued by the OKH, the Army High Command in Berlin. I call Your Honors' attention to the date of this booklet, February 9, 1943.
"The Draza Mihajlovic Movement as of 1 February 1943.
"The present report issued in limited distribution may not be forwarded to other offices."
Signed "Commander-in-Chief Southeast (High Command Army Group E)".
Your Honors will recall at this time, February 9, 1943, General Loehr was Commander-in-Chief Southeast, and his Chief of Staff was the defendant Foertsch.
Your Honors will note from the table of contents which appears on page 163 a complete report on this partisan movement. This booklet is broken down into:
"General Information.
"1) Development.
"2) Aims of the Movement.
"3) The Personality of Draza Mihajlovic.
"B) Political Relations.
"C) Military Organization.
"D) 'The General Revolt'.
"E) Final Conclusions."
I think we need not read it all. I should like to find out as we go through certain dates, I should like your Honors to pay particular attention to.
Part II contains a series of enclosures. Your Honors will note one section of Part II "Brigades ascertained up until now," that is until February 1, 1943. Also a section on "Commanders and Confidential Agents."
I should like to begin on page 164 of the English, page 121 of the German. Since the Draza Mihajlovic Movement is one of the two Draza movements which was operated during the entire German occupation in Yugoslavia, the German report on the movement is of particular importance.
"A) General Information
1.) Development "Among the various Insurgent Movements which increasingly cause trouble in the area of the former Jugoslav State, the Movement of Draza Mihajlovic stands in first place with regard to leadership, organization and activity.
It is composed of the following groups:
1.) "Cetnic-Units"
2.) "Followers of DM".
"In the former Jugoslavia the "Cetnici" were a reliable voluntary Combat Organization which however was organized by the State and supported with arms and money. At the beginning of the war they were organized as Shock- (Jurisni) - Battalions for the carrying out of special tasks. Immediately after the capitulation of the Jugoslavian Army most of these Cetnici grouped together in Great Serbian Combat Units under the leadership of their officers thus forming the foundation of the DM Movement.
In order to be able to work unmolested in the scope of their overall organization they camouflage themselves in Serbia under the cover of "Cetnik-Units loyal to the Government", in Montenegro as "National Militia", in Dalmatia as "Anti-communists" and in Bosnia as "Loyal Cetnik-units"."The Followers of DM come from all classes of the population and at present comprise about 80% of the Serbian people.
Hoping for the liberation from the "alien yoke" and for a better new order and an economical and social new balance their number is continuously increasing.
"2.) Aims of the Movement "The aim of the DM-Movement is the creation of a Great-Serbian State which is to comprise former Jugoslavia as well as the frontier regions of Hungary, Albania and Bulgaria under the leadership of King Peter II, from the House Karadjordje.
The DM-Movement the attitude of which is more great-serbiannational than Jugoslav conceives as its primary task the liberation of the Serbian people.
The future State shall therefore be governed by Serbian Leaders only. To all other peoples being "Minorities" rising to leading positions in the new State is to be made impossible.
"3.) The Personality of Draza Mihajlovic.
Draza Mihajlovic was born in 1893 as the son of a Serbian Officer in Cacak. His ancestors were Serbian peasants. Shortly after he had joined the Serbian Army the Balkan Wars began in the course of which he was twice decorated and rose to the grade of 2nd Lieutenant. On 1 September 1918 he was promoted Lieutenant and took part in that rank in the combats at the Salonika front. After being wounded he was decorated by the King for his courage with the order of "White Eagle".
He was taken over into the Jugoslav Army, graduated from the War Academy and was then employed alternately in offices of the General Staff and with the troops.
"As Military Attache in Prague and Sofia he was able to gain a good insight into the political relations in the Balkans.
"In 1937 DM was relieved as Colonel in the General Staff. The reason presumably for this were his continuous differences of opinion with his superiors and his morbid ambition and selfwilledness.
Soon after the breaking up of Jugoslavia he tried to take into his own hands the fate of his people.
"As a fanatic fighter for the Great-Serbian idea and enthusiastic follower of the Royal House he began to build in Western Serbia a movement which today entends over all of Serbia, Bosnia, Dalmatia as well as into the frontier areas of Hungary, Rumania and Bulgaria.
"The center of the movement is located in Montenegro. There DM believes himself to be out of danger of being caught by the German occupations troops.
"In January 1942 the Jugoslav Government in Exile appointed DM General of the Army, and at the same time he was appointed "Commander -in -Chief of the Jugoslav Home-Army"; a short time afterwards he was appointed Minister of War.
"On account of his absolute undisputed position as Military Leader the large majority of the Serbian people also look towards him as the coming political leader of the new Jugoslavia."
-Then follows the Political Relations, and Political Organization of the DM- Movement.
I should like to pick up the text on page 167 of English, and page 124 of the German:
"Each Region is under the orders of a "Regional Commander". He supervises within his region the entire political and military organization and propaganda. At the time of the "General Revolt" he is responsible for the quick reestablishing of peace and order.
"The regions are subdivided according to their size into districts. The District Commanders have in their areas essentially the same tasks as the Regional Commanders. In addition at the time of the General Revolt they are commissioned to take over the office of Heads of Community.
"The political organization of the regions:
Dalmatia Slovenia Montenegro Syrmia Backa Banate is not completely known at present".Turning to page 168 of the English, page 125 of the German, page 2 of the report of the DM movement, dealing with "2.) Relation to the Jugoslav Government.
DM depends only partially on the Jugoslav Government in Exile in London. Therefore he takes the decisive political and military measures on his own.
"3.) Relation to the Allies.
England aids the Movement by supporting it with funds, war materials and by sending officers and men. For this reason DM approves of the relation of his government to England. He is however opposed to English attempts to gain stronger political influence on the Movement.
"The relations to Russia are at present characterized by the combating of communist bands. DM however regards this conflict as an Internal-Jugoslavian affair and he himself strives to achieve good relations with Soviet-Russian Government. Therein he is supported by the efforts of the Jugoslav Government in Exile in London.
"At the time of the General Revolt therefore one must count on large parts of the Communist Bands joining DM.
"4.) Relations to the Occupying Powers.
"Germany is considered to be the main adversary. Her occupation troops must as the occupiers be destroyed. In order to avoid measures of reprisal against the Serbian population DM however always warns against premature single operations.
"The Serbian Government beaded by General Nedic is considered a traitor towards the Serbian people. The removal of this Government is therefore one of the first demands.
"The Italian Forces of Occupation either tolerate the DMMovement or even support it. Often Cetnik-Units employed by the Italians for combatting Communists.
"The Bulgarian Troops of Occupation are also considered to be "Occupiers". In an increasing measure the attempt is becoming apparent to destroy their morale by a planned inflammatory propaganda."
We now come to the most important part of this report on the DM Movement on page 169 of the English, page 127 of the German, the portion of the report which deals with military organization. Again Your Honors' attention is called to the report dated February 1, 1943.
"Overall Organization of the armed DM-Units.
"Within the DM-Movement there are armed units organized militarily (see Enclosure 3) which form the Jugoslavian Home Army".
This has at present a strength of about 150,000 men in the entire Jugoslavian Area and is composed as follows:
"a) High Command of the Jugoslav Home Army
b) Higher Commanders of Insurgents.
c) Corps of Insurgents.
d) Brigades of Insurgents.
e) Mobile Brigades.
f) Other Units.
To a) DM being the Chief of the High Command of the Jugoslav Home Army is the Commander-in-Chief of the Jugoslav Home Army. He has unlimited authority over all armed units of the Movement, appoints all Commanders and is the supreme Judiciary. He orders the establishing of new units and negotiates with foreign countries. He gives the signal for the "General Revolt".
"The High Command of the Jugoslav Army is composed of:" --I think here we need only point out the following:
"Operations Department Adjutant's Office Administration Department Chief Propaganda Department Signal Officer Liaison Staff of the British Army Bodyguard of DM Organization Staff Serbia:
Sphere of Work: Competent for all military and political matters (sabotage included) in the oldSerbia area.
to b) The "Higher Commanders of Insurgents" being "Commanders" of "Regions" have military functions.
"All armed units and military installations belonging to them which are in their region are subordinated to them.
"Their authority is in general small. All political and military measures in their area must be approved by the Commanderin-Chief.
to c) The largest military units of the DM-Movement are the Corps of Insurgents (see enclosure5). They are designated as a rule by the name of the range of mountains where they are located. Each Corps is composed of the Staff and 3-8 Brigades.
to d) The Brigade of Insurgents is the real combat unit. It is composed of 3 companies, of which only two are regularly organized and armed. The third appears to serve as a reserve unit. to e) The Mobile Brigades are mobile units which are directly subordinated to the Higher Commanders of Insurgents. They are composed in general of 2 Battalions each having a strength of 500 to 1000 men and when employed are subordinated to a corps, to f) In a few regions according to the situation temporary smaller units having a strength of 100 to 5000 men are formed, and are not listed in the Overall Organization".
Then follows a portion of the report which deals with Armament and Equipment of the DM organization.' The report states, page 172 of the English, page 130 of the German, that the Armament and Equipment DM movement is continually supplemented by, "a) Arms of the former Jugoslav Army.
b) Arms of the Italian Army of Occupation.
c) Arms dropped by British airplanes.
d) Arms captured."
I think we need only point out a few of the remaining sections in this very complete German report on the DM Movement. Section 3, dealing with Commanders and Confidential Agents, Section 4, dealing with Signal Communications.
Your Honors will note on page 173 of the English, and page 131 of the German:
"The following means of signal communications are in use:
Radio Couriers Enemy (British) Broadcasting.
"Up until now 14 working Radio transmitting stations have been ascertained which are in direct connection with star traffic with the main office of the High Command in Montenegro. In the future every regional Commander is to have his radio transmitting station.
"In many cases British soldiers are employed as personnel for the transmitting apparatus. Supplementary supplies of radio installations and new supplies of radio apparatus and personnel are effected nearly exclusively by supplies - dropped by British planes.
"Couriers are employed for the transmission of important orders and to send money. Up to now courier connections were ascertained to:
"Cairo Ankara Greece Bulgaria".Roumania, Poland, Switzerland, and on to London.
Section 5 deals with supplies, 6 with propaganda, 7 with sabotage and espionage.
I should like to direct your Honors' attention to the next portion of the report, beginning on page 176 of the English, 134 of the German:
D) "The General Revolt" By the General Revolt the occupying powers are to be chased away, the present governments overthrown and the new Jugoslavia established.
The order for the General Revolt will be given by the leader Draza Mihajlovic. He alone after having taken into consideration the situation determines the right time. The signal will be given by radio to all the Higher Commanders of Insurgents.
Strengths and Units At the beginning of the General Revolt the following approximate strengths may be presumed in the entire territory of the former Jugoslav area:
a) Serbia 318 000 men
b) Croatia 35 000 men
c) Montenegro 30 000 men these will be presumably joined by Elements of the Pecanac-Cetnik-Units *) 5 000 men Elements of the Serbian State Guards **) 16 000 men Elements of the Ljotic Movement ***) 3 000 men Elements of the Communist Bands in all regions 40 000 men Elements of smaller minorities (Poles, Czechs, Mohammedans) 10 000 men Total Strength 457 000 men Of these about 250,000 men will be armed with rifles."
Your Honors will note on page 177 of the English, and 135 of the German, the various units listed. You will notice a total altogether of 56 Brigades.
On page 178 of the English and 136 of the German, is a list of operational units of the Draja Mihailovic movement known up until now which is 1 February 1943.
On page 179 of the English, of the German, the total units available, giving one division 27 corps, with 15 brigades:
"When the order "General Revolt" is issued all units will assemble in their mobilization areas.
Final Conclusions By the creation of the DM-Movement an organization has been formed which based on the fanatic will of every individual may gain as revolutionary movement a considerable political and military importance in critical situations in the Balkans.
The combatants' excellent knowledge of the country and the positive attitude of the majority of the Serbian population favor the movement.
The fighting value of the DM-Movement does not correspond to that of a modern unit. The reason for this lies in their insufficient leadership, armament and equipment.
The leaders are young and have little military training. They have no experience in the command of large units.
The armament is insufficient except for rifles. Heavy infantry weapons and artillery exist only in small numbers, anti-tank weapons and anti-aircraft are almost completely lacking.
In its present composition the DM-Movement is inferior to the occupying powers if the latter employ sufficient forces.
In order to suppress successfully a revolt started suddenly and at the right moment supplementary forces in addition to the present occupation forces will be necessary."
Then follows a list of the units of the Draja Mihailovic organization which were known to the Germans as of 1 February 1943, and the various areas of the occupied territories in which those units were operating.
Your Honors will note that there is a total of 75 individual brigades listed on page 182 of the English, 140 of the German, the Commanders and Confidential Agents of the DM-Movement, The Co-Workers in the Staff of DM, the Liaison men of the DM-Movement in Foreign Countries, and finally the Liaison men of the DM-Movement in the Serbian Government.
Turning next to page 184 in the English Document Book, page 142 in the German Document Book, NOKW 1757, it is offered as Prosecution 540. These are various situation reports from the Commanding General, Commander in Serbia, to the Armed Forces Commander Southeast during the month of March, 1943. Your Honors will recall that during that period the Commanding General and Commander in Serbia was General Bader, whose Chief of Staff was the defendant Geitner, Commander-in-Chief Southeast Loehr, who was then simultaneously commander of Army Group E.
The first report is dated 1 March 1943. Headquarters, Commanding General, Commander in Serbia. It is a situation report from the period 21 February, 28 February, 1943. The report is sent to the Commander-inChief, Southeast, High Command Army Group E:
"I. Political Situation The mood of the broad masses of the population is depressed, expectant.
The Goebbels speech and the proclamation of the Fuehrer have had favorable repercussions for us, from a fear that after the collapse of Germany the Balkans would be inundated by Bolshevism. In the Nedic government a certain crisis-mood is again to be perceived as its hopes for an increase of independence, especially with regard to its own executive have so far not been fulfilled.
II. Enemy Situation The increase of enemy activity which occurred at the end of the last report period has again diminished a little during this report period.
The number of cases of sabotage and surprise attacks fell from 125 to 99. In these the Communists were essentially the main participants."
I call your Honors' attention to the next paragraph, page 185 of the English, 142 of the German:
"The sudden severe reaction of the occupying powers of shooting to death nearly 600 persons as reprisal during the report period, has prevented for the present an increased effect of the appeals for sabotage of Tito and DM. Those bands which are still active are probably not to be influenced however serious the reprisal measures. They can only be destroyed by an offensive battle.
The center of the DM movement lies at present in the Herzegowinian and Bosnian area. In Serbia during the report period only the railway staff of DM tried for the first time to damage rolling stock to a greater extent by building infernal machines along the line NischSkopljc. The supervision measures which were ordered after the intentions became known, proved themselves completely. All attempts except one were discovered in time."
Then follows a report on the sabotage and surprise attacks, and finally the losses from 16 February to 25 February, 1943. Again I call your Honors attention to a comparison of the losses suffered by the occupying forces: 39 dead, 31 wounded, 24 missing.
Losses suffered by the enemy: 291 dead, 12 wounded, 945 taken prisoner and arrested.
Turning next to page 188 of the English, page 144 in the German Document Book, NOKW 1750, which is offered as Prosecutions' Exhibit 541, this is a letter from the Commanding General, Commander in Serbia, dated 3 March 1943, to the President of the Serbian Counsel of Ministers:
"Subject: Reprisal measures.
1.) On 23 February the commander Marenkovic of the rural guard in Krcevac, North of Topola, and the Serbian State Guard man Kikic were murdered there by Communists.
2.) On 28 February Communists attacked the station of Dedina near Krusevac, destroyed the telephone and telegraph lines and wounded nearby guard of the Serbian State Guard by shots.
3.) On 28 February the power center of the Soko mine, Soko Banja district was destroyed by Communists.
Since the perpetrators were not apprehended, I have ordered the shooting of 10 Communists for each of them.
4.) During the night of 27/28 February, the cable-car of Majdan Pek was destroyed in an attack of DM - Chetniks on the intermediary station of Rajkovo.
As retaliation for this sabotage act I have ordered the shooting of 30 DM-followers from the Negotin camp.
Signed: Bader General, Artillery" At this time, March, 1943, the defendant, Geitner, was Chief-ofStaff for General Bader.
Next, on page 189 of the English, and 145 of the German, Document NOKW 1756, is offered as Prosecution's Exhibit 542. These are a series of orders of the Commanding General, Commander in Serbia, to the various area units under his command and jurisdiction.
The first is dated 2 May 1943, to the 610th Administrative subarea Headquarters:
"1.) For the reprisal measures ordered for destructions in the Morava mine on 13 April 1943 prisoners can also be drawn from other districts. Burning of houses does not have to be carried out in this case. In the future only proposals for retaliation are to be presented which, after approval, can be carried out within a reasonable time.
2.) As reprisal measures for the attack on the railway station Dedina and for sawing off telephone poles between Kalanjevci and Zivkovci the communities concerned will be fined in proportion to their competence.
(Signed) Commanding General and Commander in Serbia" Next is a communication from the Commanding General, Commander in Serbia, dated 5 May 1943, to the Senior SS and Police Commander:
"On 4 May 1943 2 tugs on the Danube were fired on 6 km Southeast of Drencova. 1 Captain was seriously wounded and 1 machinist lightly wounded. The guilt of D.M. followers has been established.
In retaliation and to discourage further plots directed against traffic on the Danube 50 D.M. followers from the Homolje area are to be shot immediately.
The draft for a poster concerning the retaliation is to be submitted. Public notice will be issued by this headquarters.
(signature) Bader" I direct your Honors attention to the fact that this order was sent to the Commanding General, Commander in Serbia, and to the Senior SS and Police Commander.