This concludes my reading of this document.
On the same topic -- that is, the attitude displayed by List towards the civilian population, which precludes such a plan as asserted by the prosecution I offer from Document Book III -- four documents. It is, first, Document 151 which will be submitted as Exhibit 39. It is in Document Book III, page 44. May I point out that I have just made an error in stating the number. It is not 151 but it is 151a. It is an affidavit of the army physician, Dr. Kittel. I read from the third paragraph:
"From 28 December 1940 to spring 1942 I was a general staff medical officer and was detailed to the AOK 12 as a medical officer.
"Because of the unrest in Serbia the population there was always fluctuating. Typhus had always played a devastating role in Serbia. In order to prevent the spreading of epidemic diseases, "Sanitaetskordons (That is medical cordons) were set up where the health of the civilian population was taken care of, where they were deloused, and also otherwise provided for. As the civilian Government could not cope with this problem, German medical army personnel had to assist, and almost the whole of the equipment was provided for by the medical commander in Serbia, the Corps medical Officer, on order of the AOK (Array Superior Command) 12. Local epidemics were fought and checked. Where it was necessary for the Wehrmacht helped with material and personnel.
"In Greece malaria was fought on a broad basis. Practically the whole civilian population was infected. As here, too, the Civilian government could not cope with the task, the Wehrmacht gave assistance.
"Many medical specialists were used in this service of checking up on the whole civilian population by the help of a series of medical examinations, creeks and rivers were regulated, marshes dried out, and a drainage system inaugurated in order to fight the malaria-mosquitoes. Children and adults of especially badly infected areas were treated with new German medicines. There was a laboratory train provided for this purpose, with specialists of all descriptions -- such as bacteriologists, etc. In it statistical tables were made of the incidents of malaria among the civilian population and many "malariacharts worked out with entries of the percentage of cases in each particular location.
Field Marshal List took great interest in all these activities and I always found him willing, whenever the necessity for sanitary measures on behalf of the civilian population arose, to preside me with the necessary medical equipment and personnel from Army-sources." Wiesbaden. 23 September 1947 signed:
Prof. Dr. Walther KITTEL (Prof.
Dr. Walther KITTEL) It is herewith certified by me that the above signature was given in my presence.
Wiesbaden, 23 September 1947 Signed: Signature official stamp Notary Public Document Register 564/47 fee 2 - RM I now refer to Document 153-A on page 46 which will be submitted as Exhibit 40.
It is a letter of the Papal Apostolic Delegate, Josef Roncalli. I beg to submit a photostatic copy as Exhibit 40. I beg to read:
"Papal Seal, Apostolical Delegation, Athens, 14 September 1941.
"Dear Field Marshal:
"I am deeply touched by your generous gesture, your sense of justice and the benevolence shown to me. I am presently informing the Holy See of it.
"I have considered it fair to allow the gentleman who has occupied the apartment up to now until the 24th inst., in order to give him a chance of finding himself another home. I am anxious to thank you and to wish you the fulfillment of all your dearest wishes."
"Angelo Josef Roncalli, Archbishop of Mesembria, Papal Nuncius."
THE PRESIDENT: Before you take up another document, we will take our afternoon recess at this time.
THE MARSHAL: The Tribunal will be in recess until fifteen-fifteen.
(A recess was taken.)
(AFTER RECESS)
THE MARSHAL: The Tribunal is again in session.
DR. LATERNSER: If the Tribunal please, I was just about to submit evidence which, in the opinion of the defense, eliminates the existence of the plan as asserted by the Prosecution.
The next document to submit will be List Document 156, and this will become List Exhibit 41. This document can be found in List Document Book 3, on page 48. It is an affidavit executed by one Herman Haack. I shall start reading from the third paragraph:
"From the beginning of the Greek campaign in 1941 to the fall 1942 I held the offices of General Staff Administrative Officer in the 12 Army.
"My office, the army administrative office of the 12 Army, has never requisitioned any of the food-supplies in the warehouses of Athens or other Greek towns destined for the civilian population. General Field Marshal List had issued an order that, on principle, food collected by the ration supply offices for the troops had to be paid for and that in these transactions no compulsion was to be exercised. The troops themselves were also not allowed to requisition food. They had to buy everything they wanted and pay for it in cash.
"The troops were strictly forbidden to requisition anything. This order was announced several times in the Army order-of-the-day.
"Only the supplies which the English had left behind, especially these in the harbor of Piraeus, which had been marked down for the use of the English troops were considered a booty by the 12 Army."
This brings me to the end of this document.
The last document on that particular subject matter is List Document 174, and this will become List Exhibit 42. This document is a letter of the Swedish General Reutersward, and this document is contained on page 73. The letter is addressed to Field Marshal List's wife, and it is dated 15 January, 1947. I shall read this letter.
MR. FENSTERMACHER: I object to this. It is not a sworn state ment, nor does it comply with Rule 21 of the Uniform Rules of Procedure.
You will note that it is dated 15 January, 1947, long after the Uniform Rules of Procedure were enacted.
DR. LATERNSER: If the Tribunal please, I am not submitting this document as testimony of General Reutersward. I am merely submitting it as a letter which was sent to Field Marshal List's wife, without anybody asking for such a letter. This letter shows the opinions of the Swedish General, Reutersward, - that is, the opinion about Field Marshal List, and his activities in Greece.
MR. FENSTERMACHER: If Your Honor please, it does not even appear on the fact of the document to whom it is addressed, and when Dr. Laternser says it is addressed to the wife of Field Marshal List, he is doing the testifying.
THE PRESIDENT: Dr. Laternser, there are certain rules which have been set out, and which we, of necessity, must follow. We want to be liberal but we cannot be liberal to the extent of violating all of the rules by which we are to be guided.
The objection will be sustained.
DR. LATERNSER: This, then, brings me to the conclusion of the presentation of evidence for List, on this particular subject, and in my opinion this evidence makes the plan asserted by the Prosecution appear to be absurd.
In spite of all of these measures and the proven attitude of the German troops, insurgent movements developed and these were forcibly supported by the Allied.
You know that Field Marshal List, as one and only one order, issued the order of the 15th of September for the combatting of bands. That is Exhibit 42 and 43, and herewith I would like to recall back this order, on the basis of evidence now to be submitted by me. I would like to show all that happened before this order was issued. I, of course, had to restrict myself to such material as was available, and again, from what material as available, I only selected the war diaries of the Military Commander for Serbia, and those of the 65th Corps, the Headquarters of the 18th Corps, and the 704th and 708th Division, but even using these documents, material was only partially possible because these war diaries were only available covering certain periods of time.
Partially I had to restrict myself, in order not to let the extent of my material become too large. Therefore, I can only here begin an incomplete picture about the situation before the 15th of September, that is, before the order was issued.
First of all, I shall offer, in order to prove the situation before the 5th of September, Document List 200, and this will become List Exhibit 43. This document can be found in -
THE PRESIDENT: May I inquire, Dr. Laternser, as to whether or nor you will retain Exhibit 42, as not having been admitted?
DR. LATERNSER: Thank you for the indication, your Honor. Document, List 200, will become Exhibit 42.
This document can be found in List Book 42 and on page 1. This is an excerpt from the war diary of the Military Commander for Serbia, and there are a few passages that I have to read. I would like to stress, however, that the whole of the document deals exclusively with band activities.
MR. FENSTERMACHER: Your Honor, I object to this. These are excerpts from the War Diary of the Military Commander of Serbia for the month of May 1941. We make no charges against Field Marshal List arising out of any responsibility of his for events in Serbia during the month of April, 1941. I submit, therefore, that this whole document is irrelevant and immaterial.
DR. LATERNSER: If the Tribunal please, it is correct that it says on the first page, "April, 1941", but if the representative of the Prosecution would have looked at the document closely, he would have realized that this document deals with a period of time dating from April, 1941, or rather, May 1941, until 17 August, inclusive, - that is, 17 August, 1941. The heading may be incorrect. However, that is how we find it on the document, and the diary does not only cover the month of April, it covers the whole period of time under discussion here.
I believe, therefore, that the objection cannot be sustained. Furthermore, the Prosecution themselves submitted an excerpt from this document, and I do not think that the Prosecution will say that any part of their evidence is immaterial.
MR. FENSTERMACHER: I object then, Your Honor, on the ground that this is completely cumulative.
THE PRESIDENT: The objection will be overruled.
DR. LATERNSER: I shall start then with reading a few passages from this document in order to give a picture to the Tribunal of what happened before the 5th of September, because I am going to say that everything that happened before the 5th of September was such an abundance of violations of International Law, that a Military Commander had to take the most stringent measures, and I maintain that every Military Commander in such a situation would have threatened, at least those same measures as did Field Marshal List.
DR. LATERNSER: I shall start then reading on page 3, paragraph 8:
A railway tunnel is said to have been blown up East of Visograd in the night between 5 and 6 May.
The district Officer (Landrat) of the Zajecar district reports that the towns of Gradskove and Halove, situated on Serbian soil approximately 5 and 6 km resp. NW of Z., including all communities pertaining thereto have been occupied by Bulgarian troops. Various sources report in addition that Bulgarian soldiers are continually committing border violations, driving off cattle, requisitioning wine, preventing the population from the cultivation of the fields and workers from carrying out railway repairs.
I shall skip one sentence, and it goes on to say:
The High Command of Army 2 has already reported the matter to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and requested for diplomatic remonstrations in order to make the Bulgarians evacuate the district.
Now I shall read from Page 7, paragraph 13b:
"The Wehrmacht Liaison Officer reports on 13 May 1941: The telephone lines and cables on the road Mitrovica-Pac were destroyed at 20 km., West of Pec."
The field trunk cable Nish-Kabanya was cut on 13 May. The perpetrators could not be determined."
In Przega 4 Serbs were sentenced to death by a court martial and shot yesterday because of unlawful possession of arms and breaking in an ammunition dump."
Then on page 8:
Tomic Petar, Nova Varos through Field Headquarters 816.
Petition of the inhabitants of Nova Varos, dated 31 May 1941.
.......................
We further petition that German troops take over the protection of the population and the administration of this territory. The population consists of 13 500 Serbs. There is a minority of Mohammedans of Turkish descent, numbering about 1,800.
After the withdrawal of the German troops from this region, Croat troops have now made their entrance, who, upon instigation of the Mohammedans, behave very incorrectly towards the Serbian population. Cases of looting and house searching have been reported, which were made under the pretense that all this was needed for the German troops. Among other things it was announced that 50 Serbs will be shot if anything should happen to a Croat or a Mohammedan. Besides, it was said that all former orders by the German troops were no longer valid. As a result of all these measures, the Serbian population is in a state of fear and terror. And for this reason it is urgently requested that German troops remedy these conditions and circumstances. We, the undersigned and the entire population put our trust solely in the welldisciplined German troops who everywhere restore peace and order.
I shall skip the next paragraph.
I shall now turn to Page 12, under No. 29 it is said:
"District Command Post 861 Mitrovica reports under date of 19 June 1941: To the east of Produjevo, 29 robbers and murderers were arrested. For summary trial it requests the delegation of the Judge advocate from Administration Headquarters 816 Uzice".
Then under No. 30 it is said:
"The Armed Forces Commander and the Ministry of the Devobranstavacabinet of the Marshal reports to the German General in Zegrab under date of 23 June 1941.
I shall skip a few lines now and shall continue on the third paragraph of page 13:
This Tschetnik group intercepts Croat citizens who are on their way home, gives teachers, mayors and the population the necessary instructions regarding the removal of arms, ammunition and rations, organized risings, etc.
Under No. 32:
"Colonel von KAISENBERG reports on 5 July 1941:
In the underground air-raid shelter on the square where the demonstration of the ethnic Germans in Belgrade was to take place on 6 July 1941, 423 parcels containing explosives were found.
Continuing on page 14, under the figure 1:
On Saturday, the 6 July, district command with the aid of 60 Arnauts (Albanians) carried out a search for arms east of Slatina. A fight with an armed band, lasting nearly 12 hours, ensued along the Kos, Mitrovica-Raska road. Two machine-guns were located, hand grenades and mortars reported, no confirmation. Arnauts lost 1 dead, 1 wounded.
I shall now turn to page 15, figure 38:
Administrative Headquarters 816 Uzice reports on o July 1941:
The following communication was just received from 704. Infantry Division in Valjevo:
Lieutenant KARBERG (st company, Guards Battalion No. 266) reports that two Serbian gendarmes had been shot dead on 7 July 1941 at about 2330 hours near Belackva, 10 kilometers north-east of Krupanje. The gendarmes the reports says, had opposed a crowd of about 100 civilians making Communist harangues, and had been requested to surrender their arms. Of their refusal they had been shot dead. Communist machinations are feared in the mines near Krupanje.
This brings me to page 16:
that the Montenegrinian bands had got the arms from the Italians who were interested to cause trouble for Croats. Furthermore, it was announced that the Croats had also sent 3 bombers, one of which was shot down or destroyed through some cause.
Secret Field Police Group 20, Station Smederevo, submits the following report, dated 5 July 1941:
It was learned on 4 July 1941 that the district governor of Arandjelovac had received word from several peasants that an armed band of about 70 men was roaming the forests about 60 kilometers from Arandjelovac.
These men, among whom there are said to be also 3 women, are said to be armed etc." Now turning to page 17:
Headquarters 610 Pancevo sends excerpts of report from Danube-Bano via on the 9 July 1941.
That is only the title of the report.
I shall now read from page 18, the second paragraph:
Finally I must add that the German soldiers and their officers behaved very decently toward the people of the village not blaming them for their enforced hospitality to the Cetnics, taking into consideration that the peasants had no possibility to offer resistance against such a large group of armed men. A proclamation has been published that the district headman shall adopt all requisite measures and order all elements of public security to locate these people and arrest them in case they appear within their districts. Above all these people must be made of the terrible consequences which - caused by their appearance--will befall our sorely tried people. The district-headmen shall adopt personally as well as trough the mayor requisite measures that our innocent population and the hard-working peasants will not let themselves be seduced by the stupid conduct of individual persons who by such detrimental actions add to the heavy burden which our nation already has to carry.
I suggest to the district-headman that he try by all means to defeat actions of any sort by this armed gang, to prevent their coming and that, in pursuance of previous orders, such armed groups are to be disarmed and dealt with severely according to the laws.
This, as can be gathered here from paragraph 44, is a report of the Danube-Banovia, that is, a report from Serbians, and it is dated 9 July, 1941.
This brings me to page 20 where it says:
Field headquarters 816 Uzice reports by telephone on the 9 July 1941.
During the night from 8 to 9 July 1941 a raid took place, in collaboration with the Secret Field Police, the Constabulary and the army, on communists and nationalists ringleaders in Slatibor.
22 prisoners were brought in. Investigations have been instituted.
I shall now continue on page 21:
Field Headquarters 847 in Sabac reports by the telephone on the 11 July 1941:
On Monday the 7 July 1941 at 17:30 hours 16-20 rebels under the command of the attorney-at-law Dr. PANTIK from Valjevo armed with machine pistols, one machine gun, pistols and rifles appeared at Bela-Zrkva and tried to investigate the population and to destroy the German plants They forbade all further work at the plants threatening to kill; 2 Serbian rural police men who turned up were shot.
I shall now continue to read from page 22 from the second paragraph The bandits have retired and are assembling in the forests.
A decisive action against Bela-Zrkva, Krupanje and Locnica is urgently required. Threats and indications of a general rising in the whole area for the 14 July.
Object: Killing of all Germans officials of the German plants as well as destruction of these.
If the Tribunal please, I maintain here that it was the plan of the bands to kill all opponents, not a plan of the German troops.
Further down, under Paragraph 2:
"Local Headquarters Valjeve has just reported that on the 9 July a gang of about 70 Serbians has disarmed the rural police station with 10 policemen in Radljevo near Ub. The band is supposed to have been in possession of machine guns."
I shall now read from page 24:
"Local Headquarters 816. Maj. Rottok reports on 12 July, 1941:
The telephone lines from Uzice to Belgrade and from Uzice to Casak are out of order. One can get in touch with Uzice via Nisch-Kraljeve."
I shall now skip two sentences:
In the course of the next few days, in particular on 14 July, the rebels are planning major attacks.
Further information on this subject has been dispatched by train courier to Belgrade.
South of Cacak 3000 rebels are said to have collected:
...................
Report by Col. v. STOCKHAUSEN, dated 12 July, 1941:
1. In Cacak the major part of the population is in the streets awaiting the Russian Paratroopers.
2. In the mountains south-east of Uzice, in the area of Arilje (22 kilometers south-east of Uzice) about 10 mounted men and motor cyclists were observed, distributing letters by Peter II, to the effect that men between the ages of 17 to 60 should keep themselves in readiness for an attack on Cacak. Business men in Cacak are removing their wares from their stores as they are counting on an impending attack.
I shall now read from page 27:
On 11 July 1941 the III I fantry Regiment 724 reports:
To-day the Local Headquarters received a letter from the head of the Trnava district, dated 10 July 1941.
On 11 July 1941 the forest ranger from the Jelica ridge of hills, which stretched along South West of the railroad section Cacak-Kraljevo reported and stated that the farmers and cottagers of the entire territories have been incited by the communists who fled from Cacak, to take part in a surprise attack on Cacak, on Monday 14 July 1941. Russian planes and air borne units are to be expected. Cacak is to be the starting point of the revolution in Serbia, which is to begin at the 14th of July 1941. Most of the inhabitants of the groups of houses scattered in the territory have been armed in the meantime. They have not only rifles but" also pistols, submachine guns, and hand-grenades.
People even carry these weapons in public now. There are even Serbian officers in uniform. Farmers, that is Communists are sitting at all borders of the woods from where they observe all roads.
It has been planned to destroy the telephone wires from Cacak to Kraljevo, from Cacak to Milanovac and from Cacak to Pozega as well as to interrupt the railroad lines. Approximately 3000 Serbs are ready for action. Reports have arrived from other areas also, to the effect, that a operation is planned for the 14th of July.
......................
66.) On 10 July 1941 the III Infantry Regiment 724 reports: Felix TSCHEKON, who speaks German and comes from Podvelka near Marburg, reported at the Local Headquarters of Cacak, to give important informations.
On 9 July 1941 he stated: I was separated from my family which remained in Podvelka and I was taken on a transport via Cacak to Cuca, which lies about 23 km South of Cacak. On Friday the 4th of July we arrived at Cuca. The Chief of the District Administration of that district came to meet us with his carriage, he greeted us and said: "Russia is doing fine, we will soon be able to give the Swabians (Germans) what is coming to them."
On 5 July 1941 two priests from Cuca came to see me and invited me to join the Komitatschis, as other Slovenes had done already. I would not find any work anyway, the Komitatschis however would furnish me with money and food. It is said that preparations have been made, to start operations about 10 days from now. No German soldier will stay alive.
If the Tribunal please, that was the plan of the bands, I believe. "There is an abundance of men and weapons."
I shall now turn to Page 30.
"On 10 July 1941 the 816 Field Headquarters reports: I shall skip four lines after that and shall start reading from the following:
On 8 July the following facts were established in the report:
On 7 July at about 17.00, approximately 10 - 12 men, some of them armed with carbines and one light machine gun appeared at the market of the village of Bela-Crkva (10 km North East of Konpanj) The chiefs of this band called the farmers, about 100 men, together and made inflammatory speeches against Germany.
The theme of the speeches was: "Exhortation to rebel against Germany; the Red army is attacking Germany again, now the hour has come to throw off the German Capitalist yoke." I shall skip three sentences and continue:
Shortly after this meeting two Serb policemen appeared before the mayor's office, namely sergeant-major Milan DRAGOWITSCH and sergeant-major Bogdan LONCHAR from the field police station ZAVIOKA. The mayor reported the occurrence to them. During the conversation two armed bandits, who had probably watched the policemen approaching, sneaked around the mayor's house and at pistol point requested both policemen to lay down their arms. The policemen reciprocated with the same request but the bandits opened fire fatally wounding both policemen. Than the bandits seized the policemen's rifles and fled into the near-by forest. During the fight the villagers hid in their houses. 70. Police command Valjevo reports on 14 July 1941.
During the night from 10 to 11 July 1941, about 19.00 hours, armed farmers attacked and disarmed the permanent patrol in Panjani.
On 11 July between 1 and 2 hours unidentified armed persons placed dynamite under the railroad tracks 1 km west of railroad station Divci and destroyed them. Tracks and telephone wires were repaired again. One bomb each was exploded in Banjani and Divci.
That brings me to Paragraph 73, on Page 33: 73.) The Italian liaison officer reports on 14 July 1941.
About 3-4000 partisans, armed with machine-guns and guns are reputed to be in the area of Lebane, 20 kilometers south-west of Leskovac.
Now the last two lines at the bottom of the page:
Wehrmacht transportation division reports, that during the night from 13 to 14 July all telephone and telegraph wires as well as the safety devices on the railroad line between Ripanj and Ralja were disrupted."
Now, Paragraph 76:
"On 12 July, 1900 hours, a woman set fire to the car of Oberleutnant BLASE III/Fz. Battalion 18 by means of incendiaries."
I shall now turn to Page 36, Paragraph 84: 84.) Main Repair Agency Belgrade on 15 July 1941, Unteroffizier DIETSCH.
On 14 July the Main Repair Agency reported disruptions of all telephone wires in the direction of Mladenovac. I immediately drove with my construction detail to the indicated line to Ripanj and at 0920 hours the fault in the lines was located from both sides. Since there was no road, the distance had to be traversed on bicycles. At 10:45 hours I was able to report to the Main Repair Agency that on the railway tunnel all wires between poles No. 571 and 572 on the telephone line had been cut as well as those between the poles No. 622 and 623 on the telegraph line.
Now, I shall read from Page 37:
During the night to 14 July 1941, between 22 and 23 hours, an attempt was made to blow up the railway line at kilometer 560.6/7, between the stations of Vrbovsko and Moravice, resulting in 33 km of the left rail being blown up.
I shall now continue on page 40:
According to a message received from Liaison Officer Sofia, 9 Russian parachutists were landed in the Bulgarian Dobrudja on 14 July, all of whom were taken prisoner. As the possibility of a similar action in Serbia cannot be excluded, it is recommended to watch such possible events with special care.
95.) Wehrmacht Liaison Office Belgrade reports on the 18 July 1941.
In addition to what has already been communicated, the following was learned:
According to precise information, the Colonel of the General Staff Dr. Draza PAVLOVIC and some other officers, among them also English instructors, have organized a staff under the Red flag. This staff has two radio broadcast stations, one working with Moscow, the other with London. The staff rallies Communists and Cetniks for a revolt. On 28 July 1941 an English plane will fly over Malesa and drop instructions as to when the revolt is to be started. Jews will finance the revolt. There are spies in Belgrade who are providing the staff of the insurgents with information on German troop movements.
This will bring me to Page 41, where under Paragraph 99 it says: "Wehrmacht Liaison Office Belgrade reports under 16 July 1941." I shall read only the last sentence: "Atmosphere among the Serbians near the bursting point."
I shall continue to read from Page 43 now. I beg your pardon; I made a mistake here. It's Page 45 from which I am going to read, Paragraph 101c:
On 20 July 1941 the village of Grin Tresnjevica, 10 km south of Topola was attacked by a band of about 100 men; 4 Serbian gendarmes wore shot.
I shall continue to read from Page 46:
Report from Novipacar, 22 July 1941, 07.00 hours. from local Gendarmerie Station:
Montenegrine Communists, together with the rebel farmers are advancing and have set on fire the village of Trebinje, which is 10 km from Sjenica. Our Gendarmerie and soldiers, as well as the Citizens' Militia have withdrawn under pressure from the enemy. Also the village of Bari is on fire, the houses are gutted etc."
I shall continue to read from Page 47, Paragraph 104c: 104c.) Security Service Belgrade reports on 31 July 41:
According to a report which has come to hand, on 22 July 41, 100 armed Communists attacked the village of Valjevaca Kamonica with rifles and machine guns. The fight between the Communists and the Gendarmerie took place between 0500 and 0600 o'clock in the morning. The local Gendarmerie Commander Sergeant (Wachtmeister) Perko Jankovic was seriously wounded. 3 gendarmes were kidnapped. 200 000 Dinar were robbed from the Office of Taxes, as well as the entire equipment of the Local Gendarmerie Commando.
Then, it goes on to say:
Security Service Belgrade reports on 31 July 1941:
According to a report which has come to hand, during the night of 21/22 July 1941 about 100 armed Communists attacked the Municipal Office in Osecina. The files were destroyed by fire. The magistrate was forbidden to set foot again in the Municipal Office.
I shall continue to read from Page 48, Paragraph 106:
"Field Information Headquarters 32, Belgrade, reports on 22 July 1941.
On 22 July 1941 a new case of sabotage on the system of poles of the railroad Belgrade-Semlin at about 09:00 hours was reported to the Field Information Headquarters Belgrade.
I shall skip a few lines now and continue:
The view that presented itself was an awful tangle of severed wire connections.
The place of the sabotage act suggests that the perpetrator or perpetrators were definitely aware of the importance and great consequence of the lines running over these poles, because the deed has not been carried out without a plan.
...........
106a. The Armed Force Office reports on 29 July 1941:
During the night of 24/25 July 1941 a band of about 30 Chetniks blew up the southern end of the railroad viaduct between the Ripanij Tunnel and Ralja, on the railroad Belgrade-Nisch. The rails, the pillars and the iron construction were destroyed to a limited extent. The traffic on this line will probably have to remain interrupted for a fortnight.
.................
During the same night and about at the same hour also the railroad viaduct near Mala Krsna - on the alternative line Belgrade-Nisch - was blown up by unknown perpetrators.
On Page 50 I shall continue to read from Paragraph 107:
On 22 July 1941 all telephone lines in the direction of Smederevo were interrupted.
109.) Police Prefect REITH, Petrovgrad, reports on 23 July 1941. Last night the railroad bridge near Padej was blown up.
On Page 51, Paragraph 112b:
Field H.Q. Zagreb Agram announces on 24 July 1941:
A bomb was thrown on the railway line Zagreb-Karlovac at approximately 1900 hrs., about 150 meters south of the large Save bridge, causing the derailment of a passenger car and 2 tank cars. The explosion took place the moment when the passenger train in the direction of Karlovac passed this spot. The investigations have not resulted in any clues yet.
Then on Page 52: