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:
Telephone message of the Liaison Post on 29 July 1941, at 0345 hrs. Armed Forces Transportation Control H.Q. reported that the viaduct on the Vilja-Krazsua line near Belipotek, 10 kilometers south of Belgrade, and the tunnel on the Ralja-Nish line have been blown up. Both roads are blocked.
Telephone call District Command Sabac of 29 July 1941, 1940 hrs:
On the 20 July 1941 armed men raided the municipal office in Lobecanj, and burnt all books and documents. They spread the rumour that the Russians would be in Serbia within 8 days.
Page. 53:
119a. On 26 July 1941 a Communist attempt to bomb the propaganda radio station Belgrade was prevented.
Then further down:
121. Field H. Q. 6l0 Pancevo reports on 26 July 1941. Yesterday, at 2130 hrs., communists who have not been captured as yet set fire to a granary on the northern outskirts of Petrovgrad. Approximately 30 t were destroyed.
Another fire broke out in petrovgrad at 2230 hrs, which destroyed approximately 20 t of grain.
122b. Field H. Q. 816, Uzice reports on 27 July 1941:
This morning, probably at about 1000 hrs, a motorcycle of the Reserve Police Battalion 64, was fired at by bandits on about the same spot where an attempt had been made on the life of Colonel LONSCHER. 1 passenger dead, the other missing, probably kidnapped by the bandits. The dead man has been robbed. The motorcycle and the rifle of the missing man were found in the forest.
I shall continue to read from cage 55, the first paragraph:
Serbian gendarmerie and armed bands. No particulars received as yet. In Belgrade, one of the big garages of the army Motor Pool was burnt down, probably through sabotage. 23 cars of obsolete make, destroyed. A number of suspects arrested. Investigations are being made.
125. 28 July 1941.
Acts of sabotage in Belgrade, also in the Petrovgrad district. In the latter, 2 members of the Wehrmacht reported killed. In the Valjevo district a motorcycle was fired at by bandits. 1 dead, 1 missing.
I shall turn to page 56 towards the bottom, 128:
128. Armed Forces Liaison office, Belgrade reports on 28 July 1941:
A V-man (agent) reports that during the night of 12/13 July 1941, about 80 guerrillas attacked the village of Curevo about 28 km south of Foca. 2 constables and 17 civilians were killed.
130. Information received from the headquarters of the LXV Corps, dated 31 July 1941:
1. On 30 July 1941, during the evening, a car containing the Ib (quartermaster) of the 717 Inf. Div. was shot at on the road kagujevac-Jagodina near Buna.
The driver was shot thru the hands.
131. Mining Engineer F.A. WEBER reports on 22 July 1941:
Re: Sacking of the lead-zinc mine "Suplja Stena".
On 21 July 1941, I was informed that Komitatschi were marching towards us whose intention it was to shoot me. I therefore fled, together with an ethnic German family, the members of which were also employed in the plant, to the police station Celebic. During the course of the day I was informed that: "At 12 o'clock more than 35 Komitatschi /without the sentries posted/ about 20 women and more than 20 horses arrived in the area of the plant. The Komitatschi are being led by three officers in Airforce-Artillery or Infantry uniforms. Arms equipment: Italian, Austrian and Yugoslav military rifles and one Yugoslav machine gun.
The predominantly Pravo-Slavic workers were driven into one of the mine galleries. After that the plant was thoroughly looted, including explosives, fuel and tools.
After the looting the workers were forced to leave the plant at once under threat of being shot. The Komitatschi gave out that the Russians were in Salonika and Belgrade, communism was on the march to conquer all Europe etc. and that the German swine would never be allowed to enter the mine again.
132a. Report from Commander Banus Dr. STAVANOWITSCH of 24 July 1941:
In the night from 22 to 23 July 13 bandits raided the house of NENANDOWITSCH Alexander from Ripanj, robbed 17 large and 1 small gold ducats and 2300 Dinar in cash, cutting of NENANDOWITSCH' right ear.
b. On the 19 July a communist gang attacked a motor truck near Staro-Zelo occupied by a German officer and a soldier the soldier was killed, but the officer was rescued by a patrol.
I shall now read from page 59:
133. Report from the Serbian Rural Police Station at Markovac of 23 July 1941:
On the 24 July an armed group of about 50 men ambushed and and attacked the rural police patrol of the Markovac station with the corporal Malesevic DUSAN and the lance-corporal Ralivoje ANDELKOVIC in the village of Bakina, 3 km West of Markovac, Vel. Oraski district, Banat, Duvanska and disarmed them under threat of being shot.
On the 24 July another patrol of 4 men was attacked, and machine-gunned obviously by the same armed group, the patrol was forced to retreat. No losses.
The same armed gang of 11 men appeared toward 21:00 hours in Markovac threatening the inhabitant MILIVOJ, the Mayor Miskovic *IKA and the sergeant of the rural police ZARKO, blaming them for having got the father of one of the armed men into prison. They took away the books from the former Vladimir BOJOVIC who was just thrashing and forbade him to put down the quantity of the thrashed grain. The peasant Milan MITROVIC has been abducted by the bandits to an unknown place. When leaving the village they threatened to set fire to the Mayor's house and to kill him.
137. Military Field headquarters 816 Uzice reports on 31 July 1941.
1. Unsuccessful police action against bandits in bands of 10 men north of Bacana.
2. On 30 July at about 14:00 hours a band of 20 armed persons attacked a patrol of Serbian rural police between Vrelo and Banjani, district Ub, 7 km northwest of Ub. 1 policeman severely wounded. The band is being pursued.
3. On 31 July at about 01:30 hours 15 armed bandits attacked the house of the mayor in Preljnica 9 km northeast of Cacak, incited him to disobey and gave him threatening letters for the Landrat and commander of the rural police.
Now I shall read from page 61, 141:
141. Teletype FK 816 Uzice dated 2 August 1941:
1. Two attacks on the Serbian rural police-station in Lubovica took place yesterday and the day before.
2. At midnight on 2 August 1941 a band of 50 to 60 men strong attacked and looted the railway-station Zablace. 15,000 Dinar were stolen. Hay-wagon set on fire. Railway train Kraljewo-Cacac searched by the bandits.
143. FK. 610 reported on 2 August 1941:
The head of the district of Arandjelovac wires as follows:
Last night, 1 August 1941, at about 19:30 hours, a group of armed persons forced its way into the town-hall of the town-ship Mi-Miloschevac, all official documents and ledgers were taken away and burned in the presence of the community. The head of the community was threatened at their departure with being hanged unless he stop his activity.
144. Transport-Headquarters, Belgrade, paymaster BECKER, reported on 2 August.
Railway-administration Valjevo reported at 14:15 hours:
The local train 218 was stopped today in Zablace by a band of 50-60 men and a search was made for members of the German Armed Forces.
The band was armed with machine-guns, rifles and pistols. The railwaysafe was robbed of 15,000 Dinar and 2 rifles. In addition 500 bales of hay were set on fire by the band. Members of the German Armed Forces were not on the train.
I shall continue to read from page 64.
148a. FK 610, Pancevo reports on 6 August 1941:
1. 40 bandits attacked railway-station Selo-Banja on 3 August 1941 at 09:00 hours. Installations demolished. They chased the officials away and vanished in direction Orasac.
I shall skip 2. Three reads:
20 bandits attacked the town-hall of Zagerica on 3 August 1941, 17:00 hours, set fire to the town-archives, stole 3,277 Dinar, and declared that this money would be divided among the poor.
4. On 3 August 1941 the following communities were attacked by armed persons: Plaskovac and Maskar Osiste...
5. On 3 August 1941, after having disarmed the rural police-station Barajevo, 10 bandits tore up the check-lists of the thrashing machines and drove the officials away in the township of Bacevac. Burning of the archives was prevented. Rural police was powerless.
6. Arandjelovac reports:
On 3 August 1941 40 bandits attacked the town-hall of Stradari (15 kilometers South of Topola - it should probably read Stragari) burned town-documents and interfered with the lines. They are being pursued.
7. Arandjelovac reports:
Attack on township of Kopljar on 3 August 1941. Officeseal and files destroyed.
I shall continue to read from page 65:
152. Corporal MUELLER reports on the 4 August 1941 at 6:00 hours:
I had received the order from the Commander Kragujevac to arrest a gang leader in Bakovac this morning. When I had advanced 200 mtrs. into the village with my squad, 1 noncom, 15 privates, we were fired on presumably by two machine guns, and shots were fired also from the trees. In the face of the superior enemy strength I rallied my squad and retreated. One man, Lance-Corp. BRENNICH, got a shot in the head and was seriously wounded.
153. 5 August 1941 The following telephone lines were destroyed last night by unknown perpetrators:
I don't want to read the names.
153. During the night from the 4 to 5 August 1941 "rubber-killers" were thrown on the road from Obrenovac to Belgrade, densely on the stretch up to 20 km from Obrenovac and less densely from there on to Belgrade. 17 motor vehicles of the Air Force and 5 others, including 1 ambulance truck, had tire-punctures.
153b. Telephone call from Field Headquarters 816, Uzice, on the 7 August 1941, 16:15 hours:
On the 4 August 1941, at about 1:00 hours bandits tried to blast the railroad bridge across the Tamnava river (about 12 km South of Obrenovac). One cross-support was partly damaged. Traffic not obstructed. Repairs being made.
Now I shall continue to read:
154. Field headquarter 809, Nisch, report on the 4 August 1941:
On the 3 August at 21:20 hours a hand-grenade or bomb was thrown into the dining room of the Park Hotel in Nisch by unknown perpetrators. The explosion injured three members of the Armed Forces seriously and four more slightly. Furthermore, a woman staying in the room and the conductor of the band playing in the hotel were seriously injured. Of the injured, one of the seriously wounded soldiers and the seriously wounded woman died. The other seriously and slightly wounded are now in the surgical ward of the Nisch war-hospital.
The woman died in Nisch hospital of her injuries.
Court No. V, Case No. VII.
persons, dressed in peasant and town-peoples' garb, 2 in uniforms, calling themselves communists, arrived at the township of Kloza (10 km East of Topola) and set fire to the municipal archive, cash-books and other documents, taking 700 Dinar from the cash-box. After that, they left taking with them the keys from the cash-box and other keys belonging to the municipality. On the same day, at about 7:00, 70 unknown persons, dressed in peasant garb, calling themselves communists arrived at the township of Jancovac and set fire to the municipal archive and cash-books, taking with them 6000 Dinar and the cash-box and other keys belonging to the municipality.
160.) Commander Kragujevac reports on the 6 August 1941:
District Magistrate in Arandjelovac reports:
On the 5 August 1941 at 19:30 a troup of about 120 armed men raided the Rural Police Station at Donja-Satornja. The firing lasted for about 1 1/2 hours. The Rural Police was disarmed and the arms carried off. The attacking gang withdrew in the direction toward Rudnik, cutting the telephone wires. Measures have been taken to track down and round up the attackers."
On page 68, 163.)
Army-Liaison Quarters report on the 6 August 1941 over the telephone at 23:00 hours:
38 km from Belgrade, on the Lazarerac road a bullet-riddled Wehrmacht motorcar was found on the road and a dead soldier discovered in the adjoining corn fields. It was a Lance Corporal of Artillery belonging to the Artillery Battalion of Valjevo. The corpse was badly mutilated and taken to Belgrade."
I shall continue to read from page 70:
"168. On 8 August 1941, 1725 hours, the Higher Command of the LXV Corps Major Kolbe, reported:
1. That Communists stopped a train near Cuprija, forced some men of German blood to alight and shot them."
"169) Field Headquarters 610, Pancevo, reported by telephone on Court No. V, Case No. VII.
8 August 1941 as follows:
1. The district-head JANCOVIC reported via district headquarters KRAGUJEVAC:
that on 7 August 1941, 18:30 hours, a Communist band of 11 men, armed with rifles and sub-machine-guns, forced their way into the Vokofacec local court, burned the town archives and the account books, sealed the Court with red sealing wax and warned the mayor and manager not to execute their duties any longer, else they would be shot. Pursuit squads are searching for the band."
I shall continue to read from page 71:
170a) Telephone message from district headquarters of Kragujevac on 8 August 1941 at 13:55 hours, stating that a motor car of the district headquarters of Kragujevac was attacked by bandits near Topola at noon-time when on a long distance trip. The car was completely destroyed. The private first class GERTIG, interpreter, was killed, sergeant GUMPERT, driver, was dragged away, and staff-sergeant KAUSCH was able to reach Topola bare-footed. Topola Local Commander and District Headquarters of Kragujevac have sent trucks to the place of the incident."
I shall continue to read from page 72:
"173. Belgrade Railway Traffic Officer reported by telephone on 9 August at 7:40 hours that the train No. 333 was attacked by unknown persons in the railway station of Latcovic (12 kilometers north-east of Mionica. 3 German soldiers were killed and some civilians were injured.
"175. Higher Command LXV reported on 9 August at 1045 Hours.
"1. That communists presented an ultimatum in Caprija saying that more racial Germans would be shot if 8 arrested Communists were not released by 1300 Hours."
I shall continue to read now from page 75.
Court No. V, Case No. VII.
"182. FK 816 Uzice reports:
On 10 Aug., at 2400 hours, 15 Communists attacked the Municipal building Salotnsi (dist. of Banja Baska). Archives were burnt. Cash box looted. 11 Aug., at 1:00 hours 15 communists attacked the railway station of Sevojno for the second time and looted it. Various murders of Municipal employees have been reported.
"183. Daily Report, 9 Aug. 1941 "1. Attacks directed against Wehrmacht:
On 8 Aug. 1941, a Wehrmacht car was shot at near Trnava. Losses: 1 Pfc killed, 1 non-com. officer missing. During night 8/9 a communist band attacked a train stopping at the station of Latkovic. Losses: 8 soldiers killed, 1 injured, 1 missing, in addition 8 civilians were wounded."
"2. Ethnic Germans attacked: On 8 Aug. 1941 a communist band attacked a train near Ravnarka. All Ethnic Germans were taken from the train and shot. Number of these shot, unknown so far." I shall continue to read from page 74 now:
"185. "The Plenipotentiary for Economy reports on 14 Aug. 1941: Tonight at 2400 hours, the mine Avala was attacked. 100 kg. of explosives were stolen and the Serbian guard was injured."
THE PRESIDENT: Pardon me, Dr. Laternser, in connection with your reference to page 75, there seems to be two numbered 75, perhaps one of them should be 74?
DR. LATERNSER: Yes, I am quite sure one of them should be 74.
THE PRESIDENT: For the record, perhaps it should show that the Nos. 179 to 183 will be found on page 74 and the Nos. 184 and 185 will be found on page 75.
DR. LATERNSER: Thank you very much Your Honor. I shall read from the last paragraph on page 75.
FK 816 Uzice reports On 12 Aug.
1941 at 500 hours a band of 250 men attacked the police station and the railway station as well as the Municipal Court No. V, Case No. VII.
office Studline; 10 policemen were kidnapped, 12 rifles taken. On 12 Aug. at 900 hours, a gang destroyed the furnishings of the Rail - and Post office in Dublje.
On 10 Aug. the Police station and the Agricultural Cooperative Soc. of Klenje (4 km SW of Bogatio) were looted by communists."
I shall continue to read from page 76. I shall not read anything from page 76, but I shall read from page 77, at the top from figure 6:
"6. Umka: on 14 September a group of 40 armed partisans attacked Conatice, burned the files and kidnapped the mayor. Upon intercession of the inhabitants he was released.
"7. Roca: on 14 August at 1630 hours 5 armed bandits burned the municipal files in Kremare."
If Your Honors please, from this document I only read a few pages. The whole of the document deals exclusively with the band activities which took place before the 5th of September.
MR. FENSTERMACHER: Your Honor, before we leave this document, I should like to read a very few brief excerpts into the record which Dr. Laternser had very kindly translated, but did not read. The first is on page 6 under paragraph 12.
"12.) Field Headquarters 816 received a report stating that a band of armed partisans in Serbian military uniforms in the strength of 8 men with a machine gun were observed in the towns of Prilike and Brezova at 10 o'clock in the morning of 6 May 1941."
Next on page 11, under paragraph 27:
"27.) 1st Bn. Inf. Regt. 330 reports on 7 June 1941:
According to trustworthy information by a local ethnic German who eavesdropped on a conversation between a peasant....."
THE PRESIDENT: We are not getting it over the sound.
MR. FENSTERMACHER: Do you have the key on?
THE INTERPRETER: Yes, will you please talk into the Mike?
MR. FENSTERMACHER: Continuing on page 11, under paragraph 27....
THE PRESIDENT: I can understand you from speaking, but we are Court No. V, Case No. VII.