"Attack 2 Sept in the area of 714th Infantry Division near Dwuja Salornia on a signal detachment. Railway protection at Milizove a strong attack successfully repulsed.... 714th Infantry Division: Railway bridge at Zablace, 8 km SE Cacak destroyed.....
3 Sept. 1941, Teletype to Military Commander Southeast-: Situation at Krupanj and Koviljuca serious, unchanged. Relief attempts from Valjevo and, on the Croatian sector, from Zvornik - Kozlar can not be effected until 4 Sept Area west of the Mitrovica - Sabac - Valjevo - Ragacica line is in power of rebels.
4 Sept. 1941 Only radio communication left with the divisions in the Serbian sector. 2 companies encircled at Krupanj were captured in breakthrough attempt, assisted by Stukas.... Our losses: 2 companies in Krupanj, one company and one platoon missing in Loznica and Zajuca. Strong band development reported from the areas SE of Mitrovica, at Stabiline and Lajkovac.
4 Sept. 1941 ... Everywhere fight against small bands . . . .
6 Sept. 1941 .. Valjevo threatened, committed until now the 3rd and 5th Co. of 724th Regt., 12th Co. 749th Regt., and 1 Reading Unit from the 749th Regt. Losses at Krupanj: 5 officers, 21 non-commissioned officers and 145 men. The relieving unit and the rest of those who broke out of Krupanj reached Valjevo at midnight."
DR. LATERNSER: May I draw the attention of the Tribunal to the fact that the Krupanj incident where the losses amounted to 5 officers, 21 non-commissioned officers and 145 men in this one incident, took place on the 4th of September, 1941?
That brings me, for the moment, to the end of this document, and in a different context I should like to read a few passages into the record.
I am now going to present List document 104, and this will become List Exhibit 44. This document can be found in List Document Book 4b, on page 177. This document is an excerpt from the War Diary of the 718th Infantry Division. I am going to read only a few passages concerning incidents which took place before the 5th of September.
May I, before I start, point out to the Tribunal the fact that pages 178 to 203, deal exclusively with such incidents. I am only going to read a very few passages, however, from this document. The document starts on page 177, and I shall read my first passage from page 182, towards the middle of the page:
"8 August 1941. Report by Artillery Battalion 668, Doboj:
8 Gendarmery officers in Olove murdered alledgedly after storming and burning of the Gendarmery barracks. 400 armed Serbs are said to be advancing from direction Kladanj-Olove towards Zavidovici". Now the last paragraph:
"Report Artillery Battalion 668:
During the attack of Cetnici on km. 104-106 of the railway line Zavidovici and Olove, a railway bridge was blown up southeast of Olove."
Now a paragraph on page 183:
"7 August 1941:
22.00 Long - distance call by I.R. 750: On 7.8., at 09.00 hrs. a band of about 100 men attacked Bogatic. The Chief of the District, his deputy, as well as one civilian were shot, 1 racial German was seriously injured. The band and the civilian population suffered losses that could not be ascertained. Telephone communications were disrupted. Prisoners were set free and most of the Serbian Gendarmery disarmed."
I shall continue now on page 184:
"9 August 1941 0930 hours:
Two ambulances on their way from Sarajevo to Belgrade (return after abandonment of the war hospital in Sarajevo) were taken under fire by Serbian Insurgents on Thursday 7 August 1941, at about 0830 hours in the village of Sokolac, 1 km northeast on the road to Klasmica."
I am not going to read anything from page 185, but I shall continue to read on page 186 on the top of the page there:
"1045 hours:
Pioneer Comp. reports: Dynamiting of a rail of the double track line Brod to Zagreb. Time of the dynamiting 0120, approximately 10 seconds after the passing of the leave train. The last carriage had just got over the spot when the track was blown up. Duration of the traffic holdup about 2 hours. " I shall skip page 187 and read a passage from page 188, the last one-third of the page there:
"18 August, 1941".
I am omitting the first sentences:
"Place combed free from Communists. The male population has left Lipolist, some prisoners were brought in and are being interrogated." I shall continue now to read from Page 189: "1130 hours".
I omit the first paragraph and continue where it says:
"Drinyaca was fired upon with artillery by the Serbs in the night from 18th to 19th.
20 August 1941. 1000 hours. Ascertained that women in the houses there are in in contact with insurgents, supplying them with food. There is evidence that the insurgents are going about in women's clothing."
I shall now read from page 190, second half of the page: "21 August, 1941:
"1150 hours". I am omitting the first two sentences:
On the March back the 8th/Inf.Reg. 750 meets with fire (losses 3 killed, 10 wounded.)
Report from Inf. Reg. 738: The area Company of the MokroRomanya-Sokalac combed by the 5th and 6th 738 and 1 platoon of Art. Det. 668. The bodies of the 6 soldiers killed on 19 August are recovered. 11th Company Inf. Reg. 738 returns from the operation ordered by the 704th Inf. Div. to the Lipolist area. Losses: 7 killed."
I shall now read on page 191:
"1737 hours:
I. Lt. Pott, 0-1 (special missions officer attached to the Ia) with the Higher Command LXV Corps; 704th Infantry Division requests to establish contact with the IIIrd Battalion of Infantry Regiment 738. The situation is very critical! On the march from Sminjak to Sabac the 8th Company of Regiment 750 encountered rifle-fire at 19.00 hours. Losses: 3 dead, 11 wounded.
I am omitting the next paragraph, and will continue on the 22nd August, 1941:
"Insurgents retreated to the Kozara. 2031: Teletype from Armored Train 24; 2 to 3 kilometers southeast of Kostajnica about 50 burning houses observed."
I shall continue to read now from page 193. There it is stated under the 24th of August, 1941:
"Railroad station Rudanka destroyed. One murdered official was found. Doboj ammunition depot looted. About 2 carloads of ammunition were taken away by the insurgents. Two ammunition bearers were taken prisoners."
I shall now continue to read from page 195, 27 August 1941, 1610 hours:
Captain Fertner reports by telephone from Jajce:
Insurgents attacked today the Croatians near Sipovo. The latter abandoned the only gun without taking out the breech mechanism. The insurgents have the intent to advance from Varcar Vakuf towards the highroad Jajce-Banja Luka near Crna Rijeka. On the opposite bank of the Vras bands appeared. 12 villages around Jajce are burning. The people are slaughtered. About 2000 refugees from the burnt down villages arrived in Jajce. This results already in food difficulties.
I shall continue to read now from page 203. All of the incidents contained in the pages which I omitted also refer to the period of time before the 5th of September.
"5 September 1941" -- that is on page 203:
19.15 Telephone message from Captain Brunk:
"According to teletyped proclamations issued by the Commander of the insurrectionists Captain Milivoj Dukunovic, to-morrow the 6 September 1941 the mobilization of the entire male population able to bear arms from the vicinity of Zvornik will take place 3.5 kilometers east of Zvornik near Vlaska Njiva.
The insurrectionists are encamped near Machov Kam, 16 kilometers southeast of Zvornik. The 3rd Battalion of the 738th Regiment applies for air support."
23.20 Post Headquarter Brod reports, that at 22.50 o'clock the railway line Brod- Sunja was blown up.
This brings me to the end of this document just for the moment. In a different context I am going to read yet some other passages. The next document to be offered is List Document No. 205, and this will be submitted as List Exhibit 45.
This document can be found in List Document Book 5, on page 2. This is an excerpt from the Activity Report of the 704th Infantry Division. Here also, I am exclusively dealing with events that took place before the 5th of September. From the abundance of material available, I am just taking a few passages as examples, and I shall start reading from page 2:
2 August 1941 Company 2 and 4 of Regiment 274 jointly Valjevo with 1st Battalion of Regiment 724, are put into action against a band near Banjica, 10 km in southeasterly direction of Cacak, which had fired on a Wehrmacht truck near Bacak, looted the railroad station Zablace on the rail line CacakKraljevo and stopped and searched a train there.
On page 3 of the same document, towards the bottom of the page, the last but one:
"It is suspected that secret communications of the insurgents are transmitted by motor vehicles which are frequently disguised as Wehrmacht vehicles; Division orders the control of the motor vehicle traffic."
Page 4, approximately toward the middle of the page:
"5 August, 1941: Pantic band detachment of the people's liberators attempts to take hostages from the population and sends threatening letters to the Police."
I am now going to read from page 6 of this document, towards the bottom of the page. There it is stated under date of "11 August 1941:
Valjevo: A band 250 men strong, part of them in German uniforms, attacks the police station and railway station of Stubline, 40 km northwest of Valjevo."
Page 7 of this document:
"11 August, 1941. I am omitting the first paragraph and only read the impressions:
"The bands do not stand and fight, but withdraw from the scene of the action immediately after the attack. Their strength apparently lies in this."
The next page which is page 8, towards the bottom of the page, the last but one paragraph:
13 August 1941: On 14 August company goes on to Krupanj to make contact there with outguard in the Stolica antimony plant. 6km north of Krupanj. All quiet in Stolica. According to statements of inhabitants an attack on Krupanj is likewise imminent."
The next part to read will be on page 13, the last one-third of the page:
19.8.41 .........
Valjevo Division received report of a Communist band in the Sokolplanina (name not on map) at Stave, 15 km west of Valjevo. Through terror the band is compelling the peasants to join and an attack on Stolica and Krupanj is planned.
................
Mil. Adm. HQ. 816 Uzice reports: According to a report by a peasant from Kapavnik-mountain cast of the Ibar valley about 1000 Cetnici with machine guns and mountain artillery are supposed to be between Raska and Mitrovica, planning to attack Novi Pazar and Mitrovica during the next days, 500 men are said to have passed during the last days from the Rogosna mountain, west of the Ibar valley to the Kapavnik mountain.
Page 14, the last paragraph:
"20 August 1841, Valjevo: Mine of Zajaca closed, because on account of Communist threats workers don't show up for work. Supply of ore for one more day available, then the plant will have to be closed also because of lack of coal."
Page 15, at the top of the page, first paragraph:
"21 August 1941, Valjevo:
Decree of the Serbian Minister of the Interior regarding the struggle against Communist bands and restoration of peace and order."
Then the last paragraph toward the bottom of the page:
"23 August, 1941, Valjevo:
"In Stupnica, 12 km southeast of Losnica close to westerly road Valjevo-Losnica, Communists through placards are calling all men between the ages of 16 - 60 for recruitment and are threatening reprisals in case of non-compliance.
Besides call for mass-meeting at monastery Korenita, 10 km southwest of Losnica on road Stolica-Losnica, where the abbot, teacher and innkeeper will speak on 24 August 1941 on the subject: Procurement of more weapons and ammunition."
Then the last paragraph towards the bottom of the page 16:
"23 August 1941." I am omitting the first paragraph and will only read the last one:
"Higher Command LXV orders to search and surround the village of Grabovac, 14 km southwest of Obrenevac, presumably the seat of the Communist central agency of the Obrenovac district. Operation is named: Geier."
Then the last paragraph toward the bottom of the page:
"23 August 41: The truck is being shot at again on its way to Valjevo with the wounded. Return tu Ub."
Page 17, the second part of the page:
Communists prevent workers from reaching the foundry at Krupanj for work. For the time being operation kept up by 24 soldiers of the Squad 9 of 738 I.R. sent there as reinforcement. Standstill is imminent however, because of absence of workers and interference with the supply of wood and coal.
The last sentence on that page:
"Division receives Communistic pamphlets from Ub from the police station there."
Next, page 18: "25 August, 1941." Second paragraph, second sentence:
Mayor and peasants declare, they wish to collaborate with the German Army, but are under Communist pressure.
The last but one paragraph of the page : Under date:
"26 August, 1947:
A mayor reports that the Communists are using military registry lists of the town for recruitment."
The next page, 19, last paragraph:
"27 August, 1941: Furlough train Belgrade-Cisegrad at Vrtncl, 11 km west of Uzice attacked with machine gun and hand grenades."
Page 20, second half of the page:
27 August, 1941:
27.8.41 All long-distance telephone communications emanating Valjevo from Valjevo disrupted, except of the one to Uxice. The occupation of Priboj, Prijepolje, Novo Vares by an Ital Bat. reported by Colonel Gialla on 26.8.41 to the 2nd Bat. of 724 I.R. Vizegrad for 27.8., did not take place Italians advanced only up to Brodarevo, 18 km south of Prijepolje. Apparently they are pressing in the strength of one Regt. against the rebellious Montenegrins there, while at the same time deploying bombers from the South against the Croatian units fighting in the North.
The 1 platoon of the 3rd Bat. of 724 I.R. stationed at Krupanj for supply transport and temporary reinforcemen rides the 9th platoon of 738 I.R., after arrival of 11th platoon of 724 I.R., to Koviljaca and returns with equipment of the Pion. Comp. 704 from Koviljaca to Valjevo. Before Mojkovic, 14 km northeast of Krupanj it is shot at by machine gun fire.
No losses.
Page 21, top of the page:
27 Aug. 41 On my way back from Koviljaca to Valjevo near OsValjevo ladic 17 km northwest of Valjevo, at 18.30 hours, again shot at by 4 machine-guns along a track of 2 km, and thrown at with hand-grenades. Own losses: 2 killed, 1 missing, 12 wounded, one of whom seriously, 1 truck burnt out, enemy losses unknown.
Page 22, third paragraph:
"Agents report that a general coup with the aim of stopping the railway traffic is planned by the Communists."
I shall pass over page 23, and read from page 24, from the top of the page there:
"2 September 1941, Valjevo, 615 hours:
11th Co./724th I.R. Krupany reports:
1 September 20.00 hrs and 21.00 hrs. Stolica attacked surprisingly by rather strong enemy forces. 1 lieutenant, director of the plant, captured, another lieutenant probably killed, the platoon dispersed. One non-comm. officer, who was supposed to take report about situation at Stolica Zajaca to Krupanj, wounded at strong road block 2 km before Krupanj.
9.17 hrs Return of reconn. patrol to Krupanj with a group of the outguard Stolica. Advance to Stolica impossible, as patrol meets with mach.-gun fire from the hills 400 m before the mine. 20 men of the outguard still missing, 2 of which are certainly dead. Krupanj threatened as well, since gatherings on the surrounding hills. No radio contact with 12th Co./724th I.R. which was detailed to Loznica.
Last paragraph of this page:
15.55 hrs 11th Co./724th I.R. Krupanj reports:
11 men not yet returned, 2 of them certainly dead. At Stolica 300 kilos of explosives and 2 mac.-guns, one of which made unusable, fell into the hands of the Communists or the Chetniks.
Next page, 25: "2 September 1941" "2000 hours:
Chetnici who have surrounded Krupanj, demand surrender threatening, for the reverse case, slaughtering to the last man."
I am continuing now to read from page 34 toward the middle of the page: "4 September 1941, Valjevo, 0810." This deals with one of the units encircled in Krupany. "Noon today is the limit of an ability to hold out. Little ammunition, no signal cartridges. Altogether 10 wounded. Support by Panzers and strong ground-forces needed."
I am now passing on to page 42 of this document. The date of the passage will have to be taken from page 41. It is: "5 September 1941 Valjevo"; and now I shall continue to read from page 42:
"2300 hours. A rival of relief unit with Captain Seyfert, CO of Company 11, 724th Regt. 72 men, 4 wounded, 1 platoon of Bn. III, 724th Regt. which was to pick up Cpt. Seyfert in Dragejevac, and 2 tanks, Capt. Seyfert's report: 4 September position in Krupanj became untenable, especially in hospital of Co. 10 of the 724th Regt., on account of lack of water and rations. Besides, both companies were running out of ammunition.
The train was made ready in the afternoon under effective dive bomber support. During the 4th dive bomber attack, at 18.30 hrs., both companies broke out under heavy gun fire. Dead and wounded, number unknown. Shelters destroyed. 200 kilograms of explosive exploded. In the gorge on the way to Mujkovic a tree block cleared, at the blown up bridge 5 km East of Krupanj the Cetniks give respite until 23.00 hrs. for capitulation.
Since bridge could neither be repaired nor circumvented, the train and wounded who could not march were left behind, including Lt. Walther, Lt. Hochne, Medical Corp remained with the wounded. 22.45 hours' the companies break through to the south over the hills, without the train. Breakthrough attempt was successful for majority."
I shall now continue to read from page 44. There I shall read from the top of the page the entry on the 6th of September 1941, Valjevo, 1531 hours:
"Division ascertains that the demand to surrender at Krupanj with the added threat that everyone would be slaughtered had been signed by the Cetnik Commander, 1st Lieutenant Ratko Matinovic and asks the LXV for directives with regard to the line of action to be taken against the Cetniks."
This incident near Krupanj took place on the 4th of September. That is when the situation was the most critical and then an the 5th of September Field Marshal List issued the order which bears the same date.
I have now shown a picture of all those things that happened before that day and I would like to ask the Court now, after I have submitted all these events, to read again the order of the 5th of September. If you will then bear in mind the details of the incidents near Krupanj. I believe you will have to come to the conviction that this order was militarily necessary.
Now, I would like to turn to a different chapter. I shall nowdeal with a different chapter. Even after the order of the 5th of September was issued, the number of surprise attacks did not decrease but increased. To prove this I would like to give a few significant examples.
The next document to be offered will be List Document 202 and this will become List Exhibit 46. This document can be found in List Document IVb on page 94. This is an excerpt from the war diary of the Military Commander for Serbia and I would like to read a few passages from this document, page 94 towards the middle of the page:
"7 September: 2 vessels captured by Communists are lying north of Savac in a side branch of the Save. A dive bomber attack on the vessels is taken into consideration for tomorrow morning."
"10 September: Armored Train 23 is put to task by the Higher Command LXV on the line Belgrade-Mladenovac-LapovoKos. Mitrovica, Armored Train 24 on the line Leskovac-NischLapovo-Mala Krsna-Belgrade."
"13 September: 4 German soldiers who escaped from captivity with the insurgents report that insurgents within the territory around Losnice and Krupani are for the most part Nationalist. The Serbian population of this region solidly participates in the insurrection. The insurgents stripped the uniforms of prisoners and part of them fought in German uniforms."
The last paragraph on that page:
"16 September: Instruction to spare the monastery Zica near Kraljevo as long as a connection between the inmates and the insurgents is not proven."
Page 96:
"After having suffered a loss of 10 dead and several wounded in consequence of an attack on a train on the line Nisch-Zajecar, there will only be traffic on this line at fixed days and under military cover."
If the Tribunal please, there are a few more reports contained in this document covering days before the 5th of September and I briefly would like to point to these entries:
"Commander Serbia, Headquarter Staff. Belgrade 1 September 1941.
"In the evening of the 31 August 1941 a thick wire wound around a tree was discovered in Dedinje, Chestnut Avenue, for the fastening of which there was a hook with a few links of chain on the tree on the opposite side of the street. That is to say, it was a so-called automobile trap."
Next page, middle of the page, daily report dated 1 September 1941. No. 3, last paragraph on the page:
"On the 31 August bandits forced inhabitants of the village of Mirilovac, 6 kilometers southeast of Paracin to join the guerilla band by threatening them with death penalty."
I am now going to read from page 100, first third of page:
"To Military Commander Southeast Ia.
"Daily Report." from paragraph 1. approximately the third sentence.
"26 Communists with several leaders captured. Anti-tank rifle with 600 rounds of ammunition captured as well as ammunition and explosives."
Page 103, heading "Daily Report," paragraph 2. "Bands Activity"; then the last third of the page:
"4 September, 1300 hours. Save steamer captured south of Shabac. The crew kidnapped."
I shall next read from page 106, "2", top of the page, "4 and 5 September." That is the second sentence from the top of the page:
"Train traffic to Serajevo not possible at present since the line is destroyed in many places and almost all the stations are being attacked."
And the last three lines in paragraph "2":
"6 September. Save steamboat on the trip from Mtrobica to Belgrade forced to turn back near Sabac by rifle fire. Further partisan attacks on 4 communities. Records burned."
Then at the bottom of the page, No. 3:
"Band Activity: 1 and 2 September. Lissa antimony mine (4 kilometers southeast of Uzice) shut down by bands."
Next page which is page 107, top of the page, second line:
"5 September. Surprise machine gun fire on Wehrmacht army trucks near Cacak. Our losses: 7 dead, 2 wounded."
And then towards the bottom of the page:
"Radio Message 4 September 1405 hours.
"To Commander in Serbia "Headquarters Staff Strategic and Tactical Planning Staff Officer Belgrade."
I shall continue with the next page and only read paragraph "2":
"Attacks on 36 community offices. 13 railroad stations, 6 government offices, 3 police stations, 5 customs stations, 400 kilograms explosives with accessories and 800 rounds of ammunition captured.
13 German soldiers dead."
The report is signed "Field Headquarters 816."
The next report is addressed to the Armed Forces Commander Southeast, Daily Report. From this daily report I shall read on page 109, paragraph 3:
"Band Activity: 7 September. Mala-Krana-Velica-Plana railway line damaged again. Train derailed, 1 dead. 7 September. Partisans attack auxiliary train at Stublino station (north of Leikovac) crew kidnapped, 3 more attacks on trains on Unice-Visograd line. No casualities. 8 September. Nish-Lapevo main line at present impassable because of blown-up bridges."
From the next page I shall omit the first two sentences and continue where it says:
"Barracks of the Organization Todt and the steamrollers near Jagodina destroyed by Communists. 7 to 8 September. Road bridge between Obrenovac and Ub across the Jecovica destroyed. 7 to 8 September. Sabotage attack on the building site of the emergency bridge in Belgrade. Attacks by arsonists on 25 other communities."
Now, daily report addressed to Armed Forces Commander Southeast Ia:
"3. Band Activity" -- I shall omit the first two sentences.
"8 September. A tugboat and 1 barge of the Waterways Administration sunk by Communists near Drencvac and 1 motorboat captured. 8 September Partisan attacks on 2 railway stations on secondary lines and almost all stations on the Belgrade-Sarajevo line around Uzice. Eastward rerouting line (Belgrade-Mala-Krana-Valikaplana) again blow up at 3 places. Repairs will presumably take 2 days.
"9 September Train collision due to sabotage near Milosovo (LapovoNish main line). Civilian losses: 6 dead, 25 injured. Will take at least 24 hours to clear up. Partisan attacks on 62 more community and public offices, 10 police stations. Part of Serbian policemen disarmed and carried off."
The report is signed, "Commander in Serbia, Headquarters Staff Ia," and the date is 9 September 1941.
I shall now continue on page 112:
"To Military Commander Southeast Ia.
"Daily Report."
I am only going to read one sentence from paragraph 5:
"9 September. Save river steamboat captured by Communists near Sabac with 250 civilian travellers. Save river traffic continues to be suspended. Dynamiting of bridges on the rail line Lajecar-Paracin. Minimum time required for repair is 2 days."
Paragraph 7 on page 113, the last sentence there:
"14 additional attacks on communities. Archives destroyed."
The report is signed, "Military Commander for Serbia, Headquarters Staff Ia/F, 10 September 1941."
I shall continue to read.
"To Military Commander Southeast Ia.
"Daily Report."
From this report I am only going to start reading on page 114, "5," last passage of that number:
"8 and 9 September: a total of 7 ships on the Save River captured, sunk or destroyed by Communists. Increased rumors of a planned attack on Iron Gate. Activity of British agents reported."
"7", last paragraph of that page:
"Attack by bands on 11 more communities. Documents and archives burned. Money stolen."
The signature for that report is on the next page, "Commander Serbia Headquarters Staff, Section Ia/F, 11 September 1941."
The next report:
"To Military Commander Southeast (Army High Command 12) Ia."
I am going to start reading paragraph "5" on page 116:
"5. Attacks on 5 railroad stations, one of them on the rail line Belgrade-Nisch on 10 September.
Rail line near Davidovac (ZajecarParacin) dynamited for the third time. On 10 September bands fire on armored train near Mladenovac. On 10 September Morava bridge (71 MM northwest of Kraljevo) as well as two more wooden bridges destroyed. On 11 September road Ljubovija-Rogacica blocked and occupied. Telephone lines Pozarevac-Petrovac and Nisch-Leskovac interrupted."
Now, I am going to go on reading paragraph 7:
"8 more band attacks on communities and their installations. City Commander Belgrade has so far been able to maintain order and tranquility in spite of scattered attacks by Communists.
"8. Terrorism increases against the workers who are still willing to work in plants which produce for the Germany economy."
The report is signed, "Commander Serbia, Headquarters Staff Ia/F, 12 September 1941."
I am skipping the next pages and I shall continue to read on page 130 of this document book, and there are further reports to the Military Commander Southeast, Daily Report:
"5. 12 September. Because of fighting along the Lapovo-Kraljevo railroad line traffic again interrupted. 13 September. Krnjevo railroad station (north of Velikaplana again harrassed. 13 September. Krnjevo railroad station (north of Velikaplana) attacked and destroyed."
I shall now continue to read from page 131. There is a report addressed to the Military Commander Southeast (Army Headquarters 12). I shall continue to read from paragraph 8 on page 132:
"Enemy attacks prevent in Ravana Reka and Senjaki Rudnik the working of the plants. 9 September. 6 men attack the lead and zinc plant Lece near Lebane (west of Leskovac). 100 kilograms of high explosives and 5,000 explosive charges stolen."
And that order is signed, "Military Commander for Serbia, Headquarters Ia/F.
The next report is addressed to, "Military Commander Southeast (Army Headquarters 12):
"Daily Report."
And I shall read from paragraph 2 which is contained on page 133:
"2. Serbian government plans to form special courts to deal with saboteurs and criminals. Death penalty threatened. Further measures to strengthen the administration have been effected."
That report is signed: "Military Commander for Serbia," and the date is 14 September 1941.
The next report is addressed to: "Military Commander Southeast."
"Daily Report."
I am reading paragraph 2 of 15 September. I am reading this paragraph because it shows the peaceful attempts made to pacify the bands.
"15 September. Radio address by Minister President to the Serbian people requesting the insurgents to lay down arms, return from the forests, cease all sabotage acts and refrain from showing hostile attitude towards the occupation troops. (Ultimatum given until 17 September 1941)."
"5", the same report, 3rd sentence:
"Telephone wires cut at 24 railroad stations on the Cacak-Sarajevo line."
Paragraph 7 of that report, the last two sentences:
"2 attacks on Serbian buses near Pozega and south of Topola. Looting, band attacks on 17 further communities."
It goes on to say in the next report:
"To Military Commander Southeast.
"Daily Report.
"1. Minister President Nedic's radio proclamation repeated, as evidently good results. Distribution received here."
Paragraph 7 on page 136, towards the middle of the page:
"15 September. Bandit attacks on another 9 communities."
Page 137, addressed to "Armed Forces Commander Southeast."
"Daily Report," paragraph "5," the last third of the page:
"18 September. Due to the blowing up of a bridge between Jagodina and Jovao, traffic to Nisch and Bulgaria interrupted for about 4 days.
Train toppled into river and burned."
On page 138, paragraph 7, last two sentences:
"Attacks by bands on 10 more rural communities. Archives burned. Means of communication destroyed."
I shall now turn to page 139, Daily report addressed to "Armed Forces Commander Southeast":
"The political situation furthermore increasingly difficult; can be considered as very serious. The government tries to establish law and order without success."
Paragraph 5 -- that is page 140:
"Attacks on 4 railroad station and railroad installations."
Paragraph 6:
"Due to further attacks on rural communities the Postal, Railway and Customs administrations outside of Belgrade and of the Danat inactivated."
Paragraph 8:
"Mines at Sevica and Brodica near Kurzevo attacked and plundered."
Signed: "Military Commander Serbia," dated 19 September 1941."
I shall continue to read now from page 143:
"Commander Serbia, Staff of the Command, Department Ia/F," addressed to the 18th Corps headquarters Belgrade:
"Daily Report."
I am going to read from page 144 from the top of that page, paragraph 7:
"21 September. At night within the town area of Zabac appearance of rifle shots for the first time."
The last sentence in that paragraph:
"22 September. Band attacks on 14 more communities and post offices."
The report is signed: "For the Commander in Serbia, The Chief of the General Staff."