MR. GLANCY: This is the infamous report rendered by Stahlecker, predecessor to Jost, as Commanding Officer of Einsatzgruppe A, under whose command Sandberger was until Stahlecker's death in March, 1942. This report is dated 31 January 1942. It contains a comprehensive report up to 15 October 1941. 9 of the document which is page 19 of the Document Book. I refer to paragraph 3:
"Most of the 4,500 Jews living in Esthonia at the beginning of the Eastern Campaign Tied with the retreating Red Army, about 200 stayed behing. In Reval alone there lived about 1,000 Jews.
"The arrest of all male Jews of over 16 years of age has been nearly finished, With the exception of the doctors and the Elders of the Jews who were appointed by the Special Commandos, they were executed by the Self-Protection Units under the control of the Special Detachment la. Jewesses in Pernau and Reval of the age groups from 16 to 60 who are fit for work were arrested and put to peat-cutting or other labor." in command of Sonderkommando I-A with headquarters in Reval, Esthonia. Besides the execution of these unfortunates referred to, we see that the women did not escape unscathed, but suffered the ignominous fate of slave labor. on page 16, which is page 26 of the Document Book, we see a tabulation of the murders committed by Einsatzgruppe A, under the Heading, "Esthonia," it reports 474 Jews, 684 Communists, getting the total of 1,158 persons who met their deaths under the supervision -- under the command of Defendant Sandberger until October 15, 1941. previously introduced as Prosecution Exhibit -
MR. GLANCY: 21 -- I am sorry, Sir, but due to an oversight, the portion which I was going to quote and in which we are interested, has been omitted from this part of the document. If it please the Tribunal, I will reserve and introduce this at a later point.
THE PRESIDENT: Very well. Very well.
MR. GLANCY: Thank you. In Document Book III-A, page 13, I offer Document NO-3844. This is another affidavit. This will be introduced as Prosecution Exhibit 104.
DR. HEIM (ATTORNEY FOR THE DEFENDANT BLOBEL): Your Honors, as a result of the method of presentation by the prosecution, it is not possible for me to follow the prosecution, especially because the prosecution does not give the pages in the German Document Book. I also believe that the other defense counsel suffer from the same trouble and we cannot correctly put in the exhibit numbers, I therefore would ask the prosecution to give us the exhibit numbers of those documents submitted in Book III-A and in the future also the pages in the German document book, if possible.
MR. GLANCY: The prosecution apologizes for this oversight and realizes it makes it very difficult for the defense counsel. After hours we will be very pleased to aid the defense in lining up their exhibits.
THE PRESIDENTS Very well, Mr. Glancy. Do you have the page numbers in the German document books at hand, as you proceed?
MR. GLANCY: I can, Sir, with a slight delay -
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I was thinking perhaps for tomorrow, if you would have them for tomorrow, as you go along and then for what has already been done you might assist defense counsel, with one counsel, and he can give it to all the others.
MR. GLANCY: It is my pleasure.
THE PRESIDENT: Any one of you can see Mr. Glancy and he will help you out in getting the correct numbers.
MR. GLANCY: Here we find in this affidavit of the Defendant Sand berger where he states -- It is page 21 of the German -- I will quote:
"I, Martin SANDBERGER, after being duly sworn, declare an oath: Security Service in Reval from summer 1941 until summer 1943, the following facts became known to me:
When in the winter of 1941/1942 Obergruppenfuehrer JEGKELN (Hi-her SS and Plice deader Russia-North) travelled on an official trip through PSKOW, he ordered the local office of the Security Police to shoot 400 Esthonian Jews who were in the working camp in, or near PSKOW. At the same time he expressed his indignation about the fact that the Jews had not already been shot previously. This was the reason why the chief of the office did not dare to postpone the execution, and ask me as Commander of the Security Police and the Security Service in Reval about my opinion, but ordered their immediate execution. official trip through PSCHOW. I can no longer remember the name of the chief of the office, but one of the three names mentioned below must be the name of the person who ordered that the order for the shooting be carried out." culpability, these troops in Pleskau -- which is the German - by his own admission performed the executions. The troops in Pleskau were a part of Sandberger's command and he, as commander, is responsible for their actions.
On page 72 of Document Book III-A, we find Document NO-3873. I offer this document as Prosecution Exhibit 105; in the German document book it may be found on page 97. This is an affidavit of the Defendant Sandberger, dated 19 November 1945, where as in other instances he attempts to avoid responsibility for the actions of troops under his command. However, the prosecution presents these remarks for the consideration and judgment of the Tribunal herein he states:
"I, Martin Sandberger, after being duly sworn, declare on oath:
"In my capacity as Commander of the Security Police and the Security Service in Reval from summer 1941 until summer 1943, the following facts became known to me:
"Brigadefuehrer Stahlecker who was at that time Commander-in-chief of the Security Police and of the Security Service in Riga (Russia-North) gave me or my office the following orders:
"July 1941 that the Jews who were at that time in Esthonia should be interned (analogous to the internment of 'hostile foreigners' in the area of operation).
"About September 1941 that these Jews should be shot.
"I can no longer remember whether these orders were given to me orally by Stahlecker, or orally or by telephone by his office IV to the Chief IV of Reval."
"The internment order was carried out by the political police of Esthonia or by the prefects of the Esthonian Police. The shooting order was not carried out by me." their commander, is deemed responsible for their actions. The prosecution has charged under Count III of the indictment that the Defendant Sandberger was a member subsequent to 1 September 1939 of the SS and SD, organizations declared to be criminal by the International Military Tribunal and paragraph I-D of article II of Control Council Law 10. was previously introduced as Prosecution Exhibit 103. It may be found on page 23 and 24 of the German Book. This document is the SS personal record and shows that he became a member of the NSDAP on the 1st of December 1931.and that he joined the SS on the 11th of May, 1935, with the SS Membership No. 272495. artenfuehrer on the 30th of January, 1945, His personal record further shows that he was assigned as commanding officer to Amt VI of the RSHA by a letter found on page 18 - page 28 of the German Book, signed by Dr. Kaltenbrunner:
"After being relieved of your commission as Commander of the Security Police and the SD, Italy, you will be transferred from Office I to Office VI of the Reich Main Security Office, effective retroactively from 1 December 1943. At this time I charge you with the direction of Group VI-A." Sandberger.
THE PRESIDENT: I think this would be a good point at which to recess for the day. Mr. Ferencz, would you please assign someone to the document book this evening to get the German page numbers so that we can get that just as quickly as the English page numbers for tomorrow?
MR. FERENCZ: Yes, Your Honor.
THE PRESIDENT: The Tribunal will be in recess until tomorrow morning at 9:30 when we will convene in Courtroom No. 2, Room 581 581. The Tribunal will now rise.
(The Tribunal adjourned until 30 September 1947, at 0930 hours.)
30 September 1947_M_MSD_1&2_1_Biosi (Lee) Military Tribunal No. IIA in the matter
THE MARSHAL: The Honorable, the Judges of Military Tribunal Ho. II_A.
Military Tribunal No. II-A is now in session. God save the United States of America and this Honorable Tribunal.
THE PRESIDENT: You may continue with the presentation of the prosecution.
MR. GLANCY: Thank you, your Honor, is here represented by councel before I proceed with the case against the defendant Strauch.
DR. GLICK (for the defendant Strauch): Your Honor, I shall take this opportunity to make the following statement! My client yesterday morning had another epileptic fit. He injured himself considerably during that attack. According to available information at the present, he suffered a knee injury, and a spine injury. He will not be able to attend the proceedings within the near future. Yesterday, also, he could not attend the trial. I therefore ask that, for the time being, my client be excused from participating in these proceedings. After gathering more detailed information from the doctor about the case, I will make a written application to the court - which will determine the further condition, and the further participation of the defendant Strauch in the proceeding, I will then ask for a final decision of the Court.
If I may continue my statement in this connection! I have had no opportunity to go through the documents with my client, the documents were only given to me yesterday, before that I had only received several excerpts which, in the main, did not concern my client.
30 September 1947_M_MSD_1&2_2_Biolsi (Lee) Therefore, I am not in a position to make any statement concerning any documents which apply to my client. I ask that I "be permitted to reserve this right for a later time.
THE PRESIDED: The record will show that the defendant Edward Strauch is. for the moment, because of his physical condition, unable to be present in Court and he will he excused from attendance in Court. The Tribunal, of course, will be ready at all times to receive any motion which his councel desires to submit in Strauch's behalf. as they pertain to Strauch's counsel of course will have ample opportunity - not only to study the documents, but to reply to them in due course.
MR. GLANCY: Now that it has been ascertained that the defendant Strauch is here represented by counsel, the prosecution is ready to proceed with the case against the defendant Strauch. the German, Document NO-.2966, which I now offer as Prosecution inhibit ICS. This is the SS personnel record of the defendant Obersturmbannfuehrer Lt. Col. Edward Strauch.
At the bottom of page 20, beside the notation "Security Police Service Record" we see the following? "Since 4 November 1941 leader of Einsatzkommando Latvia with the Commander-in-chief of the Security Police and the SD for the Eastern Territories and since February 1942 Commander of the Security Police and the SD in White Ruthenia; since February 1943 assigned to the Deputy of the Reichsfuehrer SS for Anti-.Guerilla Combat as Intelligence Officer (Ic)." The terms Einsatzkommando 2 was in Latvia. is given as 17 August 1906, Struach at this time being 41 years of age. German, Document NO-3405, which has been previously introduced as Prosecution Exhibit 42. This is on operational situation report numbered 156, dated 30 September 1947_M_MSD_1&2_3_Biolsi (Lee) 16 January 1942.
Commandant of the Security Police and SD for the General District White Ruthenia, temporarily represented by SS-Sturmbannfuehrer Hofmann. This document refers hack to an earlier period and states, on page 64, at the top of the page, and I quote: "On the 30th November 1941, 10,600 Jews were shot in Riga. The action was led by the Higher SS and Police Leader. One officer and 20 men of Einsatzkommando 2 took part". Strauch, as has been previously shown, was part of Einsatzkommando in Lativa 2 with Headquarters in Riga on the 30th of November 1941. Further, it is reported, "the total to date in the area of Einsatzkommando 2 thus amounts to 33,970." of the German. This is Operational Report No. 155, dated 4 January 1942. It was received in Berlin on the 14th of January 1942, Commander of the Security Police and the Security Service for the General District White Ruthenia.
On page 84 under the heading of White Ruthenia, I quote: "In White Ruthenia the purge is in progress. The number of the Jews in the area handed over to the civil administration is at present approximately 139,000. 33,210 Jews were shot by Einsatzgruppe A since it had taken over the official duties in White Ruthenia."
THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Glancy, you have said "Einsatzgruppe A", and I presume that is correct. I merely want to have your confirmation on that because it so happens that in the reproduction that very letter does not appear in my copy, nor in the copies of my brother judges,
MR. GLANCY: One moment, please.
It says "A" in the German Book, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: Very well.
MR. GLANCY: I refer the tribunal to Document Book III-A, page 45 30 September 1947_M_MSD_1&2_4_Biolsi (Lee) of the English, page 63 of the German, Document NO-4533, here offered as Prosecution Exhibit 107.
This is an Operational Situation Report Ho. 168, dated 13 February 1942. listed as the Commanding Officer of the Security Police and SD for the General District White Ruthenia. is on page 69 of the German:
"In Minsk during the period from 1 to 4 February a total of 123 persons; were arrested, 80 of these for refusing to work. Since lately the cases of work refusal became frequent, especially at the railroad offices, 5 persons who had refused were shot by summary court in the presence of the whole crew of an industrial plant." that: "On 4 February 1942 the Ghetto of Rakow, 38 kilometers distance from Minsk, with roughly a hundred persons, was liquidated. The Jews had begun making the population rebellious." the German, we find Document ITO-3234, which I offer as No, 183, dated 20 March 1942, On page 60 Bl of the German Book. Under the herding of White Ruthenia, I quote:
"In the period from the 5th to the 28th of February, the main field office Wilajka shot 29 Jews, 4 Communists, 5 partisans, 5 public enemies-, and 4 persons for sabotage. Another 16 persons were arrested."
Sept-30-M-MJ-1&2-5-Biolsi (Lee) page 92 of the German, we find Document NO-3236, which I offer as Prosecution Exhibit 109. This is Operational Situation Report No. 186 dated--
THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Glancy, just; a moment please. Here that has another exhibit number.
MR. GLANCY: One moment, sir, I will correct it if that is so. show that this has not been previously introduced. What do your records show, sir?
THE PRESIDENT: We have it marked asExhibit 100.
THE SECRETARY GENERAL: That is 3256, Judge.
THE PRESIDENT: Oh, -3256? Very well. This is 109.
MR. GLANCY: This is Operational Situation Report No. 186, dated 27 March 1942. Turning to page 67 of the English, 92 of the German, we see that the defendant Strauch is listed as the Commander of the Security Police and the SD for the District General White Ruthenia. On page 70 of the English, page 95 of the German, under the heading of White Ruthenia, we note:
"Further operations carried out against the Jews, as for example in Rakow and Tscherwen (15000 Jews were shot in Tscherwen) create a feeling of. insecurity and even anxiety in the population of White Ruthenia, In the more educated circles it is said that they were not used to such a procedure during the Soviet regime and that it was impossible to estimate the consequences of such measures." of the German:
"In the interest of further general pacification in the security police field within the area of the 18th Army, 102 persons were shot during the time covered by the report (former leading Communist-NKWD operators, saboteurs, partisans)."
130 of the German, we find Document NO-3241, which has been previously introduced as Prosecution Exhibit No. 53. This is Operational Situation Report No, 178, dated 9 March 1942. On page 121 of the English, page 133 of the German, we see in the second paragraph, the fillowing report:
"During an action against the Jews, executed on the 2nd and 3rd of March; 3,412 Jews were executed in Minsk, 302 in Wileijka, and 2,007 in Barenowitschi. Thus altogether 5, 721 Jews were executed." page 17 of the German, we find Document NO-3872 which I offer as prosecution Exhibit 110. This is an affidavit of the defendant Sandberger, executed on the 19th of November 1945. Here we see in paragraph that Sandberger names the defendant Strauch as one of those responsible for persecution of the Jaws in Minsk. The extent to which the defendant Strauch may be held responsible and the zeal with which He participated in the murder of the Jews may be seen by referring to Document Book III-A, page 32 of the English, page in the German Document Book, which I offer as Prosecution Exhibit 111, Document 3028-PS. This is a letter addressed -to the Reich Commissar for White Ruthenia, Gauleiter Lohse, from the Commissar General for White Ruthenia, signed Kube. Here it is stated:
"In every encounter with partisans in White Ruthenia it has been established that in the former Sovies part of the District General, as well as in the former Polish part, the Jews together with the Polish resistance movement in the East and the Red army men of Moscow, are the mainstay of the partisan movement. As a result of this, and in view of the danger to the whole economy, the treatment of the Jews in White Ruthenia is a predominantly political matter which, therefore, should not be solved according to economic, but political angles.
During detailed consultations with the SCBrigadefuehrer Zenner and the extremely capable Chief of the SD, SS-Obersturmbannfuehrer Dr. Strauch, we found that we had liquidated approximately 55,000 Jews in White Ruthenia during the last 10 weeks. In the Minsk-Land area, the Jewry was completely exterminated without endangering the allocation of labor in any way. In the prevailing Polish Lida area, 16,000 Jews, in Solnim 8,000 Jews, etc., were liquidated. The preparations for the liquidation of the Jews in the Glebokie area were completely disrupted by an arbitrary action by the Rear Army Area, which has already been reported to your office. In the Roar Army Area - I was not contacted - 10,000 Jews were liquidated, who were schedule for extermination by us anyway. In the city of Minsk, about 10,000 Jews were liquidated on 23 and 29 July, 6,500 of whom were Russian Jews - mainly old people, women and children the remainder consisted of Jews unfit for work, most of whom had been sent to Minsk from Vienna, Bruenn, Bremen and Berlin in November of the previous year, at the Fuehrer's orders.
"The Sluzk area was also ridded of several thousand Jews, The same applies to Nowogrodek and Wilejka. Radical measures still remain to be -taken for Baranowitschi and Hanzewitschi. In Baranowitschi about 10,000 Jews are still living in the town alone, 9,000 of whom will be liquidated next month. In the town of Minsk, 2,600 Jews from Germany have been left over. Besides, all the 6,000 Jews and Jewesses are still alive, who have been working, during the action, with the units who had employed then previously. Even in the future, the largest Jewish labor force will be in Minsk, since the centralization of armament industries and the burden on the railways lakes this necessary for the time being. In all other areas the number of Jews utilized for labor by the BD and myself will be fixed at 800 at the outside, but at 500 if possible, so that after the completion of the action 8,600 Jews rail remain in Minsk, and approximately 7,600 in the ten remaining territories, including the territory Minsk-Land which is already free from Jews.
The danger that the partisans will, in future, derive any important support from the Jews will then have ceased to exist. I myself and the SD would certainly much prefer that the Jewish population in the District General of White Ruthenia should be eliminated once and for all when the economic requirements of the Wehrmacht have fallen off. For the time being, the necessary requirements of the Wehrmacht, which is main employer of the Jewish population, are still being considered. The clear anti-Jewish attitude of the SD and the difficult task of the units in White Ruthenia to deliver again and again new Jewish transports from the Reich to their destination, both put an undue strain on the physical and spiritual strength of men of the SD and diverts them from their real purpose, which lies in the White Ruthenian region itself.
"I should therefore, be grateful if the Reichs commissar could sec his way to stop further Jewish transports until the partisan threat has finally been overcome. I must make 100% use of the SD against partisans and against the Polish resistance movement, both of which demand the use of the full strength of the SD-units, which are none too strong as it is.
"After the collusion of the anti-Jewish action in Minsk, Dr. Strauch, SS-Sturmbannfuehrer, reported to me tonight, with justifiable wrath, that without any order from the Reichsfuehrer-SS and without notification of the Commissioner, a transport of 1,000 Jews has suddenly arrived from Warsaw for use in this air fleet area, I should like to ask the Reich Commissar, who has already been advised by teletype, in his capacity as the. highest authority. in the Ostland, to stop such transports. The Polish Jew is, exactly like the Russian Jew, ail enemy of all that is German, He represents a politically dangerous factor, the political danger of which exceeds by far his value as a specialized worker. Under no conditions must Wehrmacht agencies of the Army or the Luftwqffe be allowed to import, without the approval of the Reichcommissar, into an area under civil administration, Jews from the Government General who might endanger the entire political work and security of the district General.
I an in full agreement with the Commander of the SD in White Ruthenia, that we ere to liquidate every Jewish transport which has not been ordered or announced by our superior offices, so as to avoid further unrest in White Ruthenia."
SD's plan for genocide, The prosecution has charged in count 3 ox the 1-D of Article 2 of Control Counsel Law No. 10.
Exhibit 106. This is Document NO-2966, the personnel record of the defendant Strauch.
In the second paragraph, we see that the defendant 623392.
He has been a member of the SS since 1 December 1931 with see that Strauch has been a full-time member of the SD since August, 1934.
That is in the fifth paragraph.
"Since August 1934, Strauch has been engaged, on a full-time basis, in a leading position at the SD/Reichsfuhrer SS."
This concludes the prosecution's case, in chief, against the
MR. FERENCZ: May it please your Honors, we will now proceed to in Einsatzgruppe B. Einsatzgruppe B began its operations in June of 1941 and followed the German army with the other Einsatzgruppen.
I cution Exhibit 78.
This is on page 52 of the German document book.
gruppe C was renamed and redesignated as Einsatzgruppe B. It is this Einsatzgruppe B with which we shall be concerned.
Exhibit 61 in Document Book II-B on page 22, page 23 of the German, document NO-2844 discloses that in addition to the group staff, Einsatzgruppe B consisted of Sonderkommandos 7-A and 7-B. They are loosely termed Vor-kommandos 7-A and 7-B and Einsatzkommandos 8 and 9, as well as the Vorkommando or Advance kommando Moscow. This is shown also on the chart now before the Court. That there was in addition a special kommando for Smolensk will be shown shortly in the affidavit of the defendant Naumann. Gomel, Riansk, Wjasma and neighboring places, as a brief study of the reports will disclose. Only the leaders of the gruppe staff under Kommando 7-A and 7-B and a Vorkommando Moscow are available to us as defendants, and we will therefore concentrate our examination on activities which concerned these men.
Responsibility of the defendant Naumann: The defendant Naumann, your Honors, is the third man in the first row from my left-hand. He is 42 years old, is a Brigadier General in the SS, and is charged with numerous crimes while he was in command of Einsatzgruppe B. His own affidavit, Document NO-4150, is offered in evidence against him, of prosecution Exhibit No. 112. This is found in Document Book III-B on page 1 of the English and German.
THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Ferencz, as I indicated yesterday, it would help us considerably if you started with the larger unit first. That is, the book, then the page, then the exhibit number, then the paragraph.
MR. FERENCZ: Yes, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: Now which book was that?
MR. FERENCZ: This is Document Book III-B, page 1, Exhibit No. 4, now offered as Exhibit 112. The affidavit explains that as early as 1929, Neumann became a member of the Nazi party.
In 1935, he became a full-time SS leader and a member of the SD as charged in count 3 of the indictment. Naumann also explains that from the end of this year, he, an SS general, was working as a farm hand moving from farm to farm under the assumed name of Rudolf Biegen. Einsatzgruppe B from the end of November, 1941, until February, March, 1943. This, we shall show, is not quite accurate. prosecution Exhibit 113, which is Document 10-2970, This is Naumann's SS personnel record and confirms his membership in the SS and SD. The defendant was awarded the Iron Cross First Class as well as numerous other decorations. It also tells us on page 11 that he became chief of Einsatzgruppe in Poland in 1939 and that He became chief of Einsatzgruppe B in Russia on 1 November 1941 and not at the end of November. in January 1942 and we must therefore accept that as the more accurate date. This is further confirmed by Document in Document Book II-C, page 20, page 23 of the German. That was prosecution Exhibit 72 and is Document NO-2830. Naumann is listed on that report as chief of Einsatzgruppe B and it is dated 12 November 1941. of the German. This is hiw own affidavit, Document NO-4150, and I will reed from paragraph 4:
4.) I know that, while I was its chief, Einsatzgruppe B or, other units under its control, carried out executions.
I am un able to state the total number of executions.
There was no longer Police and the SD and by my predecessor.
I did not revoke the
5.) Einsatzgruppe B received from the Reich Security wards passed on to the Einsatzgruppe in the South.
As far as
6.) In my period of service, ghettos no longer exist
7.) I am aware that the administration chiefs collected execution.
The money and valuables were remitted to the Mini stry of Finance."
Naumann's connection with executions is further shown by an affidavit of the defendant Ott. This is in Document Book II-B, page 64, page 57 of the German copy. This is the affidavit of the defendant Ott. Ott swears, and I quote from paragraph 4 -- this is on page 57 of the German copy:
para. 4." During the time I was Kommando head of the Kommando 7b, about 80 to 100 executions were carried out by this Kommando. I remember one execution which took place in the vicinity of BRYANSK. The people to be executed were handed over to my unit by the local commandant. The corpses were temporarily buried in the snow end later buried by the army. The valuables which were collected from these people were sent to Einsatzgruppe B. This was ordered by command of NAUMANN, the head of Einsatzgruppe B, and the same was true for other executions." to show the crimes committed by Einsatzgruppe B during the period from November 1941 to March 1943 when Naumann admits he was in command. I refer to a document in Document Book II-B on page 12, page 10 of the German copy.
This is prosecution Exhibit 59, Document NO-2825. This is a report made two weeks after Naumann took command of Einsatzgruppe B. It describes the murders of thousands of persons of both sexes and of all ages as well as the liquidation of 83 persons for being, and I quote from page 14 of the English, page 13 of the German, "racially inferior elements with an Asiatic strain."
Naumann assumed command but inasmuch as it reported the liquidation by Einsatzgruppe B of more than 45,000 persons, the defendant Naumann must have known the nature and functions of the organization whose command he accepted and held. 31 of the German, This is prosecution Exhibit 62, Document NO-2324, and is the report of 19 December 1941. It describes on pa 30 36 through 39, 36 through 38 of the German copy, fifteen separate special actions in sixteen different localities by Einsatzgruppe B which re sulted in the shooting of a total of 17,202 Jews, both male and female, and including the deliberate killing of 16 Jewish and Russian children in a children's home. Document Book III-3 on page 15 of the English, page 17 of the German, and it is now offered as prosecution Exhibit 114. I quote from page 19 of the English, page 22, last half of the page of the Germany copy. "During a screening of the prisoner of war camp in Witebsk, 207 Jews were arrested. They were shot.
"Further special operations had to be carried out in Sloboda, Polozk, Biskatowo and Bytschicha, because the Jews sabotaged the orders of the German occupation authorities. All together, 266 Jews were shot.
"In Gorodok the Ghetto had to be evacuated because of the danger of an epidemic. 394 Jews were shot.
"During a screening of the prisoner-of-war camp in Wjasma a total of 117 Jews were seized. They were shot." German, we have prosecution Exhibit 66, Document NO-3276. This document reports executions by each of the kommandos of Einsatzgruppe B for the period between 6 and 30 March, 1942, giving a total of thousands of persons killed. In many instances, a reason is given for the killing such as "because of theft or attempted murder or sabotage or spying," but those are very few and the vast majority are listed as killed with a simple explanation "Jews" or "Gypsies" or "Membership in the communist part."