Archive/File: imt/nca/nca-06/nca-06-3469-ps-05 Last-Modified: 1997/01/17 35. Around the end of 1942, a growing importance was attributed to the German radio in securing support of the direction of the war by the broad masses. The radio appeared as the only instrument to fill the space behind the then far extended German fronts. Therefore a relatively independent position was granted to the radio within the Reich ministry for people's enlightenment and propaganda. While my predecessors as heads of the "Radio Division" had to take into consideration, for example, the demands of the Propaganda, press, foreign and music divisions, I finally managed to drop such consideration. An exception was consideration for the press. After January 1943 I forced the press, by competition, to somewhat more realistic news information. However, in view of his superior position with the Fuehrer, the Reich press chief, Dr. Dietrich, kept a priority [Primat] over the radio. Finally in February 1945, Dr. Goebbels overthrew Dr. Dietrich. To an ever growing extent in the field of radio, I became the sole authority within the ministry. One after the other I eliminated those side-governments [Nebenregierungen] which had disturbed my predecessors. As plenipotentiary for the political organization of the greater German radio, I had authority only over the political domestic broadcasts. About six months later, in the spring of 1943, I also took over control of the foreign broadcasts which were under the direction of Dr. Winkelnkemper. About another 6 months later I also took over control from the hands of Ministerialdirektor Hinkel, the musical part of the radio program. In spring 1945 I also had the intention of taking under my control those broadcasts in Eastern languages, which still were under foreign direction. However, this intention was not realized. In any case in my performance of the office as head of the radio in the field of radio publication, I was dependent only in my decisions and measures upon the following: the general political directions; the personal supervision [Page 191] of Dr. Goebbels, sometime going into the details; the decisions of the radio-political division of the foreign office which claimed leadership in the field of transmission in foreign languages. 36. As far as my activity as head of the radio division is concerned, I attended to the following fields: (1) Planning and organization of the entire German radio and television system; (2) the issuance of corresponding decrees to the subordinate sections, the elaboration and submission of suggestions for the other agencies of the Reich cabinet. In order to execute these tasks the division was essentially organized as follows: (A) Radio-Command [Rundfunkkommandostelle], a section operating day and night, which received and transmitted orders to the various sections of radio, and which acted on its own decisions in case of sending or -program troubles, etc. (B) The section Reconnaissance Service, organized according to working fields or countries of origin, which gave extracts from the gigantic quantities of material of the Radio-Listening- Service [Rundfunkabhoerdienst] with the name Seehaus. (C) Section Foreign Radio [Rundfunk Ausland], a small administrative unit with skimpy tasks, because the practical work was done by myself in daily conferences with the head of the foreign division of the Reich radio corporation [Reichsrundfunkgesellschaft]. During my time in office a special section for the organization of radio, in case of war, did not exist. Should it have existed before my time, in my opinion it could not have achieved anything. When I took over the radio division, the most important transmitters had to limit their transmissions to a few hours daily because of the lack of tubes. Only a few transportable senders had been developed in prewar times. During the war a few transportable senders, improved and smaller, were developed for the front. (D) Section Radio-Economy. This was in charge of construction and supply of radio receiving instruments. My office practically represented the high command of the German radio. 37. To my knowledge all of my predecessors, as head of the radio division, were also simultaneously head of the central radio office of the Reich propaganda directorate of the NSDAP Reichsamtsleiter Rundfunk der Reichspropagandaleitung der NSDAP. Personally I never received this party job, because I was always considered politically unreliable. I had acquired my reputation and influence as an expert. The Reichsamtleiter of radio was SA Group Leader Schaeffer. I was unable to have my way as against him. Even more difficult for me was the fact that Dr. Goebbels gave ample power to Reich Main Office Leader [Reichshauptamt- [Page 192] leiter] Corff, the officer in charge of culture in the NSDAP headquarters. This was allowed out of concern of the national socialist ideology in radio programs. Corff caused me the biggest difficulties until I ousted him after a scandal caused by him in the middle of all my collaborators. Dr. Goebbels sent him to Italy in November 1944 and did not name a successor. I then felt freer as to the organization of radio programs. Subsequently I reintroduced the church service on the radio which had been prohibited by my predecessors. This was done in a round-about way, by giving radio time for Catholic and Protestant services in churches near the front. My working field can be summarized as follows: To spread as far as possible the conception of my government as to the cause, character and goal of the war in Germany, in the occupied countries, abroad and even in enemy countries as well. To organize a radio program as artistic and entertaining as possible, to revive the dwindling interest of the German people in radio and to grant them an opportunity to hear as many sendings as possible. 38. Upon my suggestion those directions and instructions which had been fixed by me daily in writing were transmitted by teletype to all Reich propaganda offices. Those Reich propaganda offices used those directions and instructions at their discretion and transmitted them frequently to their Gau leaders. This material consisted of: a) the so-called radio parole. This I worked out until 1943 or 1944 after the daily morning conference with Dr. Goebbels together with a representative of the foreign office and the head of the foreign division of the propaganda ministry Afterwards it was given verbatim by Dr. Goebbels; b) the comments on this, which were worked out by one of my collaborators based on a comment which I gave orally at noon at the radio conference. Dr. Goebbels himself gave daily a highly confidential radio speech to the Gau leaders personally, which was spoken through a microphone and extended over special transmissions. In his absence, Undersecretary (Staatssekretaer) Dr. Naumann acted for him. If he was absent, the radio speech was cancelled. Dr. Goebbels always rejected the suggestion made by the undersecretary that I should take over the representation. I acted frequently for him (Dr. Goebbels) in individual reports, such as with generals. 39. From fall 1932 until April 1945 I regularly made radio speeches. According to my memory until fall 1939 once weekly until December 1939 daily, then three times, then twice and finally once weekly. In my instruction to the press and radio, [Page 193] when head of the German Press Division, I was most strictly bound by the directions of my superiors. However, in my radio speeches I enjoyed a greater liberty. Dr. Goebbels once had tried to make me submit my texts before the speeches were given. I refused, indicating I dictated a brief speech just before speaking and hence spoke half- extemporaneously. Subsequently he renounced the submission of texts upon the condition that at least certain topics be discussed upon demand. The addresses formerly were called "Political and Radio Show"; later "Hans Fritzsche Speaks". In these addresses I discussed political and human problems of all kinds and reported on the general situation as well. According to my memory, I did not take any position on the Jewish question for many years. In my position as head of the German press division I had tried twice to forbid the appearance of "Der Stuermer" without success. Later, especially during the war and mostly upon request, I took a position concerning the statements of Jewish individuals and organizations against Germany. The sharpness of these polemics, as the sharpness generally of my polemics, remained less than the sharpness of the opposition publicists. I remember I stated that Jewish emigrants, already years before the war, referred to the necessity of a war against Germany. I also remember that I referred to the role of this Jewish propaganda in accomplishing an alliance between the Western powers and the Soviet Union. According to my knowledge, this alliance was not supposed to have been established by the German declaration of war against Russia, but by an Anglo-Saxon secret treaty of 1940. The utilization of the productive capacity of the occupied countries for the strengthening of the war potential. I have openly and gloriously praised, chiefly because the competent authorities put at my disposal much material, especially on the voluntary placement of manpower. Where I made claims before the occupied territories, for instance 3 French radio transmitters for Spanish and Portuguese night sendings, I refused any sequestration and saw to it that private agreements were made with the owners of the transmitters. Moreover, I had the impression that many production shifts from the Reich had many advantages for the other territories and disadvantages for the Reich. In my field for instance, certain musical productions could only be made in Prague, to which flowed people, machines and money. All the factory equipment of the German recording industry came to Prague. A direct or indirect request for the ruthless utilization of occupied countries by me was all the more out of question as it would have meant a strike against my own [194] propaganda. The goal of it was to win the hearts of the population of the occupied countries. 40. In 1939 when I talked almost daily over the radio, I asked for a lump sum of 750 marks monthly, as far as I remember, for this work. When I took over the direction of the radio. Dr. Goebbels gave the instruction that the radio corporation should pay me the difference between my salary as a government employee (about 1500 Marks) and the salary as director of the Reich radio corporation (3000 Marks), thus I received an income in all of 3000 Marks (without deduction of taxes), namely 1500 Marks as government employee and 1500 Marks from the Reich radio corporation. From my other writing I earned until 1942 a yearly average of 5,000 marks as far as I remember. After taking over the radio this income ceased almost entirely. 41. While head of the German press division, according to my knowledge, I never took over the direction of the daily 11 o'clock conference in absence of Dr. Goebbels or Under- Secretary [Staatssekretaer] Dr. Naumann. Dr. Goebbels held this conference with his closest collaborators. I took this over several times, however, as head of the radio division and this only after 1943. On the average this was the case once weekly. In this case Goebbels gave his directions by way of transmitting his manuscript over the phone. All in all, maybe on 5 days, these directions did not come in. In these cases I myself initiated the necessary news. 42. In the beginning of 1942 while a soldier in the Eastern Theater, I saw that extended preparations had been made for the occupation and the administration of territories, reaching as far as the Crimea. Based on my personal observations I came to the conclusion that the war against the Soviet Union was planned already a long time before its outbreak. The correctness of the above given statement is hereby assured by me under oath. [signed] Hans Fritzsche Nurnberg, Germany, 7 January 1946 As Witness: [signed] Dr. Fritz Defense Counsel
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