Archive/File: imt/nca/nca-06/nca-06-3706-ps Last-Modified: 1997/08/02 Nazi Conspiracy & Aggression, Volume VI Translation of Document 3706-PS [Page 417] STATEMENT From 1919, and particularly from 1924, three critical territorial questions occupied attention in Germany. These were the questions of the Polish Corridor, the Saar and Ruhr, and Memel. I myself, as well as the whole group of German staff and front officers, believed that these three questions, outstanding among which was the question of the Polish Corridor, would have to be settled some day, if necessary by force of arms. About ninety percent of the German people were of the same mind as the officers on the Polish question. A war to wipe out the political and economic loss resulting from the creation of the Polish Corridor and to lessen the threat to separated East Prussia surrounded by Poland and Lithuania was regarded as a sacred duty though a sad necessity. The at first (1933-35) secret and later unconcealed rearmament of Germany was welcomed by me. All officers of the army shared this attitude and therefore had no reason to oppose Hitler. Hitler produced-the results which all of us warmly desired. After the annexation of Czechoslovakia we hoped that the Pol- [Page 418] ish question would be settled in a peaceful fashion through diplomatic means, since we believed that this time France and England would come to the assistance of their ally. As a matter of fact we felt that, if political negotiations came to naught, the Polish question would unavoidably lead to war, that is, not only with Poland herself, but also with the Western Powers. When in the middle of June I received an order from the OKH to prepare myself for an attack on Poland, I knew that this war came even closer to the realm of possibility. This conclusion was only strengthened by the Fuehrer's speech on 22 August 1939 on the Obersalzberg when it clearly seemed to be an actuality. Between the middle of June 1939 and 1 September 1939 the members of my staff who were engaged in preparations, participated in various discussions which went on between the OKH and the army group. During these discussions such matters of a tactical, strategic, and general nature were discussed as had to do with my future position as Commander-in-Chief of the Eighth Arm during the planned Polish campaign. During the Polish campaign, particularly during the Kutno operations, I was repeatedly in communication with the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, and he, as well as the Fuehrer visited my headquarters. In fact it was common practice for commanders-in-chief of army groups and of armies to be asked from time to time for estimates of the situation and for their recommendations by telephone, teletype, or wireless, as well as by personal recalls. These front commanders-in-chief thus actually became advisers to the OKH in their own field so that the positions shown in the chart [Transcription note: see 3702-PS for an ASCII representation of the referenced chart. Knm] embrace that group which was the actual advisory council of the High Command of the German Armed Forces. [signed] BLASKOWITZ CITY OF NURNBERG: SS Before me, Paul A. Neuland, Major, QMC, ASN O-385720, an officer duly qualified to take oaths, appeared Colonel General Johannes Blaskowitz, to me known, who in my presence signed the foregoing "Erklaerung" (statement) consisting of two pages in the German language, and swore that the same was true on the 10th day of November 1945. [signed] Paul A. Neuland PAUL A. NEULAND Major, QMC O-385720
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