Archive/File: imt/nca/supp-b/nca-sb-02-schellenberg.01 Last-Modified: 1997/12/11 Nazi Conspiracy & Aggression, Supplement B XXIV. Walter Schellenberg* Negotiations for Evacuation of Jews in Return for Asylum for High Nazis Excerpts from Testimony of Walter Schellenberg, taken at Nurnberg, Germany, 13 November 1945, 1030- 1215, by Lt. Col. Smith W. Brookhart, Jr., IGD. Also present: Gladys Picklesimer, Reporter; John Albert, Interpreter. * Walter Schellenberg was Chief of Amt VI (Foreign Political Intelligence Service) and Amt Mil (Military Bureau) of the RSHA, with the rank of Brigadefuehrer (Brig. Gen.). He also held the title of General of Police and Waffen SS. See Affidavit D, vol. VIII, p. 622.] [Page 1622] A. On the 10th of April 1945 when a certain Mr. Musy visited me in Berlin, he told me that the concentration camp Buchenwald had actually been evacuated, which was contrary to assurances given him by Himmler. Thereupon I phoned on the one hand Himmler, and on the other hand I discussed this matter at lunch with Kaltenbrunner. Kaltenbrunner stated, however, that this was done on a directive of Hitler, and that this camp had to be evacuated on his order, and Group Leader Mueller added "You, Kaltenbrunner, told me already three or four days earlier that I should evacuate the Jews from this camp to the south." then Kaltenbrunner said, "Yes, yes, that's correct. Besides, there is a general directive of Hitler to the effect that all camps should be evacuated, and that especially Jews should be regarded as hostages and brought to the south." Then he said, turning towards me, "There are still enough people remaining in the camp so that you can console Mr. Musy with that." Q. Musy was the former President of Switzerland? A. No. He was the son of the former President of Switzerland. Q. And his mission was to have as many Jews evacuated to Switzerland as possible? A. Yes. Q. And what had been the arrangement or agreement that Himmler was interested in? A. Himmler first gave the assurance that in February 1,200 Jews would be sent to Switzerland by train, and that from then on every two weeks another train should be sent to Switzerland. I had to organize the whole thing, but suddenly a stop occurred, and we were threatened with the death penalty for every Jew who crossed the Reich frontier, and this was done on the basis of an order by Hitler. This order was given after a code message of the deGaulle office in Spain to an office in Paris was intercepted and decoded, which said that Mr. Musy and a representative of Himmler were in negotiations with a Jewish organization for the purpose of evacuating all Jews living in Germany, and that the price for it, so to speak, would be the right of asylum for about 250 Nazi leaders. Himmler furthermore gave the assurance to Mr. Musy, after Hitler had forbidden further transfers of Jews, that no concentration camp would be evacuated, and Musy was instructed by Himmler to inform the Allied Western Powers officially of this second agreement. And with this official instruction Mr. Musy left Berlin on April 7.
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