Archive/File: imt/tgmwc/tgmwc-07-59.15
Last-Modified: 1997/10/11


I quote further from the note of the People's Commissar for
Foreign Affairs, Page 7 of the document book, the last
paragraph:--

     "In addition to all that has already been stated,
     the Soviet Government has in its possession
     documentation bearing on the monstrous atrocities
     systematically repeated by the German fascist
     command, such as the use of Soviet civilians to
     cover German troops during battle with the Red
     Army.
     
     On 28th August, 1941, German fascist troops
     attempted to force the river Ipput. Powerless to
     overcome the stubborn resistance of the Red Army
     
                                              [Page 40]
                                                       
     units, they assembled the population of the
     Bielorussian town of Dobrush in the Gomel region,
     and by threatening to shoot those who refused,
     drove women, children, and old people before them,
     using them as a shield when they attack in battle
     formation.
     
     The same dastardly crime against the civilian
     population was repeated by the German Command in
     the Vybori Collective Farm Sector of the Leningrad
     region as well as in the district of Yelna, in the
     region of Smolensk. The fascist thugs continue to
     resort to this brutal and cowardly method right up
     to the present day. On 8 December the Hitlerites
     made use of the local civil population to cover
     their retreat from the village of Yamnoye, in the
     region of Tula. On 12 December, in the same
     region, they assembled 120 persons -- old people
     and children -- and made them march in the
     vanguard of their troops during engagements with
     the advancing units of the Red Army. In the fight
     by our troops for the liberation of the city of
     Kalinin, units of the German 303rd Regiment, 162nd
     Division, attempting to launch a counter-attack,
     assembled the women of one of the suburban
     villages, placed them in the vanguard of their
     troops, and then went into action. Fortunately the
     Soviet troops succeeded, when beating off the
     attack, in driving a wedge between the Hitlerites
     and their victims, thereby saving the lives of the
     women."
     
In order to satisfy the needs of the German fascist armies
and in violation of all International Conventions, the
criminals employed the civil population for particularly
dangerous work, especially for clearing the mine fields.

I will quote an extract from the second part of this note,
which the Tribunal will find on Page 2 of the document book,
Paragraph 4.

     "Wherever German troops and German authorities
     made their appearance on Soviet territory, a
     regime of brutal exploitation, tyranny and
     arbitrary rule was immediately established as far
     as the defenceless civil population was concerned.
     
     With a complete disregard for age or conditions of
     health, the Soviet citizens were compelled, under
     threat of torture, shooting or death by
     starvation, to perform, gratuitously, various
     kinds of heavy work, including work of a military
     nature. In a number of cases, civilians employed
     on one or another job of a military nature were
     summarily shot to ensure secrecy.
     
     Thus, for instance, in the village of Kolpine, in
     the region of Smolensk, the invaders drove all the
     farmers off to work on building bridges and
     dugouts for German units. Upon the completion of
     the construction of these fortifications, all
     these farmers were shot."
     
THE PRESIDENT: Perhaps this would be a good time to break
off.

COUNSELLOR SMIRNOV: Yes, sir.

  (The Tribunal adjourned until 15th February, 1946 at 1000
                           hours.)

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