Nazi Conspiracy & Aggression Himmler's conception of his tasks under this decree were
plainly stated in the foreword which he wrote for the
"Deutsche Arbeit" issue of June/July 1942 He wrote:
"It is not our task to Germanize the East in the old
sense, that is, to teach the people there the German
language and German law, but to see to it that only
people of purely German, Germanic blood live in the
East." (2915-PS)
The 1940 Edition of "Der Menscheneinsatz," a confidential
publication issued by Himmler's Office for the Consolidation
of German Nationhood, contained the following statements:
"The removal of foreign races from the incorporated
Eastern Territories is one of the most essential goals
to be accomplished in the German East. This is the
chief national political task, which has to be executed
in the incorporated Eastern Territories by the
Reichsfuehrer SS, Reich Commissioner for the
strengthening of the national character of the German
people."
*******
"*** there are the following two primary reasons, which
make the regaining of lost German blood an urgent
necessity.
"1. Prevention of a further increase of the Polish
intelligentsia, through families of German descent even
if they are Polonized.
"2. Increase of the population by racial elements
desirable for the German nation, and the acquisition of
ethno-biologically unobjectionable forces for the
German reconstruction of agriculture and industry."
(2916-PS)
Further light upon the goals which the conspirators had set
for their Germanization program in conquered Eastern areas,
is contained in a speech delivered by Himmler on 14 October
1943. This speech was published by the National Socialist
Leadership staff of the OKW. The following are excerpts from
this speech:
"I consider that in dealing with members of a foreign
country, especially some Slav nationality, we must not
start from German points of view, and we must not endow
these people with decent German thoughts, and logical
conclusions of which they are not capable, but we must
take them as they really are ***."
[Page 1031]
"Obviously in such a mixture of peoples, there will
always be some racially good types. Therefore, I think
that it is our duty to take their children with us, to
remove them from their environment, if necessary by
robbing, or stealing them. Either we win over any good
blood that we can use for ourselves and give it a place
in our people, or *** we destroy that blood."
"For us the end of this war will mean an open road to
the East, the creation of the Germanic Reich in this
way or that *** the fetching home of 30 million human
beings of our blood, so that still during our lifetime
we shall be a people of 120 million Germanic souls.
That means that we shall be the sole decisive power in
Europe. That means that we shall then be able to tackle
the peace, during which we shall be willing for the
first twenty years to rebuild and spread out our
villages and towns, and that we shall push the borders
of our German race 500 kilometers further out to the
East." (L-70)
(4) The Racial Register. In furtherance of these plans, the
conspirators established a Racial Register in the
incorporated area of Poland. The Racial Register was, in
effect, an elaborate classification of persons deemed to be
of German blood, and contained provisions setting forth some
of the rights, privileges, and duties of the persons in each
classification. Persons were classified into four groups:
(1) Germans who had actively promoted the Nazi cause.
(2) Germans who had been more or less passive in the Nazi
struggle, but had retained their German nationality.
(3) Persons of German extraction who, although previously
connected with the Polish nation, were willing to submit to
Germanization.
(4) Persons of German descent, who had been "politically
absorbed by the Polish nation", and who would be resistant
to Germanization.
The Racial Register was inaugurated under a decree of 12
September 1940, issued by Himmler as Reich Commissioner for
the Consolidation of German Nationhood. The following are
pertinent extracts:
"The list of 'ethnic Germans' will be divided into four
parts (limited to inter-office use).
"1. Ethnic Germans who fought actively in the ethnic
[Page 1032]
struggle. Besides the membership of a German
organization, every other activity in favor of the
German against a foreign nationality will be considered
an active manifestation.
"2. Ethnic Germans, who did not actively intervene in
favor of the German nationality, but who preserved
their traceable German nationality.
"3. Persons of German descent, who became connected
with the Polish nation in the course of the years, but
have on account of their attitude, the prerequisites to
become full-fledged members of the German national
community. To this group belong also persons of non-
German descent who live in a people's mixed marriage
with an ethnic German ill which the influence of the
German spouse has prevailed. Persons of Masurian,
Slonzak, or upper Silesian descent who are to be
recognized as ethnic Germans, usually belong to this
group 3.
"4. Persons of German descent, politically absorbed by
the Polish nation (renegades).
"Persons not included on the list of ethnic Germans are
Poles, or foreign nationals. Their treatment is
regulated by BII
"Members of groups 1 and 2 are ethnic Germans who will
be used for the reconstruction in the East. The
differentiation between the groups 1 and 2 is important
for the National Socialist Party; primarily only
members of group 1 should be accepted in the Party
according to the instructions of the deputy of the
Fuehrer.
"Members of groups 3 and 4 have to be educated as full
Germans, that is, have to be re-Germanized in the
course of time through an intensive educational
training in old Germany.
"The establishment of members of group 4 has to be
based on the doctrine, that German blood must not be
utilized in the interest of a foreign nation. Against
those who refuse re-Germanization, Security Police
measures are to be taken." (2916-PS)
The basic idea of creating a racial register for persons of
German extraction was later incorporated into a decree of 3
March 1941, signed by Himmler, Frick, and Hess. This decree
is set forth in the 1941 Reichsgesetzblatt Part 1, Pg. 118.
The entire apparatus of the SS was thrown behind the
vigorous execution of these decrees. Proof of this fact is
contained in the
[Page 1033]
following extracts from directives issued by Himmler as the
Reich Commissioner for the Consolidation of German
Nationhood:
"1. Where Racial Germans have not applied for entry in
the 'German Ethnical List,' you will instruct the
subordinate agencies to turn over their names to the
State Police (Superior) Office. Subsequently, you will
report to me (Himmler) .
"II. The Local State Police (Superior) Office, will
charge the persons .whose names are turned over to them
to prove within eight days that they have applied for
entry in the 'German Ethnical List.'
"If such proof is not submitted, the person in question
is to be taken into protective custody for transfer
into a concentration camp." (R-112)
The measures taken against persons in the fourth category,
"Polonized Germans," were particularly harsh. These persons
were resistant to Germanization, and ruthless measures
calculated to break their resistance were prescribed. Where
the individual's past history indicated that he could not be
effectively Germanized, he was thrown into a concentration
camp. In the words of Himmler's decree of 16 February 1942:
"II. The Re-Germanization of the Polonized Germans
presupposes their complete separation from Polish
surroundings. For that reason the persons entered in
Division 4 of the German Ethnical List are to be dealt
with in the following manner:
"A. They are to be re-settled in Old Reich territory.
"1. The Superior SS and Police Leaders are charged with
evacuating and resettling them according to
instructions which will follow later.
"2. Asocial persons and others who are of inferior
hereditary quality will not be included in the
resettlement. Their names will be turned over at once
by the Higher SS and Police Fuehrer (Inspectors of
Security Police and Security Service) to the competent
State Police (Superior) Office. The latter will arrange
for their transfer into a concentration camp.
"3. Persons with a particularly bad political record
will not be included in the resettlement action. Their
names will also be given by the Higher SS and Police
Fuehrer (Inspectors of Security Police and Security
Service) to the competent State Police (Superior)
Office for transfer into a concentration camp. The
wives and children of such persons
[Page 1034]
are to be resettled in old Reich territory and to be
included in the Germanization measures. Where the wife
also has a particularly bad political record, and
cannot be included in the resettlement action, her
name, too, is to be turned over to the competent State
Police (Superior) Office with a view to imprisoning her
in a concentration camp. In such cases the children are
to be separated from their parents and to be dealt with
according to III, paragraph 2 of this decree. Persons
are to be considered as having a particularly bad
political record who have offended the German nation to
a very great degree (e.g., who participated in
persecutions of Germans, or boycotts of Germans,
etc.)." (R-112)
The
original plaintext version
of this file is available via
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Volume
I Chapter XIII
Germanization & Spoliation
Poland
(Part 3 of 4)