The Nizkor Project: Remembering the Holocaust (Shoah)

Nazi Conspiracy & Aggression
Volume I Chapter XIII
Germanization & Spoliation
Poland
(Part 3 of 4)


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)


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