Fifty-Sixth Day: Monday,11th February, 1946
[Page 245]
MAJOR-GENERAL ZORYA: Referring to the explanation concerning
the beginning of the attack on the Soviet Union, I should
like to remind the Tribunal that in the morning session of
the Tribunal on 30th November, 1945, the witness, Lahousen,
was interrogated and gave evidence of sufficient interest in
our case.
Inter alias, this witness, when enumerating the more
intimate members of the inner circle of Admiral Canaris,
Chief of the Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence Services
of the German Army, mentioned Pieckenbrock by name.
I present to the Tribunal as Exhibit USSR 228, the testimony
of the former Chief of Abwehr I of the German Military
Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence Services, Lieutenant
General Hans Pieckenbrock, of the former German Army, former
chief and colleague of Lahousen. Pieckenbrock gave this
testimony in the form prescribed by the laws of the Soviet
Union, in Moscow, on 12th December, 1945.
For the moment I should like to read a few lines only into
the record from Pieckenbrock's testimony, relating to the
matter which we are now investigating. These lines are on
Page 1 of the Russian text of his testimony and they are
marked with a red pencil. This Page 1 corresponds to Page 34
of the document book.
The more precise dates for Germany's attack on the
Soviet Union I learned in January, 1941, from Canaris.
I do not know what sources Canaris quoted, but he told
me that the attack on the Soviet Union was fixed for
15th May." [Page 246]
I shall at the same time also only read into the record only
those parts of Bentivegni's testimony underlined in red
pencil, which have a direct bearing on the beginning of
military preparations against the Soviet Union. These first
two excerpts of the testimony are on Page 37 in the document
book which is submitted to the Military Tribunal:
Canaris said to me that these plans of Hitler's had now
begun to take concrete form. This was evident from the
fact that divisions of the German Army were being
forwarded in large numbers from the West to the Eastern
frontier and, in accordance with a special order by
Hitler, were taking up positions from which to start
the coming invasion of Russia."
And finally, in order to finish with the question of the
actual dates of Fascist Germany's military preparations for
the treacherous attack on the Soviet Union, I should like to
dwell for a moment on the testimony of General Mueller. This
testimony, dated 8th January, 1946, was, written in a camp
for prisoners of war. I present it to the Tribunal as
Exhibit USSR 149.
All the material to which I have so far referred emanated
from circles of the High Command of the German Army.
THE PRESIDENT: General, on this document of General Mueller,
is it apparent where that document was made and where
General Mueller is now?
MAJOR-GENERAL ZORYA: The photostat bears a date written in
General Mueller's hand. This date is 8th January, 1946.
THE PRESIDENT: Where?
MAJOR-GENERAL ZORYA: If I might have a look at the
photostatic copy which I have just presented to the
Tribunal, I would be able to tell you where the date is
written.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, but there are many prisoners-of-war
camps. We want to know which one and where it is.
MAJOR-GENERAL ZORYA: In a camp located near Moscow.
THE PRESIDENT: Has this document got any authenticating
signature on it at all? So far as we are concerned, isn't it
simply a photostatic copy of a writing by somebody?
MAJOR-GENERAL ZORYA: Mr. President, this document, like all
other documents which have been submitted so far by the
Soviet Delegation, is a non-certified photostatic copy.
Taking into consideration the wish of the Tribunal, and in
execution of this wish, the Soviet prosecution took measures
to ensure that only the originals of these documents or
documents whose authenticity is certified will be presented
in complete order to the General Secretary.
THE PRESIDENT: Can you tell us where the writer of the
document is now?
MAJOR-GENERAL ZORYA: I am hardly in a position to say more
than I have already done. If the Tribunal will permit me, I
can consult my colleagues,
[Page 247]
make inquiries, and report to the Tribunal as soon as
possible on the General's whereabouts.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, we will adjourn now. That will enable
you to consult your colleagues.
(A recess was taken.)
[
Previous |
Index |
Next ]
Home ·
Site Map ·
What's New? ·
Search
Nizkor
© The Nizkor Project, 1991-2012
This site is intended for educational purposes to teach about the Holocaust and
to combat hatred.
Any statements or excerpts found on this site are for educational purposes only.
As part of these educational purposes, Nizkor may
include on this website materials, such as excerpts from the writings of racists and antisemites. Far from approving these writings, Nizkor condemns them and
provides them so that its readers can learn the nature and extent of hate and antisemitic discourse. Nizkor urges the readers of these pages to condemn racist
and hate speech in all of its forms and manifestations.
(Part 10 of 14)
"I must say," said Pieckenbrock, "that as early as
August and September, 1940, the Foreign Army's Section
of the General Staff of the Army began considerably to
increase its intelligence assignments to the Abwehr
(Counter-Intelligence) concerning the USSR. These
assignments were unquestionably connected with the
preparation of war against Russia.
"I learned first of Germany's preparation for a
military attack on the Soviet Union in August, 1940,
from the head of the German Intelligence and Counter-
Intelligence Service, Admiral Canaris. In an unofficial
conversation which took place in Canaris' office he
told me that Hitler had started to take measures for an
Eastern campaign, which he had spoken about as early as
1938 in his speech at a meeting of Gauleiter in Berlin.
(First two paragraphs of Bentivegni's testimony.)