VON MANSTEIN’S TRIAL

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25902, 7 September 1949, Page 5

VON MANSTEIN’S TRIAL

ALLEGED COMPLICITY IN MASSACRES (Rec. 7 p.m.) BERLIN. Sept. 5. The prosecutor at the trial of Field Marshal Erich von Manstein (Major Elwyn Jones) to-day opened what he described as the most sombre part of the case against von Manstein. Major Jones was dealing with two charges accusing von Manstein of complicity in the massacre of Jews and gypsies and “undesirable” Soviet citizens.

These people were put to death by the notorious Task Force D (the extermination squad), and Major Jones alleged that von Mainstein worked closely with members of the task force. The commander of Task Force D was Major-General Erich Ohlendorf, now under sentence of death in Bavaria.

“Their job was murder,” said Major Jones. “It was a huge operation and it was carried out with a considerable amount of success. Usually the victims were taken to ditches, made to undress, and then sprayed with bullets.” The prosecution claimed that von Manstein could have stopped these operations by refusing the task force billets, rations, and ammunition and ordering them out of his area.

The hearing of these charges is expected to last three days.

Details from German official reports sav that 75.881. people were executed in the Crimea, 10.000 of them at a place only a few miles from von Manstein’s headquarters.