GOERING DEFIANT

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 March 1946, Page 7

GOERING DEFIANT

AMERICAN ALLEGATION AT TRIAL THE JEWISHPOGROMS (Rec. 1 p.m.) NUREMBERG, Mar. 20. The American prosecutor, Mr. Jackson, asked the tribunal to check Goering’s “gratuitous” statements under cross-examination. He said Goering was confronting the prosecuting with the choice of ignoring his explanations or taking up time in rebutting them. “It is impossible to discharge our duties if he is to volunteer such statements at every turn,” Mr. Jackson said. “Goering should be instructed to answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ and the explanations should be brought out by defence counsel in a manner permitting objections by the prosecution.” Mr. Jackson referred to the incident when Goering, asked about German military preparations in the Rhineland, replied that he had yet to see the mobilisation plans of the United States.

Mr. Justice Lawrence expressed the tribunal’s view that Goering’s remark was entirely irrelevant and should not have been made. He added that he felt that the view the tribunal had already expressed was the only proper one—that the witness be directed to answer “Yes” or “No” where such answer was possible and permitted to give an explanation where it was justified. Propaganda Alleged. Mr. Jackson said that, although Goering’s remark about the United States had been ruled out of order, it was in fact on record, “fulfilling one of the defendant’s purposes of reviving Nazism by propaganda from this tribunal.”

Goering’s counsel protested against the charge of propaganda from the tribunal. Mr. Justice Lawrence, addressing Mr. Jackson, said: “Witness ought not to have referred to the United States, but it is a matter, I think, that you might well ignore. Every country keeps great things secret.” Mit Jackson replied that so far as the United States was concerned it would not be worried about anything Goering might say. “The point is,” he added, “that the trial will get out of hand if we do not control this particular situation.” Mr. Jackson, resuming his crossexamination, asked Goering whether he regarded the elimination of Jews from the German economic life as “one phase of the four-year plan under your direction?” Goering: “That is right in part—elimination so far as big business was concerned. There were many armament industries under Jewish directors.” , Goering later admitted introducing a series of anti-Jewish measures concerning private property and business.

Kilting of Jews. Mr. Jackson read extracts from a report disclosing only light sentences imposed by the Supreme Court on Nazi Party members for killing Jews “without authority. One Nazi who killed a Jewish couple was only disqualified from holding party office for three years. Goering described Goebbels and Himmler as more radical than himself on the Jewish question. Streicher was also violently anti-Jewish. The hearing progressed slowly as Goering repeatedly challenged the accuracy of the translations of various prosecution documents —mostly Nazi decrees or records of their meetings. The prosecution produced a speech by Goering to the Air Ministry m November, 1938, in which he said. “Gentlemen, I have received a letter on the Fuehrer’s order requesting that the Jewish question be now and once and for all co-ordinated and solved one way or another.” Goering said he ordered the security police to withhold action against the participants in the 1939 pogrom in Munich only because he himself wanted to take the necessary action. n , Mr. Jackson: You know that is not the truth? Goering replied that he took his protests against the anti-Jewish excesses directly to Hitler. Therefore he did not want underlings to take action.

Looting of Art Treasures. Mr. Jackson then questioned Goering about his collection of art treasures. Goering said he could not assess the value of his’art collection exactly. “I could have said 50,000,000 marks, but there is a sentimental besides a commercial value.” He could not state the proportion acquired since 1933. He said Hitler intended to negotiate with Mussolini about a few statues and pictures from the Monastery at Cassino. “Most of the treasure in the monastery was sent to the Y^ tlca T n the abbot thanked me that I kept nothing for myself,” Goering added. He agreed that the occupation of Russia was ruthless, but attributed this “purely to military measures. Mr. Jackson asked whether Goering thought that forced labour had been a success.

Goering:. It was. . Mr. Jackson read orders signed by Goering directing the transportation to the west of all means of production, the destruction of factories and the westward movement of agricultural population. Goering declared: Absolutely correct These measures were purely military steps demanded in retreat as a matter of military urgency.

EXPLANATION BY BRITISH BUSINESSMEN LONDON, Mar. 19. Five of the British businessmen mentioned at the Nuremberg tiial by the Swedish industrialist, Bergen Dahlerus isuesd a statement explaining their part in the talks with Goering. The statement says:— „ “This was an attempt to avert war. It points out that the meeting took place with the knowledge of the Foreign Office which received a full report. “Dahlerus was profoundly disturbed by the misconception of British public opinion and the outlook among those in immediate' contact with the Fuehrer.” Goering, who was impressed by Dahlerus’s representations, expressed willingness to meet a small group of average British people to learn directly the state of feeling in Britain. The group consisted of people drawn from different industries, some of whom had specialised knowledge of conditions in Europe. “The meeting took place in early August, 1939, at a remote farmhouse on the west coast of Schleswig, a few miles south of the causeweay connecting Sylt and the mainland. At Goering’s request the arrangements for the meeting were made with very great secrecy. Some of the party travelled by air to Copenhagen

and then by road to Sonjienn Nissenkoog, and some by train from Hamburg to the small town of Bredstadt. All roads leading to the farm were picketed by special guards. No traffic other than local traffic well known to the police was allowed to enter the area. Goering arrived by special train after attending a ceremonial parade at Hamburg. He was accompanied by his A.D.C., General von Bodenschatz, and Di. Schmittei, of the German Foreign Office, all in civilian clothing. “The discussions lasted three days. It was made abundantly clear to Goering that while Britain was peaceloving and while the people hated war they would never tolerate an attempt by the German Government to prosecute by military force supposed claims on Danzig and the Corridor and that invasion of Poland would immediately provoke a state of mind in Britain which would inevitably lead to war. We have reason to believe these views were expressed with unanimity and considerable force and were conveyed to the German Government.”