NAZIS’ DEFENCE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21963, 6 March 1946, Page 5

NAZIS’ DEFENCE

WITNESSES SOUGHT HEARING BY TRIBUNAL APPLICATIONS FOR 51 NUREMBERG, March 4. The War Crimes Tribunal to-day began the hearing of applications for a total of 51 witnesses on behalf of Kal.tenbrunner, Frick, Rosenberg, and Frank—.a total which .the court is expected to severely cut down. Kal.tenbrunner wanted witnesses to prove that he had many times intervened on behalf of Jewish and other internees and also that he had no jurisdiction over Dachau camp. He did no.t give the order for the destruction of Dachau by bombing. His counsel claimed that he conducted an active peace policy after 1943 and had been in contact with United States agents regarding it. Frick desired testimony that he was innocent of complicity in .the Nazi Party purge of 1934 and the Jewish pogrom in 1938 because “Hitler had transferred the police power completely to Goering and Himmler.” “Fought Hitler’s Policies”

Rosenberg, naming 11 witnesses, claimed through hig counsel that he fought Hitler’s policies of slave labour, ar.t pillaging, propaganda and even totalitarianism itself. Frank, former Governor-General of occupied Poland, sought to call General Ritter von Epp to prove that Hi.tler regarded him as a deadly enemy traitor who worked hand in glove with the Poles. He also wanted another witness to testify that he used his influence with Hitler to improve .the conditions of the Poles. The Nuremberg correspondent of the Associated Press says that Doenitz will atteippt to secure evidence from Admiral Nimitz showing that United States submarines in the Pacific‘were ordered to sink merchant without warning and to avoid any' rescue work endangering the submarines or crews.

It is learned that Doenitz is applying to the tribunal for written answers to his questions from Admiral Nimitz.