STROOP AND WANNASEE REPORTS

THE STROOP REPORT

Between the 19^th April 1943 to 16^th may 1943, SS Major-General Juergen Stroop systematically destroyed the Warsaw ghetto. He developed this into an art. Transfers meant deportation to the camp Treblinka, Jews and Polish bandits were destroyed as a matter of daily routine by bullets, fire or transport.

They decided to embark on the total destruction of the Jewish quarter by burning down every block including those belonging to the armaments. The Jews who stayed in the houses to the last minute, ended up jumping from the windows. With broken limbs they still tried to crawl across the street to safety. Some moved into already burnt out buildings. Some moved into sewers. Then the SS would send down smoke candles to flush them out. Those who didnt were blown up. Only tireless and continuous commitment of all forces made it possible to apprehend and/or destroy 56,065 Jews. To this number must be added the Jews who lost their lives through fire, explosions etc. A number which could not be ascertained. The following are extracts from messages sent from the SS and police leaders in the Warsaw ghetto to the Higher SS and Police leader East during those terrible weeks:-

APRIL 20^th 43 Units and men used 31 officers and 1262 men. Sewers are flooded, 380 Jews apprehended-daytime, 505 that night.

APRIL 21^st - 150 Jews killed in battle, 80 destroyed by bunkers being blown up.

APRIL 22^nd The fires forced Jews out of their bunkers. Masses jumped from windows. Most of these were liquidated, 5300 Jews apprehended for transfer and transport.

APRIL 23^rd 600 Jews and bandits apprehended, 200 Jews were shot, 48 bunkers destroyed. Any money and valuables captured. 3500 Jews are to be transferred. Up till now a total of 19,450 Jews are ready for transfer. 2500 are still to be loaded, the next train departs on the 24^th.

APRIL 24^th Today, 1660 Jews were sent for transfer, 1814 were pulled

out of the bunkers, 330 were shot. Countless Jews burned to death.

APRIL 26^th Many houses destroyed, 30 Jews transferred, 1330 Jews taken from bunkers and destroyed, 363 Jews shot. Total to date 29,186.

APRIL 27^th 780 Jews arrested, 115 shot, first thing. By end of the day 2560 Jews arrested and 547 shot. Total to date 31,746.

APRIL 28^th 1655 Jews arrested, 170 killed. 3,855 were loaded for transport.

APRIL 30^th 1599 Jews arrested, 170 killed. 3855 were loaded for transport.

MAY 2^nd 1852 Jews arrested, 235 shot. Many died in bunkers. Total to 40, 237 transferred, shot but not including those that died in fires.

MAY 4^th 2283 Jews arrested, 204 shot. Still many dieing in fires.

MAY 5^th 2850 Jews transferred.

MAY 6^th 47 bunkers destroyed and 1553 Jews arrested, 356 shot.

MAY 8^th 1019 arrested, 255 shot. Statements written tell 3000 to 4000 Jews still remain. The grand operation will not stop until every last Jew is killed or destroyed.

MAY 9^th 1037 Jews arrested, 319 shot and 42 bunkers destroyed.

MAY 11^th 47 bunkers destroyed, 931 arrested and 53 shot.

MAY 13^th 234 Jews arrested, 155 shot. All remaining bunkers blown up.

MAY 14^th 398 arrested, 154 shot.

MAY 24^th Total Jews destroyed via transport to Treblinka. Total killed 13,929. Add to total another estimated 6000 killed in fires etc. Grand total is 62,065 Jews in all.

German casualties 82 wounded, 14 dead.

631 bunkers destroyed.

SS Major Stroop who organised this operation was awarded an Iron Cross

First Class for his role. In 1944 Stroop became SS Chief of Police in Reinwwestmark. He was sentenced to death by a military court in Dachau in 1947 but was extradited to Poland where he was hanged in 1951.

The Wannsee Protocol

Stamp: Top Secret

30 copies

16th copy

Minutes of discussion.

I. The following persons took part in the discussion about thefinal solution of the Jewish question which took place in Berlin,am Grossen Wannsee No. 56/58 on 20 January 1942.

Gauleiter Dr. Meyer and Reichsamt- Reich Ministry forleiter Dr. Leibbrandt the Occupied Eastern

territories

Secretary of State Dr. Stuckart Reich Ministry for

the Interior

Secretary of State Neumann Plenipotentiary forthe Four Year Plan

Secretary of State Dr. Freisler Reich Ministry of

Justice

Secretary of State Dr. Buehler Office of the Govern-ment General

Under Secretary of State Dr. Luther Foreign Office

SS-Oberführer Klopfer Party Chancellery

Ministerialdirektor Kritzinger Reich Chancellery

SS-Gruppenführer Hofmann Race and Settlement

Main Office

SS-Gruppenführer Mueller Reich Main Security

SS-Obersturmbannführer Eichmann Office

SS-Oberführer Dr. Schoengarth Security Police and SD

Chief of the Security Police and

the SD in the Government General

SS-Sturmbannführer Dr. Lange Security Police and SD

Commander of the Security Police

and the SD for the General-District

Latvia, as deputy of the Commander

of the Security Police and the SD

for the Reich Commissariat "Eastland".

II. At the beginning of the discussion Chief of the SecurityPolice and of the SD, SS-Obergruppenführer Heydrich, reportedthat the Reich Marshal had appointed him delegate for thepreparations for the final solution of the Jewish question inEurope and pointed out that this discussion had been called forthe purpose of clarifying fundamental questions. The wish of the

Reich Marshal to have a draft sent to him concerning

organizational, factual and material interests in relation to thefinal solution of the Jewish question in Europe makes necessaryan initial common action of all central offices immediatelyconcerned with these questions in order to bring their generalactivities into line.

The Reichsführer-SS and the Chief of the German Police(Chief of the Security Police and the SD) was entrusted with theofficial central handling of the final solution of the Jewishquestion without regard to geographic borders.

The Chief of the Security Police and the SD then gave ashort report of the struggle which has been carried on thus faragainst this enemy, the essential points being the following:

a) the expulsion of the Jews from every sphere of life of the German people,

b) the expulsion of the Jews from the living space of the German people.

In carrying out these efforts, an increased and planned acceleration of the emigration of the Jews from Reich territory was started, as the only possible present solution.

By order of the Reich Marshal, a Reich Central Office for Jewish Emigration was set up in January 1939 and the Chief of the Security Police and SD was entrusted with the management. Its most important tasks were

a) to make all necessary arrangements for the preparation for an increased emigration of the Jews,

b) to direct the flow of emigration,

c) to speed the procedure of emigration in each individual case.

The aim of all this was to cleanse German living space of Jews in a legal manner.

All the offices realized the drawbacks of such enforced accelerated emigration. For the time being they had, however tolerated it on account of the lack of other possible solutions of the problem.

The work concerned with emigration was, later on, not only a German problem, but also a problem with which the authorities of the countries to which the flow of emigrants was being directed would have to deal. Financial difficulties, such as the demand by various foreign governments for increasing sums of money to be presented at the time of the landing, the lack of shipping space, increasing restriction of entry permits, or the canceling of such, increased extraordinarily the difficulties of emigration.

In spite of these difficulties, 537,000 Jews were sent out of the country between the takeover of power and the deadline of 31 October 1941. Of these

approximately 360,000 were in Germany proper on 30 January 1933

approximately 147,000 were in Austria (Ostmark) on 15 March 1939

approximately 30,000 were in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia on 15 March 1939.

The Jews themselves, or their Jewish political

organizations, financed the emigration. In order to avoid impoverished Jews' remaining behind, the principle was followed that wealthy Jews have to finance the emigration of poor Jews; this was arranged by imposing a suitable tax, i.e., an emigration

tax, which was used for financial arrangements in connection with the emigration of poor Jews and was imposed according to income.

Apart from the necessary Reichsmark exchange, foreign currency had to presented at the time of landing. In order to save foreign exchange held by Germany, the foreign Jewish financial organizations were--with the help of Jewish organizations in Germany--made responsible for arranging an

adequate amount of foreign currency. Up to 30 October 1941, these foreign Jews donated a total of around 9,500,000 dollars.

In the meantime the Reichsführer-SS and Chief of the German Police had prohibited emigration of Jews due to the dangers of an emigration in wartime and due to the possibilities of the East.

III. Another possible solution of the problem has now taken the place of emigration, i.e. the evacuation of the Jews to the East, provided that the Führer gives the appropriate approval in advance.

These actions are, however, only to be considered

provisional, but practical experience is already being collected which is of the greatest importance in relation to the future final solution of the Jewish question.

Approximately 11 million Jews will be involved in the final solution of the European Jewish question, distributed as follows among the individual countries:

Country Number

A. Germany proper 131,800

Austria

43,700

Eastern territories 420,000

General Government 2,284,000

Bialystok

400,000

Protectorate Bohemia and Moravia

74,200

Estonia

- free of Jews -

Latvia

3,500

Lithuania

34,000

Belgium

43,000

Denmark

5,600

France / occupied territory 165,000

unoccupied territory

700,000

Greece

69,600

Netherlands 160,800

Norway

1,300

B. Bulgaria 48,000

England 330,000

Finland

2,300

Ireland

4,000

Italy including Sardinia 58,000

Albania

200

Croatia

40,000

Portugal

3,000

Rumania including Bessarabia 342,000

Sweden

8,000

Switzerland 18,000

Serbia

10,000

Slovakia

88,000

Spain

6,000

Turkey (European portion) 55,500

Hungary 742,800

USSR

5,000,000

Ukraine

2,994,684

White Russia excluding Bialystok

446,484

Total over 11,000,000

The number of Jews given here for foreign countries

includes, however, only those Jews who still adhere to the Jewish faith, since some countries still do not have a definition of the term "Jew" according to racial principles.

The handling of the problem in the individual countries will meet with difficulties due to the attitude and outlook of the people there, especially in Hungary and Rumania. Thus, for example, even today the Jew can buy documents in Rumania that will officially prove his foreign citizenship.

The influence of the Jews in all walks of life in the USSR is well known. Approximately five million Jews live in the European part of the USSR, in the Asian part scarcely 1/4 million.

The breakdown of Jews residing in the European part of the USSR according to trades was approximately as follows:

Agriculture

9.1 %

Urban workers

14.8 %

In trade

20.0 %

Employed by the state 23.4 %

In private occupations such as

medical profession, press, theater, etc. 32. 7%

Under proper guidance, in the course of the final solution the Jews are to be allocated for appropriate labor in the East.

Able-bodied Jews, separated according to sex, will be taken in large work columns to these areas for work on roads, in the course of which action doubtless a large portion will be eliminated by natural causes.

The possible final remnant will, since it will undoubtedly consist of the most resistant portion, have to be treated accordingly, because it is the product of natural selection and would, if released, act as a the seed of a new Jewish revival (see the experience of history.)

In the course of the practical execution of the final

solution, Europe will be combed through from west to east. Germany proper, including the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, will have to be handled first due to the housing problem and additional social and political necessities.

The evacuated Jews will first be sent, group by group, to so-called transit ghettos, from which they will be transported to the East.

SS-Obergruppenführer Heydrich went on to say that an important prerequisite for the evacuation as such is the exact definition of the persons involved.

It is not intended to evacuate Jews over 65 years old, but to send them to an old-age ghetto--Theresienstadt is being considered for this purpose.

In addition to these age groups--of the approximately 280,000 Jews in Germany proper and Austria on 31 October 1941, approximately 30% are over 65 years old--severely wounded veterans and Jews with war decorations (Iron Cross I) will be accepted in the old-age ghettos. With this expedient solution,

in one fell swoop many interventions will be prevented.

The beginning of the individual larger evacuation actions will largely depend on military developments. Regarding the handling of the final solution in those European countries occupied and influenced by us, it was proposed that the appropriate expert of the Foreign Office discuss the matter with the responsible official of the Security Police and SD.

In Slovakia and Croatia the matter is no longer so

difficult, since the most substantial problems in this respect have already been brought near a solution. In Rumania the government has in the meantime also appointed a commissioner for Jewish affairs. In order to settle the question in Hungary, it will soon be necessary to force an adviser for Jewish questions

onto the Hungarian government.

With regard to taking up preparations for dealing with the problem in Italy, SS-Obergruppenführer Heydrich considers it opportune to contact the chief of police with a view to these problems.

In occupied and unoccupied France, the registration of Jews for evacuation will in all probability proceed without great difficulty.

Under Secretary of State Luther calls attention in this matter to the fact that in some countries, such as the Scandinavian states, difficulties will arise if this problem is dealt with thoroughly and that it will therefore be advisable to defer actions in these countries. Besides, in view of the small numbers of Jews affected, this deferral will not cause any

substantial limitation.

The Foreign Office sees no great difficulties for southeast and western Europe.

SS-Gruppenführer Hofmann plans to send an expert to Hungary from the Race and Settlement Main Office for general orientation at the time when the Chief of the Security Police and SD takes up the matter there. It was decided to assign this expert from the

Race and Settlement Main Office, who will not work actively, as an assistant to the police attache.

IV. In the course of the final solution plans, the Nuremberg Laws should provide a certain foundation, in which a prerequisite for the absolute solution of the problem is also the solution to the problem of mixed marriages and persons of mixed blood.

The Chief of the Security Police and the SD discusses the following points, at first theoretically, in regard to a letter from the chief of the Reich chancellery:

1) Treatment of Persons of Mixed Blood of the First Degree

Persons of mixed blood of the first degree will, as regards the final solution of the Jewish question, be treated as Jews.

From this treatment the following exceptions will be made:

a) Persons of mixed blood of the first degree married to persons of German blood if their marriage has resulted in children (persons of mixed blood of the second degree). These persons of mixed blood of the second degree are to be treated essentially as Germans.

b) Persons of mixed blood of the first degree, for whom the highest offices of the Party and State have already issued exemption permits in any sphere of life.

Each individual case must be examined, and it is not

ruled out that the decision may be made to the

detriment of the person of mixed blood.

The prerequisite for any exemption must always be the personal merit of the person of mixed blood. (Not the merit of the parent or spouse of German blood.)

Persons of mixed blood of the first degree who are exempted from evacuation will be sterilized in order to prevent any offspring and to eliminate the problem of persons of mixed blood once and for all. Such sterilization will be voluntary. But it is required to remain in the Reich. The sterilized "person of

mixed blood" is thereafter free of all restrictions to which he was previously subjected.

2) Treatment of Persons of Mixed Blood of the Second Degree

Persons of mixed blood of the second degree will be treated fundamentally as persons of German blood, with the exception of the following cases, in which the persons of mixed blood of the second degree will be considered as Jews:

a) The person of mixed blood of the second degree was born of a marriage in which both parents are persons of mixed blood.

b) The person of mixed blood of the second degree has a racially especially undesirable appearance that marks him outwardly as a Jew.

c) The person of mixed blood of the second degree has a particularly bad police and political record that shows that he feels and behaves like a Jew.

Also in these cases exemptions should not be made if the person of mixed blood of the second degree has married a person of German blood.

3) Marriages between Full Jews and Persons of German Blood.

Here it must be decided from case to case whether the Jewish partner will be evacuated or whether, with regard to the effects of such a step on the German relatives, [this mixed marriage] should be sent to an old-age ghetto.

4) Marriages between Persons of Mixed Blood of the First Degree

and Persons of German Blood.

a) Without Children.

If no children have resulted from the marriage, the person of mixed blood of the first degree will be

evacuated or sent to an old-age ghetto (same treatment

as in the case of marriages between full Jews and

persons of German blood, point 3.)

b) With Children.

If children have resulted from the marriage (persons of mixed blood of the second degree), they will, if they are to be treated as Jews, be evacuated or sent to a ghetto along with the parent of mixed blood of the first degree. If these children are to be treated as

Germans (regular cases), they are exempted from

evacuation as is therefore the parent of mixed blood of

the first degree.

5) Marriages between Persons of Mixed Blood of the First Degree and Persons of Mixed Blood of the First Degree or Jews.

In these marriages (including the children) all members of the family will be treated as Jews and therefore be evacuated or sent to an old-age ghetto.

6) Marriages between Persons of Mixed Blood of the First Degree and Persons of Mixed Blood of the Second Degree.

In these marriages both partners will be evacuated or sent to an old-age ghetto without consideration of whether the marriage has produced children, since possible children will as a rule have stronger Jewish blood than the Jewish person of mixed blood of the second degree.

SS-Gruppenführer Hofmann advocates the opinion that sterilization will have to be widely used, since the person of mixed blood who is given the choice whether he will be evacuated or sterilized would rather undergo sterilization.

State Secretary Dr. Stuckart maintains that carrying out in practice of the just mentioned possibilities for solving the problem of mixed marriages and persons of mixed blood will create endless administrative work. In the second place, as the biological facts cannot be disregarded in any case, State Secretary Dr. Stuckart proposed proceeding to forced sterilization.

Furthermore, to simplify the problem of mixed marriages possibilities must be considered with the goal of the legislator saying something like: "These marriages have been dissolved."

With regard to the issue of the effect of the evacuation of Jews on the economy, State Secretary Neumann stated that Jews who are working in industries vital to the war effort, provided that

no replacements are available, cannot be evacuated.

SS-Obergruppenführer Heydrich indicated that these Jews would not be evacuated according to the rules he had approved for carrying out the evacuations then underway.

State Secretary Dr. Buehler stated that the General

Government would welcome it if the final solution of this problem could be begun in the General Government, since on the one hand transportation does not play such a large role here nor would problems of labor supply hamper this action. Jews must be removed from the territory of the General Government as quickly

as possible, since it is especially here that the Jew as an

epidemic carrier represents an extreme danger and on the other hand he is causing permanent chaos in the economic structure of the country through continued black market dealings. Moreover, of the approximately 2 1/2 million Jews concerned, the majority is unfit for work.

State Secretary Dr. Buehler stated further that the solution to the Jewish question in the General Government is the responsibility of the Chief of the Security Police and the SD and that his efforts would be supported by the officials of the General Government. He had only one request, to solve the Jewish

question in this area as quickly as possible.

In conclusion the different types of possible solutions were discussed, during which discussion both Gauleiter Dr. Meyer and State Secretary Dr. Buehler took the position that certain preparatory activities for the final solution should be carried out immediately in the territories in question, in which process alarming the populace must be avoided.

The meeting was closed with the request of the Chief of the Security Police and the SD to the participants that they afford him appropriate support during the carrying out of the tasks involved in the solution.