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.