Chapter M: HERZOG: “Supplementary note by the Commander of the West

“The Commander of the West reported to the Chief of the OKW on
23 July as follows:

“1) In spite of anxieties concerning internal security, I have
authorized the application of the Sauckel-Laval agreement of 12
May 1944.

“2) I shall issue further instructions for the application of
these measures in the combat zone in agreement with OKW/WFSt/Qu.
(Verw. 1) 2 (West) Number 05201/44, Secret, of 8 July 1944.

“The Commander of the West, signed Von Kluge, Field Marshal.

“Further instructions follow. For the Commander of the West. The
Chief of the General Staff,” _et cetera_.

I come back now to the conference of 11 July 1944. I submit to you Document Number 3819-PS, submitted under Exhibit Number GB-306. The Tribunal will find it under Document 3819-PS in the first part of my document book. It represents the minutes of the ministers’ conference which took place on 11 July 1944 in Berlin, a gathering of ministers, chiefs of the Party, and of administration.

You will find on Page 6 of the French translation the list of all the persons who were there. Do you remember who, among the defendants, were among those present? Do you recognize the signature of Defendant Funk? That of Defendant Speer?

SAUCKEL: I have not found it yet.

M. HERZOG: Have you found them?

SAUCKEL: I have not found Speer’s signature yet.

M. HERZOG: Was Defendant Speer present at this conference?

SAUCKEL: I cannot tell you from memory. I cannot find his name.

M. HERZOG: Were you yourself present at this conference?

SAUCKEL: Yes, I participated.

M. HERZOG: Do you remember the proposals which, in the course of this conference, General Warlimont made to you in the name of the General Staff? Do you remember the reply that you made to these proposals?

SAUCKEL: I recall a conversation between General Warlimont and myself on that occasion, and I gave an answer; but I cannot give it to you verbatim without having some data at my disposal.

M. HERZOG: Well, I am going to read you the text. It is on Page 10. The Tribunal will find it at the bottom of the page:

“The representative of the Chief of the OKW, General Warlimont,
referred to a recent order of the Führer according to which all
German forces would have to be used in the task of recruiting
labor. Where troops of the Wehrmacht are stationed, whenever
they are not engaged exclusively in military tasks—such as the
construction of coastal fortifications—they will be available,
but they cannot be detached solely for the purpose of the
Plenipotentiary General for the Allocation of Labor. General
Warlimont made the following practical proposals:

“(a) Troops which are in action against partisans will, in
addition, have to be used for recruiting labor in the zones held
by partisan bands....”

SAUCKEL: Would you please tell me where that is. I have not this passage on this page. Will you please show me the page?

M. HERZOG: I will have it shown to you. Point it out to the interpreter also.

SAUCKEL: Yes, I find the place about General Warlimont, but in the German translation it sounds entirely different from what you are reading.

M. HERZOG: It is on Page 3. Have you found it?

SAUCKEL: Yes.