dtufail/nuremberg-trials-corpus huggingface dataset:
COL. STOREY: The general organizational arrangement or plan of the SA will be demonstrated to the Tribunal by the documents which will subsequently appear. At this point I may say simply that this proof will show that the SA developed from scattered bands of street ruffians to a well-knit, cohesive unit organized on a military basis with military training and military functions and, above all, with an aggressive, militaristic, and warlike spirit and philosophy. The organization extended throughout the entire Reich territory and was organized vertically into local groups and divisions. Horizontally, therefore special units including military cavalry, communications, engineer, and medical units. Your Honors will observe the chart that I will introduce officially a little later on the wall. Co-ordination of these various groups and branches was strictly maintained by the SA headquarters and operational offices, and those offices were located in Munich. The relationship between the SA and the NSDAP is the next subject. The case against the SA is a strong one and its basis or foundation consists of its significant and peculiar relationship and affiliation with the Nazi Party and the principal conspirators. It is submitted that a relationship or association among the alleged conspirators constitutes important and convincing evidence of their joint participation in an established conspiracy; and this principle is particularly applicable because the affiliation between the SA and the Nazi leaders was closely maintained and adhered to And was adapted to the purpose of enabling the conspirators to employ the SA for any use or activity which might be necessary in the course of effectuating the objectives of the conspiracy. Thus we find that the SA was, in fact, conceived and created by Hitler himself in the year 1921 at the very inception of the conspiracy. Hitler retained direction of the SA throughout the period of the conspiracy, delegating the responsibility for its leadership to a Chief of Staff.
COL. STOREY: Hitler, in fact, was often known throughout Germany as OSAF, or "Oberster SA Fuehrer," or, translated, meaning the highest SA Fuehrer. The Defendant Goering was an early member of the SA and he maintained a close affiliation with it throughout the course of the conspiracy. The Defendant Hess participated in many of the early bathes of the SA and was leader of an SA group in Munich. The Defendants Frank, Streicher, Von Schirach, and Sauckel each held a position of Obergruppenfuehrer in the SA, a position corresponding to the rank of Lieutenant General; and the Defendant Bormann was a member of the staff of the SA High Command. The close relationship between the SA and the leaders of the Nazi Party is demonstrated by the fact that the Hoheitstrager of the Nazi Leadership Corps were authorized to call upon the SA for assistance in carrying out particular phases of the Party program. This was established yesterday by Document 1893-PS, which, Your Honors will recall, I quoted from a number of times in connection with the presentation of the Leadership Corps. It was declared in that excerpt, Page 11 of the English translation, as Your Honors will recall, that the Hoheitstrager were empowered to call upon the SA for the execution of political missions connected with the movement. This responsibility of the SA to the Party is also shown by Document 2383-PS, which is an ordinance for the execution of the Hitler decree, which I now offer in evidence as Exhibit USA-410. I quote from Page 3 of the English translation. If Your Honors will turn to Page 3 of the English translation, it is the fourth paragraph on Page 3: "The affiliates of the NSDAP, with exception of the SS, for whom special provisions apply, are subordinated to the Hoheitstrager politically and for assignment to duty. Responsibility for the leadership of the units rests in the hands of the unit leader." It was in accordance with such authority, as proved yesterday in the Leadership Corps presentation, that the SA was used in the seizure of trade union properties.
COL. STOREY: In addition the SA demonstrated its close affiliation to the Nazi Party by participating in various ways in election proceedings. This is shown in Document 2168-PS, which is a pamphlet entitled The SA, which is Exhibit USA-411; and this pamphlet depicts the history and general activities of the SA, written by an SA Sturmfuehrer named Bayer upon orders from SA headquarters. In that pamphlet, and I quote on Page 4 of the English translation, down towards the bottom of the page, the last paragraph, beginning on line 3: "The labor and the struggle of the SA was not in vain. They stood at the foremost front of election contests." Adolf Hitler himself, on the 2d of September 1930, took over the leadership of the SA as the Supreme SA Fuehrer. He himself guided his SA in the fateful election fight of the year 1930. Further evidence of the interest and participation of Nazi leaders in the activities of the SA is to be found in these five bound volumes, which consist of the issues of the SA newspaper, Der SA-Mann, from the year 1934 to 1539 inclusive; and I should like at this time to ask that each of these bound volumes be marked for identification, because each of them will be referred to from time to time during this presentation. They will begin with Exhibit USA-414, 415, 416, 417, and 418 and they are referred to by appropriate document numbers, which I will refer to when the quoted portions come in the English translation. Throughout these volumes there appear photographs portraying the participation of Nazi leaders in SA activities. I should like at this time to describe a few of the photographs, and I will indicate the page numbers upon which they appear. If Your Honors please, we set out a number of these pictures and a number of photographs; but I should like, at this time, to exhibit to the Tribunal and pass into evidence one of the photographs appearing in the January 1937 issue.
COL. STOREY: It is a photograph of Goering at the ceremonies held upon the occasion of his being made Obergruppenfuehrer of the Feldherrnhalle Regiment of the SA on the 23rd of January 1937, and we offer in evidence the photograph and the page of the newspaper. We will pass it up to Your Honors if you would like to see it. We offer it in evidence. Another photograph of Goering, leading the Feldherrnhalle Regiment of the SA in parade on the 18th of September 1937, is shown at Page 3. The other photograph was at Page 3 of the 1937 January edition of the SA-Mann. I call the attention of Your Honors to a few of the other photographs that appear. There is a photograph of Hitler greeting Huhnlein, bearing the caption, "The Fuehrer greets Corps Fuehrer Huhulein at the opening of the International Automobile Fair-1935." That is dated the 23rd of March 1935, at Page 6. Here is another photograph of Himmler and Huhnlein, who was the Fuehrer of the NSKK, and Lutze, who was Chief of Staff of the SA, bearing the caption, "They lead the soldiers of National Socialism," 15th of June 1935, Page 1. Another photograph of Hitler at an SA ceremony, carrying the SA battle flag; and the picture bears the caption, "As in the fighting years, the Fuehrer, on the Party Day of Freedom, dedicates the new regiments with the Blood Banner," 21 September 1935, Page 4. I pass on. Here is a photograph of Goering in the SA uniform, reviewing SA marching troops, under the caption, "Honor Day of the SA," 21 September 1935, Page 3.
THE PRESIDENT: Colonel Storey, is there any doubt that Hitler and Goering were members of the SA?
COL. STOREY: No, Sir; but the purpose in showing those photographs, if Your Honors please, was to show the militaristic character of the SA. If there is no question about that and it is cumulative, then I will pass on. The work of the SA did not end with the seizure by the Nazis of the German Government, but affiliation between the SA and the Nazi leaders was continued after the acquisition by the Nazis of the control of the German State. The importance of the SA in connection with the Nazi Government and control of Germany is shown by the law of December 1, 1933. I have already referred to that, that is, the union of Party and State. However, there is one paragraph that has not been quoted before, if Your Honors please, and I would like to call Your Honors' attention to it. It is our Document 1395-PS, and it appears in the English translation on Page 1, and I quote Article 2: "The Fuehrer's Deputy and the Chief of Staff of the SA become members of the Reich Government in order to insure close co-operation of the of flees of the Party and SA with the public authorities." Similarly, in Document 2383-PS, which I referred to a moment ago-I will simply refer to it-that is 2383-PS, Page 11, the last paragraph: "The Party and State offices must support the SA in this training program and value the certificate of award of the SA defense medal accordingly." That the Nazis at all times possessed complete control of the SA is shown by the so-called Rohm Purge of June 1934. Evidence concerning this matter is to be found in the Volkischer Beobachter of 1 July 1934, at Page 1. I will not quote from that. Rohm had been Chief of Staff of the SA for several years and was responsible for the development of the SA into a powerful organization with definite programs and objectives. Members of the SA were required to take a personal oath of fidelity to him. But when his policies conflicted with those of the Nazi leaders, he was removed and murdered and replaced by Victor Lutze.
COL. STOREY: This drastic action was accomplished without revolt or dissension in the ranks of the SA and with no change in the objectives or program of the organization. The SA remained "a reliable and strong part of the National Socialist Movement"-and I am quoting; this is Document 2407-PS, Exhibit USA-412, the English translation of the Volkischer Beobachter . It is the last paragraph in the English translation, just above the name "Adolf Hitler." I will say for the translators that the quotation is included in our text. If we might go on, I quote: "It is my wish that the SA be built up as a reliable and strong part of the National Socialist movement, full of obedience and blind discipline. They must help to create and form the new German citizens." The importance of the SA in the Nazi plan for the utilization of the people of Germany is shown in Hitler's pronouncement, "The Course for the German," which appears in the issue of Der SA-Mann of the 5th of September 1936, at Page 22. It is our Document 3050-PS, Exhibit Numbers USA-414 and USA-418; and it is at Page 29 of the English translation-Page 29 of Document 3050-PS, the paragraph in the middle of the page; and I quote: ". . . the young boy will enter the Jungvolk, and the adolescent will enter the Hitler Youth; the young man of the Hitler Jugend will go into the SA, the SS, and other units, and the SA and SS men will one day enter into the labor service and from there the Army, and the soldier of the yolk will return again into the organization of the Movement, of the Party, into the SA and SS, and never again will our yolk decay as it once had decayed." And so we see that at all times during the conspiracy the relationship between the SA and the Nazi Party was such that the SA was constantly available to the conspirators as an instrument to further their aims. The SA was created by the conspirators at the inception of the Nazi movement. It was at all times subject to the direction of Adolf Hitler.
COL. STOREY: Seven of the defendants held positions of leadership and responsibility in the organization, and at all times the SA was subject to the call of the Hoheitstrager. The SA stood at the forefront of the election fights; and co-operation between the offices of the Party, of the SA, and of the State was assured by law. And so it was declared by Victor Lutze, the former Chief of Staff of the SA, in a pamphlet entitled The Nature and Tasks of the SA; and it is our Document Number 2471-PS. The original we offer in evidence as Exhibit USA-413; and I quote from the top of Page 1 of the English translation, 2471-PS. I believe I will read that whole paragraph, the first paragraph on the top of the page: "Before touching the real subject matter, I must tell you first, in order to clear up any uncertainty about my own position, that I never speak primarily as a member of the SA, but as a National Socialist, since the SA cannot be independent of the National Socialist movement but can only exist as a part of it." I should next like to present to the Tribunal evidence which will demonstrate the principal functions and activities performed by the SA pursuant to the relationship which I have described above and in furtherance of the objectives of the conspiracy. These activities may be logically classified or divided into four distinct phases or aspects, each of which, I might add, corresponds with a particular phase in the progression of the conspiracy toward the objectives alleged in the Indictment. The first phase consists of the use of the SA and its members as the instrument for the dissemination of ideology and fanaticism of the Nazis throughout Germany. The employment of the SA for this purpose continued throughout the entire period of the conspiracy as will, I am sure, be apparent from the evidence. The second phase relates to the period prior to the Nazi seizure of power. During this period the SA was a militant and aggressive group of fighters or gangsters whose function was to combat, physically and violently, all opponents of the Party.
COL. STOREY: The third phase relates to the period of several years following the Nazi seizure of power. During this period the SA participated in various measures designed to consolidate the control of the Nazis, including such Nazi-inspired programs as the dissolution of the trade unions, the persecution of the Church, and the Jewish persecutions to which I have already alluded. During this period they continued to serve as a force of political soldiers whose purpose was physically to combat members of political parties which were considered hostile or opposed to the Nazi Party. The fourth aspect of the SA activities consisted of its employment as an agency for the building up of an armed force in Germany in violation of the Treaty of Versailles and for the preparation of the youth of Germany-mentally and physically-for the waging of an aggressive war. I should now like to discuss what I consider the highlights of the evidence relating to these four phases. The first phase is in connection with the dissemination of ideology. The first function of the SA consisted of its responsibility to disseminate the doctrines and ideologies, acceptance of which was necessary for the fulfillment of the Nazi objectives. From the very start the Nazi leaders emphasized the importance of this mission. During the course of the conspiracy the SA undertook many duties and responsibilities, but one responsibility which remained constant throughout was that of being propagandist of the National Socialist ideology. I now refer, Your Honors, to the English translation of Document 2760-PS, Exhibit USA-256, which is an excerpt from Mein Kampf , and it is shown at Page 5 of the translation of the document.
COL. STOREY: This is the third paragraph on Page 5 of the document, quoting: "As the directing idea for the inner training of the Sturmabteilung, the intention was always dominant, aside from all physical education, to teach it to be the unshakeably convinced defender of the National Socialist idea...." I might add that Hitler's pronouncement as to the function of the SA in this respect became, in effect, the guiding principle of SA members, for Mein Kampf was taken to express the basic philosophy of the SA. In Document Number 2354-PS, which is an excerpt from the Organization Book of the Party, on Page 1 of the English translation-it is quoted in the text-I quote Paragraph 1: "Education and training, according to the doctrines and aims of the Fuehrer as they are set down in Mein Kampf and in the Party program, for all phases of our living and of our National Socialist ideology...." This same document-the Organization Book of the Party-refers to the SA's function as the propagandist of the Party. I believe the next one, if Your Honor pleases, would simply be cumulative of what we have already referred to. I next refer to an article . . .
THE PRESIDENT: Perhaps this would be a convenient time to break off.
COL. STOREY: All right, Sir.
DR. FRITZ SAUTER (Counsel for the Defendant Von Schirach): Mr. President, yesterday a table depicting the construction of the Reich Cabinet, one of the accused organizations, was shown on the screen here. On this chart the Defendant Von Schirach was also listed under the heading, "Other participants in the meetings of the Cabinet." The Defendant Von Schirach has explained to me and asked me to inform the Tribunal that he never took part in any meeting of the Reich Cabinet, that he was never named a member of the Reich Cabinet, and that he never had a part in any decision of the Reich Cabinet.
THE PRESIDENT: The point that you are taking seems to the Tribunal to be premature. This is not the stage at which you are to argue the question whether your client is a member of the Reich Cabinet or not. The argument upon the whole question will take place after the evidence and after the Prosecution have had the opportunity of putting forward their arguments as to the criminal nature of the Reich Cabinet. You or other counsel on behalf of those concerned will be able to put forward your arguments. We do not desire to hear arguments now about the criminal nature, but to hear the evidence. Is that clear?
DR. SAUTER: Yes. I shall then return to this point during the examination of witnesses, and prove that the Defendant Von Schirach was never a member of the Reich Cabinet. Thank you.
COL. STOREY: If the Tribunal please, yesterday afternoon we had just started on the participation of the SA in the first point- the dissemination of ideology or propaganda. In an article which appeared in Der SA-Mann , at Page 1 of the issue of January 1934, which is Document 3050-PS; and I refer to Page 25 of the English translation, if Your Honor pleases, the portion shown in red brackets-it is dated the 6th of January 1934: "The new Germany would not have been without the SA man; and the new Germany would not go on existing if the SA man would now, with the feeling of having fulfilled his duty, quietly, unselfishly, and modestly step aside, or if the new State would send him home much like the Moor who has done his duty. On the contrary, the SA man, following the will of the Fuehrer, stands as a guarantor of the National Socialist revolution before the gates of power and will remain standing there at all times. For gigantic missions still await fulfillment which would not be thinkable without the presence and the active co-operation of the SA. "What has been accomplished up till now, the taking over of the power in the State and the ejection of those elements which are responsible for the pernicious developments of the postwar years as bearers of Marxism, liberalism, and Capitalism, are only the preliminaries, the springboard, for the real aims of National Socialism. ''Being conscious of the fact that the real National Socialist construction work would be building in an empty space without the seizure of power by Adolf Hitler, the Movement and the SA man as the fighting bearer of its will, primarily have directed all of their efforts thereupon, to achieve the platform of continued striving and to obtain the foundation or the realization of our desires....
COL. STOREY: "Out of this comes the further mission of the SA for the completion of the German revolution: First, to be the guarantor of the power of the National Socialist State against all attacks from without as well as from within; second, to be the high institute of education of the people for the living National Socialism." The function of SA as the propagandist of the Party was more than a responsibility which SA took unto itself. It was the responsibility recognized by the law of Germany. From Document 1395-PS, which is the copy of the law entitled, "Law on Securing the Unity of Party and State," which I have referred to before- and it was promulgated by the Reich Cabinet in 1933-I desire to read Article 3, on Page 1 of the English translation: "The members of the National Socialist German Labor Party and the SA, including their subordinate organizations, as the leading and driving force of the National Socialist State, will bear greater responsibility toward the Fuehrer, people, and State. In case they violate these duties they will be subject to special jurisdiction by Party and SA. The Fuehrer may extend these regulations in order to include members of other organizations." Thus were the SA members the ideology bearers of the Nazi Party-the soldiers of an idea-to use the expression employed by the Nazi writers. And permit me to emphasize that the SA was the propagandist agency, the principal agency employed by the conspirators to disseminate their fanaticism among the people of Germany. I need hardly point out the importance of this function to the successful effectuation of the conspiracy, for it is self-evident that the Nazis could not have carried their conspiracy to the stages which they did, had not the minds of the people of Germany been cruelly and viciously influenced and infected with their evil ideologies. I now proceed to the other functions of the SA which I mentioned previously. The next is its use in the early stages of the conspiracy as the "strong-arm" of the NSDAP.
COL. STOREY: In the early stages of the Nazi movement, the employment of the SA as the propagandist instrument of the Party, involved and was combined with the exercise of physical violence and brutality. As said by Hitler in Mein Kampf -and this excerpt appears at Page 4 of Document 2760-PS, Page 4 of the English translation, Exhibit Number USA-256: "The young Movement, from the first day, espoused the standpoint that its idea must be put forward spiritually, but that the defense of this spiritual platform must, if necessary, be secured by strong-arm means." I will read the rest of that paragraph: "Faithful to its belief in the enormous significance of the new doctrine, it seems obvious to the Movement that for the attainment of its goal no sacrifice can be too great." And so, in the early days of the Nazi movement, so that the Nazis might better spread their fanatical philosophies, the SA was employed as a terroristic group, in order to gain for the Nazis possession and control of the streets. That is another way of saying that it was a function of the SA to beat up and terrorize all political opponents. The importance of this function is indicated in Document 2168-PS, Exhibit Number USA-411, which was written by SA Sturmfuehrer Bayer on orders from SA headquarters. I refer to Page 3 of the English translation of Document 2168-PS, the third paragraph from the bottom: "Possession of the streets is the key to power in the State- for this reason the SA marched and fought. The public would never have received knowledge of the agitative speeches of the little Reichstag faction and its propagandists or of the desires and aims of the Party if the martial tread and battle song of the SA companies had not beat the measures for the truth of a relentless criticism of the state of affairs in the governmental system. They wanted the young Movement to keep silent. Nothing was to be read in the press about the labor of the National Socialists, not to mention the basic aims of its platform. They simply did not want to awaken any interest in it.