Joseph Bühler at Nuremberg: 'resettle Jews in Russia'

[Hektor]

That statement enough should settle the issue:

In dieser Situation kam diese Einladung Heydrichs an den Generalgouverneur. Die Besprechung sollte ursprünglich bereits im November 1941 stattfinden, wurde dann aber mehrmals abgesetzt und dürfte stattgefunden haben im Februar 1942.

Ich hatte Heydrich wegen der besonderen Probleme des Generalgouvernements um eine Einzelbesprechung gebeten und er hat mich hierzu empfangen. Hierbei habe ich ihm unter vielem anderen besonders die katastrophalen Verhältnisse geschildert, die infolge des eigenmächtigen Hereinführens jüdischer Bevölkerung in das Generalgouvernement entstanden waren. Er hat mir daraufhin erklärt, daß er gerade deshalb den Generalgouverneur zu dieser Besprechung eingeladen habe. Der Reichsführer-SS habe vom Führer den Auftrag erhalten, die gesamten Juden Europas zusammenzufassen und im Nordosten Europas, in Rußland, anzusiedeln. Ich fragte ihn, ob das bedeute, daß die weitere Hereinführung jüdischer Bevölkerung in das Generalgouvernement unterbleibe, und daß dem Generalgouvernement die vielen Hunderttausende von Juden, die ohne Erlaubnis des Generalgouverneurs hereingeführt worden waren, wieder abgenommen würden. Heydrich hat mir beides in Aussicht gestellt. Heydrich hat weiter erklärt, daß der Führer Befehl erteilt habe, die Protektoratstadt Theresienstadt als Reservat einzurichten, in welchem weiterhin alte und kranke Juden und schwächliche Juden, welche den Strapazen einer Umsiedlung nicht mehr gewachsen seien, unterzubringen seien. Aus dieser Mitteilung habe ich die bestimmte Überzeugung mitgenommen, daß die Umsiedlung der Juden, wenn auch nicht den Juden zuliebe, so um des Rufes und des Ansehens des deutschen Volkes willen, in humaner Weise vor sich gehen würde. Die Aussiedlung der Juden im Generalgouvernement wurde in der Folgezeit ausschließlich durch die Polizei durchgeführt.
http://www.zeno.org/Geschichte/M/Der+Nürnberger+Prozeß/Hauptverhandlungen/Einhundertzwölfter+Tag.+Dienstag,+23.+April+1946/Vormittagssitzung

The important part says:
"The Reichsfuehrer-SS has received the task from the Fuehre to collect all the Jews of Europe and to resettle them in the North-East of Europe, in Russia."

[Armor105]

It also talks about setting up elderly, weak and feeble Jews who are no longer able to suffer the hardships of resettlement in the "Protectorate Reserve" Theresienstadt.

Dynamite stuff Hektor.

The statement was made on 23rd April 1946 correct?

Do we have a Nuremberg document number for this?

[Rankweil]

This would deal with Jews in the General Government but not the Jews in Chelmno and Auschwitz.

I'm also reading the whole interrogation in English. YOu can find it here

http://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/04-23-46.asp

When one of the Russians is interrogating him, Buehler says he was unaware of any Jews being killed and that he assumed the Jews deported from the General Government ended up in Russia. This is pp. 100 or so. THe Russian seems to catch Buehler in a lie but I can't be sure. Any help?

[Armor105]

This would deal with Jews in the General Government but not the Jews in Chelmno and Auschwitz.

Why?

It says the Jews of Europe.

[Rankweil]

But Buehler wouldn't know what was going on outside of the General Government and he says so in the interrogation.

I'm just trying to figure out the exterminationist angle on this.

[Armor105]

But Buehler wouldn't know what was going on outside of the General Government and he says so in the interrogation.

I'm just trying to figure out the exterminationist angle on this.

As I see it, he's got wind of an order by Hitler to the Reichsfuehrer-SS and he's just recounting that. Heydrich told him right? Heydrich was the Reichsfuehrer-SS correct?

[Rankweil]

Himmler was Reichsfuhrer SS. Heydrich was head of the RHSA.

[Armor105]

Himmler was Reichsfuhrer SS. Heydrich was head of the RHSA.

Ok...sorry...

So, Heydrich told Buhler about Hitlers order to Himmler.

There is no exterminationist angle on this as far as I can see, unless they invoke the 'code words' card.

[Hannover]

But Buehler wouldn't know what was going on outside of the General Government and he says so in the interrogation.

I'm just trying to figure out the exterminationist angle on this.

Buehler wouldn't need to know, he was not making the decisions here.

"The Reichsfuehrer-SS has received the task from the Fuehrer to collect all the Jews of Europe and to resettle them in the North-East of Europe, in Russia."

- Hannover

[Rankweil]

Right but there is delegation downward. Himmler is commanded by Hitler. Himmler passes on that command to Heydrich who chairs the Wannsee conference. In turn, Frank is charged with carrying out the program in the GEneral Government. Presumably some of that responsibility falls on Buehler.

[Hannover]

Right but there is delegation downward. Himmler is commanded by Hitler. Himmler passes on that command to Heydrich who chairs the Wannsee conference. In turn, Frank is charged with carrying out the program in the GEneral Government. Presumably some of that responsibility falls on Buehler.

Yes, ofcourse, Buehler deals with this area of responsibility, nothing peculiar about that, and it changes nothing. In no way does it negate the fact that Hitler was addressing "all the Jews of Europe" and he wanted them resettled in the North-East of Europe, in Russia. It's a non-issue.

Good work, Hektor

- Hannover

[Hektor]

...
Yes, ofcourse, Buehler deals with this area of responsibility, nothing peculiar about that, and it changes nothing. In no way does it negate the fact that Hitler was addressing "all the Jews of Europe" and he wanted them resettled in the North-East of Europe, in Russia. It's a non-issue.
...

At that moment Heydrich's invitation to the Governor General was received. The conference was originally supposed to take place in November 1941, but it was frequently postponed and it may have taken place in February 1942. Because of the special problems of the Government General I had asked Heydrich for a personal interview and he received me. On that occasion, among many other things, I described in particular the catastrophic conditions which had resulted from the arbitrary bringing of Jews into the Government General. He replied that for this very reason he had invited the Governor General to the conference. The Reichsfuehrer SS, so he said, had received an order from the Fuehrer to round up all the Jews of Europe and to settle them in the Northeast of Europe, in Russia. I asked him whether this meant that the further arrival of Jews in the Government General would cease, and whether the hundreds of thousands of Jews who had been brought into the Government General without the permission of the Governor General would be moved out again. Heydrich promised me both these things. Heydrich said furthermore that the Fuehrer had given an order that Theresienstadt, a town in the Protectorate, would become a reservation in which old and sick Jews, and weak Jews who could not stand the strains of resettlement, were to be accommodated in the future. This information left me definitely convinced that the resettlement of the Jews, if not for the sake of the Jews, then for the sake of the reputation and prestige of the German people, would be carried out in a humane fashion. The removal of the Jews from the Government General was subsequently carried out exclusively by the Police. I might add that Heydrich demanded, particularly for himself, his office, and its branches, the exclusive and uninterrupted competence and control in this matter.

Source: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/04-23-46.asp
I am sure there is more gems.

[Armor105]

So the source would be:

- Interrogation of Joseph Bühler at Nuremberg, as recorded in Nuremberg Trial Proceedings Vol.12, Tuesday, 23 April 1946

Correct?

There's no document number for this?

[Hektor]

Yes, I'd say this is correct. I got this from sites that display the transcripts of the proceedings.