Trial of the Major War Criminals before International Military Tribunal ...

discussed, but I remember exactly that I had worked out a memorandum
in reply to these plans and sent it to the Fuehrer's Head-
quarters in which I strongly objected to such plans. I considered this.
plan as nonsense, as in my opinion the vacuum created by this plan
would severely disturb the life functions of Bohemia and Moravia
for various reasons of geo-political transport and industrial and
other nature, and an immediate filling of this vacuum with the new
German settlers was impossible.
After the alleged plan of HITLER had been read to me I recalled
exactly the contents of my oppmitional opinion expressed in the
memorandum. My memorandum was written either in late 1939 or
early 1940 and sent to the Fuehrer's Headquarters."
RIBBENTROP when interrogated by Col. Dr. B. ECER on July 22,
1945 in Mondorff was asked, among other things, about two points:
(a) About a talk between him and Neville HENDERSON on 21st May,
1938. HENDERSON stated about this talk on page 136 of his book
-"Failure of a Mission": "He (i.e. RIBBENTROP) thereupon
turned in wrath to the accidental murder of two Germans near
Eger, and used, as regards the Czechs, the most reprehensible
bloodthirsty language. They would, he assured me, be extermi-
nated, women and children and all. When I observed that while
the death of two Germans was greatly to be deplored, it was
better that two should die rather than hundreds of thousands in
war, his only reply was that every German was ready to die for
his country."
RIBBENTROP, interro,gated about this point admitted that the
incident of the two Germans was discussed, and continued: "If it
was stated that I have threatened that the whole Czech people, men,
women and children would be exterminated, it is completely untrue.
I call it an infamous lie." Thus RIBBENTROP called Neville HEN-
DERSON an infamous liar. HENDERSON admitted the failure of
his efforts to reconcile Germany with the Western Powers. His
policy was a wrong one, disastrous for the peace of Europe and the
world, but there is no doubt that HENDERSON was an honest man.
He cannot be called before the court as witness but his book is
valuable evidence beyond any doubt.
(b) Then Col. Dr. B. ECER expressly asked RIBBENTROP: "Is it
your opinion that the occupation of Czechoslovakia on March 10,
1939, was a violation of the Munich Agreement?"