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Sobibor - Holocaust Propaganda And Reality - Unity of Nobility ...

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210 J. GRAF, T. KUES, C. MATTOGNO, SOBIBÓR<br />

“The basic premise <strong>of</strong> the German policy in respect <strong>of</strong> the Jews,<br />

starting with the seizure <strong>of</strong> power [by Hitler in 1933], was to promote<br />

Jewish emigration by all available means. For this purpose,<br />

Generalfeldmarschall Göring, in his quality as head <strong>of</strong> the Four-<br />

Year-Plan, created a Reich central agency for Jewish emigration<br />

and entrusted its leadership to Gruppenführer Heydrich, the chief <strong>of</strong><br />

the security police.”<br />

Having expounded the origins and the development <strong>of</strong> the Madagascar<br />

plan – which by now had been scrapped in view <strong>of</strong> the changed situation<br />

– Luther stressed that Göring’s letter <strong>of</strong> 31 July 1941 was a follow-up<br />

to Heydrich’s letter <strong>of</strong> 24 June 1940, which claimed that the<br />

Jewish question could no longer be solved by emigration but required a<br />

“territorial final solution.” Luther went on to say:<br />

“For that reason, Reichsmarschall Göring requested Gruppenführer<br />

Heydrich on 31 July 1941 to carry out all necessary preparations<br />

for a comprehensive solution <strong>of</strong> the Jewish question within<br />

the German sphere <strong>of</strong> influence in Europe (cf. [document] DIII<br />

709g). On the basis <strong>of</strong> this order, Gruppenführer Heydrich convened<br />

a meeting <strong>of</strong> all German agencies involved for 20 January 1942,<br />

with secretaries <strong>of</strong> state from the other ministries and myself from<br />

the foreign <strong>of</strong>fice attending. Gruppenführer Heydrich explained at<br />

the meeting that Reichsmarschall Göring had issued his order being<br />

so directed by the Führer, and that the Führer had now approved<br />

the evacuation <strong>of</strong> the Jews to the East.”<br />

Luther added that on the basis <strong>of</strong> this order the evacuation <strong>of</strong> the<br />

Jews from Germany had been started. The eastern territories were their<br />

destination, to which they would be deported by way <strong>of</strong> the General<br />

Government:<br />

“The removal to the General Government is a temporary measure.<br />

The Jews will be moved on to the occupied eastern territories as<br />

soon as the material means are available.”<br />

A circular dated 9 October 1942 and sent to Party <strong>of</strong>ficials, entitled<br />

“Rumors concerning the situation <strong>of</strong> the Jews in the East,” explains in<br />

the following manner the measures taken against the Jews: 615<br />

“In connection with the elaboration <strong>of</strong> the final solution <strong>of</strong> the<br />

Jewish question, the inhabitants <strong>of</strong> various parts <strong>of</strong> the Reich have<br />

recently been discussing ‘very severe measures’ against the Jews,<br />

615<br />

PS-3244.

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