TREBLINKA: - Holocaust Handbooks

Chapter VI: National-Socialist Policy of Jewish Emigration 197
first reports concerning the deportations into the Ostland is a telegram of November
9, 1941, directed to Rosenberg by Lohse, which reads as follows: 559
“Security Police reports implementation of the transport of 50,000 Jews
into the Ostland. Arrival of the 1st transport at Minsk, November 10, in
Riga, November 19. Urgently request to prevent transports, since Jewish
camps must be shifted considerably farther to the east.”
On the same day, Dr. Leibbrand, head of the office at the Rosenberg Ministry,
sent the following telegram to Lohse: 560
“Regarding transports of Jews into the Ostland.
Precise message on its way. Jews are coming farther east. Camps in
Riga and Minsk only temporary measures, no objections on that account
here.”
The local authorities were anything but delighted about the influx of these
western Jews and lodged protests against it several times. On November 20,
1941, the Wehrmacht commander of the Ostland wrote a letter to Lohse on
the subject “Transportation of Jews from Germany to White Russia,” in which
he explained: 561
“According to a report of the 707th Division, 25,000 Jews are supposed
to be transported out of Germany to White Russia, of which 3,000 are allegedly
intended for Minsk and 1,500 have already arrived from Hamburg.
The immigration of German Jews, who are far superior in intelligence to
the masses of the White Russian population, means a great danger to the
pacification of White Russia.”
The Jewish population of White Russia, the letter continued, was “Bolshevist
and capable of every attitude hostile to Germany” as well as active in the
resistance. Therefore, the German-Jewish new arrivals would make contact
with Communist organizations. For this reason as well as because the deportations
would hinder the transports for the Wehrmacht, the Wehrmacht commander
asked that
“arrangements be made that no Jews come from Germany to White
Russia.”
But the protests faded away unheard. On November 20, 1941, Stahlecker
reported to Lohse: 562
“The transports of Jews are at present arriving in Minsk as planned.
Of the 25 transports which originally were destined for Riga, the first 5
were diverted to Kauen [563] .”
A note of January 13, 1942, from Lohse’s office reiterated: 564
559
GARF, 7445-2-145, p. 52.
560
GARF, 7445-2-145, p. 54 and p. 51 (transcription of the telegram).
561
GARF, 7445-2-145, pp. 60f.
562
GARF, 7445-2-145, p. 62.
563
German name for Kaunas.
564
GARF, 7445-2-145, p. 67.