“The Fuehrer further called attention to the fact that at least 250,000 laborers will be required for preparations against air attacks in the field of civilian air raid protection. For Vienna alone, 2,000-2,500 are required immediately. The Plenipotentiary for the Employment of Labor must add at least 4 million workers to the manpower pool, considering that he requires 2½ million workers for maintenance of the present level, that Reich Minister Speer needs 1.3 million additional workers, and that the above-mentioned preparations for security measures against air attacks call for 0.25 million laborers.”
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“The Reichsfuehrer SS explained that the enforcement agents put at his disposal are extremely few, but that he would try helping the Sauckel project to succeed by increasing them and working them harder. The Reichsfuehrer SS made immediately available 2,000 to 2,500 men from concentration camps for air raid preparations in Vienna.”
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“Results of the Conference:
“(1) The Plenipotentiary for Employment of Labor shall procure at least 4 million new workers from occupied territories.” (1292-PS)
Moreover, Sauckel, in requesting the assistance of the Army for the recruitment of 1,000,000 men and women from the occupied Eastern territories, informed Keitel that prompt action was required; and that, as in all other occupied countries, pressure had to be used if other measures were not successful (3012-PS). Finally, Sauckel was informed by Rosenberg that the enslavement of foreign labor was achieved by force and brutality (018-PS). Notwithstanding his knowledge of conditions, Sauckel continued to request greater supplies of manpower from the areas in which the most ruthless methods had been applied. Indeed, when German Field Commanders on the Eastern Front attempted to resist Sauckel’s demands, because forced recruitment was swelling the ranks of the partisans and making the army’s task more difficult, Sauckel sent a telegram to Hitler, dated 10 March 1943, in which he implored him to intervene:
“Therefore, my Fuehrer, I ask you to abolish all orders which oppose the obligation of foreign workers for labor * * *.”
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“If the obligation for labor and the forced recruiting of workers in the East is not possible any more, then the German war industry and agriculture cannot fulfill their tasks to the full extent.” (407-II-PS)