“Order
“Concerning the exercise of martial jurisdiction and PROCEDURE IN THE AREA ‘Barbarossa’ and special military measures.
“The application of martial law aims in the first place at maintaining discipline.
“The fact that the operational areas in the East are so farflung, the battle strategy which this necessitates, and the peculiar qualities of the enemy, confront the courts-martial with problems which, being short-staffed, they cannot solve while hostilities are in progress, and until some degree of pacification has been achieved in the conquered areas, unless jurisdiction is confined, in the first instance, to its main task.
“This is possible only if the troops take ruthless action themselves against any threat from the enemy population.
“For these reasons I herewith issue the following order effective for the area ‘Barbarossa’ (area of operations, army rear area, and area of political administration).
“I. Treatment of offences committed by Enemy Civilians.
“1. Until further notice the military courts and the courts-martial will not be competent for crimes committed by enemy civilians.
“2. Guerillas should be disposed of ruthlessly by the military, whether they are fighting or in flight.
“3. Likewise all other attacks by enemy civilians on the Armed Forces, its members and employees, are to be suppressed at once by the military, using the most extreme methods, until the assailants are destroyed.