a.
If the property is required for the public welfare, particularly in the interests of Reich defense or the strengthening of Germanism.
b.
If the owners or other title holders immigrated into the territory of the German Reich as it was then delimited, after October 1, 1918.
* * * * * *
Section 9. (1) Sequestrated property may be confiscated by the competent agency (Section 12) for the benefit of the German Reich if the public welfare, particularly the defense of the Reich, or the strengthening of Germanism, so requires.” (1665-PS).
The spoliation of Soviet territory and resources and the barbarous treatment inflicted on Soviet citizens were the result of plans long made and carefully drawn up by the Nazis before they launched their aggressive war on the Soviet Union. The Nazis planned to destroy the industrial potential of the northern regions occupied by their armies and to administer the production of food in the south and southeast, which normally produced a surplus of food, in such a way that the population of the northern region would inevitably be reduced to starvation because of diversion of such surplus food to the German Reich. The Nazis also planned to incorporate Galicia and all the Baltic countries into Germany and to convert the Crimea, an area north of the Crimea, the Volga territory, and the district around Baku into German colonies. Their plans were to Germanize or destroy. (See Chapter XIII on Germanization and Spoliation.)
By 29 April 1941, seven weeks prior to the invasion of the Soviet Union, it appears that Hitler had entrusted Goering with the over-all direction of the economic administration in the area of operations and in the areas under political administration. It further appears that Goering had set up an economic staff and subsidiary authorities to carry out this function. (1157-PS)
The form of organization thus created by Goering and the duties of its various sections appear more clearly in a set of directives “for the operation of the economy in the newly occupied territories” issued by Goering, as Reich Marshal of the Greater German Reich in July 1941. By the terms of these directives, it is stated “The Orders of the Reich Marshal cover all economic fields, including nutrition and agriculture. They are to be executed by the subordinate economic offices.” An “Economic Staff, East” was charged with the execution of orders transmitted to it from higher authority. One subdivision of this staff, entitled “Group La”, was charged with the following functions: “Nutrition and Agriculture, the economy of all agricultural products, provision of supplies for the Army, in cooperation with the Army groups concerned.” (EC-472; 1743-PS.)
As appears from the foregoing documents, it was a subdivision of the economic organization set by Goering, the Economic Staff, East, Agricultural Group, which rendered a top secret report on 23 May 1941, containing a set of policy directives for the exploitation of Soviet agriculture. These directives contemplated abandonment of all industry in the food deficit regions, with certain exceptions, and the diversion of food from the food surplus regions to German needs, even though millions of people would inevitably die of starvation as a result. (EC-126)