The Chief of PW affairs in the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces has now given out the unequivocal order, attached hereto in copy form, to the commanders of PWs in the military districts. I request that this order be brought orally to the attention of all party office holders in an appropriate manner.
In case that in the future complaints about unsuitable treatment of PWs still come to light, they are to be immediately communicated to the commanders of the PWs with a reference to the attached order.
Fuehrer—HQ, 25 November 1943
(Signed): M. Bormann
Distribution: Distribution A and B
File reference: Treatment—PWs—Guard personnel.
Chief of PW affairs in the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces
Az. 2f24, 74f Kriegsgef. Allg. (Ia) No. 11082143
Berlin, Badenschestr. 51, 26 October 1943
To: the Commanders of PWs in the Military Districts I to XIII, XVII, XVIII, XX, XXI, Government-General with the commanders of the Armed Forces in the Ukraine and the East; the PW District Commandant with the Commander of the Armed Forces in Norway.
For information: to the Commanders of PWs in the Operational Areas I to IV
to the PW District Commandants in Italy and Serbia
Subject: Treatment of PWs.
I. The intention of treating non-Soviet PWs strictly according to the Convention of 29 and the Soviet PWs according to the special directions of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, has in many cases led to forms, which are not in harmony with the total war forced upon us.