The 67-year old Frenchman, Louis Adolf Rousseau, died here recently of a stroke.
Thus the question has arisen—which has not been settled until now—as to what steps are to be taken in such cases of death.
It is the intent of the general directions of the Fuehrer and supreme commander of the Wehrmacht concerning prosecution of punishable offences against the Reich or the occupation forces in occupied territories, dated 7 December 1941, to create, for deterrent purposes, uncertainty about the fate of prisoners among their relatives and acquaintances, through the deportation into Reich territory of persons arrested in occupied areas on account of anti-German activity. This goal would be forfeited if the relatives were to be notified in cases of death. Surrender of the body for burial at home is inadvisable for the same reason, and also because the place of burial could be misused for demonstration purposes.
I therefore propose that the following general rule be decided upon for cases of death:
a. Notification of relatives is not to take place.
b. The body is buried at the place of death, in the Reich.
c. The place of burial is not made known for the time being.
In the case of the deceased Frenchman Rousseau, I have given orders which accord with the above proposal and I will do likewise in the future pending a decision by you.
pp.
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