With inference to the bill of indictment sent by me under my communication of March 20, 1935 regarding the penal proceedings mentioned above, I beg to inform you of the following:
After a main trial, lasting about six weeks, the assistant prosecutor Staatsanwalt Dr. Walther, proposed the following sentences on May 3, 1935:
Against Jaehnichen
(Camp Commandant) 5 years penetentiary
Against Zikera—1 year, 6 months prison
Against Heinz Meier—3 years prison
Against Herbert Meier—3 years, 2 months prison
Against Tuerke—3 years prison
Against Volkmar—2 years, 3 months penetentiary
Against Leuschner—2 years, 3 months prison
Against Romkopf—2 years, 6 months prison
Against Karche—1 year, 8 months prison
Against Hausch—1 year, 4 months prison
Against Lehmann—3 years, 3 months prison
Against Kuehnel—1 year prison
Against Stachowski—1 year prison
Against Ude—1 year prison
Against Friedrich—1 year, 3 months prison
Against Schmeling (Police)—1 year prison
Against Konitz—1 year prison
Against Uhlmann—1 year prison
Against Sturzkober—10 months prison
Against Schupp—1 year, 6 months prison
Against Hensel—2 years, 3 months prison
Against Heinicker—1 year, 6 months prison
Against Putzler—3 years, 9 months penetentiary
Against Liebscher—7 months prison
Against Heger—Suspension on account of amnesty.
On May 15, 1935 the Criminal division number 12 of the Supreme Court in Dresden pronounced the verdict, by which on account of offences against Art. 340 of the Penal Code the following were sentenced:
Jaehnichen—to 6 years prison
Zikera—to 1 year, 6 months prison
Heinz Meier—to 3 years prison
Herbert Meier—to 3 years prison
Tuerke—to 3 years prison
Volkmar—to 2 years, 3 months prison
Leuschner—to 2 years, 6 months prison
Romkopf—to 2 years, 6 months prison
Karche—to 1 year, 8 months prison
Hausch—to 1 year, 4 months prison
Lehmann—to 3 years prison
Kuehnel—to 1 year prison
Stachowski—to 1 year, 6 months prison
Ude—to 1 year prison
Friedrich—to 1 year, 3 months prison
Schmeling—to 1 year prison
Konitz—to 1 year prison
Uhlmann—to 1 year prison
Sturzkober—to 10 months prison
Schupp—to 1 year, 6 months prison
Hensel—to 2 years prison
Heinicker—to 1 year, 6 months prison
Putzler—to 3 years, 9 months prison
Against Liebscher and Heger suspension was authorized
on the basis of the law governing amnesty.
After the proposal of the sentence, however, still before the announcement of the verdict, the chairman of the Criminal division number 12 received the following letter from the Reich governor [Reichsstatthalter] of Saxony:
"Official Seal
The Reich Governor [Reichsstatthalter] of Saxony II 84/35
Dresden-A.1, May 8, 1935
Mailbox 78 Telephone 24 371.
To the president of the Supreme Court Dr. Roth
[Landgerichtsdirektor]
Dresden
Pillnitzer Street 41
The President of the Supreme Court:
Sir:
As I was informed, it is proposed to impose a punishment of 3-1/2 years of penal servitude upon the accused Standartenfuehrer Jaehnichen. Without wanting to interfere in the proceedings or intending to influence you as Judge in any way before the verdict is announced, I should nevertheless like to once more call your attention to the fact that the circumstances, as they had been brought about by the revolution of 1933 and as they, without doubt were still taking effect up to the beginning of 1934, cannot be overlooked, when pronouncing sentence.
A further point appears to me to be worth taking into consideration, namely, the fact that one cannot accuse Jaehnichen of having a low character and that, above all, in Hohenstein the scum of humanity had to be attended to. In consideration of this fact I should like to leave it to you to consider whether the lapses call for such a severe degree of punishment or rather whether a pardon could not be considered.
As Gauleiter of NSDAP I regard it as my duty to call attention again to the unusual circumstances.