COL. AMEN: Prior to your going to this conference, did Canaris make any other comment on these orders?
LAHOUSEN: Even at the time when these orders were issued, Canaris expressed strong opposition to them in our circles—when I say our circles, I mean mainly the divisional chiefs—and had a protest made through the Ausland Division, that is, through Bürckner. I no longer remember whether it was made in writing or whether Bürckner made it orally to Keitel directly; I think it was done in both ways. Bürckner should be well informed about this.
COL. AMEN: When you say “protested through Bürckner,” what do you mean?
LAHOUSEN: When I say Bürckner, I mean his division, or a group, or perhaps even a representative in his office, where questions of international law were dealt with by Count Moltke who, incidentally, also among the circle. . . .
COL. AMEN: Will you repeat that?
LAHOUSEN: This protest or this counter-argument on the question of the treatment of Russian prisoners of war was forwarded by Canaris through the Ausland Division, that is, through Bürckner. The Ausland Division included a section which dealt with questions of international law, and the competent authority in that section was Count Moltke who was a member of Oster’s inner circle, and who was executed after the 20th of July.
THE PRESIDENT: Would that be a convenient time to break off?
COL. AMEN: Yes, Sir.
THE PRESIDENT: Until 2 o’clock.
[A recess was taken until 1400 hours.]