“Notice. Cowardly criminals in the pay of England and of Moscow killed, with shots in the back, the Feldkommandant of Nantes on the morning of 20 October 1941. Up to now the assassins have not been arrested.
“As expiation for this crime I have ordered that 50 hostages be shot to begin with. Because of the gravity of the crime, 50 more hostages will be shot in case the guilty should not be arrested between now and 23 October 1941 by midnight.”
The conditions under which these reprisals were exercised are worth describing in detail. Stülpnagel, who was commanding the German troops in France, ordered the Minister of the Interior to designate prisoners. These prisoners were to be selected among the Communists who were considered the most dangerous (these are the terms of Stülpnagel’s order). A list of 60 Frenchmen was furnished by the Minister of the Interior. This was Pucheu. He has since been tried by my compatriots, sentenced to death, and executed.
The Subprefect of Châteaubriant sent a letter to the Kommandantur of Châteaubriant, in reply to the order which he received from the Minister of the Interior:
“Following our conversation of today, I have the honor of confirming to you that the Minister of the Interior has communicated today with General Von Stülpnagel in order to designate to him the most dangerous Communist prisoners among those who are now held at Châteaubriant. You will find enclosed herewith the list of 60 individuals who have been handed over this day.”
On the following page is the German order:
“Because of the assassination of the Feldkommandant of Nantes, Lieutenant Colonel Hotz, on 20 October 1941, the following Frenchmen, who were already imprisoned as hostages in accordance with my publication of 22 August 1941 and of my ordinance to the Plenipotentiary General of the French Government of 19 September 1941, are to be shot.”
In the following pages you will find a list of all the men who were shot on that day. I leave out the reading of the list in order not to lengthen the proceedings unduly.
On Page 16 you will find a list of 48 names. On Page 13 you will find the list of those who were shot in Nantes. On Page 12 you will find the list of those who were shot in Châteaubriant. Their bodies were distributed for burial to all the surrounding communes.