GÖRING: I remember this very distinctly for I was extremely enraged that such a senseless telegram—after everything was ready—should have disturbed the Führer’s rest when he was worn out and was to go to Austria the next day. I therefore severely reprimanded the Führer’s adjutant and told him that such a telegram should have been given to me. Because of this I remember the telegram distinctly, and its pointlessness.
DR. BALLAS: With the result then, that the Führer, if I have understood you correctly, gave a flat refusal to this telegram?
GÖRING: He no longer was able to give a refusal because the entire troop movement was already underway. Such a movement cannot be halted in an hour. Once a troop movement is underway it takes days to halt it. At best we could have halted the movement at a certain point on the march. That was not at all in our interest, as I stated. From this moment on, not Seyss-Inquart, but the Führer and I held the fate of Austria in our hands.
DR. BALLAS: I have only two more questions regarding the Netherlands. Is it correct that, in addition to the order of the Führer which was promulgated on 18 May 1940 naming Dr. Seyss-Inquart Reich Commissioner of the Netherlands, there was an order, not promulgated, which, made Seyss-Inquart directly subordinate to you?
GÖRING: Of this secret order, I know nothing.
THE PRESIDENT: Put your questions more slowly. You can see that the light is flashing.
DR. BALLAS: Had the Four Year Plan its own independent office in the Netherlands?
GÖRING: I have not yet answered your first question, I understood that you were to put this question once more, because it did not come through.
DR. BALLAS: I understood the Court to mean . . .
GÖRING: I shall answer you now on this. Of this secret order, I know nothing. It would have been senseless, for a Reich Commissioner in the occupied territories could not have been subordinate to me separately. But if it is a question of subordination in economic matter, then it is clear that the Reich Commissioner was, of course, under my orders and directions in this field as all other major Reich positions were.