GÖRING: That is correct. Here we deal primarily with the fact that a large part of French skilled workers who were prisoners of war were turned into free workers on condition that they worked in the German armament industry. The shortages which occurred at their previous places of work at that time, where they had worked as prisoners of war, were to be remedied by Russian prisoners of war, because I considered it pointless that qualified skilled industrial workers should be employed in agriculture, for instance, or in any other field not corresponding to their abilities. Thus there was an incentive in the fact that these people could become free workers instead of remaining prisoners of war, if they would agree to these conditions. The directives were given by me.
MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: And did you know that there was any forced labor employed in Germany?
GÖRING: Compulsory labor.
MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: Did you not testify under interrogation on the 3rd of October 1945, that:
“I would like to add something to the last question of the interrogation. The Colonel asked me if the forced labor program was effective, and I said ‘Yes’. There are two remarks I would like to make to that.
“All right.
“I must say that in the results as such it was effective. However, a great number of acts of sabotage did occur, and also treason and espionage.
“Question: But on the whole you would say it was a successful program from the German point of view?
“Answer: Yes. Without this manpower many things could never have been achieved.”
Did you say that?