GÖRING: I do not know that exactly.
SIR DAVID MAXWELL-FYFE: You may take that from me, because there is an official report of the shooting, and I want to be quite fair with you. Only 49 of these officers were shot on the 6th of April, as far as we can be sure, and one was shot either on the 13th of April or later. But the critical period is the end of March, and we may take it that you were back from leave by about the 29th of March.
I just want you to tell the Tribunal this was a matter of great importance, wasn’t it? Considered a matter of great importance?
GÖRING: It was a very important matter.
SIR DAVID MAXWELL-FYFE: General Milch—I beg pardon—Field Marshal Milch has said that it was a matter which would require the highest authority, and I think you have said that you know it was Hitler’s decision that these officers should be shot; is that so?
GÖRING: The question did not come through clearly.
SIR DAVID MAXWELL-FYFE: It was Hitler’s decision that these officers should be shot?
GÖRING: That is correct; and I was later notified that it was Hitler’s decree.
SIR DAVID MAXWELL-FYFE: I want you just to remember one other thing, that immediately it was published, the British Foreign Secretary, Mr. Eden, at once said that Great Britain would demand justice of the perpetrators of these murders; do you remember that?
GÖRING: I cannot remember the speech to the House of Commons given by Eden. I myself do not know the substance of this speech even today. I just heard that he spoke in Parliament about this incident.