VON STEENGRACHT: Yes.
COL. PHILLIMORE: And his duties included advising the Secret Field Police and the Secret State Police by the impounding of politically important documents and securing and seizure of public property; further, of private and, above all, Jewish artistic property on the basis of instructions especially given for the matter. Isn’t that right?
VON STEENGRACHT: I already emphasized yesterday that only since 1943 had I anything at all to do with political affairs. If I understood your question correctly, Mr. Prosecutor, you are of the opinion that the Secret State Police and the German executive organs in France were under our jurisdiction. That is incorrect.
COL. PHILLIMORE: You are not answering the question. I asked you if the Minister Abetz had not got those duties.
VON STEENGRACHT: He did not have the assignment of confiscating any French property or carrying out any action against the Jews. No orders of that kind went through my hands during my time, and he could...
COL. PHILLIMORE: [Handing the document to the witness.] Will you look at Document 3614-PS.
My Lord, that was put in as French Exhibit Number RF-1061 on the 4th of February. It is a letter dated the 3rd of August 1940, signed by Ribbentrop, to the Chief of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces (OKW). It reads:
“The Führer has appointed the former Minister Abetz Ambassador and after my report has decreed as follows:
“I. Ambassador Abetz has the following tasks in France...”
then it sets out a number of tasks and Number 6 is the one I put to the witness: