“Question: ‘Did you reply to these Papal protests?’
“Answer: ‘I think there were very many we did not reply to—quite a number.’ ”
Does that conform with your recollection?
VON STEENGRACHT: Certainly, that is correct. That was in accordance with the instructions which were originally given.
COL. AMEN: By whom?
VON STEENGRACHT: Hitler’s instructions.
COL. AMEN: To whom?
VON STEENGRACHT: Certainly to Ribbentrop.
COL. AMEN: Those are the instructions which you say that you were violating on the side, is that correct?
VON STEENGRACHT: Which I did not obey, for otherwise I would not have been allowed to accept the notes from the Vatican in all those cases where the jurisdiction was questioned; nor would I have been allowed to accept, for example, protests from the Swedish Ambassador regarding mistreatment in Norway, which, however, I also accepted.