Terboven’s request was watered down. The Führer took the position that the most important thing was to apprehend the miscreants and hostages were to be taken, only in case of necessity. There was no mention of shooting them.
MAJOR JONES: Witness, you know perfectly well that over all the territory where Nazi power ruled hostages were taken, fathers and mothers were killed for the actions of their sons against the Nazi regime. Are you saying you do not know that?
LAMMERS: No, I did not know that for I was not the controller of the occupied territories and I have never been there myself.
MAJOR JONES: But you were receiving regular reports from there and you were the link between the ministers of the occupied territories and Hitler. Just a minute—you were the link between the—now will you please listen to my question? You were the link between the ministers of the occupied territories and Hitler, were you not?
LAMMERS: Not in all cases. A great many of them went through Bormann, especially Terboven. My subordinates in the Chancellery can vouch for that. Terboven constantly avoided sending his reports through me and sent them through Bormann.
MAJOR JONES: You were working hand in hand.
LAMMERS: Yes, I had to collaborate with him.
MAJOR JONES: You were working hand in glove with Bormann, you know, were you not?
LAMMERS: Yes, I had to work with him.
MAJOR JONES: You had to work with him? You were the head of the Reich Chancellery.