Now, do you remember General Lahousen giving evidence? He said that Admiral Canaris had protested vehemently to you against, first of all, the projected shooting and extermination measures that were being directed particularly against the Polish intelligentsia, nobility, and clergy, as well as elements that could be regarded as embodiments of the national resistance movement. According to General Lahousen, Canaris said:
“Some day the world will make the Armed Forces, under whose eyes these events have occurred, also responsible for these events.”
Do you remember Admiral Canaris saying that to you or words to that effect?
KEITEL: I know only what General Lahousen testified here in court. I do not know anything about what Admiral Canaris said.
SIR DAVID MAXWELL-FYFE: Did Lahousen never give you any warning of any kind as to the fact that the Armed Forces might be held responsible for these actions that were being taken in Poland?
KEITEL: No. It was also my opinion that the Armed Forces would be made responsible, if such actions were taken without their approval and without their authorization. That was also the reason for the conference.
SIR DAVID MAXWELL-FYFE: And that was a point that did worry you very much; didn’t it?
KEITEL: Yes, I was extremely worried and I had very serious discussions about it, but not at that particular time.
SIR DAVID MAXWELL-FYFE: And wouldn’t it be fair to put it this way, that if you had known at the time all that you know now, you would have refused, even with all that you have told us, you would have refused to have anything to do with actions that produced concentration camps, mass murder, and misery to millions of people, or do you say that you still, knowing all that you know now, would have gone on with these actions?
KEITEL: No; I am convinced that if the German Armed Forces and their generals had known it, then they would have fought against these things.