The conclusion drawn by the Soviet Russian Prosecution that “Proof is established of the OKW commander having been primarily responsible for the mobilization of labor in the Reich” is erroneous, if the argument is to establish responsibility on the part of the Defendant Keitel. If, on the other hand, reference as commander of the OKW is made to Hitler, this cannot be contradicted.
(4) Document USSR-364 is a document from the OKH (High Command of the Army), signed by the Quartermaster General of the Army, Wagner. It can be seen from the distribution of the document that the OKW was not even informed through the usual channels.
(5) Document USSR-366 mentions the name of the defendant as having complained because: “OT (Organization Todt) units operating in the vicinity of Lvov paid local laborers a daily wage of 25 rubles and because OT availed itself of the services of local factories.”
The Prosecution’s argument runs that “Keitel writes to Minister Todt ...” The document which was submitted does not reveal this, because it does not make any mention of such a letter. Inasmuch as the entire economic administration and the exploitation of the Eastern Territories had been transferred to the Four Year Plan, OKW had no relevant office for this problem.
This becomes evident from the Green File just referred to, and from the Führer order for the “Barbarossa-Oldenburg Plan.” Presumably, after discussion of the basic question during the conference on the situation, Keitel once again received orders from Hitler to get into touch with Reich Minister Todt. This would then be one of the instances where the defendant merely served as an instrument for the transmission of a Hitler order to the competent office without the matter being in any way within the competency of the OKW. In any case, the information conveyed by the document does not show in how far this problem should be a charge on Keitel.
(6) Document USSR-106 is a Führer Order of 8 September 1942, dealing with the employment of prisoners of war and the construction of field fortifications behind the front. The heading of the Führer order reads:
“The Führer.
“OKH: General Staff of the Army Operations Section 1.”
The order was sighed by the Army General Staff and issued by Halder. This proves conclusively that the Defendant Keitel or the OKW was not involved.
(7) Nor is it possible to refer to Document USSR-407 for the establishment of the defendant’s participation. This document deals with the order given by a local commander, who refers to alleged OKW instructions.