In this connection, it might be said that these same transcripts constituted the basis for findings of fact by the International Military Tribunal. They are quoted in the decision of that Court.
The statutes of the Central Planning Board, mentioned a few minutes ago, show the extreme care taken to insure the accuracy of reporting these meetings, as well as action taken or ordered to be taken. The statutes of the Board provide in part:
“In order to have the conferences properly prepared and to have the execution of the decisions supervised, the Central Planning Board appoints an office. This office consists of the deputies appointed by each of three members of the Central Planning Board; one of these three deputies shall be appointed chief of the office.”
Then follows a handwritten marginal note which I shall omit.
“In accordance with the attached distribution of work the office appoints reporters. These reporters are at the disposal of all members of the Central Planning Board. The office appoints one reporter to keep the record.”
And then, tasks of the office:
“The office prepares the meetings of the Central Planning Board in such a manner that the members of the Central Planning Board have the agenda and the material of discussion 24 hours in advance. For this purpose the office conducts preliminary talks with the competent departments, etc.
“On the strength of the record made by the reporter, the office sees to the execution of the decisions of the Central Planning Board by the competent agencies, and sees to it that the deadlines fixed are complied with.
“The members of the office keep the members of the Central Planning Board informed between the sessions.”
The minutes of these meetings which have been submitted to this Tribunal show that these proceedings were recorded and transcribed with characteristic German detail and accuracy. We need only refer to the charts and tables, and the remarks quoted in the transcripts. Of the 59 meetings fully covered by these official reports, 41 were prepared and signed by Ministerialrat Steffler, who was personally responsible for the accuracy and completeness of these reports.