Schlempp, in outlining Dorsch’s needs for labor, states—

“Dorsch said yesterday that he wanted to bring 100,000 Jews from Hungary, 500,000 Italians,[[162]] 10,000 men from bomb damage repair, also 1,000 from Waldbrohl; then he wanted to get something from Greiser’s zone by negotiation, then 4,000 Italian officers, 10,000 men from south Russia, and 20,000 from north Russia. That would be 220,000 altogether.” (T-335-36.)

As early as 20 March 1944, we find Chief of Staff Saur asking Milch to inform Sauckel that the group mobilization in Hungary must be placed primarily at the disposal of the Jaegerstab. “Large, heavy labor companies must be formed. The people have to be treated like the prisoners. Otherwise it won’t work.” (T-342.)

In the face of all these uncontradicted documents and stenographic records of meetings, it would be fatuous for anyone to say that Milch was unaware that forced labor and prisoners of war were being used in the Jaegerstab construction program.

However, there is more than this passive evidence. Milch, himself, contributes the positive evidence of his full knowledge of and unrestrained participation in the Jaegerstab slave labor activities.

On 25 April 1944, he said—

“It will only work if we put these workers into barracks. We cannot exactly treat them as prisoners. It must appear otherwise, but it must be so in practice. * * * I am personally convinced after talking to the Fuehrer that he will agree as soon as it is made reasonable. The people should not be able to mingle with the population and to conspire. Nor should they be allowed to run around free, so that they can cross the frontier every day. Both practices must be stopped. * * * I am of the opinion that that must be done at once. It’s all the same to me if individual people do object. Protest does not interest me at all, whether from the Chief of Prisoners of War Affairs or from our side. Kleber, would you be so good as to take care of this?”

Kleber: “As far as prisoners of war are concerned I can take care of it, but not where it concerns the air force. That must be handled separately.”

Milch: “Naturally. This must be handled by us. There was, in fact, another proposal but we do not want it. Otherwise someone else will come complaining.”

Kleber: “I should like to transfer the prisoners further off to Brunswick.”