The Witness: No. I never gave the order by using these words, because my people spoke with me, and after all they knew from my words that I never meant it earnestly.
Judge Phillips: Didn’t you say, ‘I would band the workers together and have fifty percent of them shot? I would then publish this fact and compel the other fifty percent to work by beating if necessary.’ Did you say that or not?
The Witness: I do not remember to have said that. However, three days ago I believe I said that I never knew afterwards when I had such outbursts of rage because I had that rush of blood to my skull due to that injury I had, and I couldn’t remember what I said at that particular moment. I just burst out in rage. (T-2125-2126.)
The defendant has constantly denied that he was a moving factor in the foreign workers program. But at the GL meeting on 18 August 1942, we find him asking for a complete report on the labor question, how it has developed, what nationalities are involved, how great is the fluctuation—
“What real requests we now have to make in the different sectors in order to cover the needs for specialists and for skilled and unskilled labor, how many of them are foreigners, etc. What happens to those who leave the industry? Are they compelled to work elsewhere? Are they, as I proposed, under control in the camps supervised by the SS and considered as being in mild concentration camps or are these gentlemen allowed to remain outside and do as they please?” (T-2127.)
When questioned as to the significance of “mild” concentration camps, he explained that these were camps to which people were sent for a short time for “education”.
Complaining about “antisocial elements” who “moved from one factory to another,” Milch rejected the suggestion that the armed forces should take care of these people in camps. This could not be done because “they have not been condemned and in no way violated the existing laws.”
“That is why Himmler should get these people into his clutches because he can treat them outside the law.” (T-2134.)
At the GL meeting on 19 October 1943, the defendant spoke on the subject of a possible foreign workers’ uprising. He said that he had discussed this eventuality with Himmler, and that he, Milch, had already given orders to the Chief AW[[163]] and to the training stations to get military training in this field.
“If for instance in the locality X, an uprising is started, then a sergeant with a few men, or else a lieutenant with 30 men is to turn up in the plant, and first of all shoot into the crowd with a machine gun. What he should do after is to shoot down as many people as possible in cases of revolt. I have given orders to that effect even if our foreign workers are involved. But first of all he must succeed in getting them all laid out flat on the ground. And then every tenth man is to be singled out and shot, while the others are lined up and see it. If our machines are being wrecked, etc., then such measures have to be applied. I said to Himmler: ‘I’ll go along with you in your efforts.’ ” (T-2153.)