“Should there be any reports during the war on the question of mercy for Poles who have been sentenced to death on account of the possession of weapons and other offenses and who have been pardoned to 5 years’ penal servitude with the reserve of an investigation after 2 to 3 years?
“Extortion of food ration cards, Mrs. Ritter. Chorlow, Russian from the district of Kursk, article 2, VVO. State Police wants to punish with police measures.
“Jakubowski, Pole, has raped German woman. He has been executed by hanging. The criminal police asks for a burial certificate.
“Uschako, workman, from the East, from old Soviet Russian territory, has stolen a jacket. The Secret State Police sent him to a labor education camp and requests cancellation of the order to inflict 1-month imprisonment.”
Another significant incident relates to the case of two “deserving National Socialists.” Our source of knowledge is a brief document signed by the defendant Joel. The facts stated are that a policeman and a temporary mayor “shot two Polish priests for no reason other than hatred for the Catholic clergy.” On 11 June 1940, the two murderers were sentenced to 15 years’ penal servitude for manslaughter. Joel states that more than 2 years of the sentence had been served and that the Reich Leader SS asked for pardon. The document concludes as follows:
“Penal servitude changed to 5 years’ imprisonment each. Postponement of the serving of the sentence and of the defamatory consequences for the duration of stay in a Waffen SS probation unit. Further pardon in the case of the probation. (Signed) Dr. Joel”
As early as 1937 it is clear that Joel had knowledge of conditions in concentration camps. A document marked “For the time of circulation: Secret! to III-a: After circulation in sealed envelope to the Gestapo general files”, contains the following:
“2. As far as reports concerning executions when escaping from concentration camps, etc., suicides in K.Z.’s (concentration camps) arrive, they shall continue to be dealt with by the specialist competent for the respective subject. The general consultant for political criminal matters, however, is to be informed of the reports. They are to be submitted to him [at] once.”
This order was circulated to all specialists for political criminal matters. Joel was listed as a political specialist.
An official report on a meeting of the presidential board of 1 February 1939 shows that a report was given by the Chief Public Prosecutor on developments in connection with the events of 9 to 11 November 1938 (the Jewish pogrom). We quote: