Dear Chief of Staff:

In the above-mentioned criminal case, where severe ill-treatment of prisoners in protective custody at the Hohenstein/Saxony internment camp is the subject of the indictment, the trial took place before the 12th Great Criminal Panel of the District Court in Dresden between 20 March and the middle of May 1935. Regarding the details of the incidents on which proceedings were based, I beg to refer to the enclosed copy of the indictment, dated 25 October 1934, and particularly to page 21 of the result of the inquiry.

On 3 May 1935 the prosecutor, Public Prosecutor, Dr. Walther, proposed the following sentences:

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News was received here that the prosecutor, Public Prosecutor Dr. Walther, an SA man, had been approached by his Obersturmfuehrer after the sentence had been passed, suggesting that he withdraw from the SA. The fact that this measure coincided with the passing of judgment suggests that there might be some internal connection between the two. This, however, would represent a very dubious and most unwelcome result of the procedure, which was legally perfectly correct. As a result of such measures the officials would be faced by the greatest of conflicts in the performance of their official duty. This would endanger the orderly unbiased work of the legal authorities to such a degree that I consider it my duty to examine whether under these circumstances it is at all possible for public prosecutors and judges to be also party officials or members of the SA.

It appears therefore necessary—

1. That in the above case the perplexity caused by these measures should be ended by some suitable countermeasures, and

2. That provisions be made to avoid the renewal of such occurrences which are incompatible with the administration of justice and therefore with the security of legal rights guaranteed by the State.

May I ask you to let me have your opinion regarding this matter and to inform me of the measures taken over there. In view of the importance of the case I should welcome a speedy settlement.

Heil Hitler!