Are you acquainted with these cases (Greiz and Sonneberg)? Not known to me.
[Signed] Dr. Friedrich
28 October
[Marginal note] to IV a 2745/43 g.
Sealed!
To Ministerialdirector Dr. Vollmer:
The cases of Greiz and Sonneberg have not been known in Department I. Moreover, I know from documents, which the minister produces from time to time out of his private files, that the Security Service takes up special problems of the administration of justice with thoroughness and makes summarized situation reports about them. As far as I am informed, a member of the Security Service is attached to each judicial authority. This member is obliged to give information under the seal of secrecy. The procedure is secret and the person who gives the information is not named. In this way we get, so to say, anonymous reports. Reasons given for this procedure are of State political interest. As long as direct interests of the State security are concerned, nothing can be said against it, especially in wartime. Moreover, as far as for instance evaluation of personnel of less important nature, questions concerning the judiciary or general “reports on public opinion” are concerned, I do not regard the anonymity as harmless. The danger exists, that people will be trained to snoop around, that unjustified denunciations will occur and that an atmosphere of mistrust will be created. There can indeed be no question of cooperation between the [Ministry of] Justice and the Security Service curing such a procedure. On the other hand the minister may be interested to know how the [Ministry of] Justice is criticized outside the official channels of appeals. In any case the secret, one-sided Security Service reports cannot be a basis for the establishment of facts and certain conclusions. They may provide hints.
Berlin, 29 October 1943
[Signature] Letz