[Handwritten marginal note.] pale violet
The Gauleiter and Reichsstatthalter Greiser reported to the Fuehrer that an increasing number of acts of sabotage were committed in his Gau by Poles. In the Landkreis Lódz it even happened a few days ago that while the Reichsstatthalter was speaking in an old Swabian settlement, a German policeman was stoned to death in a neighboring village. In this case the Reichsstatthalter, according to his report to the Fuehrer, gave orders that not only the culprits but 12 hostages as well should be executed on the spot and under the eyes of the entire village population, who were assembled at the spot. In view of these sabotage acts the Reichsstatthalter asked the Fuehrer for authority to reestablish civilian courts martial. He proposed to appoint the local representative of authority as president, with police officer and a security police leader as members of the court. No sentences other than death or concentration camp are to be given by these civilian courts martial. There must be no possibility of appeal. The Fuehrer decided that Gauleiter and Reichsstatthalter Greiser be given authority as requested to set up the civilian courts martial which he had proposed.
The Reichsstatthalter further reported to the Fuehrer that he had asked you to delegate to him the right of pardon in regard to Poles punished by the courts. The Fuehrer has decided that this desire of the Reichsstatthalter is also to be complied with.
I beg to inform you of these decisions taken by the Fuehrer and to ask you to take the necessary implementing steps without delay. I leave it to you to consider whether it is advisable to include this ruling on the basis of the above-mentioned decisions of the Fuehrer, in whole or in part, in the draft of the decree which you have prepared concerning the administration of criminal law against the Poles and Jews in the Incorporated Eastern Territories and in the territory of the former Free City of Danzig. I ask you to report to the Fuehrer, for my attention, on the measure you have taken. [Handwritten] as soon as possible
A photo copy of a letter received here from the Reich Leader SS and Chief of the German Police in the Ministry of the Interior is enclosed for your information.[339] May I leave it to your discretion to send to the Reich Leader SS and Chief of the German Police a copy of your comments, as requested in the last sentence of the letter.
[In margin] Bzf. Photo copy
of Rk. 7760 B
(Name of the Reich Minister)
3. To Reichsleiter Martin Bormann, at present Obersalzberg.