A. It also mentions that due to the attitude of Reichstatthalter Kaufmann, nothing happened.
Q. Will you please discuss now the question of the legal position of Jews, as far as you had to do with it.
A. As for the legal point of view, of course in the course of years many instances of conflict occurred to everyone; also to me. In a meeting in Berlin about various legal questions negotiations were made, and the result of these negotiations as far as it concerns questions of civil law was passed on by me to the subordinate courts. As far as matters of penal law were concerned, it was passed on by the General Prosecutor at Hamburg. The opinion which the Ministry stated at that time in matters of civil law was just about in accordance with my own opinion.
Q. Here again we are concerned with Exhibit 28, which has already repeatedly been mentioned; specifically the point of view of the Ministry which Dr. Rothenberger mentioned and which he shared and passed on to the subordinate officials can be found on the last page of Exhibit 28.
A. If I may be permitted, I would like to point out that during the same press conference I mentioned two further points; one the question of sensational reports in the press about trials, where I promised to get in touch with the competent agencies to see that such sensational reports would have to cease; and the other concerning the speed of signing the sentences. I pointed out that no pressure should be permitted to be exerted on judges so that they should be given an opportunity to work on their opinions in all peace and quiet.
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Q. Dr. Rothenberger, we will now go over to another subject. Now we are going to deal with the beginning of the war. I want to ask you about the Jewish problem which we have already discussed. In what way did the Jewish problem develop after the outbreak of the war, as far as your opinion goes.
A. The outbreak of the war increased the difficulties of the Jewish problem in Germany considerably. The situation became considerably more acute, and in particular under the influence of propaganda. Under that influence, naturally difficult legal conflicts arose as far as the situation of a Jew in court proceedings was concerned. Previously, as Dr. Schlegelberger emphasized, already there had existed separate welfare institutions for Aryans and non-Aryans. There was the NSV for the Aryans, and there were separate welfare institutions for the non-Aryans. For the jurisdiction, that resulted in complete uncertainty on the part of the judges as to the question whether a Jew can be allowed to conduct proceedings without paying costs. There were courts which granted that privilege; there were other courts that did not. I considered that a uniform jurisdiction on these matters was necessary. Naturally I was not uninfluenced by the situation then prevailing; and, therefore, I supported a proposal to the Reich Ministry of Justice that a uniform jurisdiction should be developed to the effect that such privileges were not to be granted to the Jews. The importance of those privileges concerning costs and nonpayment of costs has been characterized by Dr. Schlegelberger who said that the State makes an advance which the person concerned has to pay back, that is to say he is not exempted from paying costs caused by court proceedings. The prosecution in submitting evidence read out a sentence which is supposed to have originated with me. I only want to correct the matter to say that Document NG-589, Prosecution Exhibit 372,[424] shows that that sentence is not mine, but was phrased by the Gau economic adviser. The other exhibits which refer to that question are NG-392—
Q. Dr. Rothenberger, may I interrupt you for a moment so that we can quote the correct exhibit numbers to the Court? They are Exhibit 373,[425] Exhibit 462,[426] and Exhibit 372. Would you please continue?
A. The only thing I can add is that it happened fairly frequently, and that it appears altogether understandable that the Jews in order to avoid having their property confiscated upon their emigration, transferred their property to somebody else in a fake transaction. Thus, the whole problem became more complicated and more difficult for the courts.