Q. Were there any other orders or decrees issued whereby prosecution of SS and similar units was taken out from under the administration of justice, and if so, what were they?
A. Yes, there was a special law about SS jurisdiction. At the moment, I cannot tell you the date, but it was from 1939. That is the civilian SS. But this decree refers to the SS as part of the Wehrmacht.
Q. Well, is that the decree of 17 September 1939 that I called your attention to?
A. The decree which you were kind enough to show to me just now.
Mr. LaFollette: Will Your Honor permit me? It is October. Your Honor said September.
Judge Harding: It is October, yes.
Defendant Schlegelberger: Yes, 17 October 1939. That is the decree about the SS jurisdiction.
Q. After that decree, did the Ministry of Justice have any means whereby they could protect a person in the hands of the police in any way whatsoever?
A. In my opinion, no; and that is why I tried to keep all these people away from the police. That is why I wanted to keep all these people within the sphere of the administration of justice, so that I could protect them.
Q. Then these foreigners, Poles, and Jews in the hands of the police were beyond any recourse of law in Germany, is that correct?