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Translation of document 3814-PS
At present at Neuhaus, 17.2.45
I/1
To the Reich Minister and Chief of the Reich Chancellery
Dr. Lammers, Berlin
Reich Chancellery
Dear Dr. Lammers,
Now that the tremendous difficulties have been overcome to some extent,
the last small remainder of my Cracow Staff has arrived at its
evacuation point in Neuhaus near Schliersee. I desire to inform you that
I await definite instructions from the Fuehrer.
I will prepare a report for you of all happenings in connection with the
evacuation of Cracow and will forward it as soon as possible.
My main duty appears to me to be to see that all officials and employees
in any way superfluous, who served in Cracow right up to the end, are
now immediately further utilized in suitable employment in the service
of the Fuehrer and the Reich. For the total administration of the
Generalgouvernement, the evacuation point is at Dresden in the building
of the office of the “Landes” Agricultural Workers' Association
[Landesbauernschaft] for Saxony, Ammonstrasse 8.
I am pleased to be able to inform you that efforts to save all the
important documents, both from Cracow and the evacuation point Seichau
in Silesia, from falling into enemy hands were successful.
With kindest regards,
Heil Hitler
yours
[signed] Frank.
----------
Berlin, W.8. 15th February 45.
Voss-Str. 6.
The Reichsminister and Chief of the Reich Chancellery
Rk. 202 D g.
SECRET
To the Governor General, Reich Minister Dr. Frank.
Dear Party Member Frank,
The High Command of the 4th Panzer Army has sent the documents, copies
of which are enclosed, to the Director of the Party Chancellery. Reich
Director Bormann has passed them on to
[Page 740]
me. I would ask you to let me have your opinion as soon as ever possible
with regard to the accusations made in the enclosures.
Furthermore, I should have been glad had you advised me and kept me
informed of the transfer of your Department and the other steps which
you took in connection with the development of the military situation. I
would ask you also to let me have further information as soon as
possible in this connection.
Heil Hitler!
Yours faithfully
Dr. Lammers.
----------
Copy to RK. 202 D g
SECRET
COPY
High Command of the 4th Panzer Army, NS-Fuehrungsoffizier
Army H. Q. 6. February 1945
Personal
Major Hess
On my trips to the rear positions at Jauer and Liegnitz, numerous
complaints were made to me by the Party and the civilian population
regarding the unbelievable conduct of the Frank Government of the
Generalgouvernement in its evacuation quarters, ["Ausgleichsquartier” in
the German text has been translated as though it were
"Ausweichquartier"] — Seichau Castle, 10 km. North West of Jauer, as
well as regarding its cowardly flight on 23.1.45., so that, in order to
curb the rumours, I had the matter investigated by an
NS-Fuehrungsoffizier and the witnesses were interrogated. I am sending
you enclosed the most important papers.
The interrogations revealed that the rumours circulating in the
districts regarding the extravagant excesses and the over-hasty flight
were actually, for the most part, founded on fact.
But, unfortunately, no one had yet found the courage to report these
occurrences officially. It was also evident that all the witnesses were
most cautious and timid in their statements, as high ranking persons
were concerned in this matter.
Together with many art treasures, large quantities of drink and
foodstuffs, an eight cylinder car (Special Mercedes motor, luxury model)
was left around and even secret documents and press information. What
was particularly disgraceful in connection with this over-hasty
departure was the fact that this
[Page 741]
place was not endangered and an evacuation of the civilian population
from Liegnitz had not even been thought of, quite apart from the fact
that in these difficult days, such behaviour by leading persons must
have resulted justifiably in considerable bitterness among the
population. I need, therefore, hardly say anything about the words
accompanying these rumours.
[signature illegible]
----------
COPY
Seichau, 3.2.1945
At noon on 23.1.45, I was telephoned by the Office of the
Generalgouvernement to come to the Castle immediately so as to take some
things over. When I arrived at the Castle with the Director of the
office of the National Socialist People’s Welfare (MSV-Amtsleiter
Thomas), the Governor General and his staff had already departed without
the many things that were left behind having been handed over to anyone.
It was very much discussed in the village that, at the Castle, large
quantities of all kinds of foodstuffs had been hoarded by the Staff. I
saw myself how the rooms of the Castle looked after the departure of the
guests, and everything that was left. At the request of Count
v.Richthofen, we saw to it that knowledge of these circumstances did not
become still more public.
The Burgomaster
signed. CONRATI
----------
When the Governor General’s staff was here, the inhabitants of Seichau
were already extremely annoyed as the former were mostly drunk, and in
this state they, among other things, collided with the gateway of the
Dominium at Seichau in cars causing large cases of rationed foodstuffs
to fall into the mud, together with hundreds of cigars — the
aforementioned gentlemen simply drove on and just left the said articles
lying there. Witnesses of this incident are available.
signed. THOMAS.
Local district leader of the National Socialist People’s Welfare
(Ortsgruppenleiter NSV)
Checked:
Signed: Signature
Hauptmann
----------
[Page 742]
COPY
Report of Count Manfred v. Richthofen, Seichau Castle.
My house was requisitioned by the Foreign Office in August of last year
as evacuation point for the Governor General Dr. Frank and his office.
Thereupon large transports were sent here and the goods stored in the
rooms of my house. These were mostly art treasures which came here for
storage, later, however, also a large quantity of stocks of foodstuffs
and alcohol. It made the worst impression imaginable that, with the war
situation as it then was and its privations to which we in the homeland
here have been subjected, such large stocks were hoarded here, which
could have had nothing to do with the service obligations of the
Governor.
At first, there were only a few people of the Cracow office here at
various intervals, until the time when, on the surrender of Cracow
during the general retreat on the East front, a considerable number of
persons arrived here in January from Cracow and even the Governor
General himself and his attendants went to his evacuation point here. It
had been unpleasantly striking here that various employees of the Cracow
Office lived lavishly with stocks of foodstuffs and alcohol they had
brought with them and this, in view of the current war situation, caused
very bad blood among the local inhabitants.
The occupation of the house by Reich Minister Frank and his immediate
staff' lasted only a few days, up to the time when, on about 23.1.45.,
the sudden fight took place and the house was left in complete chaos. In
most of the rooms there were lying around openly foodstuffs, household
articles, opened bottles of schnaps and articles of personal use, which
could no longer be packed and removed. In one of the corridors several
cases of schnaps were left behind.
Owing to the fact that, immediately after the departure of the Reich
Minister. the house began to be crowded by a stream of refugees and
soldiers, it was not possible for me, in that short space of time, to
put the house in order.
Soldiers, among whom there was a group of volunteers from the East who
were not under supervision, plundered the stocks of alcohol lying around
and also broke into the Governor’s locked store room.
The foodstuffs, objects d'art, typewriters, writing materials, and
documents which were left behind here by the Staff of the Governor
General were not handed over to me for custody in the proper manner.
[Page 743]
When they left, the Adjutant of the Governor General called out to me
that the motor vehicles left behind were at the disposal of the Armed
Forces.
signed. v. Richthofen.
----------
COPY
2.2.1945
Report of Economy Inspector Heinriclz Gross, Seichau. Castle.
In August 1944 an evacuation point for the General Gouvernement was set
up at Seichau Castle.
In the months which followed, lorry loads and railway consignments
arrived continually, which brought objects d'art, but mainly all kinds
of foodstuffs and large quantities of alcohol.
Between August and the beginning of January, the only visitors here were
one or two men from the Generalgouvernement.
In the middle of January, the Governor General himself came to Seichau
with his immediate staff (about 20 to 25 persons) and remained here
about 6 to 7 days.
When these visitors suddenly disappeared on 23.1.45., they left the
rooms in complete chaos. Everywhere in the corridor and in the rooms lay
empty and opened schnaps bottles, scraps of food, material and household
articles.
In addition to several motor vehicles, typewriters, office equipment,
document tiles, and material, a large quantity of foodstuffs (ham,
tinned fruit, butter, fats, and alcohol) was also left behind. A large
part of these foodstuffs was shortly afterwards stolen by a group of
volunteers from the East.
The remaining foodstuffs were placed at the disposal of the National
Socialist People’s Welfare to feed the refugees who were passing
through. After the departure of the visitors, I should have had the
rooms put in order, but. was ashamed to have this carried out by Germans
so as to prevent this matter becoming a new topic for discussion and
causing fresh unrest.
signed Gross.
----------
COPY
SECRET
2.2.1945
Report from Frl. Liselotte Freund, Seichau Castle.
I have been a domestic help at Seichau Castle for three years. Since
August 1944 large consignments of objects d'art, foodstuffs,
[Page 744]
and alcohol continuously came here from the Generalgouvernement, and
were stored in the house.
In January 1945, the Governor General moved into the Castle with his
office. It was there about one good week. I personally was not in the
rooms during this time and can only report in what condition I found the
rooms after the sudden departure of the visitors on 23.1.45. The rooms
were in the greatest disorder. Wine and schnaps bottles, cigarette ends,
bread and sausage lay around everywhere. In the large kitchen we found
opened cans of meat, the contents of which had already gone bad, opened
cases of butter and eggs, the contents of which we later gave to
refugees passing through. Bottles and cigarette ends lay around
everywhere in the entrance-hall too.
As far as I could see, the whole staff had just celebrated here. At 9
o'clock the man-servant was still asleep; the other members of the staff
were to be seen much later in the day. Living and dining rooms were not
cleared up at all. On the speedy departure of the staff on 23.1.45, its
members left even personal things such as washing things and even a
savings book here.
In the village these matters were much discussed.
(signed) Lieselotte Freund
----------
COPY
2.2.1945
Report of the housekeeper, Elisabeth Matschewsky, Seichau Castle.
I have been housekeeper to Count Manfred von Richthofen since 1.1.1945.
In the middle of January, the Governor General Dr. Frank came and set up
quarters in the Castle with his staff.
The staff occupied the North wing and the lower floor of the Castle. A
separate kitchen for them was also placed at. their disposal.
It particularly struck me that the lavish stocks of foodstuffs and
spirits were being squandered. Foodstuffs lay around everywhere — the
cook did not prepare breakfast till 11 o'clock. The man-servant was
still asleep at 9 o'clock. The consumption of alcohol must have been
particularly great, as empty and half-empty schnaps bottles lay around
everywhere in all the rooms and corners. The departure on 23.1.45 was in
the nature of a flight. I should have prepared the lunch as the cook had
already left, but no one had time to eat.
[Page 745]
Even household articles such as washing things were left behind. Large
quantities of china, silver articles, and linen which were also left
behind, were taken by the refugees who were billeted here immediately
afterwards.
signed. Elisabeth Matschewsky
----------
COPY
2.2.1945
Statement of articles left behind by the Staff of the
Generalgouvernement, at Seichau. Castle and found on 2.2.1945
3 cases of cutlery
14 typewriters
3 packets of art folders
4 cases of books
1 cabinet: general matters of personnel
1 cabinet: telegrams
1 cabinet: supplies, installations
1 cabinet: real estate management
1 cabinet: personnel documents
Innumerable empty Leitz-Cabinets
1 card index case, new
1 cash book SS-District [Oberabschnitt] Generalgouverement
1 room full of objects d'art
1 armoured car Mercedes-Motor (8 cylinder) about 20 car rugs of various
sizes
1 deck chair
The stocks of foodstuffs still found were placed at the disposal of the
National Socialist People’s Welfare in Seichau to feed refugees passing
through. The remaining articles have been placed in safety with the Army
Engineer Battalion 742 (He. Pi. Batl. 742) .
signed: Signature
