Alfred Rosenberg Document Signed at Nuremberg, Calling the Architect of the 'Hunger Plan' to Testify
Rosenberg calls 'Hunger Plan' architect Riecke to deny responsibility for starving the East
Partly-printed DS, in German, signed “A. Rosenberg,” one page, 7.75 x 11.75, November 4, 1945. Document headed (translated), "The International Military Tribunal, Defendant's Application for Summons for Witness," made while preparing his defense for the Nuremberg trials. Rosenberg and his defense lawyer request testimony from "Riecke, Secretary of State, in charge of Agricultural matters in the Ministry for the East," citing his knowledge of these facts: "1) Nature and purposes of the Agrarian Reform Act of 15 Feb. 1942. 2) Situation of labor from the East on the farms in the German Reich." Signed at the conclusion in pencil by Alfred Rosenberg. In fine condition.
Rosenberg names as his witness Hans-Joachim Riecke, the architect behind the 'Hunger Plan,' the deliberate policy of starving Soviet civilians so occupied territory could feed Germany. Riecke did testify, on April 17, 1946, and tried to shift blame for slave labor onto Sauckel and economic exploitation onto Göring and Backe, casting Rosenberg as a toothless administrator bypassed by Himmler, Koch, and Bormann. The prosecution answered with transcripts of Riecke and Göring calculating exactly how many tons of grain to pull out of Soviet farms, fully aware it meant mass famine. Rosenberg was convicted on all four counts and hanged October 16, 1946.
Rosenberg calls 'Hunger Plan' architect Riecke to deny responsibility for starving the East
Partly-printed DS, in German, signed “A. Rosenberg,” one page, 7.75 x 11.75, November 4, 1945. Document headed (translated), "The International Military Tribunal, Defendant's Application for Summons for Witness," made while preparing his defense for the Nuremberg trials. Rosenberg and his defense lawyer request testimony from "Riecke, Secretary of State, in charge of Agricultural matters in the Ministry for the East," citing his knowledge of these facts: "1) Nature and purposes of the Agrarian Reform Act of 15 Feb. 1942. 2) Situation of labor from the East on the farms in the German Reich." Signed at the conclusion in pencil by Alfred Rosenberg. In fine condition.
Rosenberg names as his witness Hans-Joachim Riecke, the architect behind the 'Hunger Plan,' the deliberate policy of starving Soviet civilians so occupied territory could feed Germany. Riecke did testify, on April 17, 1946, and tried to shift blame for slave labor onto Sauckel and economic exploitation onto Göring and Backe, casting Rosenberg as a toothless administrator bypassed by Himmler, Koch, and Bormann. The prosecution answered with transcripts of Riecke and Göring calculating exactly how many tons of grain to pull out of Soviet farms, fully aware it meant mass famine. Rosenberg was convicted on all four counts and hanged October 16, 1946.
