April 1, 1943

Reichsführer SS Speaks On Civilian Casualties

n an otherwise routine address to his field commanders Reichsführer SS Heinrich Himmler demonstrated anew the worthiness of the trust that the Führer has placed in him.

Reichsführer SS Himmler Spricht

In the delicate matter of the value of enemy civilian lives versus that of the German soldier, the words of RFSS Himmler provide guidance of the utmost clarity. In addition to a statement of philosophical guidance he provided a concrete example to ensure full understanding by everyone.

Referring to enemy civilian volunteer workers he said, "The lives of these people mean nothing to me. Whether they live or die is immaterial. What matters to me is that the work gets done. Suppose, for example, a soldier is put in charge of a group of Russian women and he is ordered to build a tank trap. If he objects on humanitarian grounds that it is inhumane to make them do this job, I say to him that he is a criminal. Because if that tank trap isn't built it will cost the lives of German soldiers. And that is a crime against the German people."

We can be thankful that such clarity of thought prevails in our leadership. It instills in all of us a deep-seated conviction that our cause is just and that Germany will triumph in this great test of our national character.