Office of the Historian

740.00116 European War/7–2044

Document No. C.34, 18 July, 1944: Surrender by the Axis Powers of Persons Wanted for Trial as War Criminals65

July 18, 1944

Second Note by the Chairman to the Governments Represented on the Commission

In his first Note on this subject submitting to the Governments a draft Article which it was suggested should be inserted in the armistice with Germany (Doc. C.31),66 the Chairman of the United Nations War Crimes Commission stated that:

“In the Commission’s opinion the same text should be suitable for use in the armistice granted to each of Germany’s European satellites subject only to:

  • “(1) substitution of the name of the State concerned for that of Germany, and
  • “(2) insertion in section 2 at (d) of the names of the forces which in that State correspond to the Geheime Staatspolizei (Gestapo) and Schutzstaffel (S.S.).”

The Chairman now begs to place before the Governments the Commission’s recommendation that in the armistice with each European satellite the text of section 2 point (d) should make provision for taking and keeping in custody any members or former members of the German Gestapo and S.S. who were found in that country, and also any members of the police forces of that country, whether civil or military, who had served or were still serving as district chiefs in any country occupied by Nazi forces.

As stated in the first Note, different provisions may be necessary in the case of Japan, and the text will be submitted at a later date.

  1. Transmitted to the Department by the American Representative on the United Nations War Crimes Commission in despatch 16966, July 20, 1944; received July 25.↩
  2. Dated June 16, p. 1331.↩