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Commander
of the Security Police and the SD
Einsatzkommando
3
Kovno,
December 1, 1941
Reich
Secret Document
Final
Summary of Executions carried out in the operating area of EK
[Einsatzkommando] 3 up
to December 1, 1941
...I
can confirm today that Einsatzkommando 3 has achieved
the goal of solving the Jewish problem in Lithuania. There are
no more Jews in Lithuania, apart from working Jews and their
families.
These
number:
in
Shavli, about 4,500
in
Kovno, about 15,000
in
Vilna, about 15,000
I
wanted to eliminate the working Jews and their families as
well, but the Civil Administration (Reichskommissar)
and the Wehrmacht attacked me most sharply and issued a
prohibition against having these Jews and their families shot.
The
goal of clearing Lithuania of Jews could only be achieved
through the establishment of a specially selected Mobile
Commando under the command of SS Obersturmfuehrer
Hamann, who adopted my aims fully and who was able to ensure
the cooperation of the Lithuanian Partisans and the Civil
Authorities concerned.
The
carrying out of such Aktionen is first of all an
organizational problem. The decision to clear each
sub-district systematically of Jews called for a thorough
preparation for each Aktion and the study of local
conditions. The Jews had to be concentrated in one or more
localities and, in accordance with their numbers, a site had
to be selected and pits dug. The marching distance from the
concentration points to the pits averaged 4 to 5 kms. The Jews
were brought to the place of execution in groups of 500, with
at least 2 kms. distance between groups... All the officers
and men of my command in Kovno took an active part in the Grossaktionen
in Kovno. Only one official of the intelligence corps was
released from participation on account of illness.
I
consider the Aktionen against the Jews of EK 3 to be
virtually completed. The remaining working Jews and Jewesses
are urgently needed, and I can imagine that this manpower will
continue to be needed urgently after the winter has ended. I
am of the opinion that the male working Jews should be
sterilized immediately to prevent reproduction. Should any
Jewess nevertheless become pregnant, she is to be
liquidated....
Jaeger
SS
Standartenfuehrer
Yad
Vashem Archives, O-18/245 |
