Five large envelopes with papers in German handwriting:
Envelopes 1-3 contain the three parts of a composition
which was ready for print (A), parts I & II have lists of sources
attached; almost every page is signed on the inner margin; each part is signed
and dated (completed September 1961).
Envelopes 4-5 contain notes and rough copies (B).
(A) manuscript ready for print
The manuscript is not a diary, the writing is not private
in character; there are no spontaneous expressions of emotions, almost every
single passage is clearly connected with details presented during the trial.
The composition was intended firstly for the Israeli court, secondly for
publication.
The text is well organized; the account of parts I & II
is accompanied throughout by reference to sources, i.e. documents that were
accepted by the court on behalf of the prosecution or/and defense.
Part I presents a personal picture: The matter-of-fact
report is interspersed with idyllic descriptions of towns and landscapes as
well as with vivid accounts of single episodes. The author depicts his own
personality using stereotypes: love for nature, simple, strongly connected
with his family; strictly bound by discipline, void of personal ambition; of
limited intellect, practical, a self-made man.
Time and again he stresses that he was never antisemitic
nor hostile to foreigners. He expresses belief in manipulations of
international Jewish leadership against Germany which he finds understandable
as a reaction to the hardships which Jews suffered under the Germans (I 6).
Signs of serious deliberation found mainly in II 14 where
he had intended to quote his final remarks at court; this passage exists in
several versions, part of which are torn and/or made unreadable.
Apparently the composition of part III posed him more
difficulties than the former parts, since part III is not based on facts and
documents but deals with more abstract speculations. Part I (envelope #1) -
220 pages, divided into 20 chapters biographical account, arranged
chronologically from childhood up to 1944; besides description of deportation
and extermination of Jews from Germany and the Generalgouvernement; from ch.
15 onward chronology discontinued; the author attempts to refute several items
of evidence against him.
Detailed outline:
9 technical remarks toward publication
ch. 1 (1-3) childhood/youth, growing up in Linz/Donau
ch. 2 (4-13) volunteered for SS April '32; complains about
hardship of military training (no mention of his stay in Dachau); autumn 1934
Berlin, Sicherheitshauptamt
ch. 3 (14-29) lost mother early, stepmother with Jewish
relatives (21); tells about private connections with Jews, non-Germans and
dissidents (22-26) demonstrating personal lack of hatred and prejudice;
ch. 4 (29-34) being employed in a museum for free-masonry
in Berlin he recalls early acquaintance with free-masons in Linz;
ch. 5 (34-36) claims to have been neither influenced by the
NS-ideology nor antisemitic;
ch. 6 (36-40) since 1936 referent in section for Jewish
affairs, collecting material and preparing reports, specialized in Orthodox
Jewish associations; tried to learn Hebrew in order to gather information from
the Jewish press
ch. 7 (40-46) attended NS-Parteitag Nüürnberg 1937 trying
to recruit informants among the participants from abroad;
ch. 8 (46-57) trip to Palestine & Egypt winter 1937/38
ch. 9 (57-75) transferred to Vienna, spring 1938; promoted
emigration of Jews, cooperation with Jewish functionaries in Vienna, esp. Dr.
Lööwenherz (73-74);
ch. 10 (76-77h) expresses belief in conspiracy of
international finance against Germany
ch. 11 (77-89) summer 1939 in Prague where he promoted
emigration of Jews; author places responsibility for Theresienstadt on Himmler
& Heydrich (visits by Red Cross representatives 1943, 1944 - p. 88);
ch. 12 (90-100) outbreak of world war II; transferred back
to Berlin
ch. 13 (101-115) regrets being separated from his family;
wife & three sons (1940-1952); deportations; Madagaskar-plan
ch. 14 (116-140) extermination of Jews; first visits at
sites: Lublin, autumn 1941, still not active; Kulm by Posen, January 1942,
witnessed killing of Jews by emission gas (126-128); Minsk, January 1942,
witnessed shooting of Jews (136-137). Describes himself as being tense and
shocked, consuming large quantities of alcohol as a kind of sedative.
ch. 15 (141-189) deportations which had ceased in order not
to interfere with preparations for war with Russia resumed in autumn 1941; E.
referred first transport of 20.000 Jews to Litzmannstadt (where they would not
be killed); refutes 'Wetzel-Schreiben' which attributes suggestion to kill
Jews by gas to him (147-149); prepared protocol of Wannsee-conference 20.
January 1942 (150-153); first visit to Auschwitz to inform his superiors in
spring 1942; E. refutes differing evidence offered by R. Hööss (163-165) ch.
16 (190-195) the term 'Sonderbehandlung' did not necessarily mean killing
(only in connection with Jews)
ch. 17 (196-201) children from Lidice; philosophical
speculations: women better than men
ch. 18 (202-204) draws analogy between himself and Socrates
quoting a poem from his school-days; common denominator: helpless in front of
state authority (leaves option to omit this chapter); ch. 19 (204-216)
accusations & refutations; claims that he could not withdraw from his
work, his requests to be transferred to a different office were rejected.
ch. 20 (217-220) speculations four pages of sources (62
items)
Part II (envelope number 2) - 193 pages, divided into 15
chapters description of deportation and extinction of European Jewry (outside
of greater Germany) arranged geographically (according to proceedings of
trial). Almost every chapter contains explications how little authority he
possessed so that hardly any responsibility would fall on him. The most
substantial chapter is number 13 (113-173) dealing with Hungary, where he was
active from spring 1944 until the German withdrawal in December 1944;
dominated by claims of his own innocence.
Chapters 13 & 14 are the chronological continuation of
part I and lead up to his present days (summer 1961).
Detailed outline:
ch. 1 goal: 'objective' description in order to deny own
guilt ch. 2 (1-39) France ch. 3 (40-48) Holland ch. 4 (49-53) Belgium ch. 5
(54-59) Italy ch. 6 (60) Norway ch. 7 (61-65) Denmark ch. 8 (66-76 ) Slovakia
ch. 9 (77-81) Greece ch. 10 (82-97) a. Slovenia (82) b. Serbia (83) c. Croatia
(95) ch. 11 (98-108) Rumania ch. 12 (109-112) Bulgaria ch. 13 (113-173)
Hungary ch. 14 (174-188) retreat from Budapest to Berlin 24. 12. 44 - 1. 1.
45; sent to Tirol by Himmeler, tranfer of privileged Jews as hostages;
experienced bomb attack at Brixlegg, mid-April 1945; no return to Berlin
possible; on his (private) way north taken American prisoner of war (178);
escaped January 1946 to north Germany, 1950 to Argentina relates to
accusations (180); declaration as for feelings of guilt (183) closing remarks
July 6, 1961 ch. 15 (189-193) pseudo-philosophical speculations: many pages
crossed through, torn, several stages of draft (some in envelope #4) list of
sources added (separate file, size A 5: 175 items)
Part III (envelope number 3) - 72 pages with omissions and
additions divided into 14 chapters several drafts, different versions (some in
envelope number 4) mostly general 'philosophical' remarks in the third person,
indicating only indirectly that he is talking about himself. Presents his own
philosophy of life which he characterizes as non-professional, 'home-made':
his description how he served the 'false gods' intended as a warning for the
younger generation - no clear message articulated. Refuses any acknowledgment
of personal responsibility and/or guilt. Expresses vague expectation to
continue after his death into further lives (on the earth - apparently belief
in some kind of transmigration of souls)
(B) drafts
Envelope number 4 (174 pages - as stated on the outside)
contains drafts and outlines to parts III, II, I; most of them numbered, can
probably be attributed to their counterparts in the final version. formulation
similar to final version, changes mostly structural, concern arrangement of
passages, additions - material was meant to be destroyed; contents of envelope
#4 were intended to be transferred to Dr. Servatius by December 1961.
Envelope number 5 (446 pages - as stated on the outside)
extensive drafts to final statement in front of court, many different versions
(some with blue-prints) point of departure: campaign in public opinion against
him (witnesses in Nurenberg and other trials blaming him in order to clean
themselves); from here, probably, originated plan and conception for the major
composition. Last will (two pages, crossed through): distribution of his ashes
among several persons (was not carried out).