SOBIBÓR - Holocaust Handbooks

210 J. GRAF, T. KUES, C. MATTOGNO, SOBIBÓR
“The basic premise of the German policy in respect of the Jews,
starting with the seizure of power [by Hitler in 1933], was to promote
Jewish emigration by all available means. For this purpose,
Generalfeldmarschall Göring, in his quality as head of the Four-
Year-Plan, created a Reich central agency for Jewish emigration
and entrusted its leadership to Gruppenführer Heydrich, the chief of
the security police.”
Having expounded the origins and the development of the Madagascar
plan – which by now had been scrapped in view of the changed situation
– Luther stressed that Göring’s letter of 31 July 1941 was a follow-up
to Heydrich’s letter of 24 June 1940, which claimed that the
Jewish question could no longer be solved by emigration but required a
“territorial final solution.” Luther went on to say:
“For that reason, Reichsmarschall Göring requested Gruppenführer
Heydrich on 31 July 1941 to carry out all necessary preparations
for a comprehensive solution of the Jewish question within
the German sphere of influence in Europe (cf. [document] DIII
709g). On the basis of this order, Gruppenführer Heydrich convened
a meeting of all German agencies involved for 20 January 1942,
with secretaries of state from the other ministries and myself from
the foreign office attending. Gruppenführer Heydrich explained at
the meeting that Reichsmarschall Göring had issued his order being
so directed by the Führer, and that the Führer had now approved
the evacuation of the Jews to the East.”
Luther added that on the basis of this order the evacuation of the
Jews from Germany had been started. The eastern territories were their
destination, to which they would be deported by way of the General
Government:
“The removal to the General Government is a temporary measure.
The Jews will be moved on to the occupied eastern territories as
soon as the material means are available.”
A circular dated 9 October 1942 and sent to Party officials, entitled
“Rumors concerning the situation of the Jews in the East,” explains in
the following manner the measures taken against the Jews: 615
“In connection with the elaboration of the final solution of the
Jewish question, the inhabitants of various parts of the Reich have
recently been discussing ‘very severe measures’ against the Jews,
615 PS-3244.