English Translation

420a 224 Minister Prefident Generalfeldmarschall Göring Berlin, 21 June 1940. Representative for the four-year plan Chairman of the Council of Ministers for the Imperial Defense Main Trust Office East GV/East/1176/40-Ga./He. Confiscation of art=, culture= and valuables in the integrated eastern regions By the Eilrunderleß de8 Reichsführers 3 and Chiefs of the German Police of 16 June 1940 December 1939—S I V 1 No. 844/39—151—Sdb. P.— (printed in the "Collection of Materials for Internal Service" published by the Main Trust Office in the East, p. 17) the confiscation was ordered by various objects, which are to be regarded as cultural objects. I note that in some circles this discharge was carried out only partially or not yet. I do not deny that the places entrusted with the inspection of the cultural property were overloaded by other tasks just in the first months of this year and were hampered in their activity by the unfavourable weather conditions. Whereas, in order to ensure the rest of the items referred to in the urgent order and to prevent them from being damaged, abducted, sold or even destroyed, it is essential, however, that the implementation of this urgent order is now carried out with all force and without delay; whereas, therefore, all the departments entrusted with it, etc. In the event of a failure to comply with the provisions of the Directive, the competent authorities of the Member State concerned shall inform the Commission of the reasons for the failure to fulfil their obligations under this Directive. I would like to point out in particular that the research has to cover not only castles, public buildings and apartments of Poland and Jews, but also services and apartments, which were made available only after the Polish campaign Reichsdeutschen or Baltendeutsche Rückwanderern. As experience has shown, many of these apartments are often well below the real value of furniture and art objects, which were partly borrowed, partly bought for sale. These, too, are to be regarded as cultural objects in the sense of the express release and therefore must necessarily be recorded, without regard to the current besitter. At the same time, it is necessary to check in each individual case how the sale came about and whether an appropriate selling price was paid. In this case, smallness in assessment and evaluation must be avoided. A report on this must be sent to the General Trustee for a decision together with a list of the confiscated items. In addition, art, culture and valuables are in no small quantities in the possession of caretakers, chauffeurs, maids and other auxiliary staff, to whom they have often been handed over to faithful hands until the return of the most refugees former besissers. Such cases must also be taken into account and investigated. Please inform the state police and county confidants of the success of the measures carried out on the basis of this circular until 31 July 1940 to the General Trustee for the securing of German cultural property in the former Polish territories in Berlin-Dahlem, Pücklerstraße 16. The General Referent for the Consolidation of German Folktology. Galke 4y Obersturmbannführer