English Translation

6-4a To combat theft To combat cases of theft. From a decree of the Hauptamt 4 Court of 15 September 1942. The Reichsführer-Jł agrees that in the case of perpetrators under 20 years of age, exceptionally in the event of light cases of theft, the imposition of a penalty of honour can be waived if it is to be expected that the perpetator can still be raised to a permanent man in spite of his deed. The Reichsführer-4 is of the opinion that it is up to the education if in a troop the most severe punishments is not to be found a decrease in the theft cases. This education work is one of the most prominent tasks of all troop leaders. The experiences of the Hauptamt D-Gericht teach that it is necessary to counteract all kinds of violations of property by sustained educational influence on men. This is particularly necessary and possible in Ersat units. A timely and forceful instruction of the men is already on the plate, because the perpetrators are usually very young and neither 4-moderate nor soldiery educated, and because any judicial punishment is a serious intervention in their life course, which also brings much suffering on their relatives. On the other hand, it is not up to look at criminal actions against property. There are, however, empty threats that are worthless. Even drastic measures against the force, which are prohibited occasionally, if a case of theft cannot be solved, do not benefit, but only harm. Men must also be addressed in these questions from our world view. They should not only have heard of the basic set of the sanctity of property, but should really understand what the Reichsführer wants with it. Our men should not be encouraged to their duty by fear of punishment. Rather, they are always to be seized by their honor. It must pass into the flesh and blood of men that the honor of a Nordic - oriented man is forbidden to take possession of foreign property. An educational effect of such teachings is, however, only assured if the leadership itself acts extremely correctly in all matters of property and leaves no doubt that it does not tolerate any incorrectness in this respect. 80