English Translation

- 8 - In all, it must be stressed that the Bohemian noblemen who participated in the rally were then Czechoslovak citizens and, like every citizen, stood in a pledge of loyalty to the Czechoslovakian Republic. To the empire, this was only founded by the establishment of the Protectorate on 16. 1III. 1939. The reason for any trespassing could therefore only be given by an act which follows on from 1 5 March 1939. It should be pointed out that, by the decree of the Führer and Chancellor of the Reich on the granting of impunity of 7 June 39, RGBl. I p. lo23, for all crimes committed before 16. III. In 1939, in the Protectorate, impunity was granted, in particular for all crimes for political reasons, without prejudice to the nature and amount of the forfeited sentence. More than that, the idea of impunity, which is based on this amnesty regulation, must be applied to cases which in themselves have not been punishable, but which have legal consequences that are typical of the criminal character, as in the present case. However, apart from the formal legal point of view, the so-called Benes address does not allow us to see an anti-rich course of action, especially as regards the field of view; the conditions at that time considered ak. to be properly appreciated, it is necessary to note that the rally in question was held on 16 September 1938, thus after the speech