English Translation

The Minister of the Reich Berlin W 8, 21 August 1942 for Food and Agriculture Wilhelmstr.72 II A 12 - 1050 RfEUL II 0 3166 - 257 II RFM. III b 598/42/3620 RMdI. V B 2 No. 1163/42 RF SS u.Ch.d.dt.Pol.i.RMdI to the state governments (Reichsstatthalter) and the Preußische Oberpräsidenten, sent to the government presidents and corresponding authorities. Subject: Combating black slaughters after the abolition of the law on slaughter taxes - The regular meetings of all the bodies involved in the fight against black-death caused by our circular of 17 September 1991 - II B 6 - 5343 - have proved their worth in the light of the results available so far. In particular, they have contributed to the systematic cooperation of all the bodies involved in the pursuit of black slaughter. After the decree on excise duties of 26 April 1942 - RGBl.I p.259 - has repealed the law on excise duty with effect from 1 May 1942, the fight against black slaughter must be given increased attention, because there are no signs that the black slaughters have decreased. In particular, the following points are pointed out: (1) Black slaughters are in principle a crime according to § i (1) of the KWvo to be prosecuted in ordinary court proceedings (cf.AV. of the RMdI of January 1, 1942 concerning criminal cases in the field of consumption regulation in "German Justice" p.49). For the fight against the black slaughter, the only security police (criminal police) are the prosecutors. The heavy weight of the investigations in all cases of black slaughters, which have taken on a larger scale or have caused a special damage, lies with the competent criminal police stations, which also have to take all the criminal-political and criminal-tactic measures necessary for an ener- gic fight against the black slaughter. This decree is accompanied by a record of the criminal authorities. (2) The Minister of Finance has instructed his subordinate departments to follow up all cases of infringements of the law on slaughter tax which have been committed before its abolition to the extent and in the manner that has been achieved so far, even if in individual cases the black slaughters have continued after 1 May 19942. In addition, for the purpose of investigating and prosecuting black slaughters which have taken place since the abolition of the Slaughter Steucr Law, two investigating officers will be appointed for the purposes of the investigation at each customs investigation office and, where there is an urgent need, at each of the customs clearance offices, to combat the black slaughtering operations which have been committed after the elimination of the slaughter tax. The Minister of Finance has instructed the customs authorities to inform the criminal police