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Cover of episode 07

The defendants · 071:42 min

Jodl: he says, the file says

31 August 1946, Nuremberg. Alfred Jodl, Chief of the Operations Staff, says in his final statement that harsh measures, even if questionable under international law, are not a crime in morality or in conscience.

The file: the letter of 7 October 1941, Document C-123. A capitulation of Leningrad or Moscow is not to be accepted. Anyone who wants to leave the city towards the German lines is to be driven back by fire. Signed: “gez. Jodl”. His explanation per the judgment: the cities were feared to be mined. Then the judgment of the Tribunal.

8 documented3 open17 Sources

StatementsSources

Episode 07

Statements

Every on-screen statement of the episode, in order. Red only when the source carries it word for word; open when a check is missing.

  1. 01
    documented

    7 October 1941: Jodl signs. In 1946 he says: harsh measures are not a crime in morality or in conscience.

    IMT Vol. 34, p. 425IMT Vol. 34, p. 427IMT Vol. 22, p. 400IMT Vol. 22, p. 366

    Quote checked verbatim, two AI reviewers: holds
  2. 02
    documented

    Jodl: Chief of the Operations Staff of the High Command of the Armed Forces.

    IMT Vol. 1, p. 322

    Quote checked verbatim, two AI reviewers: holds
  3. 03
    documented

    7 Oct 1941, High Command of the Armed Forces: the Führer has again decided that a capitulation of Leningrad or Moscow is not to be accepted.

    IMT Vol. 34, p. 425IMT Vol. 34, p. 426

    Quote checked verbatim, two AI reviewers: holds
  4. 04
    open

    In the same letter: anyone who wants to leave the city towards our lines is to be driven back by fire.

    IMT Vol. 34, p. 425IMT Vol. 34, p. 426

    Check in progress, approval pending
  5. 05
    open

    Signature under the letter: “Chief of the High Command of the Armed Forces, by order, signed Jodl”.

    IMT Vol. 34, p. 427IMT Vol. 34, p. 425

    Check in progress, approval pending
  6. 06
    documented

    Jodl’s explanation per the judgment: the Germans feared the cities were mined, as Kiev was. No surrender was ever offered.

    IMT Vol. 1, p. 324IMT Vol. 1, p. 325

    Quote checked verbatim, two AI reviewers: holds
  7. 07
    documented

    Jodl, final statement: harsh measures, even if questionable under international law, are not a crime in morality or in conscience.

    IMT Vol. 22, p. 400IMT Vol. 22, p. 366

    Quote checked verbatim, two AI reviewers: holds
  8. 08
    documented

    Jodl: he will leave the courtroom with his head held as high as when he entered it.

    IMT Vol. 22, p. 400IMT Vol. 22, p. 366

    Quote checked verbatim, two AI reviewers: holds
  9. 09
    documented

    Judgment: obedience at all costs is no shield.

    IMT Vol. 1, p. 325

    Quote checked verbatim, two AI reviewers: holds
  10. 10
    documented

    Judgment: guilty on all four counts. Sentence: death by hanging.

    IMT Vol. 1, p. 325IMT Vol. 22, p. 589

    Quote checked verbatim, two AI reviewers: holds
  11. 11
    question

    Next: Frank.

  12. 12
    open

    7 October 1941: Jodl signs. 21 November 1945 he says: “a pure conscience”.

    IMT Vol. 34, p. 425IMT Vol. 34, p. 427IMT Vol. 2, p. 98IMT Vol. 2, p. 95

    Check in progress, approval pending

Episode 07

Sources

Trial of the Major War Criminals before the International Military Tribunal (IMT, “Blue Series”), English edition. Page = printed page.

  1. IMT Vol. 34, p. 425

    Document
    IMT Vol. 34 (Dokument C-123, deutscher Originaltext)
    Volume
    34
    Page
    425 (PDF page 439)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    LETTER FROM JODL TO THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMY, 7 OCTOBER 1941

  2. IMT Vol. 34, p. 425

    Document
    IMT Vol. 34 (Dokument C-123, deutscher Originaltext)
    Volume
    34
    Page
    425 (PDF page 439)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    Geheime Kommandosache F.H.Qu., den 7.10.41 Oberkommando der Wehrmacht

  3. IMT Vol. 34, p. 427

    Document
    IMT Vol. 34 (Dokument C-123, deutscher Originaltext)
    Volume
    34
    Page
    427 (PDF page 441)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    Der Chef des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht J. A. gez. J o d 1

  4. IMT Vol. 22, p. 400

    Document
    IMT Vol. 22 (Schlusswort Jodl, 31.08.1946)
    Volume
    22
    Page
    400 (PDF page 410)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source (shortened)

    ALFRED JODL (Defendant): Mr. President, may it please the Tribunal, it is my unshakable belief that later historians will arrive at a just and objective verdict concerning the higher military leaders and their assistants, for they, and the entire German Wehrmacht with them, were confronted with an insoluble task, namely, to conduct a war which they had not wanted under a commander-in-chief whose confidence they did not possess and whom they themselves only trusted within limits; with methods which frequently were in contradiction to their principles of leadership and their traditional, proved opinions; with troops and police forces which did not come under their full …

  5. IMT Vol. 22, p. 400

    Document
    IMT Vol. 22 (Schlusswort Jodl, 31.08.1946)
    Volume
    22
    Page
    400 (PDF page 410)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    THE PRESIDENT: I call upon the Defendant Alfred Jodl.

  6. IMT Vol. 22, p. 366

    Document
    IMT Vol. 22 (transcript 31.08.1946, Schlussworte)
    Volume
    22
    Page
    366 (PDF page 376)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    Saturday, 31 August 1946 Morning Session THE PRESIDENT: Article 24 D (j) provides that each defendant may make a statement to the Tribunal. I therefore now call upon the defendants who wish — whether they wish to make statements. Defendant Hermann Wilhelm Goring. HERMANN WILHELM GÖRING (Defendant): The Prosecution, in the final speeches, has treated the defendants and their testimony as completely worthless.

  7. IMT Vol. 1, p. 322

    Document
    IMT Vol. 1 (Urteil)
    Volume
    1
    Page
    322 (PDF page 338)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    Jodl is indicted on all four Counts. From 1935 to 1938 he was Chief of the National Defense Section in the High Command. After a year in command of troops, in August 1939 he returned to become Chief of the Operations Staff of the High Command of the Armed Forces.

  8. IMT Vol. 34, p. 426

    Document
    IMT Vol. 34 (Dokument C-123, deutscher Originaltext)
    Volume
    34
    Page
    426 (PDF page 440)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    Der Führer hat erneut entschieden, dass eine Kapitulation von Leningrad oder später von Moskau nicht anzunehmen ist, auch wenn sie von der Gegenseite angeboten w

  9. IMT Vol. 34, p. 426

    Document
    IMT Vol. 34 (Dokument C-123, deutscher Originaltext)
    Volume
    34
    Page
    426 (PDF page 440)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    Wer die Stadt gegen unsere Linien verlassen will, ist durch Feuer zurückzuweisen.

  10. IMT Vol. 1, p. 324

    Document
    IMT Vol. 1 (Urteil)
    Volume
    1
    Page
    324 (PDF page 340)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    On 7 October 1941, Jodl signed an order that Hitler would not accept an offer of surrender of Leningrad or Moscow, but on the contrary he insisted that they be completely destroyed. He says this was done because

  11. IMT Vol. 1, p. 325

    Document
    IMT Vol. 1 (Urteil)
    Volume
    1
    Page
    325 (PDF page 341)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    the Germans were afraid those cities would be mined by the Russians as was Kiev. No surrender was ever offered.

  12. IMT Vol. 22, p. 400

    Document
    IMT Vol. 22 (Schlusswort Jodl, 31.08.1946)
    Volume
    22
    Page
    400 (PDF page 410)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    I shall leave this courtroom with my head held as high as when I entered it many months ago.

  13. IMT Vol. 1, p. 325

    Document
    IMT Vol. 1
    Volume
    1
    Page
    325 (PDF page 341)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    Participation in such crimes as these has never been required of any soldier and he cannot now shield himself behind a mythical requirement of soldierly obedience at all costs as his excuse for commission of these crimes.

  14. IMT Vol. 1, p. 325

    Document
    IMT Vol. 1 (Urteil)
    Volume
    1
    Page
    325 (PDF page 341)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    The Tribunal finds that Jodl is guilty on all four counts.

  15. IMT Vol. 22, p. 589

    Document
    IMT Vol. 22
    Volume
    22
    Page
    589 (PDF page 599)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    "Defendant Alfred Jodl, on the Counts of the Indictment on which you have been convicted, the Tribunal sentences you to death by hanging.

  16. IMT Vol. 2, p. 98

    Document
    IMT Vol. 2 (Plädoyers 21.11.1945)
    Volume
    2
    Page
    98 (PDF page 110)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    ALFRED JODL: Not guilty. For what I have done or had to do, I have a pure conscience before God, before history and my

  17. IMT Vol. 2, p. 95

    Document
    IMT Vol. 2 (transcript 21.11.1945)
    Volume
    2
    Page
    95 (PDF page 107)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    SECOND DAY Wednesday, 21 November 1945 Morning Session

Further sources of the episode

audio NARA 238.24B (21 Nov 1945), 238.3892B (31 Aug 1946) · Document C-123, IMT Vol. 34, pp. 425 to 427 · final statement Vol. 22, p. 400 · judgment Vol. 1, pp. 322 to 325 · sentence Vol. 22, p. 589 · Film NARA 111-ADC-6163, 5585

How to cite this episode

FUNDSTELLE: „Jodl: he says, the file says“, Nuremberg Files 07. https://fundstelle.online/en/f/07/

Found a mistake? Write to us; every correction is listed with its date on the corrections page. Corrections

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