Introduction
Radio message (copy) from the Higher SS and Police Leader (HSSPF) Mitte, Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski, to the Kommando Stab RF-SS, dated 7 August 1941. The situation report states that “by today at noon a further 3,600 have been executed” by the SS Cavalry Brigade, “so that the total number executed by the Cavalry Brigade to date amounts to 7,819.” The report concludes that “thus the figure of 30,000 in my area has been exceeded.”
Document
Funkspruch Nr. 16
Nachr.-Stelle
Kommando Stab RF SS
Nachr.Kp.
pfs dso
Abgang
Tag: 7.8.
Zeit: 1230
An:
rfs pers.
kdo stab rfss u.
chef der orpol.
Absendende Stelle
hssupf mitte
Lagebericht:
zum gestrigen lagebericht teile ich ergänzend, dass durch energisches nachstossen einige vermisste herausgehauen wurden. feststehende verlustzahl der 1. komp. pol. btl.: 316 7 tote, 4 schwerverletzte und 2 vermisste. ausgeplünderte und verstümmelte tote geborgen. heute feierliche beisetzung auf heldenfriedhof bei sägewerk 18 km. ostwärts sluck. an rollbahn 1 gefangene bolschewistische verwundete sagen aus, dass die, unsere 2 züge angreifenden russen 1800 mann stark waren unter führung eines generales. 52 gefallene russen wurden gezählt. da die bevölkerung von javyl auf die zurückgehende 1. komp. 316 aus den häusern schossen, habe ich durch betroffene komp. die männliche bevölkerung des ortes insgesamt exekutieren lassen. die aktion der ss reiter brig. schreitet weiter vorwärts. bis heute mittag sind weitere 3600 exekutiert worden, so dass die gesamtzahl der durch reiter brig. exekutiert bisher 7819 beträgt. damit ist die zahl 30000 in meinem gebiet [überschritten1].
Radio message No. 16
Communications office
Command Staff RF SS
Signals company
pfs dso
Dispatched
Date: 7 August
Time: 12:30
To: rfs personal, command staff RFSS and chief of the Order Police
Sending office: HSSuPf Mitte
Situation report:
As a supplement to yesterday’s situation report, I report that through energetic pushing forward some of the missing men were recovered. Confirmed casualty figures of the 1st Company, Police Battalion: 316. Seven dead, four seriously wounded, and two missing. Looted and mutilated dead recovered. Today ceremonial burial at the heroes’ cemetery near the sawmill, 18 km east of Sluck. On main supply route 1, captured Bolshevik wounded state that the Russians attacking our two platoons numbered 1,800 men under the leadership of a general. Fifty-two fallen Russians were counted. As the population of Javyl fired from the houses at the withdrawing 1st Company, 316, I had the affected company execute the entire male population of the locality. The operation of the SS Cavalry Brigade is continuing to advance. By today at noon a further 3,600 have been executed, so that the total number executed by the Cavalry Brigade to date amounts to 7,819. Thus the figure of 30,000 in my area has been [exceeded1].
Archivial reference:
Vojenský ústřední archiv (VUA, Central Military Archive of the Czech Republic at Prague), Kommandostab Reichsführer -SS, Karton-1, 2b.
- The radio message continues on the reverse side of the document; however, this page is not available in digital form. According to Christian Gerlach (Kalkulierte Morde, p. 542), the final word of the message is „überschritten“ (“exceeded”). ↩︎