Introduction
On 16 August, 1941, the British intelligence intercepted a radio message from the Higher SS and Police Leader Center, Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski, to the Higher SS and Police Leader Posen, Wilhelm Koppe. In this communication, von dem Bach-Zelewski requested Koppe to “order the immediate deployment of Hauptsturmführer Lange, etc., to Baranowicze. On August 15, 1941, the day before, Himmler attended a demonstration shooting in Minsk and visited the Novinki asylum near Minsk.1 According to von dem Bach-Zelewski, Himmler ordered the facility to be cleared using a more humane method than shooting.2
See also related radio message from 18 August 1941.
Document
DQH de SQF Nr. 17 1035 104 SQP 6900.
Höherer SS und Pol.führer POSEN.
Bitte um sofortige Inmarschsetzung von Hauptsturmführer LANGE, usw., nach BARANOWICZE.
Höherer SS und Pol.führer MITTE.
DQH de SQF Nr. 17 1035 104 SQP 6900.
Higher SS and Police Leader Posen.
Please order the immediate deployment of Hauptsturmführer LANGE, etc., to BARANOWICZE.
Higher SS and Police Leader Center.
Archivial reference:
PRO HW 16/32, ZIP/GPD 325, traffic 16.8.41, item 20
(courtesy of an internet user known as “TheBlackRabbitofInlé”)
Literature:
Witte et al., Der Dienstkalender Heinrich Himmlers 1941/42, p. 195