The Holocaust Historiography Project

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Translation of document 2375-PS

I, Dr. Rudolf Mildner, Colonel of the Police, being first
duly sworn, declare:

I was made the commander of the Sipo and SD in Denmark on 15
September 1943. A few days after I arrived in Copenhagen an
order from RF SS Himmler to the Reich plenipotentiary in
Denmark, Dr. Best, arrived demanding the arrest of all
Danish citizens of Jewish faith and their shipment to
Stottin by ship and thence on to Theresienstadt. As
commander I was subordinated to Reichplenipotentiary Dr.
Best.

Immediately, with the approval of Dr. Best, I sent a
telegram to the RSHA Gruppenfuehrer Mueller, asking to have
the Jewish persecutions stopped. As reasons for this I
mentioned that the Jews in Denmark had not yet shown
themselves unfriendly toward the Reich, that the whole
Danish nation would reject measures taken against the Jews,
that action would have an unfavorable effect in Scandinavia,
England, and the U.S., that the trade relationship between
Germany and Sweden would be disturbed, as well as that with
Denmark. In Denmark one could then expect political strikes
and the amount of sabotage would increase, etc. The position
of the Reich plenipotentiary and the Sipo would be made much
more difficult and cooperation of the Danish police, I had
an agreement partly worked out, would not become effective,
etc. The answer to my telegram was an order by RF SS Himmler
through Chef der Sipo and SD Kaltenbrunner that the anti-
Jewish actions were to be carried out.

I flew to Berlin to talk personally with the Chef der Sipo
and SD Kaltenbrunner personally. He was absent. I went to
the head of Section IV, Gruppenfuehrer Mueller, who in my
presence wrote a telegram to RF SS Himmler with my request
(protest against the persecutions of Jews).

Shortly after my return to Copenhagen a direct order by RF
SS Himmler sent through Chef der Sipo and SD Dr.
Kaltenbrunner arrived saying, “The anti-Jewish actions are
to be started immediately.”

For the carrying out of this action RF SS Himmler had sent
the special command Eichmann, directly subordinated to the
Chief of Section IV SS Gruppenfuehrer Mueller, from Berlin
to Copenhagen. This command had chartered two ships for the
deportation of the Jews. This action failed, however, and
there was great bitterness in Berlin from the head of
Section IV, Gruppenfuehrer Mueller towards Dr. Best and me.
Eichmann and Sturmbannfuehrer Gunther, Eichmann’s deputy,
told me that Hitler and Himmler had raged when they received
the report. One thought that Dr. Best and I were to blame
for the miscarried action.

Gruppenfuehrer Mueller gave me the mission of making a
report about the causes of the miscarried plan. I sent the
report directly to the Chef der Sipo and SD
Obergruppenfuehrer Dr. Kaltenbrunner.

I swear under oath that the foregoing is correct and true.

                                         [Signed] R. Mildner

Subscribed and sworn to before me at Nurnberg, Germany, on
16 November 1945.

                                  [Signed] Whitney R. Harris
                                               Lieut., USNR.