Goering on the Jewish Question 1938 
 Minutes of the Speech of Goering, 6 December 1938, to Party Heads . 
 Source : Susanne Heim & Goetz Aly, Staatliche Ordnung und Organische Loesung' ', Jahrbuch fuer Antisemitismusforschung 2, 1997. 
 Gentlemen, I open this meeting, which was called at the explicit order of the Fuehrer. He gave me the order on Sunday afternoon to gather the Gauleiter, Reichsstatthalter and Regional Heads. I must therefore verify who is present. (the names of the participants are called). Gentlemen, last Sunday I gave our Fuehrer a presentation of the situation of the Jewish question, about the measures undertaken and what has been done by other agencies.… I also held many meetings with Ministers and other leading figures of the state, the army and the Party, who described how the orders I issue are being disobeyed and how in many places their implementation is being rendered impossible. When I took up the Jewish question due to its direct relevance to general economic policy, the Fuehrer gave his consent in writing. I did not publicise or emphasise the fact that all matters regarding the Jewish question were now concentrated [under my direction]. The Fuehrer, considering my function, did not wish for me to be burdened with this issue inside and outside Germany. But it was reiterated that all orders in Jewish matters are to be examined by me and then be issued by the pertinent agencies, ministries or party offices. The Fuehrer, as well as the Reich government, the Deputy Fuehrer, and especially the Minister of Finance, were crystal clear in demanding that the Party and all its functionaries and offices undertake no economic actions regarding the Jews, and that this was purely a matter to be dealt with by the state. 
 
 
 Furthermore, the Fuehrer gave me the task and order to annul all transactions that did not conform with the present policy… 
 
 
 In addition, certain clarifications were made regarding the future treatment of the Jewish question. I wish to state the following once and for all. Gentlemen - and I appeal especially to my party comrades - the question is not whether we wish to cause the Jews harm or do them good, whether we want to protect them to a greater or smaller extent. The Jew does not concern me at all. What I care about is the image of the party in the eyes of the people and the image of the [German] people abroad… 
 
 
 The Fuehrer outlined his view to serve as my guideline, that Aryanization is to be conducted in such a manner that in the first stage businesses and industries are to be Aryanized, first those where the Jew might cause harm to the defence of the country. The Fuehrer was explicit - and I ask you to remember this - that in his eyes the fact that a Jew may own a house is of the least importance and is of no threat to us. House ownership will be dealt with only in the final phase. Houses will not be Aryanized until the order is given. Of course there may be circumstances in which Aryanization of a house will be necessary for some reason…. 
 
 
 Furthermore, the Fuehrer defined the following principle which I want all of us to follow: the cornerstone of our thinking and policy is the idea of driving the Jews out of the country as rapidly and effectively as possible, to coerce their emigration with all means and to remove any obstacle which might prevent emigration…. It is, after all, the positive side of recent events - the fact that emigration has become acute, that other nations have seen that the Jew can not live in Germany any longer and that the Jews realised that never again will they be able to cause the Germans any harm. We have to promote this emigration. 
 
 
 Gentlemen, emigration is the most difficult chapter, and it necessitates thorough thinking to find a way. I have negotiated with foreign governments and with the Jews. These negotiations can only be conducted by one party, otherwise our position will be weakened. I therefore request the gentleman - the person concerned will know to whom I refer - that he conduct no negotiations in the future. The outline of the plan is as follows: I told the Jews: you say we want to let the Jews emigrate and give them a minimum of means to exist abroad. I tell you Jews, you have proven once again that you may be small dealers, but you have no head for big business. Otherwise you would not make demands to which I can not agree. The prerequisite is availability of foreign currency, and you all know that Germany does not have these funds. The question is not whether we want to or not, the issue is: non-possumus - we can not. For that reason we have to take a different road. There is, I said, only one way, that is for your race to come up with the necessary foreign currency with the help of the governments in your service - and here I think mainly of America and England - so that I will be able to put this money at the disposal of Jews for the purpose of emigration. How I use the money is my business, i.e. I will send four poor Jews ahead of every rich one. This loan has to be extensive. The Jews said immediately: what security will you give this loan? I therefore had to propose the entire property of the Jews in Germany. So, gentlemen, if you have acquired houses, heavy mortgages will be slapped on them, and I will collect that money wherever deals have been closed, unless the transactions were annulled. There is no other possibility, it is the only guarantee I can come up with. Furthermore, I have to calculate interest and amortisation. 
 
 
 I further told the Jews and the other states: Even if I wanted to, I could not do it given my foreign currency situation. I can only do it if you Jews will guarantee that the Jewish boycott will be stopped. Furthermore, you have to guarantee that all purchasers of international corporations, for example, which are all in Jewish hands will undertake to buy so and so many millions worth of goods from Germany annually.... If this succeeds, our export and foreign currency problems would be solved to a great extent... This plan appealed to the Fuehrer very much... 
 
 
 This brings me to a second important point. Gentlemen, we have to act so that the Jew will still have something to lose. Should this not be the case, gentlemen, it will be extremely difficult to prevent certain things.... The positive side of this action was that we showed the Jew. Sure, there were many illegal incidents, but the Jew learned his lesson the hard way. He now knows that if another act should follow, the consequences will be terrible.... If at that time [the Jew] has no more assets to lose, he will know how he will be attacked. This fear must remain in his heart. He will fear as long as he has something to lose. I ask you to keep this in mind. It is the request of the Deputy Fuehrer that I emphasise this point. The Fuehrer has further decided that there will be no marking of the Jews for the following reasons: 1. There would be constant excesses and we would not be able to prevent them. Everyone who had one drink too many and would accidentally see a Jew would beat him up. 2. There are certain regions, as the Fuehrer says, in which such a marked Jew would have nothing to eat and nowhere to do his shopping. The Fuehrer, gentlemen, announced his wish, forbade, gave the order. I am sure it should be enough that I tell you that no one, not a single small functionary should feel that the Fuehrer's wish might be [something else], and that by doing the opposite, he will agree to more... It is wrong to say that Jews can only eat in Jewish restaurants, because soon enough there will be no more Jewish restaurants, since we are Aryanizing all Jewish enterprises. I have asked the Fuehrer what should happen now, where should the Jew buy food and other necessities. The Fuehrer answered: of course in German shops; I wish only that we not buy in Jewish shops; I don't mind the Jew buying from us. Gentlemen, it is therefore unacceptable that in certain regions signs reading 'Jews are not accepted here' are put on shops.… I appeal to your wisdom, gentlemen, I cannot give the order for every single town. And I always wish for you to do as much as possible on your own. But do it right do it so that Jews will be unable to certain shops and restaurants as much as possible. If this leads to such funny situations where Jews are told they can only buy meat in one shop, and this shop happens to sell only pork, I have to leave this to the judgement of the individual in charge. Such circumstances could not be maintained for long. After all, one should not create impossible situations. It is my aim to eventually get all the Jews into one residential district. But this will be gradual and will take time. Until such a time, one can not order that a Jew who lives in the western part of Berlin will be allowed to buy only in the eastern part of the city.… It is especially impossible if we are going to forbid them to use the subway, the tram and all other public transportation. He would starve before he would be able to cover the distance. 
 
 
 I stress once again that these bans may not be made public in the press. It is enough, after all, that the signs are hung up over the shops. But they need official permission… The whole problem will one day have an easier solution, after we have created the necessary conditions, i.e. when we have concentrated all the Jews in certain streets or neighbourhoods. But this cannot be decreed simply by the Police Commissioner … because in order to do it, many economic measures have to be taken. Otherwise we will find ourselves in the most impossible situations. An exchange will be made: a Jew living in the west of Berlin, paying a rent of 800 Marks will exchange apartments with an Aryan from the Grenadierstrasse [a street in the poor Jewish neighbourhood of Berlin] who pays a rent of 50 Marks. We cannot remain indifferent if the Aryan takes over the more expensive apartment because it wouldn't work it would drive him into bankruptcy. You may learn from this example and many others, that such things can only be arranged in the framework of a comprehensive solution. We want to do this, gentlemen, and as you may see now, a great deal is being done. 
 
 
 I want to ask you once again, gentlemen, to take control of these matters in your regions. Only you may decide where Jews may not shop, it can not be left to the discretion of the individual shopkeeper…. 
 
 
 Now we reach the much more complex problem: should the Jews in Germany be permitted to work. You may say: No. This is a legitimate standpoint, but if we don't permit the Jews to work, then the upkeep of these Jews will come from your budgets… What should we do? Some smart person has proposed that all Jews be arrested and organised into work battalions. Gentlemen, you certainly understand that we cannot at this time arrest all the Jews because for this we would need special facilities. We should not repeat situations in which the police rushes around for hours to return little Cohns or Rebeccas to their parents. Here too a special organisation has to be established. 
 
 
 You must understand that certain welfare services have to be allowed for Jews. You cannot attack the ministry and label it as friendly to the Jews. In Germany It should not be permitted that Jews starve to death. This would become a liability. A man who receives nothing will become an animal and behave like an animal. Order has to be established. You see time and time again that the Jewish question demands an organisational solution, which can only be accomplished if all pull in the same direction. A real solution can only be found if we define the goal: the Jew has to go as soon as possible. Naturally, a certain category of Jews will have to stay. I will not permit certain Jews who could easily emigrate to leave because … otherwise the Jews abroad will get their relatives out of Germany and will leave us with the Jewish filth… 
 
 
 I have spoken of the employment of Jews. There are various options. It was envisioned that the Jews, especially those who are out of work, who are healthy and capable of working, who have no income, be organised in labour formations. It does not necessarily have to be in concentration camps.… The Jews will be taken care of, paid some pocket money, kept in special camps, granted certain comforts. They will be employed in construction, in digging canals. They could also be grouped in certain factories. For example in a weaving factory, which already employs many Jews, they would all be put in one hall, while the German girls are employed in another… 
 
 
 Gentlemen, there is one more matter. Today you have all read how matters of purchase of shares, gold, silver, precious stones … are to be conducted, the whole decree published today. Gentlemen, I request that the decrees be followed without exception … and only through the agencies charged with their implementation. This is a matter of the state. The Party may not conduct business affairs. This has been repeated several times…. A party regional office may not establish an Aryanization agency. The party is not in charge of this…. After all, we do not wish for stones to be cast at us and for it to be said: They did not want the Jews, but their money did not hurt the party. 
 The Fuehrer gave the following guideline: certainly, Aryanization will be conducted locally, as the Reich is unable to do it…But the Fuehrer was clear: the income belongs solely to the Reich, that is the administrator, the Reich Finance Minister and no one else. Only in this way can we accomplish the Fuehrer's armament program…. 
 I now reach the chapter dealing with so-called crimes. I will group them into three categories: crimes involving deaths, vice, looting, and a fourth one – extortion. But we will assemble them under: looting, theft and extortion. Looting, theft and extortion: these three will naturally be prosecuted more or less under the following guidelines - the exact instructions will be issued shortly: It happened that during the night someone took jewels, furs or other valuables. This is theft. He went home with these things. After a few days he came to his senses and felt disgusted about it. He went to his Gauleiter [Party Regional Head] or Kreisleiter [Party District Head] or to the police, surrendered the valuables and said he was sorry. It would be insane to prosecute such a person, because we know that such intoxication can overtake a person. 
 
 
 Handsome Emil of Acker Street steals a brooch, puts it on his girl's chest, and she walks around with it. For this man the question whether the brooch belonged to a Jew is of no importance. For him, the issue was the theft of the jewellery. He was happy that he did not have to burglarise, but that others made it easy for him [to pick it up]. In this case, one will proceed rigorously as one does against looters, thieves, etc. I know that this creates problems from a judicial point of view, because I believe that when the shop window is smashed it is not looting. It is not my concern where the line is drawn and when this becomes burglary. This is your problem, Mr. Minister of Justice. These people will be prosecuted as simple criminals. They have nothing in common with the party. 
 
 
 Now to borderline cases of looting, theft and extortion. I will name a few, such as 'safe-keeping'. After all, there has recently been almost no looting. Even Emil had heard about 'safe keeping' - he had only 'kept it safe', he actually wanted to turn it in. Everything was 'kept safe', always. Well, gentlemen, as long as we retrieve the property, let us believe this safe keeping.… There is a whole series of orders, which explicitly say: when the shop windows are smashed, the SA, the political leadership, etc. have to secure the objects. This was very wise, and has saved us from great losses. Gentlemen, there is however a difference whether an organisation secures assets or whether Mr. Kaxzmarek does it.… 
 Extortion! Gentlemen, you know that a large number of checks were extracted by means of extortion. Here again we are at the borderline between extortion and receiving gifts. In this matter I wish to discuss a certain point later with the representative of the Reich Youth Leadership. I am not sure it is entirely proper if someone all of a sudden received a check with a donation for the Movement from a Jew on the night of 9 to 10 November. First of all, I have always we were not permitted to receive any such thing from a Jew. Second, it is possible that he did receive a gift. After all, I was not present. But there are clear-cut cases of extortion, when someone went and said: Either you give me a check or I stand you up against the wall or I hang you. If that person now handed the check over to the organisation, one could say: he did not really understand what he was doing. Maybe he really believed - there are such people - that he conducted himself properly.… However, if the person used it for his own benefit, for a new decoration for his bedroom or invested the money in the stock exchange, it is a case of extortion. 
 
 
 How the prosecutors are to act will have to be discussed. We have to deal with these affairs in such a way that public scandals are avoided. I have therefore contacted the superior party judge, as I too want that in some matters the party judiciary system will be engaged already at the stage of the investigation.… So, if Mr. so and so, who has nothing to do with the Party, is not a Party member, a nobody, someone who might even have a criminal record, went and blackmailed a Jew, we have no interest in him. He will be brought before the court…. 
 
 
 There is also the matter of arson, the fires, the so called murderous burning. Here, gentlemen, it is very difficult, it is the most difficult to investigate. In these cases - clearly in the cases of the synagogues, but also in the fires of the private homes - I believe no one set fire for their own benefit. It was always out of rage, for revenge against Jewry, out of bitterness, out of hatred against the Jews, etc., even if there were some ugly cases such as the affair in Munich, I believe, where a Jewish woman was not even allowed to put on her coat and was chased into the street in her night gown before her house was set on fire. But after all, the people did not do it for their own profit.… The moment the Jews were targeted, naturally, it only makes sense, all the infernal hatred against the Jews was released. 
 
 
 Gentlemen, it is a matter of context. I can assure you, you know that I was incredibly angered by the whole affair, that I was raving mad, because this caused me such problems and damage from an economic point of view. But when I read a few of the newspapers that are being published by Jews – I have received some such newspapers from abroad…or when I read the papers that were printed here, let us say, in December 1932…gentlemen, then I need all of my discipline in order not to explode. One can develop such an infernal hatred for the Jews, that one loses one's senses.… And if those who were dealt terrible blows by Jews, those who have all the right to hate, are not being controlled any longer, but are allowed to vent their anger, you can no longer make them responsible for releasing all restraints. 
 
 
 I have now reached a cardinal point dealing with physical injury, manslaughter and murder. The decisive factor is the motive. If someone wanted to harm the Jew, it is something different. But if it was not the Jew who mattered, if he only wanted to kill, hurt or torture a man he has nothing in common with us. Sexual offenders, for example, will all be detained.… It has nothing to do with hatred, when someone assaults a Rebecca. This is evil rape.… If they are Party members, they will in any case be thrown out on their ear. After all, these acts are contrary to our rules. 
 
 
 I now come to the most difficult chapter - the deaths. Gentlemen, it is not a pretty matter. One needs strong nerves, and if you read the report, place a glass of cognac nearby. Take the case that so angered Mr. Telschow [ Gauleiter Hanover], and he was fully justified to feel this way. Here comes the order from Munich with general instructions. It was then passed on - what do I know - I don't know the details of the chain of command - to the SA. In short, it eventually gets to the telephone operator on duty and lands with the lowest ranking detachment. The one before last said: Jewish shops are to be eliminated. Then the last one in the chain ordered: the Jews are to be eliminated. Now the SA men receive the order: the Jews are to be eliminated. So they had a discussion - assuming this is what happened - and said: yes, this is actually bad and terrible. One cannot do this, one cannot just shoot the Jews. Then others said: well, but they are real pigs - yes, but… this was the order. In other places they are probably doing the same. This is the order we got. The Jews are being eliminated everywhere. We cannot act contrary to the order. They then went, entered a Jew's place and shot him, his wife and I think someone else. Then they feel sick about what they had done. They cannot go on, their nerves betray them. They go back and say: we cannot do it. We are going home. We are not the right people for this task. Gentlemen, assuming this was how it happened, I cannot now additionally accuse these people and put them against the wall. After all, they believed they had received an order. This is impossible. If there is now enormous unrest in that region, I will have to somehow move the men to another place. But now I reach the determining factor, and the appropriate order has already been issued: to inquire about previous offences for all those who killed, tortured, etc… 
 
 
 When I read about the shooting of a 72-year-old Jew, which is given the justification that he wanted to escape and resisted so that I felt threatened' - I feel like kicking the guy's behind for feeling threatened by an unarmed 72-year-old man. But in cases of sadistic torture, like the ones alluded to in Gauleiter Buerckel's report, my ability to sympathise reaches an end. When certain lines are crossed, it is simply an animalistic urge. …It will be very difficult to conduct the investigations along these guidelines…. 
 
 
 Gentlemen, believe me, I felt several times that I have had enough. I would have liked to have nothing to do with the Jewish question. But then I don't know how I can keep my Four Year Plan, i.e. the German economy, in line. If you do not assist me, but on the contrary, cause me difficulties, I will be unable to do it. You must understand one thing. I want to keep my name clean, for the future also, and I cannot take part in things that I cannot justify. I have already gone far enough in covering up. I think I can prove this. But I cannot give cover to certain things. I don't want to do it. If you do not lend me your support, the Fuehrer will have to deal with it. I only want one thing to be clear. The more the party keeps out of business matters, the more the Fuehrer, the deputy Fuehrer and the Minister of Finance will be pleased. 
 
 
 I do not wish to discuss the Mischling issue today. I have already discussed the labour issue. I repeat again: the ultimate goal will somehow be to gather the Jews in certain regions. But for the time being, the Fuehrer has ordered that we proceed slowly. Therefore, Aryanization of the houses will come at the end, when I give the order. Should it be necessary to Aryanize certain houses before that time, a request must be made at the Ministry of Economy, and it can be executed only with their permission. 
 The same is true for a Jew who was a soldier during the entire war…who was decorated with the pour la merite …as the bravest fighter, who was wounded four times, etc. I cannot simply throw this man into concentration camp. This is impossible…. 
 You know exactly, gentlemen, it will always serve as my guideline - I do it often - I say to myself: what would be the Fuehrer's decision? It is possible that sometimes my actions are rubbish, but in general one quickly gets the feeling: what would the Fuehrer say to this? Gentlemen, if you ask this, you will get it right immediately.… 
 In what concerns the handling of the Jewish question in the press and propaganda, I can only repeat the wish of the Fuehrer that for the time being as little as possible be mentioned in the press. Propaganda is not my affair, I have asked the Fuehrer to express his opinion directly.… 
 
 
 Now gentlemen, before I touch on matters which I wish to discuss only with my Party comrades, with the Gauleiters, I want to know whether there are any questions regarding the set of issues I have discussed. Reich Justice Minister Dr. Guertner: I only want to express a wish. If now a whole set of circumstances are to be examined according to a plan and certain guidelines, I would want this to be coupled with a request that the concerned agencies - police and state prosecutors - not be exposed to defamation and discrimination. I have my reasons for this request. 
 General Fieldmarshal Goering: We need yet discuss this matter. 
 
 Reich Justice Minister Dr. Guertner: I only wanted to express this request in general terms for all the functionaries involved. (A discussion with the Gauleiter followed).