Remarks on Werner's statement made at Dortmund

This short statement forms a postscript to the statement of Heinz Werner made on the same day at Dortmund on 4th June 1963. It is unusual in that I have not come across a similar set of remarks which have been added as a postscript to a previously made statement. It takes the form of a plea from Werner to excuse him from any involvement in the affair and an offer to supply further documentary evidence if called upon to do so. He reiterates that both the regiment (Der Führer) and Lammerding could not be blamed for the massacre because Dieckman (sic) had carried it out, "on his own initiative and without an order".

As is almost inevitable Diekmann's name is misspelt, in this case as Dieckmann and the only other name mentioned is that of Weidinger (who was acquitted of all charges in 1951). Also the specific mention is made that Werner was informed by the French interrogators that Lammerding was not being regarded as the originator of the order to destroy Oradour (shown as just Oradour and not Oradour-sur-Glane). No legal secretary was present for the taking of these remarks, why this should be, I do not know. All comments are in italics.

45 Js 2/62 (File reference)

Remarks:

After the interrogation, the witness Werner declared on 4th June 1963 that he himself had been extradited to France from captivity near Regensburg because he had been sought as a former adjutant of the "Der Führer" regiment because of the events in Oradour. He was then interrogated repeatedly in France during the preliminary proceedings. Finally, he was told that there were no indications of his participation in the action against Oradour. It was not at all possible to ascertain that the regiment had issued the order to kill the residents. He was therefore not charged and was no longer heard in court as a witness. At the same time, he was informed at the same time that he would be brought before a French court because of his membership of the Waffen SS (the law of collective responsibility, see Chapter 5 of In a Ruined State). He was then, along with Weidinger and other division members, who could not have been proven to be involved in any outrage in France, judged by a French military court on the basis of the law in force at the time because of their belonging to the SS, and shortly afterwards was deported to Germany with his comrades. He still had numerous French documents from that time, especially pages of indictments, which he would send to the public prosecutor for information. Werner concluded that during these talks in France at the end of the Oradour investigation, he recalled he was told that Lammerding could not be blamed for the Oradour outrage (in contrast with today's French assertions) because Dieckmann (sic) had carried out the killings in Oradour on his own initiative and without an order.

Dortmund, 4th June 1963

Siehlow

Prosecutor

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