The Soviet prosecutors made two presentations concerning the initiation of aggression in Eastern and Southern Europe and called two high ranking German military officials, Field Marshal Paulus and General Buchenhagen to testify. When Assistant Soviet Prosecutor Zorya announced that Paulus would be produced as a prosecution witness, there was great excitement among the defendants.
On Feb. 11, 1946, Paulus testified about the invasion of the Soviet Union and the participation of Romania, Hungary and Finland. Paulus stated that the “whole aim was conquest for the purpose of colonizing Russian territory; and by exploitation and looting them the war in the West was to be carried to an end, with the object of finally establishing supremacy over Europe”. This excerpt is in German and shows the direct examination by Russian prosecutor Zorya followed by cross examination By Dr. Nelte, counsel for Keitel.
Produced by US Army Signal Corps 1945-1956, housed in National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Digitized and provided by The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum; Steven Spielberg Film and Video Archive.
