Quote:
Originally Posted by Tribesman
Just pointing it out as his own statement seems to rubbish the denials he made.
Not really
Count three, war crimes, guilty
Count four, crimes against humanity, guilty.
Both counts in relation to Reichsminister Speer covered much more of his work than just the slave labour. Though Four mainly focused on the slave labour
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"The evidence introduced against Speer under Counts Three and Four relates
entirely to his participation in the slave labour programme." (emphasis mine)
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/judspeer.asp
Count Three included:
A) MURDER AND ILL-TREATMENT OF CIVILIAN POPULATIONS OF OR IN OCCUPIED TERRITORY AND ON THE HIGH SEAS
Was Speer involved in that? Almost certainly not.
B) DEPORTATION FOR SLAVE LABOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES OF THE CIVILIAN POPULATIONS OF AND IN OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
Definitely.
C) MURDER AND ILL-TREATMENT OF PRISONERS OF WAR, AND OF OTHER MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE COUNTRIES WITH WHOM GERMANY WAS AT WAR, AND OF PERSONS ON THE HIGH SEAS
Was Speer involved in that? Seemingly not.
D) KILLING OF HOSTAGES
Was Speer involved in that? Almost certainly not?
E) PLUNDER OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTY
Was Speer involved in that? I don't know.
F) THE EXACTION OF COLLECTIVE PENALTIES
Was Speer involved in that? I don't know.
G) WANTON DESTRUCTION OF CITIES, TOWNS, AND VILLAGES AND DEVASTATION NOT JUSTIFIED BY MILITARY NECESSITY
Was Speer involved in that? Seemingly not.
(H) CONSCRIPTION OF CIVILIAN LABOR
Yes.
I) FORCING CIVILIANS OF OCCUPIED TERRITORIES TO SWEAR ALLEGIANCE TO A HOSTILE POWER
Was Speer involved in that? Possibly.
J) GERMANIZATION OF OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
Possibly. I'm not sure.
The point is that even under Charge Number Three Speer was only accused of crimes directly related to the slave labor. Otherwise he likely would have been executed along with the others.