Stroop Report

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The cover page of the "American copy" of The Stroop Report with International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg markings.
The second copy of The Stroop Report from Institute of National Remembrance in Poland.

The Stroop Report is an official report prepared by General Jürgen Stroop for the SS chief Heinrich Himmler, recounting the German suppression of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and the liquidation of the ghetto in the spring of 1943. Originally titled The Jewish Quarter of Warsaw is No More! (Es gibt keinen jüdischen Wohnbezirk in Warschau mehr!), it is commonly referred to as "The Stroop Report".

History

The Report was commissioned by Friedrich-Wilhelm Krüger, high SS and police leader in Kraków and was intended as a souvenir album for Heinrich Himmler. It was prepared in three distinct leather-bound copies for Heinrich Himmler, Friedrich Krueger and Jürgen Stroop, with one unbound file copy of the report (das Konzept) remained in Warsaw, in the care of Chief of Staff Max Jesuiter.[1] According to statement given in 1945 by Stroop's adjutant Karl Kaleshke, to US authorities in Wiesbaden, he ordered Stroops copy of the report burnt with other secret documents in Burg Kranzberg.[2]

After the war only two of the four copies were discovered, those belonging to Himmler and Jesuiter.[3] Himmler's copy went to Seventh Army Intelligence Center (SAIC) and Jesuiter's to Military Intelligence Research Section (MIRS) in London.[2] Several sources stated that German Bundesarchiv also had a copy in Koblenz.[3][4][5] However, in reply to inquiries by Richard Raskin, Bundesarchiv stated that third copy of report was never in their possession.[1][2] Both copies were introduced as evidence at the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg, sharing the document number 1061-PS, and used in the trial as "US Exhibit 275".[1] It was first displayed by the chief U.S. prosecutor Robert H. Jackson for the judges during his opening address.[6] The assistant prosecutor dealing with the persecution of the Jews referred to it as "the finest example of ornate German craftsmanship, leather bound, profusely illustrated, typed on heavy bond paper ... the almost unbelievable recital of the proud accomplishment by Major General of Police Stroop."[7] Both copies were also used in Nuremberg in the 1947 trial of Oswald Pohl as exhibit 503.

On June 10, 1948 the Himler/SAIC copy of the Stroop report and Katzmann Report were handed over by Fred Niebergal, head of Office of Chief of Counsel for War Crimes – OCCWC, to Bernard Acht, head of Polish Military Mission in Nuremberg.[2] It was used in Jürgen Stroop trial at Warsaw Criminal District Court in July 1951,[3] and transferred afterwards to KC PZPR archive.[2] In 1952 it was transferred to Główna Komisja Badania Zbrodni Hitlerowskich w Polsce (Main Commission for the Investigation of Nazi Crimes in Poland) archive and it successor Institute of National Remembrance (polish:Instytut Pamięci Narodowej or IPN) where it remains.[2] In 1948 Jesuiter/MIRS copy of the report went to National Archives (NARA) in Washington, D.C., where it remains.[1]

Content

First book edition of "Stroop Report" from 1948 by Stanisław Piotrowski.

The Report was a 125-page typed document, bound in black pebble leather, with 53 photographs . It consisted of the following sections:

  • Summary, with
    • title page
    • list of soldiers killed and wounded
    • the list of combat units involved, and
    • introduction, signed by Jürgen Stroop in case of IPN copy
  • Collection of 31 daily reports (German: Tägliche Meldungen), sent from Stroop's Chief of Staff Max Jesuiter to SS Police Leader East Friedrich-Wilhelm Krüger. The reports cover period of 20 April to 16 May 1943, plus a report from May 24, 1943, and were all signed by Jesuiter.
  • Series of 53 photographs accompanied by hand-written captions in German Sütterlin script
  • NARA report also have fourth section with statistics about human losses, types of recovered weapons and amounts of money and valuables taken from Jews.[2]

There are slight discrepancies in textual and graphical layout, and in the photographs they contain.

Text

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Main article: Polish resistance movement in World War II

The Stroop Report alludes repeatedly to the participation of the Polish Resistance in the Warsaw ghetto uprising.[better source needed] Jürgen Stroop referred to Polish underground fighters as "Polnische Banditen" - "Polish Bandits", he noted:

<templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />

"When we invaded the Ghetto for the first time, the Jews and the Polish bandits succeeded in repelling the participating units, including tanks and armored cars, by a well-prepared concentration of fire. ... The main Jewish battle group, mixed with Polish bandits, had already retired during the first and second day to the so-called Muranowski Square. There, it was reinforced by a considerable number of Polish bandits. Its plan was to hold the Ghetto by every means in order to prevent us from invading it. ... Time and again Polish bandits found refuge in the Ghetto and remained there undisturbed, since we had no forces at our disposal to comb out this maze. ... One such battle group succeeded in mounting a truck by ascending from a sewer in the so-called Prosta [Street], and in escaping with it (about 30 to 35 bandits). ... The bandits and Jews – there were Polish bandits among these gangs armed with carbines, small arms, and in one case a light machine gun – mounted the truck and drove away in an unknown direction."

— Jürgen Stroop, 1943[8]

  • 5 page of Stroop Report describing German fight against "Juden mit Polnischen Banditen" - "Jews with Polish bandits".[9]

  • Page describing military actions on 27 April 1943.[10]

  • Continuation 27 April 1943 describing fight against a "jüdisch-polnische Wehrformation" ("Jewish-Polish combat formation").[10]

Photographs from the Stroop Report

The IPN copy of the report have 53 photographs on 49 pages, while the NARA copy has the same number of photographs on 52 pages. There are 37 photographs that appear in both copies, although not always with the same size, crop or order and occasionally with different captions. Sixteen shots in each copy are different, although often very similar as they depict the same events. All together, in both versions of the report there are 69 unique photographs.[2][3]

Identity of the photographers accompanied Stroop’s headquarters during the operation, is unknown. Franz Konrad confessed to taking some of the photographs, the rest was probably taken by photographers from Propaganda Kompanie nr 689.[2][3] In addition to the photographs found in the reports where were about 45 additional photographs that were not included, which according to Yad Vashem were found in Stroop’s possession when he was captured by the Americans after the war.[11] Some of those photographs were closely related to the ones used in the report as they depicted the same events. Some of those additional photographs are often described in reputable sources as coming from the Stroop Report, even if they do not appear in neither one of the actual reports.

The high-quality photographs taken for Stroop constitute a unique documentation of the final stage of liquidation of Warsaw ghetto. The photographer was permitted in the Stroop's inner-circle, to accompany the forces that participated in liquidating the ghetto, and to get close to the combat areas. Apart from a dozen of candid photographs taken by Polish firefighter Leszek Grzywaczewski, those are the only photographs of the Ghetto Uprising taken inside of Ghetto.[2] Many of them become some of the most recognized images of the World War II.

Photographic captions in the Report are often highly racist and biased and do not contain hardly any facts about the content of the photographs, but are a good reflection of the mindset of the Report authors. They are written in the German Sütterlin script, and occasionally do not even match the images. Despite of lack of any information about image content, many depicted places, people and events were identified in the years since the publication.

Gallery

Photographs included in one of the two copies of the Stroop Report. Image captions include a reference and translation of the original German caption (in red), which could be incorrect or biased, followed by current photo caption. Click on images for more information.

  • NARA copy #1, IPN copy #1
    The building of the former Jewish Council
    Judenrat (Jewish Community Council) at Zamenhofa 19

  • NARA copy #2, IPN copy #2
    Vacate the factory!
    Umschlagplatz, gate by the bathhouse

  • NARA copy #3, IPN copy #3
    Discussing the evacuation of the factory
    Guard on the left is Josef Blösche.

  • NARA copy #4, IPN copy #4
    The Jewish department heads of the armament firm Brauer
    Herman Brauer helm repair shop at Nalewki 28-38

  • NARA copy #5, IPN copy #5
    The Brauer Company
    Herman Brauer helm repair shop at Nalewki 28-38

  • NARA copy #17, IPN copy #14
    Forcibly pulled out of bunkers
    Many people in the photograph were recognized, however identity of the boy and the place where the photo was taken is uncertain

  • IPN copy #15
    These bandits offered armed resistance
    Nowolipie 64 near intersection with Smocza

  • NARA copy #18
    These bandits offered armed resistance
    Nowolipie 64 near intersection with Smocza

  • NARA copy #13, IPN copy #16
    Jews pulled from a bunker
    Nowolipie 64 / Smocza 1 intersection

  • NARA copy #43, IPN copy #43
    The leader of the grand operation
    Stroop, Josef Blösche, Heinrich Klaustermeyer and others at Nowolipie 64 / Smocza 1 intersection

  • NARA copy #23
    Smoking out the Jews and Bandits
    Possibly Wałowa 4

  • NARA copy #16, IPN copy #34
    Before the search
    Possibly near Wałowa 4, looking North

  • NARA copy #8, IPN copy #9
    Search and interrogation
    Possibly Muranowski Square with Muranowski 10 / Sierakowska 3 in the back

  • NARA copy #9, IPN copy #10
    Jewish Rabbis
    Rabbi Heschel Rappaport and others questioned by Heinrich Klaustermeyer and Josef Blösche in front of Nowolipie 32.

  • NARA copy #10, IPN copy #11
    Jewish Rabbis
    Rabbi Lipa Kaplan, Eliyahu Levin, Mendel Alter, Yankel Levin and Rabbi Heschel Rappaport in front of Nowolipie 32.

  • NARA copy #12, IPN copy #12
    Dregs of humanity
    All the prisoners were stripped during the search.

  • NARA copy #19, IPN copy #18
    Bandits destroyed in battle
    Executed Jews, possibly near Nalewki 41.

  • NARA copy #21, IPN copy #20
    Jewish traitors
    Stroop and Maximilian von Herff (likely) at Muranowski Square near Naleweki and Miła intersection with Nalewki 42 in the back. taken May 14, 1943(?)


  • {Stroop Collection} Stroop and Josef Bloesche questioning a Jewish Prisoner-possibly taken same time as preceding photograph?

  • Stroop Report - Warsaw Ghetto Uprising 13.jpg

    IPN copy #26
    Hehalutz women captured with weapons.
    Małka Zdrojewicz Horenstein on the right survived Majdanek and Bluma Wyszogrodzka in the center died in Auschwitz.

  • IPN copy #36
    They were also found in the underground bunkers
    Captured Jews in front of Miła 31 and 33 viewed from Zamenhofa Street.

  • IPN copy #7
    Forcibly pulled out of bunkers
    Captured Jews are led by Waffen SS soldiers to Umschlagplatz. In the back Nowolipie 62 & 63. See file page for possible identity of depicted people.

  • NARA copy #7
    To the transhipping place
    Captured Jews are led by Waffen SS soldiers to Umschlagplatz. In the back Nowolipie 62 & 63. See file page for possible identity of depicted people.

  • NARA copy #22
    Bandits
    Gęsia and Smocza intersection

  • NARA copy #6, IPN copy #6
    March to the rail station
    Column heading North to Umschlagplatz on Zamenhofa Street near Kupiecka. In the back buildings of Zamenhofa 30-40 block.

  • NARA copy #31
    To the transhipping place
    Column heading North to Umschlagplatz on Zamenhofa Street near Kupiecka. In the back buildings of Zamenhofa 30-40 block.

  • NARA copy #30, IPN copy #8
    To the transhipping place
    Column heading North to Umschlagplatz on Zamenhofa Street near Wołyńska. On the left 25, 27, 29.

  • NARA copy #44, IPN copy #44
    This is how the former Ghetto looks after having been destroyed
    Column heading North to Umschlagplatz on Zamenhofa Street, with burning Zamenhofa 25 / Wołyńska 2 on the left.

  • NARA copy #29, IPN copy #28
    Transporting of Jews onward
    Column heading North to Umschlagplatz on Zamenhofa Street, with burning Zamenhofa 25 / Wołyńska 2 on the left.

  • NARA copy #27, IPN copy #23
    Destruction of a housing block
    Zamenhofa Street looking North, with burning Zamenhofa 25 / Wołyńska 2 on the left.

  • NARA copy #28
    A housing block being destroyed
    Zamenhofa Street looking North, with burning Zamenhofa 25 / Wołyńska 2 on the left.

  • IPN copy #27
    A housing block being destroyed
    Zamenhofa Street looking North, with burning Zamenhofa 25 / Wołyńska 2 on the left.

  • IPN copy #48
    no image caption, in section This is how the former Ghetto looks after having been destroyed
    Zamenhofa Street between Wołyńska and Miła looking North, with burning Zamenhofa 29, 31 and 33 on the left.

  • IPN copy #24
    (no caption)
    Zamenhofa Street between Wołyńska and Miła looking North, with burning Zamenhofa 29, 31 and 33 on the left.

  • IPN copy #25
    (no caption)
    Zamenhofa Street between Wołyńska and Miła looking North

  • NARA copy #20, IPN copy #19
    A bunker being opened
    Stroop witnesses digging out of a bunker, possibly near the ghetto wall

  • NARA copy #38
    They were also found in the underground bunkers
    Stroop witnesses digging out of a bunker, possibly near the ghetto wall

  • NARA copy #14
    Jews pulled from a bunker

  • NARA copy #15, IPN copy #17
    Bandits

  • NARA copy #35, IPN copy #29
    Photos showing parts of so called dwelling dugouts

  • NARA copy #34, IPN copy #30
    Photos showing parts of so called dwelling dugouts

  • NARA copy #33, IPN copy #31
    Photos showing parts of so called dwelling dugouts

  • NARA copy #36, IPN copy #32
    Photos showing parts of so called dwelling dugouts

  • NARA copy #32, IPN copy #33
    Photos showing parts of so called dwelling dugouts

  • NARA copy #37, IPN copy #35
    Securing a street
    MG08 at the gate on Nowolipie Street intersection with Smocza Street, looking East. In the back Nowolipie 56.

  • NARA copy #45
    no image caption, in section This is how the former Ghetto looks after having been destroyed
    Nowolipie 56 in the center.

  • IPN copy #45
    no image caption, in section This is how the former Ghetto looks after having been destroyed
    Nowolipie Street looking West towards the gate at Nowolipie / Smocza intersection.

  • Ghetto Uprising Warsaw2.jpg

    NARA copy #11, IPN copy #13
    An assault squad
    Waffen SS troops at Nowolipie Street with Nowolipie 50 A, 52, 54 and 56 in the back.

  • IPN copy #21
    Smoking out the Jews and Bandits
    Waffen SS troops at Nowolipie Street, between Smocza and Karmelicka Streets, with Nowolipie 34 on the right.

  • IPN copy #37
    Fight against a resistance pocket
    Cannon on Zamenhofa Street shooting North at resistance in Gęsia 20 building

  • IPN copy #38
    Fight against a resistance pocket
    Cannon on Zamenhofa Street shooting North at resistance in Gęsia 20 building

  • NARA copy #25
    Destruction of a housing block
    Cannon on Zamenhofa Street shooting North at resistance in Gęsia 20 building

  • NARA copy #26
    Destruction of a housing block
    Cannon on Zamenhofa Street shooting North at resistance in Gęsia 20 building

  • Stroop Collection, not in the report.
    Cannon on Zamenhofa Street shooting North at resistance in Gęsia 20 building

  • Stroop Collection, not in the report.
    Zamenhofa Street looking North at resistance in Gęsia 20 building

  • Stroop Collection, not in the report. 25 Niska Street 22 April 1943

  • NARA copy #39
    Bandits jump to escape capture
    Men preparing to commit suicide by jumping off the upper floors of 23 and 25 Niska Street.

  • NARA copy #53, IPN copy #39
    Bandits jump to escape capture
    Man committing suicide by jumping off the upper floors of 23 and 25 Niska Street.

  • Stroop Report - Warsaw Ghetto Uprising - 037.jpg

    IPN copy #40
    Bandits who jumped
    People who committed suicide by jumping off the upper floors of 23 and 25 Niska Street.

  • NARA copy #40
    Bandits who jumped
    People preparing to commit suicide by jumping off the upper floors of 23 and 25 Niska Street.

  • Stroop Collection-not in the report-taken at Niska Steet[?]

  • IPN copy #41
    The radio car of the command post
    Stroop near command car, probably at Zamenhofa 48 near intersection with Miła.

  • NARA copy #41
    The radio car of the command post

  • IPN copy #42
    Askaris assigned to the operation
    Stroop and foreign fighters at the Umschlagplatz, with Stawki 5/7 in the back.

  • NARA copy #42
    Askaris assigned to the operation
    Foreign fighters and executed Jews at Zamenhofa 42 / Kupiecka 18.

  • NARA copy #46, IPN copy #46
    no image caption, in section This is how the former Ghetto looks after having been destroyed
    Ulica Kupiecka Street viewed from Zamenhofa, with Zamenhofa 42 / Kupiecka 18 on the left.

  • IPN copy #49
    no image caption, in section This is how the former Ghetto looks after having been destroyed
    Possibly Dzielna 5

  • NARA copy #49, IPN copy #51
    no image caption, in section This is how the former Ghetto looks after having been destroyed
    Probably court yard of Franciszkańską 26

  • NARA copy #48
    no image caption, in section This is how the former Ghetto looks after having been destroyed
    Probably court yard of Franciszkańską 30

  • NARA copy #47, IPN copy #50
    no image caption, in section This is how the former Ghetto looks after having been destroyed
    Nalewki Street, looking South from the gate at Nalewki/Gęsia/Franciszkańska intersection.

  • IPN copy #53
    no image caption, in section This is how the former Ghetto looks after having been destroyed
    Nalewki Street, looking South at the gate at Nalewki/Gęsia/Franciszkańska intersection. Beyond the wall on the right Posner house at Nalewkach 29.

  • NARA copy #50, IPN copy #47
    no image caption, in section This is how the former Ghetto looks after having been destroyed
    On the right Nalewki 31/Gęsia 2, and on the left a view South at Nalewki Street towards ghetto gate at Nalewki/Gęsia/Franciszkańska intersection.

  • NARA copy #24, IPN copy #22
    A place which has been prepared for escape and jumping down
    On the left Nalewki 31/Gęsia 2, and on the right view North at Nalewki Street.

  • NARA copy #52, IPN copy #52
    no image caption, in section This is how the former Ghetto looks after having been destroyed
    Nalewki Street, viewed from Gęsia Street looking North, with Nalewki 31/Gęsia 2 on the left

  • NARA copy #51
    no image caption, in section This is how the former Ghetto looks after having been destroyed
    Possibly Nowolipki / Smocza intersection looking West on Nowolipki Street.

Stroop Collection

Stroop Collection of related ghetto Uprising photographs:

  • Stroop at Zamenhofa 15; Zamenhofa 13

  • Stroop at Zamenhofa 24; Zamenhofa 22

  • Stroop and officers

  • Stroop and officers

  • SS and police officers look on as SS Major General Juergen Stroop discusses razing the houses on Niska and Muranowska Streets with Kaleschke, his police adjutant, during Warsaw Ghetto Uprising

  • Jews deported

  • Ditto caption

  • Stroop and officers-taken 20 April 1943-second day of the Uprising

  • SS Soldiers

  • Factory burning during the Warsaw ghetto Uprising

  • Stroop and other officers at the Umschlagplatz

  • This and the following 6 photographs show Jews being captured by the Germans-possilbly related to NARA 20 and NARA 38 pictures above?

  • Stroop Collection - Warsaw Ghetto Uprising - Bunker - 02.jpg

  • Jurgen Stroop

  • Jürgen Stroop. Click on photograph for possible ids of other SS Officers

  • Stroop Collection - Warsaw Ghetto Uprising - Bunker - 06.jpg
  • Stroop Collection - Warsaw Ghetto Uprising - Bunker - 07.jpg
  • Stroop Collection - Warsaw Ghetto Uprising - Bunker - 08.jpg

  • According to USHMM this picture was taken 9 May 1943-20th day of the uprising

  • Taken same place as preceding photograph

  • Jews taken out of a basement by Germans

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (Segments of the book were quoted online here)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Yad Vashem Photo Archive
  5. ↑ United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
  6. ↑ International Military Tribunal "Blue Series," Vol. 2, p. 126
  7. ↑ Conot, Justice at Nuremberg, 1983, pp. 269-70.
  8. ↑ From the Stroop Report by SS Gruppenführer Jürgen Stroop, May 1943.
  9. ↑ Jürgen Stroop, "Es gibt keinen jüdischen Wohnbezirk in Warschau mehr!", Warschau 1943, p.5.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Jürgen Stroop, "Es gibt keinen jüdischen Wohnbezirk in Warschau mehr!", Warschau 1943.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (English translation)
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (IPN copy; Polish translation: pages 23–112 and German original: pages 113-238; photographs)
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (IPN copy; German original and English translation)
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (NARA copy; German original: text, photographs)
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