E. Yakovlev: If Germany won the war, we would repeat the fate of the Indians

1. For you, workers who are heading to the East, only one principle applies: your work decides everything. Therefore, I demand persistent and tireless activity from you.

2. Don't be afraid of decisions that may turn out to be wrong. Only those who do nothing make no mistakes. It's not the individual mistakes that matter, but the work. We don’t need anyone who doesn’t do anything because of fear of responsibility.

3. You are given a one-of-a-kind opportunity to master a business and demonstrate your will to work, your knowledge, your abilities. Thus, England for centuries placed young people in positions of responsibility in its empire and gave them the opportunity to develop leadership abilities. Germany's lack of territory has so far prevented this from happening. However, fulfilling the tasks set in the East requires that you do not approach things with a narrow Western European standard. You are invested with the highest confidence of your superiors. You must justify this trust. The inspectors I have appointed will only check individual activities if necessary, but mainly will monitor whether you prove your ability to work.

4. I demand true leadership from you. It does not consist in administration or in professorial reasoning, but because:
- Long-term activity at the front.
- Highest readiness to make decisions.
- Quickness in making a decision (a wrong decision is better than no decision at all).
- Few but good employees.
- No paperwork.
- The ability to act according to directives and materials emanating from the center, but at the same time maintaining one’s own initiative.
- Laconic, clear instructions to subordinates in the form of an order.
- No explanations or justifications, let the Russians see you as leaders.
- Camaraderie among Germans, responsibility to superiors, authority among subordinates. If you have reasons to be dissatisfied with the behavior of any German, do not reveal this in front of the Russians.
- Consciousness of one’s responsibility, no oppression of subordinates, on the contrary, provide them with the greatest freedom so that they can express themselves.
- Always stay closed towards Russians.
- In relation to the Russians, one should insist even on a mistake made by a German.
- Do not mindlessly copy German orders and organizations.

5. It is important to always have an end goal in mind. You must be especially persistent in achieving your goal. The more creative your methods for achieving this goal can be. The choice of methods is left to the discretion of each of you unless there is general appropriate guidance in the form of directives. Perseverance in achieving goals, maximum flexibility in choosing methods. Therefore, you should not be particularly strict with the mistakes of your subordinates, but should constantly captivate them with the goal.

6. In view of the fact that the newly annexed territories must be permanently assigned to Germany and Europe, much will depend on how you position yourself there. You must understand that for many centuries you are the representatives of Greater Germany and the standard bearers of the National Socialist Revolution and the New Europe. Therefore, you must, with the consciousness of your dignity, carry out even the toughest and most merciless measures that the state will require of you. Weakness of character in individuals will certainly be a reason for their removal from work. Anyone who is recalled on this basis will no longer be able to hold responsible positions in the Reich.

7. Set high, even seemingly unattainable goals, so that what you actually achieve always seems partial. Never get fed up with what you have achieved, but always remain revolutionaries. Do not be one-sided, concentrating your thoughts exclusively on agriculture, otherwise you will not be surprised that others will also think one-sidedly, either only about industry or about urban affairs. Always focus on the whole. Don’t ask how the peasantry will benefit from this, just ask how useful it will be for Germany. Only what is useful to Germany is also useful to the peasantry. Be principled but not dogmatic, be idealistic but also realistic. Be decisive and, if necessary, harsh towards subordinates, but be fair and personally decent, always be an example.

8. Don't talk, but do. You will never “talk” Russians and you will never convince Russians with conversations. They can speak better than you, because they are born dialecticians and have inherited a “tendency to philosophize.” Less words and debates. The main thing is to act. Russians are only impressed by action, since they themselves are feminine and sentimental by nature. “Our country is great and abundant, but there is no order in it: come and rule us” - this saying appeared at the very beginning of the formation of the Russian state, when the Russians called the Normans to come and rule them. This attitude runs like a red thread through all periods of the history of the Russian state: the Mongol yoke, Polish and Lithuanian rule, the autocracy of the Tsars and the rule of the Germans, right up to Lenin and Stalin. Russians always want to remain a mass that is ruled. This is how they will perceive the arrival of the Germans, for this arrival meets their desire: “... come and rule over us.”
Therefore, Russians should not have the impression that you are hesitant about something. You must be people of action who, without unnecessary words, without long conversations and without philosophizing, clearly and firmly establish and carry out what is necessary. Then the Russians will willingly obey you. Don’t apply German standards and German habits to everything, forget everything about Germany except Germany itself!
Especially don't be soft and sentimental. If you cry with a Russian, he will be happy, because after that he will be able to despise you. Being feminine by nature, Russians also want to find vice in the masculine in order to be able to despise the masculine. Therefore, always be courageous and maintain your Nordic fortitude.
Only your will should be decisive, but this will should be aimed at accomplishing great tasks. Only in this case will she be moral in her cruelty. Maintain the necessary distance from the Russians: they are not Germans, but Slavs. Don't have any drinking bouts with them. Do not enter into any intimate relationships with women and girls of the enterprises entrusted to you. If you stoop to their level, you will lose your authority in the eyes of the Russians. Based on his centuries-old experience, the Russian sees in the German a being of a higher order. Make sure that this prestige of the Germans is preserved. Increase it with your calm, businesslike orders, firm decisions, ridicule of debaters and ignoramuses.
Beware of the Russian intelligentsia, both emigrant and new, Soviet. This intelligentsia deceives, it is not capable of anything, but it has a special charm and the art of influencing the mindset of a German. The Russian man also has this property, but even more so the Russian woman.

9. Do not become infected with the communist spirit. Russian youth have been brought up in the communist spirit for two decades; they are unfamiliar with any other education. Therefore, there is no point in dredging up the past. We do not want to convert the Russians to the path of National Socialism, we only want to make them a tool in our hands. You must win over the youth by giving them their tasks, take them on energetically, and punish them mercilessly if they sabotage or fail to complete those tasks.
Checking and investigating the past and analyzing petitions will take away the time you need to complete your German tasks. You are not forensic investigators or a wailing wall.
Russia has always been a country of bribery, denunciation and Byzantineism with its luxury. This danger will always affect you, especially through emigrants, translators, etc. Russians in relatively high positions, as well as business managers, senior workers and supervisors, have always shown a tendency to extort bribes from their subordinates. Strictly suppress bribery, always be incorruptible and correct.

10. We are not bringing any new religion to the Russians. At its core, the Russian is religious and superstitious, you must take this into account. However, resolving religious issues is not your task.

11. Poverty, hunger and deprivation have been the lot of Russian people for many centuries. His stomach will digest everything, so no false sympathy for him. Do not try to make changes to the Russian way of life, adapting it to the German standard of living.

12. You are completely left to your own devices, so there should be no complaints or appeals to higher authorities for help. Help yourself, then God will help you!

The presented document once again shows that during the war the Germans were convinced of their racial exclusivity of the Germans and the inferiority of the peoples of the conquered and planned to conquer countries.

"Secret matter of the command

For you workers sent to the East, the main thing is that work is the decisive factor. Therefore, I demand hard and tireless work from you.

Don't be afraid of decisions that may turn out to be wrong. Only those who do nothing make no mistakes. It's not the individual mistakes that matter, but the work. We don’t need anyone who doesn’t do anything because of fear of responsibility.

Now you are given a one-of-a-kind opportunity to master a business and demonstrate your will to work, your knowledge, your abilities. Thus, England for centuries placed young people in positions of responsibility in its empire and gave them the opportunity to develop leadership abilities. Germany's lack of living space has hitherto served as an obstacle in this regard.

To solve the problems posed in the East, it is required, however, that you do not approach things on a narrow Western European scale.

You, working in the East, are invested with the highest confidence of your superiors. You must justify this trust. The inspectors I have appointed will only check individual activities if necessary, but mainly will monitor whether your ability to work is justified. I demand true leadership from you. It does not manifest itself either in administration or in professorial reasoning. And therefore:

- prolonged activity at the front;

- the greatest readiness to make decisions;

- speed in making one or another decision (better an erroneous decision than no decision at all);

— a small staff of good employees;

- no paperwork;

- the ability to act in accordance with directives and material emanating from the center, but at the same time show one’s own initiative;

- short and clear instructions to subordinates - in the form of an order;

- no explanations or justifications, let the Russians see our workers as leaders;

- camaraderie between Germans, responsibility to superiors, authority for subordinates; if you have reason to be dissatisfied with the behavior of any German, do not reveal this to the Russians;

- awareness of one’s responsibility, no oppression of subordinates, on the contrary, provide them with complete freedom so that they can reveal their personality;

- always remain closed in relation to Russians, even a mistake made by a German must have an excuse in the eyes of the Russians;

- do not indiscriminately copy German orders and organizations.

It is important to always have an end goal in mind. You must be especially persistent in achieving your goal. The more persistent you are, the more creative your methods can be to achieve this goal. The choice of methods is at the discretion of each of you unless there is general appropriate guidance in the form of directives. Perseverance in achieving goals, maximum flexibility in choosing methods. Therefore, you should not be particularly strict with the mistakes of your subordinates, but should constantly guide them on the path to achieving the goal.

Since the newly annexed territories must be permanently assigned to Germany and Europe, much will depend on how you position yourself there.

You must understand that you are for centuries the representatives of great Germany and the standard bearers of the National Socialist revolution and the new Europe. Therefore, you must, with the consciousness of your dignity, carry out the toughest and most merciless measures that the state will require of you. Lack of character in individuals will certainly be a reason to remove them from employment. Anyone who is recalled back on this basis will no longer be able to hold responsible positions within the empire itself.

Set yourself high, seemingly unattainable goals, so that what you actually achieve always seems partial.

Never become “satiated” with what you have achieved, but always remain revolutionaries. Do not be one-sided, concentrating your thoughts exclusively on agriculture, otherwise you will not be surprised if others also think one-sidedly, either only about industry or about urban affairs. Focus your thoughts on everything.

Don't ask how the peasantry will benefit from this, just ask how useful it will be for Germany. Only what is useful to Germany is also useful to the peasantry. Be principled, but not dogmatic. Be idealistic and realistic. Be decisive and, if necessary, cruel towards your subordinates, but be fair and correct, always be a model for them.

Don't talk, but act. You will never be able to talk over a Russian or convince him with words. He knows how to speak better than you, for he is a born dialectician and has inherited a “tendency to philosophize.” Less words and debates. The main thing is to act.

The Russian is impressed only by action, because he is feminine and sentimental by nature. “Our country is great and beautiful, but there is no order in it, come and rule us.”

This saying appeared at the very beginning of the formation of the Russian state, when the Russians called the Normans to come and rule them. This attitude runs like a red thread through all periods of the history of the Russian state: the domination of the Mongols, the domination of the Poles and Lithuanians, the autocracy of the Tsars and the domination of the Germans, right up to Lenin and Stalin.

Russians always want to be the controlled masses. This is how they will perceive the arrival of the Germans, because this arrival meets their desire:

“...come and own us.”

Therefore, the Russians should not give the impression that you are hesitating. You must be people of action who, without any debate, without long fruitless conversations and without philosophizing, establish and carry out the necessary measures. Then the Russian will willingly obey you. Do not use any German standards here and do not introduce German customs; forget everything German except Germany itself.

Especially don't be soft and sentimental. If you cry with a Russian, he will be happy, because after that he will be able to despise you. Being feminine by nature, Russians also want to find vice in the masculine in order to be able to despise the masculine, so always be courageous, maintain your Nordic fortitude.

Only your will should be decisive, but this will should be aimed at accomplishing big tasks. Only in this case will she be moral in her cruelty. Stay away from Russians, they are not Germans, but Slavs. Don't have any drinking bouts with the Russians.

Do not enter into any relationships with women and girls of the enterprises under your control. If you stoop to their level, you will lose your authority in the eyes of the Russians. Based on his centuries-old experience, the Russian sees the German as a higher being; take care to preserve this authority of the German. Raise it with your calm, businesslike orders, firm decisions, ridicule of debaters and ignoramuses.

Beware of the Russian intelligentsia, both emigrant and new, Soviet. This intelligentsia deceives, it is not capable of anything, but it has a special charm and the art of influencing the character of a German. The Russian man, and even more so the woman, has this property.

Don't get infected by the communist spirit. Russian youth have been brought up in the communist spirit for two decades. She is unfamiliar with any other upbringing. Therefore, it would be pointless to punish for the past. We do not want to convert the Russians to the path of National Socialism, we only want to make them a tool in our hands. You must win over the youth by giving them their tasks, take them on energetically, and punish them mercilessly if they sabotage or fail to complete those tasks.

Checking and investigating backgrounds and reviewing applications takes away the time you need to complete your German tasks. You are not forensic investigators or a wailing wall.

Russia has always been a country of bribery, denunciations and Byzantineism. This danger can penetrate to you, especially through emigrants, translators, etc. Russians holding leadership positions, as well as enterprise managers, senior workers and supervisors always show a tendency to bribe and extort bribes from their subordinates. Stop bribery, always be incorruptible and correct.

We are not bringing any new religion to the Russians. By nature, Russians are religious and superstitious, you must take this into account. However, resolving religious issues is not part of your tasks.

For centuries, Russian people have experienced poverty, hunger and deprivation. His stomach is stretchable, so no false sympathy for him. Do not try to make changes to the Russian way of life, adapting it to the German standard of living.

You are completely left to your own devices, so there should be no complaints or appeals to higher authorities for help. Handle it yourself, then God will help you.

Bakke demands not to show compassion, throws mud at the Russians in every possible way, Bakke makes it clear that there is no difference between Russians and communists when he tells the Russian emigrant intelligentsia, as well as the Soviet one, to “beware”.

In paragraph 8, he makes a reference to the old Russophobic myth about the call of the Varangians to Rus', this myth is that the Slavs called German supermen to rule over them, one of the pillars for the foundation of Nazism

This man Gottlieb Bayer, he was a member of the Academy of Sciences, he was the author of the theory about the calling of the Varangians to Rus'

Bayer himself was a German who came to Russia; he could not read or speak Russian, but considered himself an expert on Russian history.

It is on his theory that Hitler will rely, who considered the Germans’ claims to rule the Slavs to be justified.

But the war showed that the Germans had no superiority over the Russians, the only thing the German “supermen” succeeded in was in inhumane crimes, this wretched nation was not fit for more

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Exporting agricultural products from Ukraine in order to provide the Reich with food, the German leadership also called for:

During the discussion of the plan, Bakke noted that the number of “extra population” in Russia reaches 20-30 million. If this population is deprived of food, the food saved can be used to feed the German army and the German population. The plan assumed that the urban population of the USSR, which had increased over the years of industrialization, would be deprived of food supplies. A high mortality rate was expected among the population of the Soviet Union, with tens of millions of deaths expected during the first year of the German occupation. Famine was to become an integral part of the occupation campaign.

The famine plan led to mass deaths of civilians and Soviet prisoners of war, who received almost no food. For example, Jews were forbidden to purchase eggs, butter, milk, meat, and vegetables. The so-called “ration” for Jews in Minsk and other cities within the control of the central army group was no more than 420 kilocalories per day. Tens of thousands of Jews died from the famine and its consequences during the winter of 1941–1942. In total, as a result of the implementation of the plan, 4.2 million Soviet citizens died of starvation in the occupied territory.

In 1941, Soviet prisoners of war were given a food allowance of about 900 kcal per day, which is almost half what is needed for survival. This norm led to irreversible degeneration and death from starvation within several months. Thus, the camps for Soviet prisoners of war in the first half of the war were the same extermination camps as the camps for Jews. In total, more than three million Soviet prisoners of war died in German camps, primarily from starvation, of which 2 million died before February 1942, during the first 8 months of the war.

Although the famine plan was developed for the Soviet Union, it was also used in occupied Poland. Raoul Hilberg estimates that more than half a million Polish Jews died in the ghetto due to starvation.

By mid-1941 in Poland, the German population received 2,613 kilocalories per day, the Poles 699 kilocalories, and the Jews in the ghetto 184 kilocalories. The Jewish diet accounted for 7.5% of the daily food requirement, the Polish diet - 26%. The Poles had some opportunity to get food on their own; for the Jews in the ghetto it was much more difficult. Only the ration allocated to the Germans contained sufficient calories

Instructions from the Food Commissioner and Agriculture of State Secretary Bakke on the behavior of officials on the territory of the USSR, scheduled for occupation

Secret

For you workers who are heading to the East, the main thing is that work is everything. Therefore, I demand persistent and tireless activity from you.

Don't be afraid of decisions that may turn out to be wrong. Only those who do nothing make no mistakes. It is not individual mistakes that are important, but the work. We don’t need anyone who doesn’t do anything because of fear of responsibility.

You are given a one-of-a-kind opportunity to master a business and demonstrate your will to work, your knowledge, your abilities. Thus, England for centuries placed young people in positions of responsibility in its empire and gave them the opportunity to develop leadership abilities. Germany's lack of territory has so far prevented this from happening. To solve the problems posed in the East, it is required, however, that you do not approach things with a narrow Western European standard. You are invested with the highest confidence of your superiors. You must justify this trust. The inspectors I have appointed will only check individual activities if necessary, but mainly will monitor whether you prove your ability to work.

I demand true leadership from you. It does not manifest itself either in administration or in professorial reasoning.

And therefore:

Long-term activity at the front.

Greatest willingness to make decisions.

Quickness in making a decision (a wrong decision is better than no decision at all).

Few but good employees.

No paperwork.

The ability to act according to directives and material emanating from the center, but at the same time to show one’s own initiative.

Short, clear instructions to subordinates - in the form of an order.

No explanations or justifications, let the Russians see our workers as leaders.

Camaraderie between Germans, responsibility to superiors, authority for subordinates. If you have reason to be dissatisfied with the behavior of any German, do not reveal this to the Russians.

Consciousness of one's responsibility, no oppression of subordinates, on the contrary, provide them with complete freedom so that they can express themselves.

Always stay closed towards Russians.

In relation to the Russians, one should insist even on a mistake made by a German.

Do not blindly copy German orders and organizations.

It is important to always have an end goal in mind. You must be especially persistent in achieving your goal. The more flexible your methods for achieving this goal can be. The choice of methods is left to the discretion of each of you, if there are no common suitable instructions in the form of directives. Perseverance in achieving goals, maximum flexibility in choosing methods. Therefore, you should not be particularly strict with the mistakes of your subordinates, but should constantly guide them on the path to achieving the goal.

Since the newly annexed territories must be permanently assigned to Germany and Europe, much will depend on how you position yourself there. You must understand that you are for centuries the representatives of great Germany and the standard bearers of the National Socialist revolution and the new Europe. Therefore, you must, with the consciousness of your dignity, carry out the toughest and most merciless measures that the state will require of you. Lack of character in individuals will certainly be a reason to remove them from employment. Anyone who is recalled back on this basis will no longer be able to hold responsible positions within the empire itself.

Set yourself high, even seemingly unattainable, goals, so that what is actually achieved always seems partial. Never become satiated with what has been achieved, but always remain revolutionaries. Do not be one-sided in concentrating your thoughts exclusively on agriculture, otherwise you will not be surprised if others also think one-sidedly, either only about industry or about urban affairs. Focus your thoughts on the whole. Don't ask how the peasantry will benefit from this, just ask how useful it will be for Germany. Only what is useful to Germany is also useful to the peasantry. Be principled but not dogmatic, be idealistic and realistic. Be decisive and, if necessary, harsh towards your subordinates, but be fair and correct, always be a model for them.

Don't talk, but act. You will never be able to talk over a Russian or convince him with words. He knows how to speak better than you, for he is a born dialectician and has inherited a “tendency to philosophize.” Less words and debates. The main thing is to act. The Russian is impressed only by action, because he is feminine and sentimental by nature. “Our country is great and abundant, but there is no order in it, come and rule us.” This saying appeared at the very beginning of the formation of the Russian state, when the Russians called the Normans to come and rule them. This attitude runs like a red thread through all periods of the history of the Russian state: the domination of the Mongols, the domination of the Poles and Lithuanians, the autocracy of the Tsars and the domination of the Germans, right up to Lenin and Stalin. Russians always want to be the controlled masses. This is how they will perceive the arrival of the Germans, for this arrival meets their desire: “come and rule us.”

Therefore, the Russians should not give the impression that you are hesitating. You must be people of action who, without any debate, without long fruitless conversations and without philosophizing, establish and carry out the necessary measures. Then the Russian will willingly obey you. Do not use any German standards here and do not introduce German customs; forget everything German except Germany itself.

Especially don't be soft and sentimental. If you cry with a Russian, he will be happy, because after that he will be able to despise you. Being feminine by nature, Russians also want to find vice in the masculine in order to be able to despise the masculine. Therefore, always be courageous and maintain your Nordic fortitude.

Only your will should be decisive, but this will should be aimed at accomplishing big tasks. Only in this case will she be moral in her cruelty. Stay away from Russians, they are not Germans, but Slavs. Don't have any drinking bouts with the Russians. Do not enter into any relationships with women and girls of the enterprises under your control. If you stoop to their level, you will lose your authority in the eyes of the Russians. Based on his centuries-old experience, the Russian sees the German as a higher being. Take care to preserve this German authority. Raise it with your calm, businesslike orders, firm decisions, ridicule of debaters and ignoramuses.

Beware of the Russian intelligentsia, both emigrant and new, Soviet. This intelligentsia deceives, it is not capable of anything, but it has a special charm and the art of influencing the character of a German. This property is possessed by both the Russian man and, even more so, by the Russian woman.

Don't get infected by the communist spirit. Russian youth have been brought up in the communist spirit for two decades. She is unfamiliar with any other upbringing. Therefore, it would be pointless to punish for the past. We do not want to convert the Russians to the path of National Socialism, we only want to make them a tool in our hands. You must win over the youth by giving them their tasks, take them on energetically, and punish them mercilessly if they sabotage or fail to complete those tasks.

Background checks and investigations and review of petitions will take up the time needed to complete your German tasks. You are not forensic investigators or a wailing wall.

Russia has always been a country of bribery, denunciation and Byzantinism. This danger can penetrate to you, especially through emigrants, translators, etc. Russians holding leadership positions, as well as enterprise managers, senior workers and supervisors always show a tendency to bribe and extort bribes from their subordinates. Stop bribery, always be incorruptible and correct.

We are not bringing any new religion to the Russians. By nature, Russians are religious and superstitious, you must take this into account. However, resolving religious issues is not part of your tasks.

For centuries, Russian people have experienced poverty, hunger and deprivation. His stomach is stretchable, so no false sympathy for him, do not try to make changes in the Russian way of life, adapting it to the German standard of living.

You are completely left to your own devices, so there should be no complaints or appeals to higher authorities for help. Help yourself, then God will help you.

Bakke

TsGAOR USSR, f. 7021, op. 148. d. 12, l. 59-63. Translation from German.

Preparing a plan

By the beginning of World War II, the German economy was threatened by a food crisis. Minister of Agriculture Bakke believed that if the problem was not solved, the situation of 1918 would soon be repeated in the country. The food shortage was supposed to be solved with the help of resources from the USSR. In Germany, a brochure was published, the so-called “12 Commandments of Bakke,” which explained how Germans should behave with Russians. For example, the 11th commandment read: “Russian people have become accustomed for hundreds of years to poverty, hunger and unpretentiousness. His stomach is stretchable, so don’t allow any fake pity.”

Minister of Food and Agriculture Bakke

The Third Reich did serious work, trying to calculate whether the southern and western regions of the enemy would be able to provide the Wehrmacht with the necessary rations. According to Germany, the USSR had almost no food surplus. Compared to the Russian Empire, the country's population has grown by 30 million people, and the number of urban residents has increased from 10 to 30 percent. The volume of exported grain fell to 1−2 million tons per year.

30 million Soviet citizens were expected to starve to death

The document “Economic Policy Directives” dated May 23, 1941 stated that surplus food would be taken from the black earth regions and the Caucasus. Residents of these areas, and especially city dwellers, will be doomed to starvation. These parts of the country are home to more than 10 million “surplus” people who will die or be forced to move to Siberia. In November 1941, Goering, in a conversation with the Italian Foreign Minister, said: “This year in Russia from 20 to 30 million people will die of hunger. Maybe this is even good, because some nations must be destroyed."

Execution of the plan

The first stage of the “hunger plan” was the export of grain from Ukraine, which still could not solve Germany’s food problems. Some historians believe that this plan fit into the basic policy of the Third Reich. While replenishing food supplies thanks to Ukraine, the Reich also called for the destruction of the local population, in particular the Jews.

Germany planned to receive its main food supplies from Ukraine

Residents' rations were reduced to extreme limits. For example, in Minsk, Jews received only 420 kilocalories per day, and they were also forbidden to buy eggs, butter, milk, meat and vegetables. With such a diet, a person very quickly dies of hunger. A large number of the Jewish population died during the cold winter of 1941–1942. Goebbels wrote in his diaries: “Before famine comes in Germany, other nations will starve.”

Despite the fact that the plan was developed for the USSR, it was also used in Poland. For comparison, by 1941 the German population in Poland received a ration of 2,613 kilocalories per day, the Polish - 699 kilocalories, and the Jewish - 189.

In Polish ghettos, Jews received a daily ration of 189 kilocalories

In August 1943, food supplies to Warsaw stopped. Only thanks to a good harvest and the approach of the eastern front, the Poles managed to escape from starvation.

Unfulfilled plan

Overall, the famine plan was never fully implemented. To fulfill its plans, the Third Reich lacked, first of all, human resources. Of the “supposed” 30 million people on the territory of the USSR, about 7 million died from hunger, with especially heavy losses suffered by residents of Leningrad, the Donetsk basin, north-eastern Ukraine and Crimea.

The Famine Plan was never implemented

For example, in Kharkov alone, by the end of 1942, 14 thousand people died from hunger. The implementation of the “hunger plan” was also hindered by America’s food supplies. Hermann Goering stated: “If anyone is destined to die of hunger, it will be others, not Germans, and it does not matter how many of them die.” Fortunately, his prediction never came true.