The extermination of all the Jews in Europe was decided upon at a conference in Berlin, in 1940, attended by Adolf Hitler and other high-ranking Nazis, according to the testimony of Dr. Hans Mayer, former commander of the ghetto in the Polish town of Pabianice, where 8,000 Jews were confined.
Mayer, who is now in the hands of American military authorities, told correspondents that the conference was attended by Heinrich Himmler, Joseph Goebbels, Reinhard Heydrich and other Nazi leaders, the London press reports today. They drew up a plan under which all those unfit to work would be gassed, while others would be used for forced labor until they were too weak to continue, when they, too, would be murdered, Mayer said.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
