General-Mayour Ivan Rukavina S. R. of Tito’s Partisans
Order #59
Date: 29th of November 1944
Translated by Rosina T. Schmidt
TO ALL COMMANDERS OF THE MILITARY DISTRICT AREAS, LOCALITY STATIONS AND RURAL STATIONS
In the area of west Batchka a certain number of Germans paratroopers landed with the mission to carry out attacks on the traffic and to kill our and Russian officers. Arrested paratroopers made these statements.
There is a possibility that the Germans will parachute similar groups in other areas of this military district. Therefore, it is the most urgent to undertake the following measures:
1. In all ethnic German villages the National Guard is to be reinforced.
2. It is most urgent to collect all ethnic German male population aged 16 to 60 years, and to send them for these purpose established concentration camps.
3. The remaining ethnic German population are strictly to be controlled, and to forbid them any movement except the work that needs to be carried out under the control of the National Guard.
4. In the case that some paratroopers are discovered in the region, all measures are to be taken to prevent their actions, and that they be disabled the connection with ethnic German civilian population. Each captured paratrooper is immediately to be interrogated and the following information is to be taken from him:
When he landed, where he landed, as well as information about other paratroopers who landed with him. After such a interrogations steps are to be taken to apprehend and immediately catch others and deliver them to the military command. In case there are large paratrooper landings immediate help from a nearby military station is to be requested.
5. All those civilians who provide assistance to the paratroopers no matter in which way, be it to give them information, accommodation or food, are immediately to be rounded up and with the incriminatory data referred to the nearest military court.
6. All reports pertaining to the above are considered to be very urgent and in the shortest possible time to be reported, in addition to its own district command, also directly to the military administration.
DEATH TO FASHISM – FREEDOM TO THE PEOPLE
COMMANDER
GENERAL-MAYOR
IVAN RUKAVINA