The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany

by William L. Shirer

The Poles [Hitler “emphasized”] are especially born for low labor… There can be no question of improvement for them. It is necessary to keep the standard of life low in Poland and it must not be permitted to rise… The Poles are lazy and it is necessary to use compulsion to make them work… The Government General [of Poland] should be used by us merely as a source of unskilled labor… Every year the laborers needed by the Reich could be procured from there. As for the Polish priests, they will preach what we want them to preach. If any priest acts differently, we shall make short work of him. The task of the priest is to keep the Poles quiet, stupid and dull-witted.

The Slavs are to work for us. In so far as we don’t need them, they may die. Therefore compulsory vaccination and German health services are superfluous. The fertility of the Slavs is undesirable. They may use contraceptives or practice abortion—the more the better. Education is dangerous. It is enough if they can count up to 100…. Every educated person is a future enemy. Religion we leave to them as a means of diversion. As for food they won’t get any more than is absolutely necessary. We are the masters. We come first.5