A. I believe I should continue at the point where the speech made by the prosecution left off. The prosecution said, “Schlegelberger had seen the storm brewing.” That is quite correct. I anticipated a storm, and I tried to prevent it. The attitude of Thierack up to that time and his close relations with Bormann did not leave any doubt as to his program, and just as I interpreted that, it came about. As soon as Thierack assumed office, a complete change-over occurred. It was not a gradual deterioration, but it was that famous construction of a strong National Socialist administration of justice as it had been ordered by Hitler. I merely point to the changes in the administration of justice and in legislation which are contained in material submitted by the prosecution. If one sees what had been demanded for a long time and which by all means was tried to achieve, if one sees how that all of a sudden now came into effect, I believe then only one can find the right measure for that which I, in a continuous struggle, had prevented or had delayed. I do not want to omit but to describe briefly the complete change in personnel policy. With the exception of the man in charge of the budget department, all ministerial directors were released by Thierack and many Referenten transferred. The entire top level of the Ministry had changed overnight. Furthermore, twenty-two presidents of district courts of appeal, eleven of them the best ones on the basis of their qualifications, and four general prosecutors were retired. If in the dire situation of war such a unique measure is taken, one demonstrates most clearly that my dismissal and the appointment of Thierack, in the feeling of Hitler and Thierack, represent the point at which an entire new development starts. The purge measures by Thierack were extended also to the many non-Aryan judges or judges with Jewish relatives who at that time were still in service and to many officials who did not just belong to the Party. I believe that my decision to fight until the very limit, and to stay that long in the Ministry, has found its justification. Clearly anticipating that with that new man [Thierack] chaos would start for the administration of justice, there was only one thing left to me; although the burden physically and psychologically was at times almost impossible to bear, to try and bear it, and to fight as resiliently as possible. Of course, it was clear to me, and I had to experience the fact too, that I would be beaten at times, and had to decide to make detours wherever I could take that upon my conscience. Q. In your opinion, what was that extreme limit which could still be justified--of those which you have just mentioned?