“With regard to criminal procedures on account of punishable offenses against the Reich or against the occupying forces in the occupied territories, I request observance of the following directives, in order not to endanger the necessary top secrecy of the procedure, particularly regarding the execution of death sentences and other cases of death among prisoners: “1. The cards used for investigations for the Reich criminal statistics need not be filled in. Likewise, notification of the penal records office will be discontinued until further notice. However, sentences will have to be registered in lists or on a card index in order to make possible an entry into the penal records in due course. “2. In cases of death, especially in cases of execution of NN prisoners, as well as in cases of female NN prisoners giving birth to a child, the registrar must be notified as prescribed by law. However, the following remark has to be added: “‘By order of the Reich Minister of the Interior, the entry into the death (birth) registry must bear an endorsement, saying that examination of the papers, furnishing of information and of certified copies of death or birth certificates is admissible only with the consent of the Reich Minister of Justice.’ “3. In case an NN prisoner sentenced to death desires to draw up a public will, the judge or notary public and, if necessary, other persons whose presence is required will have access to the prisoner. Only officials of the Ministry of Justice may be called as witnesses. The persons who assist the drawing up of the will are, if necessary, to be sworn to secrecy. The will has to be taken into official custody according to article 2 of the Testaments Law. The disposition receipt has to be kept by the prosecution until further notice. “4. Farewell letters by NN prisoners as well as other letters must not be mailed. They have to be forwarded to the prosecution who will keep them until further notice. “5. If an NN prisoner who has been sentenced to death and informed of the forthcoming execution of the death sentence desires spiritual assistance by the prison padre, this will be granted. If necessary, the padre must be sworn to secrecy. “6. The relatives will not be informed of the death, especially of the execution of an NN prisoner. The press will not be informed of the execution of a death sentence, nor must the execution of a death sentence be publicly announced by posters. “7. The bodies of executed NN prisoners or prisoners who died from other causes have to be turned over to the State police for burial. Reference must be made to the existing regulations on secrecy. It must be pointed out especially that the graves of NN prisoners must not be marked with the names of the deceased. “The bodies must not be used for teaching or research purposes.