The Leader.   7th September, 1944.

Subject: Military Powers Of Commander In Chief West
                1. I confer plenary powers on Commander In Chief West, General Field Marshal von Rundstedt:

• (a) To employ, in the execution of the tasks which I have entrusted to him, all available fighting forces and material of the Armed Forces and Armed SS in his area of command, and of nonmilitary organisations and formations. The following are excluded: crews of submarines and crews of motor torpedo boats, and nautical specialists as designated by Commander In Chief Navy; and operational flying personnel and specialists as designated by Commander In Chief Airforce.
• (b) To take all steps necessary to restore and maintain order in his area of command. All Naval and Airforce authorities, and nonmilitary organisations and formations, come under his orders in this respect.

                2. Commander In Chief West may -- in so far as this has not already been done by the High Command Of The Armed Forces -- give to the Chief Of Army Equipment And The Replacement Army instructions for the distribution of protective forces along the West Wall and the western defences, which may be necessary for bringing these dispositions into conformity with the general situation in the west. The Directives of Commander In Chief West are also valid for the Party and State authorities, when military tasks in the western frontier areas are transferred to the latter.

                3. Commander Armed Forces Belgium And Northern France, and Commander Armed Forces Netherlands, are fully subordinate to Commander In Chief West in all respects.

Adolf Hitler.