In the spring of 1944 Strik-Strikfeldt was introduced to "SS-Standartenführer" Gunter d'Alquen, the Chief Editor of the SS weekly newspaper, "Das Schwarze Korps" ("The Black Corps"), and commander of the "SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers". Henceforth some senior SS officers began to take a positive interest in Vlasov and his movement. The most interested was Dr. Fritz Arlt, head of the "Freiwilligen-Leitstelle-Ost" ("Volunteer Central Office - East"). Arlt informed Strik-Strikfeldt that the Waffen-SS intended to make greater use of Soviet and Eastern European minorities under SS auspices. Strik-Strikfeldt also held meetings at this time with "SS-Gruppenführer" Otto Ohlendorf (the deputy secretary of state in the Ministry for Economics and former commander of "Einsatzgruppe D"), "SS-Brigadeführer" Walter Schellenberg (head of "Ausland-SD") and Dr. Otto Wächter (creator of the Ukrainian 14th Waffen-SS Division).