DR. PRIBILIA: I beg your pardon.
The next document has the number Rostock 6, and I offer it as Exhibit No. 6, After Having had the witness Christensen here, who was the first and most important assistant of Professor Rostock in his small office, I tried to find all the other associates in this office. I succeeded in finding three of the four assistants. The other two assistants are Dr. Hegemann, and Dr. Zettel. In order to avoid repetition, I got affidavits from these two associates. Document 6, Exhibit 6, is an affidavit of Dr. Hegemann, Warburg. I submit the document as a whole and shall read only a few important sentences. Dr. Hegemann says:
"From the beginning of 1944 on I worked under Professor Rostock in the Science and Research department under the Reich Commissioner for Medical and Health matters.
"During my work with the Science and Research office I obtained a good idea of the work done by Professor Rostock on behalf of this office. Professor Rostock required his co-workers to be informed of current official matters. For this purpose weekly meeting with his co-workers often took place, at which all problems to be dealt with in the office were discussed openly. Besides his activity in this office, Professor Rostock had to devote a great deal of his time to the clinic in Berlin which was under his direction, as well as to other scientific tasks, for instance as editor of the Central Journal for Surgery.
"During the whole period of my work with the Rostock office, I never learned anything by virtue of which I could assume or suppose that Professor Rostock had knowledge of experiments on human beings, specifically through offices of the SS".
At the end of this affidavit, No. 6, Dr. Hegemann says:
"As medical assistant to the clinic directed by Professor Rostock, I can assure you that Professor Rostock carried out his work in accordance with the noblest conception of the medical professional, and the highest idealism of research. It always struck me, particularly, that he personally supervised medically all patients in the clinic, including many for eigners, Russians and French, with absolutely the same care as Germans.
Experiments on human beings contradict the medical and scientific character of Professor Rostock, as I know him."
Document No. 7 which I do not offer in evidence was an affidavit of the witness Karlstetter. Since she has been examined here it is not necessary to submit this affidavit. The following document, which is document, 8, and which will be Exhibit 7 -- this the third assistant, Dr. Zettel of Aurich Ostfriesland. I offer this exhibit as a whole, but shall read only a few important sentences. Dr. Zettel says:
"In the autumn of 1943 Professor Rostock asked me to assist him as well in his work with the Science and Research department under the General Commissioner for Medical and Health Matters. I did this, besides my work at the clinic itself, from then, until the department officially took up its work in February 1944 and moved to the offices in Bielitz near Berlin. From that time on, I worked in the department nearly exclusively as Professor Rostock's assistant in his capacity as head of the Science and Research Department.
"During this activity I never learned that Professor Rostock instigated, caused, or had knowledge, of such experiments on living human beings against their will. If this had been the case, I would have had to know about it because Professor Rostock talked over all matters on hand with all his co-workers several times weekly. He was of the opinion both formerly in his clinic and later on in the department, that his coworkers should be informed about all pending problems."
The next document, Rostock No. *, which I offer as Exhibit 8, is an affidavit of the defendant Rudolf Brandt. The Tribunal will perhaps recall that the Prosecution submitted several affidavits from Rudolf Brandt, and in this affidavit he refers to them. He says:
"After deliberate consideration and careful examination of all that I know in this connection I make the following statement.
"I never met Professor Paul Rostock personally at any time; I saw him for the first time here in Nurnberg. Nor did I ever know his office under the Reich Commissioner for Medical and Health matters.
I have no exact conception therefore of the type or the scope of his work there.
"1. If in my affidavit, Document No. 371, Exhibit 186, concerning hepatitis research (epidemic jaundice), I stated that 'Generalarzt Paul Rostock must have been informed about all research of this kind', I should like to explain that this was pure pure supposition on my part. I have no positive evidence for such a supposition a from my own knowledge of the facts.
"The first name, Paul, of the co-defendant Rostock was also unknown to me. It was dictated into the record by the interrogator.
"2. My deposition in affidavit, Document of No. 370, Exhibit 294, concerning typhus experiments, where I stated that Professor Rostock, as Plenipotentiary for Science and Research, must 'surely have known' about Haagen's experiments on human beings, was not based on any concrete evidence. It was again only a supposition of mine, which cannot be supported by any provable facts.
"3. Finally, as to my statement in affidavit, Document No. 372, Exhibit 252, concerning. Lost experiments on human beings, that in March 1944, the Fuehrer ordered Professor Karl Brandt to promote medical research in connection with gas attacks, the conclusion cannot be drawn from this that Rostock's office for Science and Research over initiated any such research work. I know of no facts to support such a supposition.
"If I said further in this connection under No. 8, that in addition to Karl Brandt, Rostock too must have known about those Lost experiments, this was also more supposition on my part. I have no factual knowledge. Nor do I know of any circumstances which could prove this.
"If no longer remember how the name Rostock happened to be mentioned at all in my various affidavits. The name of Professor Rostock might have been mentioned in one of the papers presented to me by my interrogator in connection with something which has escaped my memory.
"I declare, in conclusion, that the statements in my affidavits for the Prosecution were not worded personally by me, but that I signed them as presented to me by the interrogator.
Signed, "Rudolf Brandt."
Rostock document 10, Exhibit 9 -- I offer an affidavit of defendant Hermann Becker-Freyseng, who says in the following affidavit?
"In my affidavit of 24 October 1946, Document No. 448, Exhibit 81, I declared under No. 6 that Dr. Rostock, after he had taken office under Karl Brandt, was perhaps the most influential person in Germany in the field of science and research, and that all branches of the Wehrmacht informed him of the results of their experiments and research work. These he compiled and presented to Brandt for his expert opinion.
"This statement only represents my opinion, which is not based on any positive knowledge. I did not know any details of the working methods in Rostock's Office. No. 6 of the affidavit of 24 October 1946 had never been the subject of previous interrogations, but was put before me for the first time in this form in writing. With regard to Nos. 5 and 6, I declared in the presence of Mr. McHaney that these two numbers were not worded with sufficient precision and that I desired to make a further statement in this connection. Mr. McHaney told me that I should have this opportunity.
"We research assignments requiring experiments on human beings or containing orders for experiments on human beings were ever given by the Chief of the Medical Service of the Luftwaffe. No report about such research assignments to the Rostock office was therofore possible.
"The sea-water experiment was not a research assignment but was carried out by the Medical Inspectorate itself on its own responsibility, si that no report was made to the Rostock Office about it, as none was necessary under the regulations.
"The Medical Inspectorate of the Luftwaffe never receive any instructions or suggestions from the Rostock Office, for carrying out experiments."
Signed, "Hermann Becker-Freyseng."
The last document in the Document Book is Rostock No. 11, which I offer as Exhibit 10. It is an affidavit of the defendant Dr. Oskar Schroe der, who says:
"My affidavit of 25 October 1946, Document No. 449, Exhibit 130, contains, in No. 3, the statement that Rostick knews about the medical research conducted by the Luftwaffe, and that in order to avoid duplication all assignments had to be via Rostock's office.
"This statement does not mean that before a research assignment was given Rostock's approval had to be obtained. In actual fact, a copy would be sent to u Rostock's office after time assignment had been given.
"Research assignments involving experiments on human beings were never given by the Medical Inspectorate on principle, under way circumstances.
"The Medical Inspectorate of the Luftwaffe received no directions or suggestions whatsoever from Professor Rostock, for planning and performing sea-water experiments or of the scientific experiments."
Signed, "Oskar Schroeder."
Mr. President, I have reached the end of the evidence on behalf of the defendant, Professor Rostock. In addition to the witnesses examined here, the Tribunal has approved the man, Rudolf Menzel, the chief manager of the Reich Research Counsel. He was to testify to the organization of the Reich Research Counsel, and particularly confirm that Professor Rostock had no influence on the business management of the Reich Research Counsel. The witness is in an English internment camp and, as I have learned, cannot be brought here as yet. According to the evidence, so far, I think it would be sufficient if I attempt to get an affidavit from this witness and dispense with his personal examination here.
The same is true of the witness Margarete Baldow, who was approved. This witness is the chief nurse of Rostock's clinic. She knew nothing of the work of the Office for Science and Research, but she could testify to all Rostock's activity during the war at the clinic, and in particular she could give concrete information about the amount of work and the proportion of Rostock's work which the clinic represented in the last years of war.
Here, too, I believe that I can dispense with the personal examination of this witness, and I ask that the Tribunal permit me later to present affidavits from this witness. If I should succeed in finding the fourth assistant of the Office and thereby all persons who worked which Rostock in the Office for Science and Research, I ask that the Tribunal permit me to hand in affidavits later.
THE PRESIDENT: If the witnesses referred to by counsel are found and brought to Nuernberg, they will be sworn and testify before the case is closed. If the witnesses are not available and are not brought to Nuernberg affidavits on the part of those witnesses may be presented to the Tribunal and offered in evidence.
Is counsel for defendant Schroeder ready to proceed? If counsel desires a few moments, the Court would recess. I asked counsel for defendant Schroeder if he is ready to proceed at this time. The Court would recess for a few moments if counsel is not prepared.
DR. MARX: I beg your pardon, Mr. President, I could not understand the statement of the President because the earphones were not adjusted, but I am told that the question was whether the defense of the defendant Schroeder might need a brief recess for preparation. I would be glad to have this opportunity.
THE PRESIDENT: How long a recess would counsel desire?
DR. MARX: Fifteen minutes, if I might ask, Mr. President.
THE PRESIDENT: The Tribunal will be in recess for fifteen minutes.
(A recess was taken.)
THE MARSHAL: The Tribunal is again in session.
DR. MARX: Mr. President, I took advantage of the recess to inquire whether my document book is translated yet, but unfortunately I learned that the document book is not ready yet, although I ordered it at least a week ago to be translated. However, I am in a position to begin the case for the defendant, Professor Doctor Schroeder.
THE PRESIDENT: Has counsel any witnesses he could produce and put on the stand at this time?
DR. MARX: I would call the defendant, Professor Dr. Schroeder to the stand as a witness now.
THE PRESIDENT? The witness Schroeder will take the witness stand, I n the defendant Schroeder will take the witness stand.
MR. HARDY: May it please your Honors, may I interrupt for a moment? I have not as yet received from defense counsel a list of the witnesses to be called on behalf of the defendant Schroeder, and I would like to call that to the attention of the defense counsel so that we will be properly notified
THE PRESIDENT: Witness, you will hold up your right hand and be sworn, repeating after me:
I swear by God, the Almighty and Omniscient, that I will speak the pure truth, and will withhold and add nothing.
(The witness repeatedly the oath)
You may be seated.
Counsel will note the statement by counsel for the Prosecution that no lists of witnesses for the defendant Schroeder have been presented and counsel will prepare the list of witnesses as soon as possible and serve it on the Prosecution.
I would ask the Secretary General if he has any information as to when the document book on behalf of the defendant Schroeder will be prepared.
The Tribunal is informed by the office of the Secretary General that document book is expected this morning.
DR. MARX: Mr. President, I should like to take the liberty to point out that I announced the witnesses three days ago to the Prosecution.
THE PRESIDENT: Very well, counsel.
DR. MARX: With the permission of the Tribunal I shall now begin the case of the defense of the defendant Schroeder:
DIRECT EXAMINATION BY DR. MARX:
Q. Witness, please give the Tribunal some information about your youth your selection of a profession and your professional training.
A. I was born on the 6th of February, 1891, in Hannover. I grew up in my parents' home. I had a decided inclination toward natural science at an early age. At first I intended to become a teacher like my father but during my schooling I saw that was not the goal of my life and at the suggestion of relatives who were doctors I decided to study medicine. There was another inclination too. We were an old family of officials and soldiers There were many officers among my ancestors and so I decided to become a medical officer in order to combine these two inclinations, medicine and soldiery.
I went to the Kaiser Wilhelm Academy for Military Medical Training, the old training school for medical officers in the Prussian Army, and as it was connected with the Academy I studied medicine at the University of Berlin. At first I had to take basis military training and then in 1912 I took the preliminary examination and in 1916 I took the medical state examination. The beginning of the first world war in 1914 interrupted my studies so that in 1916 I was assigned to finish my studies and take the state examination. I was sent back to Berlin for this purpose. I participated in the war as a troop physician with various units. I was wounded and then I was in the field again and at the end I was Adjutant of a corps physician.
Q. Will you please give the details about your further service. After the first World War you remained in the Army. For what reason did you remain? What was your further career and your further training?
A. After the first World War the German Army was reduced to the wellknown one hundred thousand man Army. This meant that a large part of the officers had to leave the Army. Of the almost three thousand medical officer there remained only three hundred approximately. In general there was an urge to leave because the prospects in civilian practice, specialized practice as well as general practice, were favorable. I myself tried to remain in the Army at the time because of the struggles going on in civilian practice, large economic struggles, Health insurance and political societies, All these things were distasteful to me. I wanted to work as a doctor. I wanted to apply my knowledge and my influence in purely medical fields and so I tried to remain in the Army. And, I preferred to work for less money but to have work which was satisfying to me as a doctor instead of indulging in these economic struggles and other such things. My work was recognized. After I had worked as a surgeon for some time from 20 to 23 I had an extra duty in Koenigsberg, Prussia, in a Nose and Throat Clinic, Professor Rhese. And then from 23 to 25 I was assigned to the University Ear Clinic in Weurzburg, director Professor Manasse. After this I had about seven years of clinical training and about two years of surgery and the rest of the time as Nose and Eye and Ear specialist. Then I became section physician of the Nose, Eye, and Ear section in the Post Hospital at Hanover and I was able to expend my knowledge in working with patients and also as troop physician with my unit.
Q. There you were transferred to the Army Medical Inspectorate. When was that?
A. From the first of January 31 I was transferred to the Army Medical Inspectorate. Through my long years of clinical work and my work in the Post Hospital in Hanover I had gained great experience in hospital work and care of patients and all things having to do with medical care of soldiers and I was sent to the Inspectorate and was the successor of Handloser to take over his duties. With the beginning of the reconstruction of the Wehrmacht the work for building up a large scale hospital system arose and I was in charge of dealing with new hospital buildings.
Q. Now, witness, from your work in the Army Medical Inspectorate how did you came to the Luftwaffe?
A. In 1935 the Luftwaffe was set up and at first it was seen that it was necessary to create its own medical service for the Luftwaffe. As a man in charge of this activity Oberstarzt Hippke was intended and an experiment man to be given him as an assistant. Since the five years, or more than five years, that I had spent in the Inspectorate had given me experience in this field and since I knew Hippke from my time as a student, my chief, Weldmann, considered me for this. And, in August 1935 I was transferred to the Luftwaffe and essentially I took over the same work which I had been doing in the Army Medical Inspectorate, that is, care of patients, hospitals, budgets, and now duties were added - testing flyers, medical equipment. This was my work.
Q. What was your preferred field of work?
A. My preferred field was construction of hospitals. The duties which were assigned me at this time had given me great insight into these things and my own clinical activity gave me special interest in these questions. At this point I should like to say something about what I noticed from the examination of Professor Liebbrand here. In answer to a question - how was this question of professional ethics considered after 1933 and how was it decided - he answered: "One can answer this question by making a basic observation of the changes in the ethics of the medical profession. The doct who hitherto for thousands of years, even before the Christian era, had the duty of helping the individual to the best of his knowledge and conscience This doctor, through the so-called national socialistic ideology, became a so-called biologistic State official. That is, he no longer decided accor to ethical principles of the pre-Christian and Christian Occident, in the interest of individual patients, that he was an agent of a class of leaders who did not care about the individual any longer, who considered the indivi* only an expression of the maintenance of a ficticious biologistic idea of race. And thus the heart was cut out of the medical profession." If the doct does not have any principal interest in the patient, who only carries out orders on behalf of a selective economy according to the laws of the Hippocratic oath he is not a doctor.
Against this formulation of medical ethics of the past period, thinking of the more than two thousand doctors who fell in the German Wehrmacht, I must object to this conception. These doctors fell while caring for the individuals entrusted to their care. They felt responsible for life and health of each of them. Our work in the Inspectorate, as well as in the branch offices, was always clearly devoted to doing everything we could for the individual. The many hospitals which were built and equipped with loving care, the more than thirty hospitals which were built with my own assistance - they show perhaps more than words can how we endeavored to use medical science and to do everything we could for each individual person. That is certainly no corruption of the medical profession. That, in addition to this care for the individual, we considered the community. That is true of the military medicine of oil countries. That is nothing new. And, in deliberate rejection of Professor Leibbrand's statement I must claim for us Wehrmacht physicians that we appropriated the eternal laws of the oath of Hippocrates and that we tried to fulfill them in accordance with the example of the great Master. Leibbrand apparently does not know his Hippocratic oath so well if he always emphasizes the individual patient. The great work of Hippocrates on air, water, and situation, which we might today call a text book of general Hygiene - this book speaks for the consideration of the community as well as the individual patient.
Q. Witness, what was your further career after the beginning of the War
THE PRESIDENT: Before proceeding the Tribunal will be in recess again for a few minutes.
(A Recess was taken)
THE MARSHAL: Persons in the courtroom will please find their seats. The Tribunal is again in session.
THE PRESIDENT: Counsel for the witness may proceed.
BY DR. MARX:
Q. Witness, previously we stopped at the question - what was your further career with the beginning of the war?
A. For almost 10 years I had already been at the Ministry and as a result of this it was necessary that once again I should be used in some other agency. This was postponed by the reconstruction work which had been done in the previous years; but the beginning of the war offered us the opportunity ... gave me the opportunity to take over the position of a fleet medical officer and with the beginning of the year 1940 I became physician with Air Fleet No. 2, under Field Marshal Kesselring.
Q. Witness, what was your activity now with Air Fleet 2?
A. The first year of the war this air fleet was used in the west and afterwards it was used in the cast for a short period of time; then from 1 December 1941 on, it was used in Italy, Africa and Sicily. I remained in this position until the 31st of December 1943.
Q. Witness, would you now tell the Tribunal about the duties of an Air Fleet Physician.
A. The Air Flout Physician is the chief medical officer of the Air Fleet. He is the consultant of the Chief of the Fleets in all questions which concern medical matters. The Fleet physician directs the use of the medical units and gives the corresponding instructions to the subordinate air district units, unit physicians, and so on. Furthermore, he provides replacements for the injured persons and that played a major part in the work of those physicians in the war because the air transports were of quite a special importance in cases where large distances and territories were involved.
It further was the duty of the air fleet physician to be informed about the treatment of the patients and the status of the patients in the hospitals.
Q. Were you always or for the most part with your agency as air fleet physician, or did you frequently have to travel outside of this office?
A. On many occasions I was outside of the agency, above all during the time when we were active in the Meditteranean area, in Greece, Crete, Italy, Sicily and Africa, when these territories belonged to our theater of operations. I was traveling around constantly, on many occasions by car or by airplane, and I inspected hospitals and I also obtained detailed information about the methods of treatment with regard to the patients, and also with the hospitals which had been provissionally established; I also consulted in these fields because I had gained particular experience. Then I also took care of the nursing system and especially in my field of competence nurses were also used to a great extent in medical establishments, even close to he front line, because I maintained the point of view that care by nurses could never be replaced by care by men.
Q. Now what was the character of your activity as Air Fleet physician?
A. It was strictly an activity which was connected with inspections. It was an activity which regulated the working together -- which supervised the working together of all these subordinate agencies. I placed emphasis on tho fact that in my agency the administrative part of the work was to be limited as far as possible. I left those things to the air district physicians and similar subordinate agencies. As Air Fleet Physician I had to be mobile -- I had to be constantly on the move, in order to inspect and to supervise the care of the wounded and the supplies which were needed.
Q. Witness, when did you become Medical Chief of the Luftwaffe?
A. That was on 1 January 1944. I was promoted to Generaloberstabsarzt; it was then I became Chief of the Medical Service of the Luftwaffe. In the first month cf my activity I effected certain changes in our organization with the corresponding agencies of the Ministry so that afterwards I was in charge of the agency with the title Chief of the Medical Service of the Luftwaffe. There are constantly mistakes being made in tho trial hero because my predecessor was called Chief of the Medical Service and I was described as Inspector. This is connected with the change but the title Chief of the Medical Service of the Luftwaffe indicates my position more correctly than it could be done with the title of Inspector.
Q. Witness, will you now describe your field of tasks to the Tribunal as Medical Chief?
A. My field of tasks was very extensive. First of all I will have to go back to the situation as it existed in the year 1944 with regard to my office; at that time the agencies at home could not work anymore, in peace in their respective offices but for air-raid precautions they had in many cases been transferred to provisional stations. The daily work was continually interrupted by air raid attacks and air raid alarms; planned meetings or conferences were interrupted by air attacks and air raid alarms, so that it became extraordinarily difficult during that period of time to work together at all.
Caused by this state of emergency for me the primary task was the use of medical units as far as this was hampered by the central agency. In this case it was a question of the assignment of field hospitals and surgical units, which were usually field hospitals, also their medical aircraft units, which consisted of aircraft which had been converted to transport wounded soldiers; the dental stations, examination places, and so forth. During that period of time we were confronted by these demands constantly, and the reasons for these demands were for the most part that the units of the agency which had made the demand had been destroyed by air attacks and other measures of the War. The replacements which we could furnish centrally could only be carried out if other units were withdrawn at some other place, and I believe that anyone who is acquainted with these matters can fully imagine what an amount of unpredictable work was caused everyday by these tasks which confronted us anew daily. Also it frequently required me to make trips at a very short notice, in order to clarify much questions right at the problem location. Closely with these transfers of units was the work which had to be done in personnel questions. It was the use of medical officers, nurses and other medical personnel. In the year 1944 we felt the effect above all that we had to dismiss personnel to a very large extent. I alone had to furnished 21,000 men, medical non-commissioned officers, and men to other units. I furnished them in part to the Army and in part for parachute troops, which were established elsewhere, and we had to obtain replacements for these men. In part we received old people who were not trained at all, and to a very large extent we also obtained women. For these people training places had to be established in order to give them a short but intensive training, and in order to get thus acquainted with their new duties and tasks. This also required a lot of mobilization and quite a lot of work. A part of the work which also grew within that year was the air raid precaution medical service, which was centrally handled by my office. The further field of task was the care of the troops, wound dressings, medicine and other medical equipment. I had experienced people on my staff for these tasks, since I had done a lot of work previously in the procurement of equipment.
These tasks also required much of my time. A part of those tasks were also rendered increasingly difficult through the air warfare, and it was not a rare occurrence that depots burned down and that also larger depots were destroyed. And now we had. to change our dispositions and we had to change the supply of the units which had been dependent on these depots. In empty words now this also seems very simple, however, if all the difficulties which arose in that year are considered, and also we have to give consideration to the communication system, and the train connections which were not functioning properly, then perhaps these difficulties c an be understood.
Another field which required a lot of work in the year 1944 was the "fitness", because a larger number of people were conscripted. This frequently required a change to be made in the regulations for physical fitness, above all in our field of selecting people who were fit as aviators.
Another part of my tasks were things connected with the dental care. These things became constantly more extensive as the war continued, above all with regard to dental care when more people were conscripted into the Wehrmacht with damaged dental plates, and we had to care for them. On the other hand the procurement of the necessary material became constantly more difficult. Then we were confronted by a large number of hygenic problems, and through the happenings of the year 1944 that also became more difficult, because again as a result of the damage which has been caused by air attacks many bad conditions were caused and in order to alleviate them, for example, when water and drainage was disturbed and when billets had to be used, then this was the form of tasks which we had to deal with.
And at the end of the War there was the science. Unfortunately, from the extent of the other tasks which were necessary daily science frequently would not be given the necessary amount of attention. I had the main task to withdraw everything in research which was not necessary for the War, and only to work on the research which was vitally necessary for us.
Q Witness, in describing this activity as Chief of the Medical Service, you mention that you had to travel around frequently; will you please tell us about the manner or the extent of those journies, for example, did you also visit concentration camps?
AAs I can already state from what I have mentioned previously, my work required me to travel very frequently. For one thing, in order to carry out the change or transfer of hospitals which was caused by air attacks and also to consult in such matters, and on the other hand to also visit and inspect these new training courses which we had to establish and in order to advance myself on the state of the training. It was the case above all with regard to the training institutions which had been established for similar medical personnel, and I believe that I was traveling at least one-third of the month or more.
I have never visited any concentration camps, because they did not have anything to do with my field of tasks.
Q Witness, I now ask you to tell us something about your agency itself with which you carried out this work?
A In view of the necessary limitation in personnel I have always tried to carry out my work with as few as possible collaborators. The establishment of such an agency was carried out in approximately the following manner, that is from below to the superior agencies: A number of specialists, experts, so-called "referents" were used.
There were Stabsarzre or Oberstabarzre Physicians, who, according to their ability and their capacity were selected for that job. There were experts and specialists for the nursing system, the dental care and administrative workers, organizations of scientific aviation medicine and these referents were in those fields. When a field of tasks is enlarged they had to have a larger number of references which are usually divided into groups. We have groups of several expert specialists who to ether form a section which is directed by a section head. This section head usually had the rank of a colonel. Within such an agency he is the lowest instance which has the right to make a decision independently. This section head can give instructions towards the outside on his own initiative. The sections are brought together under the Chief of Staff. I had three such sections. The Chief of Staff is the Deputy of the Chief of the Medical Service. That is, the Chief of the Agency, in all kinds of pending matters. He furthermore has to settle the whole interior functioning of the agency. For example, all mail is addressed to him as far as it does not have to go to the Registry Official and is then immediately sent to the individual sections. However, the important mail, above all, secret mail, is addressed to the Chief of Staff. It is now up to the Chief of Staff to decide if it is to be handled by the section head, or because of its special urgency it first had to to submitted to me. At such an agency it is therefore quite possible and it could not have been done differently for the vast number of mail that arrived -that quite an amount of mail could not come to the personal attention of the chief of the agency but that it was handled by the section head or that they worked or issued with the agreement and consultation of the Chief of Staff and I can prove this through numbers and figures. During my time of activity I have had five to six thousand opened letters and I will say 900 to a thousand secret letters in my agency and if part of the time I am absent then it can be considered impossible that I could personally look through all of my mail and that I could personally handle it. This was not necessary either in accordance with our service regulations. It was important for such an agency that the Chief of Staff was at home and that he was in charge of the assignments and the duties which had to be taken care of.
He had the necessary authority in order to do this and he had the disciplinary authority of a brigade commander and, furthermore, he had the authority to appropriate certain funds without first submitting these things to me. In summarizing the function of such an agency it must always be remembered that it is based on the confidence that the subordinate has with his superior and the confidence which the superior maintains in the subordinate. Wherever the confidence is lacking then the aqency cannot function.
Q Witness, will you give a short discussion to this Tribunal of the amount of work which you had to take care of every day? That is, the way you divided your work every day?
A Yes.
Q That is, how you had to work every day?
A Especially with the requirements of the time I moved into my office. I did not live at home any more but I lived in my office, and I slept riqht next to my office. In the morning my duties usually began very early because in the morning between 7 and 8 o'clock I received the reports about the damaqe which had been caused by air attacks. Then from them I could again see what had happened during the previous 24 hours and this information caused me to chance my entire daily program. Then the morninq passed while I reviewed the incoming mall and while I had discussions about these things.
Then visitors arrived from outside which had urgent questions to settle or who wanted to consult me and then the afternoon came with the very same task and above all, in the afternoon there was a report of the Department Heads -- of the Section Heads, and the specialist experts about these things which they were working on. As a result of the incoming mail and these discussions usually it lasted until the very late hours in the evening. Then the reports which took up more time and since I don't want to be interrupted by long-distance telephone calls I used to arrange them for 8 or 18 o'clock in the evening and when the last person who had repor ted left then I had time to look ever everything in peace and quietness which I had to deal with personally and I used to continue with this work until about 12 o'clock at night.