Q. And that is the only reason which you know as to why you were arrested?
A. I was never charged and never called to any trial or any ether legal proceedings.
Q. Were y u at the time of your arrest teaching school in Swiecie, Poland?
A. During the previous time I had been a confessional teacher in the schools in Swiecie.
Q. Now, father, will you tell the Tribunal what happened to you after your arrest?
A. When I was arrested I was first kept in prison for two month and from there we were sent into a cloister and from there still other priests were assembled until about ninety priests had been assembled altogether, and from there we were sent to Stutthof near Danzig into the concentration camp which was located there. And, from there on the fifth or ninth of February we were transferred to Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg which is located near Berlin. On the 13th of December 1940 we were transferred again to Dachau. I was confined in Dachau, until the arrival of the Americans - until we were liberated - that was on the 29th of April 1945.
Q. Now, father, were you a political prisoner in Dachau?
A. Yes. I were a red insignia which all those who had been arrested for political reasons had to wear this insignia.
Q. Now, father, did there come a time when you were experimented on the concentration camp at Dachau?
A. Yes. Malaria experiments and also on one occasion we were engaged in high altitude experiments.
Q. Did you say high altitude experiments, Doctor?
A. No, I said aviation experiments.
Q. And what do you mean by aviation experiments?
A. Well, I have said it because we were dressed in aviator's uniforms and then we were put into containers full of water and ice.
Q. Now, father, will you tell the Tribunal just what happened when you were experimented on with malaria? That is, when it happened and how you happened to be selected?
A. I was that weak that I fell down on the road because everybody was hungry in the camp. I wanted to be transferred to another assignment later on where we got some bread to eat between meals so my health could improve by the additional food. Ono man arrived and selected about thirty people for some easy labor. I also wanted to be selected for this assignment and those who had been selected for this work were led away. We wont in the direc tion where the work was located and at the very last moment instead of going to the place of work we were lead to the camp hospital.
We did not know what was going to be dome with us there. I thought to myself that perhaps this was going to be some detail for easier work in the hospital. We were told that we should undress and after we had undressed ourselves our numbers were taken down and then we asked what was going on and they told us, smilingly. "This is for air detail." But, we wore not told what was going to be done with us. Then the doctor came and told us all to remain and that we were to be x-rayed. Now that our numbers had already been taken down we were supposed to go to our blocks. I sat for two days in the block and afterwards I was again called to the hospital and there I was given malaria in such a manner that there were little cages with infected mosquitoes and I had to put my hand on one of the little cages and a mosquito stung me and afterwards. I was still in the hospital for five weeks. However; for the time being no symptoms of the disease showed themselves. Somewhat later I won't exactly recall; two or three weeks; I had my first malaria attack. Such attack recurred frequently and several medicines were given to us for against malaria. I was given such medicine as neo-salvasan. I was given tow injections of quinine. On one occasion I was given atabrine and the worst was that one time when I had an attack I was given so-called perifer. I was given nine injection of that kind; one every hour and that every second day through the seventh injection. All of a sudden my heart felt like it was going to be torn out. I became insane. I completely lost my language - my ability to speak. This lasted until evening. In the evening a nurse arrived and wanted to give me the eighth injection. I was then unable to speak and I told the nurse about all of the complications I had had and that I did not what to receive the injection. The nurse had already pured out the injection and said that he would report this to Dr. Schilling. After approximately ton minutes another nurse arrived and he said that he would have to give me the injection after all. Then I said the some thing again; that I was not going to have the injection. However; he told me that he had to carry out that order. Then I replied that no matter what order he had I would not be willing to commit suicide.
Then he went away and returned once again after ten minutes. He told me, "I know you know what can happen if you don't accept the injection. Then I said in spite of everything; "I refuse to receive another injection and that I would tell that to the professor." I requested that ho himself knew that I would not be willing receive the injection. So that the nurse would not have any further difficulty after twenty minutes Dr. Ploettner came with four inmate nurses and he talked to my comrades. "There is going t be a big row here." Then I said; "If I have resisted for such a long time I will continue to do so." Dr. Ploettner; however; was very quiet. He only raached for my hand and he checked my pulse, then touched my head and asked me what complications I had had. I told him what I had had after that injection And then he told the nurse to give me two tablets in order to remove the headache and and pains in my kidneys. When I had boon given that Dr. Ploettner was about to leave and told the nurses that they were to give me the rest of the injections. Then I said, "Hauptsturmfuehrer, I refuse to be given that injection." The physician turned around after I had said that and looked a.t me and said; "I cm responsible for your life; not you." Then when the injection he told the nurse -- the nurses complied with his order and it was then they gave mo this injection. It was the same one to whom I had previously told that I did not want to have another injection. It was only strange that after the eighth injection no results happened as they had done previously so that, in my opinion, I think that the nurse gave me some other injection. On the morning I was given the ninth injection - when I woke up in the morning the results were then as usual. I became sick and I began to feel cold and I had high fever.
Q. Father; do I understand you to say that you were injected with malaria in the middle of 1942?
A. It was approximately in the middle of 1942 when I was infected with malaria.
Q. And you were not asked your consent to the malaria experiment?
A. No. I was not asked for my consent.
Q. And you did not volunteer for this experiment?
A. No. I was taken in the manner which I have just described.
Q. Did you make any protest?
A. In 1942 it was very difficult in the camp to lodge any protest. When I protested with this eighth injection which I was to be given, I clearly realized that it would have tho most serious consequences for me. Later on such things could be risked, but in that year I still think that I would have boon unable to do that, and I don't think it would have boon to any avail.
Q. Now how many people were experimented on with you, that is, malaria experiments?
A. in the hospital when I had my attacks, there wore approximately fifty to sixty people; tho numbers changed.
Q. And do you know the approximate total number of inmates experimented on with malaria in Dachau?
A. Towards the end I hoard that approximately one thousand two hundred prisoners were subjected to those experiments.
Q. Do you know whether or not any of these inmates died as a result of tho malaria experiments?
A. Several have died, but if this was the direct result of malaria, I do not know. I know of one case when the patient died after having boon given Perifere injections. Then I still know another priest who died, but afterwards -- and prior to his death ho was sent to another room.
Q. Was it customary to transfer patients out of the block in which they were conducting the malaria experiments if it appeared that they might die?
A. It looked to mo as if this patient of whom I have just spoken had been moved for the reason so it could not be seen that it happened in the case of malaria, but I do not know if people died as a result of malaria because I am not an export on tho subject.
Q. How many recurrences of malaria fever did you have, Father?
A. I cannot give you the exact number any more. However, these attacks recurred frequently, I think about live times, and then I still had treatment in bed for some time, and then there were several more, and altogether I had ton attacks, one every day. When I reached a temperature of 41.6.
Q. Do you still suffer any effects from the malaria?
A. I still have had some after effects, but I do not know if this is only of malaria because I was also subjected to another experiment.
Q. Well, will you now tell the Tribunal about this other experiment?
A. During these malaria attacks on one occasion I was called by Dr. Prachtel and - was examined by a Polish physician, and Dr. Prachtel told me, "If I have any use for you, I will call you." However, I did not know what was going to be done with no. Several days later, that was on the seventh of October, 1942, a prisoner came and told no that I was to report to the hospital immediately. I thought that I was going to be examined once more, and I was taken through tho malaria station to block 5 in Dachau, to tho fourth floor of block 5. There -- the so-called aviation room, the aviation experimental station was located there, and there was a fence, a wooden fence so that nobody could see what was inside, and I was led there, and there was a basin with water and ice which floated on tho water. There were two tables, and there were two apparatus on there Next to them there was a heap of clothing that consisted of uniforms, and Dr. Prachtel was there, two officers in Air Force uniforms. However, I do not know their names.
Now I was told to undress. I undressed and I was examined. The physician then remarked that everything was in order. Now wires had been taped to my back, also in tho lower rectum Afterwards I had to wear my shirt, my drawers, but then after wards I had to wear one of tho uniforms which were lying there. Then I also had to wear a long pair of boots with cat's fur and one aviator's combination. And afterwards a tube was put around my neck and was filled with air. And afterwards the wires which had been connected with me -they were connected to tho apparatus, and then I was thrown into the water. All of a sudden A became very cold, and I began to tremble. I immediately turned to these two non and asked them to pull me out of the water because I would be unable to stand it muck longer. However, they told mo laughingly, "Well, this will only last a very short time." I sat in this water, and I had -- and I was conscious for one hour and a half. I do not know exactly because I did not have a watch, but that is the approximate time I spent there.
During this time the temperature was lowered very slowly in the beginning and afterwards more rapidly. When I was thrown into the water my temperature was lowered very slowly in the beginning and afterwards more rapidly. When I was thrown into the water my temperature was 37.6. Then the temperature became lower. Then I only had 33 and then as low as 30, but then I already became somewhat unconscious and every fifteen minutes some blood was taken from my car. after having sat in the water for about half an hour, I was offered a cigarette, which, however, I did not want to smoke. However, one of these men approached me and gave me the cigarette, and tho nurse who stood near tho basin continued to put this cigarette into my mouth and pulled it out again.
I managed to smoke about half of this cigarette. Later on I was given a little glass with Schnaps, and then I was asked how I was feeling. Somewhat later still I was given ono cup of Greg. This Grog was not very hot. It was rather luke warm. I was freezing very much in this water. Now my foot were becoming as rigid as iron, and tho same thing applied to my hands, and later on my breathing became very short. I once again began to tremble, and afterwards cold sweat appeared on my forehead. I felt as if I was just about to die, and then I was still asking them to pull mo out because I could not stand this much longer.
Then Dr. Prachtel came and ho had a little bottle, and be gave me a few drops of some liquid out of this bottle, and I did not know anything about this liquid. It had a somewhat sweetish taste. Then I lost my consciousness. I do not know how much longer I remained in tho water because I was unconscious. When I again regained consciousness, it was approximately between 3 and 8:30 in the evening. I was lying on a stretcher covered with blankets, and above mo there was some kind of an appliance with lamps which were warming me.
In tho room there was only Dr. Prachtel and two prisoners. Then Dr. Prachtel asked mo how I was feeling. Then I replied, "First of all, I feel very exhausted, and furthermore I am also very hungry." Dr. Prachtel had immediately ordered that I was to be given better food and that I was also to lie in bod. Ono prisoner raised me on the stretcher, and he took me under his arm and he led me through tho corridor to his room. During this time ho spoke to me, and he told mo, "Well, you do not know what you have even suffered And in the room the prisoner gave me half a bottle of milk, ono piece of broad and some potatoes, but that came from his own rations. Later on ho took me to tho malaria station, block 3, and there I was put to bed, and the very same evening a Polish prisoner -- it was a physician; his fir name was Dr. Adam, but I do not remember his other name -He came on official orders.
He told me, "Everything that has happened to you is a military secret." You are not to discuss it with anybody. If you fail to do so, you know what the consequences will be for you. You arc intelligent enough to know that." Of course, I fully realized that I had to keep quiet about that.
On one occasion I had discussed these experiences with one of my comrades. One of the purses found cut about this and he came to see me and ho asked me if I was already tired of living, because I was talking about such matters. But, in the way these experiments were conducted, I do not need to add anything further to it.
Q. How long was it before you recovered from the effects of these freezing experiments?
A. It took a long time. I also have had several (pause) I have had a rather weak heart and I have also had severe headaches, and I also get cramps in my feet very often.
Q. Do you still suffer from the effects of this experiment?
A. I still have a weak heart. For example, I am unable to walk very quickly now, and I also have to sweat very much. Exactly, these are the results, but in many cases I have had these afflictions ever since.
Q. Were you in good physical condition before you were subjected to the Malaria and Freezing experiments?
A. Since the time of this starvation I weighed 57 kilograms in Dachau. When I came to the camp I weighed about one hundred kilo; I lost about one half of my weight. In the beginning, I was weighed, and I was in bed for about a week. And then my weight went down to forty seven kilo.
Q. How much do you weigh now, father?
A. I can not toll you exactly but I have not weighed myself lately but I think at this time I weighed fifty five kilogram.
Q. Do you know how you ware pro-warmed in these freezing experiments?
A. I was warmed with these lamps, but I heard later that people were rewarmed by women.
Q. Do you know approximately how many inmates were subjected to the freezing experiments? -882
A. I can not toll you anything about this, because it was kept so secret; and because I was in there quite individually, and I was quite single during this experiment.
Q. Do you know whether anyone died as a result of this experiment?
A. I can not give you any information about that, either. I have not seen anybody. But it was said in camp that quite a number of people died there during this experiment.
Q. Now, father, do you know anything about the low pressure experiments that were carried out in Dachau?
A. Only that I heard that such experiments were conducted out there with an hermetically sealed apparatus.
Q. You have no personal knowledge about these things?
A. Do. Nobody was admitted there. It was also kept very secret.
Q. Now, what about the dry freezing experiments, father?
A. Also, these experiments, however, during this time, occurred out there. And it was also said that people were left lying there in the frost and to freeze; but as I have already said, I have not seen it, but I hoard of it. But all that is alleged to have been done in the same Aviation Experimental station.
Q. Do you knew anything about the so-called "Phlegmone" experiments? At Dachau?
A. Yes, the Pflegmone experiments, were carried out there, because I know of comrades who were there. There were approximately sixty people, half of whom died. There was also a certain other number of cases that died as a. result of this experiment.
Q. Father did you receive any preferential treatment in the Camp because you had undergone the Malaria and Freezing experiments?
A. On one occasion when I was in the hospital, Dr. Prachtel told mo because you have behaved so bravely in the water, you can come at all times to the hospital for recuperation. That was a short time before Christmas. But when I left there, I thought it would be shameful cf me to try to get some favors as a result of this. I never made any use of the suggestion, by the physician.
Q. Well, they didn't shorten your stay at Dachau, or anything of that nature, did they, because you underwent these experiments?
A. Mr. Prosecutor, I have not understood the question; I do not know what you mean by it.
Q. They did not shorten your sentence in Dachau, did they, because you underwent these experiments?
A. I really do not quite understand this question. No. No. I said not until the end; not until the Americans came to liberate us.
Q. Now, father, will you toll the Tribunal whether or not you were allowed to observe your religion while you were in Dachau Concentration Camp?
A. Well, this matter was treated differently; a chapel had been established at Dachau. And, as priests, we were even given preferential treatment. That is, for a while, we were given one quarter of a glass of liquor, and, from time to time, also some beer. And then, also, our food was supposed to be better. But, actually, we were generally pleased that special privileges were withdrawn; because we always had to drink the wine, one, two, three; this had to be done very quickly; but once or twice the chips began to fly in the air; and I also remember that we also at one time had some quarreling in the street by the inmates which had been separated from the rest. But in the carp everybody know that ore were given preferential treatment; but it was given to us in such a manner, that it was not known to anybody. As to these visits, on one or two occasions, we were given an extra piece of moat. Later on, only a. sign remained on the Courtyard circles that it was for the priests. But, in any case, we could not see any difference in the food. A. Chapel also was established, and, first of all, one priest was able to held the Holy Mass there. All these privileges lasted for approximately one half gear. Then we had to go to sleep daily, in the morning and in the afternoon. This, was, again, some sort of chicanery, because after we slept we had to construct some beds. And the construction of the beds in the Camp was really something terrible. The beds were torn down, frequently and we had to make them like little natch boxes, so that ultimately some people refused to go to sleep, and some fire boxes were also given to us during this time. Later on all of us were cabled, and the camp loader and two other officers arrived. And a typewriter was brought. And all of us had to fall in, in the barracks street, and the following questions were asked:
"Who of you is a citizen of the Reich?" Of course, there were several German answerers, and they stopped out. The second question asked was: "Who or you belongs to a German Echelon group. I cant remember that anybody stopped out. Then there was still another question. "Who of you considers himself a German and confesses himself to the German Iddaology?" Nobody stopped out. Afterwards, the oldest of the Camp came to the Camp leader and said, "You could still ask them who of them speaks German." Then the Camp loader said, "Of course, if you know already what they are doing, all right;" and he said, "From now, on, you are losing all of your privileges. And you are to become a general labor block;" and then we had to march away.
Generally we were grateful that we did not have the special privileges anymore. We only regretted that we were not admitted to the chappel and that our prayer books had been taken away from us. However, we had a feeling of honor that as Polish priests we had not broken down.
Later on, through comradeship with the other prisoners, the German priests were admitted to the chappel, and later, on several occasions, we wore also able to exercise our religious duties, but we had to do this secretly. However, we wore given very bad treatment in the camp as priests.
MR. MCHANEY: I have no further questions, Your Honors.
THE PRESIDENT: Have Defendants' Counsel any cress examination of this witness?
There being none offered, the witness may stand down.
(The witness was excused.)
MR. HARDY: May it please the Tribunal, at this time we wish to continue with the presentation of the sulfanilamide bone transplantation experiments.
THE PRESIDENT: Before proceeding with the further introduction of the exhibits, the Court has an announcement to make. I will ask Judge Sebring to read it.
JUDGE SEBRING: It will no doubt be recalled by the Prosecution and Defense Counsel that several days ago Dr. Servatius made some inquiry of the Court concerning what the Court would consider to be a proper form to be used in the preparation of affidavits. As I understood at that time the purpose of the inquiry, it was that Defense Counsel wanted to meet such requirements as the Tribunal would insist upon and had hoped that the Tribunal would give them information prior to the holidays so that during the holidays they could make some progress in the preparation of the affidavits.
The Tribunal has given due consideration to the type of form that it thinks will meet its approval and has prepared an information sheet which the Presiding Judge has requested that I, on behalf of the Tribunal, have read into the record.
"Information to Defense Counsel Concerning Forms to be Used in the Preparation of Affidavits:
"Such affidavits a.s may be presented by Defense Counsel for reception in evidence by Military Tribunal I shall be in substantially the following form:
"I. In case the witness whose affidavit is taken resides in the country or in a small village, the affidavit may be executed in the presence of the Laenderrat, who shall certify to the same.
"2. In case the witness whoso affidavit is taken resides in a small town, the affidavit may be executed in the presence of the Mayor, who shall certify to the same.
"3. In case the witness whose affidavit is taken resides in a larger city, either one of three alternatives will be acceptable; namely, (a) the affidavit may be executed in the presence of the First Mayor, who shall certify to the same; (b) the affidavit may be executed in the presence of the Deputy Mayor, who shall certify to the same; (c) the affidavit may be executed in the presence of the presiding judge of the civil court, who shall certify to the same.
"In all events, any such affidavit must also be certified by the competent representative of the United States Government in the place where the affiant is resident.
"The first paragraph of any such affidavit shall be as follows:
"'I'--stating the name of the affiant--'state herewith under oath the following facts known to me by personal knowledge:'
"Following this preliminary paragraph, the facts known to the affiant shall be stated clearly. The affidavit shall be concluded as follows:
"'Having carefully read and personally countersigned each of the preceding ______pages, numbered 1 to_____, inclusive, and having personally made the necessary corrections and countersigned them with my initials, I herewith declare under oath that all the facts submitted by me in this affidavit correspond, to the best of my knowledge and belief, to the full truth. /signed/--', and then appears the signature of the affiant.
"The certificate to be signed by the German authority shall be substantially as follows:
"'I do hereby certify that I am--', stating the title of his office, 'having been duly appointed to this office by the properly constituted authority, to wit,--' and then follows a statement of the authority by which or through whom the officer was appointed.
Then will follow 'on', and then will appear the date of the appointment. 'I further certify that the foregoing affidavit was sworn to and signed before me this_____day,' the date being stated, 'at', and then will appear the name of the city, county or village, and the certificate will then be signed by the German official.
"The declaration of the representative of the Military Government shall be in substantially the following form:
"'Sworn to and signed before me on____date in', and then will be stated the place. Signed, and then will appear the name of the representative, his official title and rank.
"The translator's certificate, if tho affidavit is taken in a language other than English, shall be in the following form:
"'I', st tin., the name, in United States civilian', and then his number, 'hereby certify that I am thoroughly conversant with the English and German languages and that the above is a true and correct translation,' and then the signature.
"To the end that there may be no greater confusion than is necessary about the statement of the Tribunal, it is the order of the Tribunal to the Office of the Secretary General that sufficient copies of the statement now made by the Tribunal shall be prepared both in English and in German so that each Defense Counsel will have at least two copies of tho statement, in English and in German, and more copies if he so desires."
"At the present time, the Tribunal has two copies of this statement now to hand down to the Secretary General to appear in the minutes of the Court, a copy thereof in English and in German as information to the Prosecution, and a copy of the statement in English and in German as information to Defense Counsel at the present time, and I would suggest, Mr. Secretary General, that inasmuch as Dr. Servatius initially made the application, it be delivered to him.
THE PRESIDENT: The Tribunal will be in recess for 15 minutes.
(A recess was taken.)
THE MARSHAL: The Tribunal in again in session.
MR. HARDY: The prosecution will now proceed with the presentation of the evidence of sulfanilimide bone transplantation experiments. Page 22 in your Honors' Document book Document Number NO-858, I now offer as Prosecution Exhibit Number 223. This is a Deposition of Dr. Rolf Rosenthal. The Tribunal will recall that the witnesses of the last few days who have experimented in Ravensbruck frequently mentioned the name of this Dr. Rosenthal. This contains the jurat of major Arthur K. Kant, British Army of the Rhine Investigating Officer.
The second paragraph I will road: "I have been warned that this statement may be used in front of a court. I make this statement voluntarily without the use of force or violence or the threat of violence or the promise of a reward or a reward.
"1. I heard for the first time that experimental operations were made a.t Ravensbruck Concentration Camp in summer, 1942. Dr. Schiedlausky said that ho had had a conference with Prof. Gebhardt. During this conference the possibilities of such operations were discussed. In my opinion, however, it had already been ordered before be a higher authority in Berlin to carry out these operations.
"2. The first experimental operations were carried out in summer, 1942, at Ravensbruck. I was present at any of these operations. The operations were carried out by Dr. Fischer.
Prof. Gebhardt was present an sometimes had details of these operations produced. The first time eight to twelve of these operations were carried out on female prisoners. My duty was to assist during these operations. I gave the instruments to Dr. Fischer. I or Dr. Oberheuser and sometimes one of the nurses administered the narcosis.
"3. After these operations the patients wore accommodated in separate rooms in other departments, of the infirmary. Sulphonamid-preparates were administered to them; and as far as I know these patients were nursed exactly in the same way as ordinary patients. Gas gangrene cultures were instilled into the artificially caused wounds. These cultures were delivered by the Hygieneinstitut of the Waffen-SS in Berlin where they had been cultivated."
At this time I wish to add parenthetically, tho Tribunal will recall that in the introduction or the presentation of evidence as to the organizational situation of the defendants, we noted that the Hygieneinstitut up until must, 1943, was under the control of Genzken, Bennett Genzken, and the defendant Mrugowsky. After the first of December, tho defendant Mrugowsky assumed absolute control.
"These cultures were implanted into the wounds with or without foreign matter. I believe that the foreign matter, which was either cloth or splinters of wood or perhaps even glass, was also delivered by the Hygieneinstitut of the Waffen-SS at Berlin.
"4. Sometimes I have seen that Dr. Oberheuser administered petrolinjections to the prisoners. She used a syringe for ten cubic centimeters and tho injection was administered into the vein of the arm. The injection gave the impression of an acute apoplexy, the patients reared up and then suddenly collapsed. It lasted between throe to five minutes from the time the injection was administered until they were dead. The patients were entirely conscious until the last moment. It took approximately fifteen to thirty seconds to administer the injection. Dr. Oberheuser told me that the prisoners who received petrol injections were severely ill and could not be cured.
"5. I have administered an overdose of morphine to about twenty to thirty severely ill patients to case their death."
At the present time, your Honor, Dr. Rosentahl will not be available here as a witness because he is now on trial at Ravensbruck by the British Army, the British Military Courts.
We will now turn to the next affidavit. This is an affidavit numbered Document NO-508, which will be offered as Prosecution Exhibit number 224. In the course of reading this affidavit, hour Honor, there will be sections I will omit inasmuch as they contain details of tho examinations and some of the things that might be of interest for you to road but which I will not take the time to read here. Dr. Schiedlausky first was stationed at Ravensbruck and later Trent to Buchenwald so in his affidavit you will see an overlap of evidence as to the conditions of Ravensbruck and those of Buchenwald.
This is dated "Freising, 7 august, 1945. I, Gerhardt Schiedlausky" -also, by the way, he is to be placed on trial by the British in the British Zone -- "MD, Hauptsturmfuehrer of the Reserve of the Waffen-SS, declare the following:
"I was draftee, on the 28 th October 1939. From the 21 st of March to the end of September, 1941, I worked as a doctor in the concentration camp authuasen as Trup enarzt and also in the prisoners' wards." That obviously means Gruppnarzt, Group Doctor. "From that time I remember that so-called Smith fractures, fractures in the lower third of the lower arm, and jaw fractures occurred which could be traced back to the roughness of the prisoners, especially to many of the Capes who were notorious for their brutality. Since there was a large number of professional criminals, it was unavoidable that some cases of unnatural death should occur. The prisoners among themselves exercised a hard and brutal system of justice. Through the most dire threats, thieves, especially those the stole bread, were driven to suicide, which mostly took the form of hanging. I estimate that in about two eases they deliberately ran into the electric wire fence. There were also a series of won who were shot in flight. At one time attempted escapes, especially when a transport of Dutch Jews arrived, increased so much that the danger existed that a future increase in these suicidal flights would stir up the camp. Consequently, the camp headquarters armed husky prisoners with clubs and placed then near the line of guards and successfully within a short time stopped these attempts that had previously reached a toll of up to twelve death daily. In Mauthausen I also witnessed punishment by beatings which were at that time administered by the block leaders after the required formalities had been met. These amounted to up to twenty-five lashes. From the nearby camp, Gusen, I further remember that several cases of broken jaws occurred. During my time in Mauthausen I remember the following SS members who worked in the Medical Detachment:"
These names I will omit reading at this time and proceed on to Page 24 of your Honors' document book, the second paragraph.
"At the beginning of December, 1941, I received orders to proceed to Ravensbruck to relieve Hautpsturmfuehrer Dr. Sonntag as station physician.
There were three camps: 1. The women's camp, which had about six thousand prisoners in the beginning and which in August, 1943, had eighteen thousand. I did not observe any cruelties on the part of the SS personnel or female guards although occasional deg bites, almost always of a mild nature, occurred due to the negligence of the woman guards or the unpredictability of the dogs. Cases of unnatural death wore very rare. Once it was a Russian woman tried to escape over the electric fence and died in the attempt; and there were several cages cf suicide by hanging, perhaps two or three. In 1942 and 1943 orders came from the Reichsfuehrer SS that in the women's camp Ravensbruck suitable volunteers were to be picked in order to establish brothels in some of the men's cramps. In my capacity as camp doctor I had to take part in choosing suitable girls from among the applicants. They had to be healthy, of age, and previously engaged in prostitution. Those who volunteered were mostly German prostitutes, also some Poles and one German gypsy half-brood. During my time approximately the following camps were supplied with prostitutes: Mauthausen or Gusen with sixteen, Buchenwald with fourteen, Flossenburg with about ten. Dachau also received some; but in my estimation not more than two or four.
"The punishment inflicted upon women in Ravensbruck was different in that the Reichsfuehrer SS had reserved for himself alone the decision to have these German women flogged, at least those who as wives or widows of soldiers had given themselves to foreigners. In this case there were flogging up to three times twenty-five blows under most severe conditions, that is, w** a naked behind.