And the Court will note under the top box the breakdown Official Administration." from the Chief of WVHA. The letter is our Document No. R-129 and has already been received in evidence as U.S. Exhibit No.217. I shall not quote from that letter now. coincided with the change in the basic purposes of the concentration camps. Political and security reasons, which previously had been the grounds for confinement, were abandoned and the camps were frankly made to serve the Nazi slave labor program. The tribunal wall recall the evidence relating to that program which was presented last week by Mr. Dodd. I shall not burden the tribunal by dealing at any length with the evidence there introduced, except to summarize the principal facts bearing on SS responsibility which were demonstrated by that evidence. work the inmates of the camp harder. More inmates had to be obtained. Through its police arm the SS was prepared to satisfy this demand, as through the WVHA it was prepared to work those who were already in the camp.
THE PRESIDENT: Have you any figures you can give the Tribunal as to the total numbers in the SS and the total numbers who were employed on concentration camps? If you gave the total number of the SS and the total number employed in concentration camps, we should see what the proportion was.
MAJOR FARR: I think I can only give you these figures: I earlier quoted some figures from d'Alquen in his book published in 1939, in which he said the total strength of the General SS was about 240,000. That is the General SS. It was not at that time engaged in the guarding of concentration camps. The Death Head Units at that time consisted of some three or four regiments at the most. They were the guards; so that of the personnel who were employed in actual guard duty there were, in 1939, about three or four regiments.
no longer employed in that duty and that the members of the General SS took it up. How many were employed is something that is difficult to estimate. The concentration camp program was constantly expanding, and of course as more camps were added more personnel was needed. I can't give the Tribunal figures on the number of persons involved in guarding the camps, but one of the matters I think significant is this: we have not only guards but we have administrative personnel. We have the whole of of the WVHA, which, as I want to show by evidence, had complete control of the management of the con-centration camps.
The members of the staff office, WVHA, were derived from the General SS; so you have on the one hand the guard personnel, Death Head Units, up to 1939, and then you have after 1939 more guards from the Allgemeine SS. You have, after 1939, four guards from the General SS and also administrative personnel from WVHA.
I don't have the figures on how many persons were engaged in one or another phase of the concentration camp activities. It was widespread. You have, of course, the SD and Security Police involved in it in so far as they went out and seized victims. You have WVHA, the entire administrative personnel of that section, involved in it in, so far as they handled administrative matters. in the activity may be gained from noting the number of persons involved in a camp. I have a document, a report by WVHA, in August 1944, which reports the number of prisoners who were then on hand in the camps and the recent arrivals who were expected. That document is our Document No.1166-PS, which I will now offer in evidence as USA Exhibit 458.
THE PRESIDENT: I don't think we had better go into that tonight. What will you be dealing with tomorrow?
MAJOR FARR: Sir, I intend to offer evidence showing how WVHA was involved ant how other SS personnel were involved in the control of every phase of the concentration camp program. That is the first thing. The second thing is to point out the role that the SS played in the persecution and extermination of the Jews, not with a view to repeating the substantive evidence, to show that such acts took place, but to show how many parts of the organization were involved in that program. aggressive war and the crimes against peace, a relatively brief discussion, and then pass on to the role that the SS played in war crimes and crimes against humanity, set out in Counts 3 and 4 of the Indictment, and finally, the role of the SS in the colonization program.
THE PRESIDENT: Colonization?
MAJOR FARR: That may be an unfortunate word. Perhaps I should have said Germanization program, a program of resettlement, evacuation, colonization, and exploitation of the conquered territores. considered, and I shall endeavor not again to go into the substantive crimes which have already been shown to the Tribunal, but to try to show how almost every department-in fact, every department of the SS and every component-- was involved in one or more, and mostly more, of these crimes.
THE PRESIDENT: The Tribunal hopes that you will be able to confine yourself to the reading of evidence which is not, cumulative.
MAJOR FARR: I have that in mind and I don't intend to do that except to show the figures and components of the SS which were involved in various programs,
THE PRESIDENT: Very well.
(Whereupon at 1705 hours the hearing of the Tribunal adjourned to reconvene at 1000 hours, 20 December 1945.)
Military Tribunal, in the matter of:
MAJOR FARR: May it please the Tribunal, when the Tribunal rose yesterday, we were discussing the number of persons who might be involved in the concentration camp program with which the SS was concerned. Nothing better illustrates the Integrated character of the whole organization than the concentration camp program. administration and control of that camp program and dealt with the victims once they were in the camp. They were assisted by the Death Head units, who furnished the guard personnel for the camps, and subsequently by the Allegemeine SS, Which took over guard duties during the war. arm of the SS - because through it the victims were apprehended and taken to the camps. Thus the SD appears in the picture, the personal staff, the first department of the Supreme Command, sort of the top office of the whole organization, and naturally had much to do with the work of all subordinate departments. something to do with the concentration camp program, it is a question which I think it is impossible to answer. You may point out how many persons were involved in the Death-Head units, who originally furnished the guard details. You may estimate how many persons were in the Allgemeine SS, but to say just what percentage of the whole organization was involved in that program, is something, which I find myself unable to do.
THE PRESIDENT: Can you say that one or other branch of the SS provided the whole of the staff of the concentration camps?
MAJOR FARR: By the staff, I take it you mean guards at the camp, the guard personnel. You can't do that. For example, the Death-Head units originally started off as being the units which furnished all the guard personnel. Subsequently, their task was taken over by members of the Allgemeine SS.
THE PRESIDENT: Those are both branches of the SS?
MAJOR FARR: Both branches, yes. With respect to the camp commandants, for instance, normally all high ranking offices in the SS were members of the Allgemeine SS, so doubtless such personnel would be drawn from that branch. It is certainly not beyond question that some members of the Waffen SS may have been called on to act as guards in certain camps. I don't think that you can say that there is no component of the SS, which may not have had some of its personnel involved in the program.
THE PRESIDENT: That wasn't exactly what I meant. What I meant was: could you say that one or other branches of the SS furnished the whole staff of the concentration camps?
MAJOR FARR: I don't think I can say that. I think I could say this
THE PRESIDENT (Interposing): What other organization was it that furnished a part of the staff of the concentration camps?
MAJOR FARR: You mean an organization other than the SS?
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
MAJOR FARR: I know of none.
THE PRESIDENT: Then the answer would, be "yes" then?
MAJOR FARR: I thought your Honor was asking if I could refer to any one branch of the SS, which was concerned alone with that. The SS, so far as I know, is the only organization, which played a part in the concentration camp picture, except at the very end of the war when I thin, as Colonel Storey said yesterday, some members of the SA were also involved as guard personnel of concentration camps.
THE TRIBUNAL (Mr. Biddle): Do you know the total personnel at the end of the War?
MAJOR FARR: Of the entire SS?
MR. BIDDLE: Yes.
MAJOR FARR: That is something you would have to estimate. I quoted to the Tribunal yesterday the figures that d'Alquen gave as to the strength of the Allgemeine SS in 1939. He said then that there were about 240,000 men in the Allgemeine SS. There were at that time about 4 regiments of Death-Head units, several other regiments of the Verfuegungsgruppe, a few thousand personnel involved in the SD, so that I should say in 1939 you had about 250,000 to 300,000 members of the SS. With the outbreak of the war, the Waffen SS was built up from a few regiments of the Verfuegungsgruppe to about 31 divisions at the end of the war, which would probably mean that the Waffen So, by 1941, had had soma 400,000 to 500,000 persons involved. I take it that 400,000 to 500,000 members of the Waffen SS would be in addition to personnel of the Allgemeine SS, who were subject to compulsary military service in the Wehrmacht. So that, if I had to estimate, I would say that probably some 750,000 persons would be the top figure of personnel, who had been involved in the SS from the beginning, but that is an estimate.
MR. BIDDLE: Then you have no breakdown to show how many of those were civilians, clerks, stenographers, soldiers and so on?
MAJOR FAR: No. When we are talking about SS members, we are not talking about stenographers who worked in the office, who were not members of the SS. By SS members, we mean personnel who took oath and appeared on the membership list, either as a member of the Allgemeine SS, the Death-Head unit, or the Waffen SS. I would think that my figure of 750,000 was a figure including members of the SS, Allgemeine SS, the Totenkopfverbande, and the Waffen SS. WVHA in 1942, which was coincident with the shift in the basic purpose of the camps, which, theretofore had been concerned with custody of individuals for political and security reasons. Now the basic purpose of the camps was to furnish manpower and I now want to point out to the Court the agencies of the SS, which were involved in that manpower drive.
was issued in 1942 shortly after the transfer to WVHA of concentration camp control, directing Security Police to furnish at once 35,000 prisoners qualified to work in the camps. That order is our Document 1063-PS, and was received in evidence as US Exhibit No. 219.
35,000 prisoners was, of course, merely the beginning. The SS dragnet was capable of catching many more slaves. I offer in evidence a carbon typewritten copy of a directive to all the departments of the SS Supreme Command, issued from Himmler's field headquarters on August 5, 1943. It is our Document No. 744-PS. I offer it as U.S. Exhibit 455 That directive appears on page 2 of the translation. It implements an order signed by the Defendant Keitel, directing the use of all males, captured in guerilla fighting in the East, for forced labor. The Keitel directive appears on page 1 of the translation. the translation. The Tribunal will note that it is addressed to every main office of the SS Supreme Command. I read that list of addressees of the directives:
"(1) Chief of the personal staff of Reichsfuehrer SS.
(2) SS Main Office.
(3) Reich Security Main Office (RSHA).
(4) Race and resettlement main office-SS (5) Main office, ordinary police (6) SS economic administrative main office.
(7) SS personal main office.
(8) Main office SS court (9) SS Supreme Command - Headquarters of Waffen SS.
(10) Staff Headquarters of the Reichcommissar for the consolidation of (11) Main office center for Racial Germans.
(12) Office of SS Obergruppenfuehrer Heissmeyer.
(13) Chief of the guerilla-fighting units."
the chart, is a recipient of that directive. The next addressees are the I continue to quote the body of the directive:
"I order, that all young female prisoners, capable of work are to be "Childred, old women and men are to be follected and employed in the somen's and children's camps, established by me, on estates as well as on the border of the evacuated area."
this time 100,000 Jew from Hungary. The Tribunal will recall the minutes of the Defendant Speer's discussion with Hitler on April 6 and 7, 1944, Hitler's statement that he would call on the Reich fuehrer SS to produce The last source of manpower had not been tapped.
To Jews, deportees, war.
It was through the SS that the conspirators squeezed the last drop already been introduced in evidence as U.S. Exhibit 179.
The statement is R-124, the next to the last paragraph on page 13.
That appears in Volume 2 of the Document Book.
I quote:
"Speer: We have come to an arrangement with the Reichsguehrer SS as soon as possible so that PW's he picks up are made available for our pur poses.
The Reichsfuehrer SS gets from 30 to 40 thousand men per month."
camps on 25 September 1944. I offer in evidence the letter referring to his appointment.
It is our Document 058-PS. It is U.S. Exhibit 456. It will be found in Volume 1 of the Document Book.
That letter is a cir 1944 and signed "M. Bormann". I quote, beginning with the first paragraph of that letter:
"1. The Fuehrer has ordered under the date 25 September 1944:
'The suctody of all prisoners of war and interned persons, transferred to the commander of the Reserve Army from Ocotober 1, 1944.
'" (a) and (c), I quote:
"2. The Reichsfuehrer SS has commanded:
(a) In my capacity as Commander of the Reserve Army, I transfer the affairs of prisoners of war to Gottleb Berger, SS-Lieut.
General, Chief of Staff of the Volkstums."
Skipping now to sub-paragraph (c):
"(c) The mobilization of labor of the prisoners of war will be tween SS-Lieut.
General Berger, and SS-Lieut. General Pohl.
"The strengthening of security in the field of prisoners of war affairs is to be accomplished between SS-Lieut.
General Berger and the Chief of the Security Police, SS-Lieut.
Gen. Dr. Kaltenbrunner."
mates for use in the aircraft industry. The Tribunal will recall his tele by Mr. Dodd, as U.S. Exhibit No. 221.
Let me now read Himmler's reply to that teletype.
It is our Document 1584-PS, Part 3, and will be found on page 2 of Part 3 of 1584-PS.
I offer it in evidence as U.S.A. Exhibit 457.
I quote the beginning of that letter:
"Most Honored Reichsmarshal:
"Following my teletype letter of the 18 February 1944 I herewith "This survey indicates that at the present time about 36,000 prisoners are employed for the purposes of the air force.
An increase to a total "The production is being discussed, established and executed between main office.
SS-Obergruppenfuehrer and General of the Waffen-SS, Pohl "We assist with all forces at our disposal.
"The task of my economic-administrative main office, however, is not (Kommandos) and therefore have some influence on the results of production.
found on the next page of the translation:
"The movement of manufacturing plants of the aviation industry 100,000 prisoners.
The plans for this employment on the basis of your letter of 14.
Feb. 1944 are already under way.
"I shall keep you, most honored Reichsmarshal, currently informed on this subject."
Incidentally, I might call to the Tribunal's attention the fact that SS Obergruppenfuehrer Pohl, who was head of the WVHA, was also a general of the Waffen SS, which goes to show that there is no manner in which you can characterize the functions in the SS. efforts is illustrated by our Document 1166-PS, which I offered in evidence yesterday as U.S. Exhibit 458. This document is a report from Office Group D of WVHA, dated 15 August 1944. I shall read the first page of that report, beginning:
"with reference to the above-mentioned telephone call, I am sending herewith a report on the actual number of prisoners for 1.8.1944 and of the new arrivals already announced, as well as the clothing report for 15.8.44.
"(1) The actual number on 1.8.44, consisted of:
a) male prisoners 379,167
b) female prisoners 145,119 "In addition, there are the following new arrivals:
1) from the Hungary program (anti-Jewish action) 90,000
2) from Litzmannstadt (Police prison and Ghetto) 60,000
3) Poles from the General Government 15,000
4) Convicts from the Eastern Territories 10,000
5) former Polish officers 17,000
6) from Warsaw (Poles) 400,000
7) continued arrivals from France approx.15,000-- 20,000 "Most of the prisoners are already on the way and will be received into the Concentration Camps within the next few days."
the program which WVHA had already undertaken to exterminate certain classes of individuals in the camps. I offer a photostatic copy of a letter from WVHA, dated 27 April 1943, our document 1933-PS. It is U.S. Exhibit 459. The letter is addressed to a, number of concentration camp commanders, is signed by Gluecks, SS Brigade Fuehrer and Major General of the Waffen SS. I read the letter:
"The Reich Fuehrer-SS and Chief of German Police has decided, after consultation, that in the future only mentally sick prisoners may be selected for action 14 F 13 by the medical commissions appointed for this purpose.
"All other prisoners incapable of working (tubercular cases, bed-ridden cripples etc.) are to be basically excepted from this action. Bed-ridden prisoners are to be drafted for suitable work which they can perform in bed.
"The order of the Reich Fuehrer SS is to be obeyed strictly in the future.
"Requests for fuel for this purpose therefore do not take place."
The action "4 F 13" is not defined in the letter, but it is perfectly apparent what it means. Every human being, bedridden, crippled, no matter what his physical condition, from whom any work at all could be extracted, was to be excepted from the action. Only the insane, from whom nothing could be expected, were to suffer the action. What could the action be? It is perfectly apparent. The action was extermination. that of increased production and of elimination of undesirables. The Tribunal will recall the agreement between Minister of Justice Thierack and Himmler on September 18, 1942, our Document No.654-PS, which was read in evidence by Mr. Dodd as U.S. Exhibit No.218, I am not going to quote again from that document, but will remind the Tribunal that the agreement provided for the delivery of anti-social elements after the execution of their sentences, to the Reichsfuehrer SS. to be worked to death.
well calculated to lead to their deaths. Those conditions were regulated by the WVHA. As an illustration of WVHA management, I call the Court's attention to our Document 2189-PS, which I offer in evidence as U.S. Exhibit 460. It is an order directed to commandants of concentration camps, dated 11 August 1942, and bearing the facsimile signature, which does not appear on the translation, but does appear on the original, of SS Brigade Fuehrer and General of the Waffen SS Gluecks, who was Chief of Office Group D of WVHA. That is Document 2189-PS. I read the body of that letter:
"The Reichsfuehrer SS and Chief of the German Police has ordered that punishment by beating will be executed in concentration camps for women by prisoners -- under the ordered supervision.
"In order to coordinate this order the main office chief of the main SS economic administration office, SS-Obergruppenfuehrer and General of the Waffen SS Pohl, has ordered, effective immediately, that punishment by beating will also be executed by prisoners in concentration camps for men.
"It is forbidden to have foreign prisoners execute the punishment on German prisoners." of WVHA. I refer the Court to our Document 2199-PS, a letter to comnanders of concentration camps, dated 12 September 1942, and signed by the Chief of the Central Office of Office Group D of WVHA, SS Obersturmbannfuehrer Leibehenschel. I offer this as U.S. Exhibit 461. I shall read the body of that directive, which appears on page 1 of the translation of 2199-PS. I quote:
"According to a communication of the Chief of the Security Police and the SD, and conforming to a report of the Chief of Security Police and SD in Prague, urns of deceased Czechs and Jews were sent for burial to the home-cemeteries within the Protectorate.
"Based on different events (Demonstrations, erecting of posters inimical to the Reich on urns of deceased inmates in halls of cemeteries in the home-communities, pilgrimages to the graves of deceased inmates etc.)
within the Protectorate, the delivery of urns with the ash remnants of deceased Nationals of the Protectorate and of Jews is henceforth prohibited. The urns shall be preserved within the Concentration Camps. In case of doubt about the preservation of the urns oral instructions shall be available at this agency."
The SS indeed regarded the inmates of concentration camps as its own personal property to be used for its own economic advantage. The tribunal will recall that as early as 1942, the Defendant Speer recognised that the SS was motivated by the desire for further profits when he suggested to Hitler that the SS receive a share of the war equipment produced by concentration camp labor in ratio to the working hours of the prisoners. I refer to our Document R-124, at page 136, which was read into evidence by Mr. Dodd as U.S. Exhibit 179. The Fuehrer agreed that a 3 to 5% share would satisfy SS commanders. Himmler himself frankly admitted his intention to derive profits for SS purposes from the camps, in his speech to the officers of the SS Leibstandarte "Adolf Hitler," our Document No. 1918-PS, U.S. Exhibit No. 304 -- the passage in question being found at the top of page 3 of the English translation and on page 10 of the original German, 7 lines from the bottom. The passage begins:
"The apartment-building program, which is the prerequisite for a healthy Nobody is going to give me the money.
It must be earned, and it will criminals, to do positive work.
The man guarding those prisoners serves just as hard as the one on close-order drill.
The one who does this to four months, and we shall see:
in peacetime, I shall form guard inferior beings and inferior races.
This activity is necessary, as I bake bricks, so that the Fuehrer can again erect his grand buildings;raise large families, and have lots of children.
This in turn is we will not be able to rule the world."
mentioned. That is its direction of the program of biological experiments on human beings, which was carried on in the camps. Just a few days ago, another military tribunal passed judgment on some of those who participated in the experiments at Dachau.
THE PRESIDENT: There is no date on that document you just read; is there?
MAJOR FARR: There appears to be no date on the English translation. The original document bears the notation of a speech in April, 1943.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes?
MAJOR FARR (continuing): At a later stage in this case, evidence of some of the details of this program of experiments will be presented. It is no my purpose to deal with those experiments from the substantive aspect. I shall show only that they were the result of SS direction, and that the SS played a vital part in their successful execution.
The program seems to have originated in a request by Dr. Sigmund Rascher to Himmler, for permission to utilize persons in concentration camps as material for experiiments with human, beings, in connection with research he was conducting on behalf of the Luftwaffe. I refer to our Document 1602-PS, a photostatic copy of a letter, dated 15 May 1941, addressed to the Reichsfuehrer SS, and signed "S. Rascher." I offer it as U.S. Exhibit 454. I shall quote from the 2nd paragraph of the translation, the fourth paragraph of the original letter. I quote:
"For the time being I have been assigned to the Luftgaukommando VII, Munich, for a medical course.
During this course, where researches on high-altitude flights play a prominent part (determined by the somewhat higher ceiling of the English fighter planes)considerable and nobody volunteers for them.
I put, therefore, the serious question:
can you make available two or three professional criminals for these experiments?
The experiments are made at "Bodenstaendige Bruefstells fuer Hoehenforschung der Luftwaffe"), Munich.
The take place with my cooperation.
They are essential for test-conditions.
I have had a very confidential talk with a experiments.
He is also of the opinion that the problem in (Feeble-minded could also be used as that material)."Dr. Rascher promptly received assurance from the SS that he would be allowed to utilize concentration camp inmates for his experiments.
to Dr. Rascher, and bearing the stamp of the Personal Staff of the Reichsfuehrer SS, and the initials, "K Br", which initials are those of SS Sturmbannfuehrer Karl Brandt. I offer this letter as U.S. Exhibit 462. I quote the first two paragraphs of that letter:
"Dear Dr. Rascher:
"Shortly before flying to Oslo, the Reichsfuehrer SS gave me your "I can inform you that prisoners will of course be gladly made available for high-flight researches.
I have informed the be instructed to get in touch with you."
General Field Marshal Milch, on behalf of the Luftwaffe, expressed his thanks to the SS for the assistance it furnished in connection with the experiments.
I refer to our document No. 343, and I offer in evidence an original letter, dated 20 May 1942, addressed to SS Obergruppenfuehrer Wolff, and signed E. Milch, as U. S. Exhibit 463. That letter, which appears on page two of the translation, and on page one of the original German, is as follows: "Dear Wolffe (the German says, "Liebes Woelffehen):
"In reference to your telegram of 12 May our sanitary inspector reports to me that the altitude experiments carried out by the SS and Air Force at Dachau have been finished. Any continuation of these experiments seems essentially unreasonable. However the carrying out of experiments of some other kind, in regard to perils at high seas, would be important. These have been prepared in immediate agreement with the proper offices; Major (M.C.) Weltz will be charged with the execution and Capt, (M.C.) Rascher will be made available until further orders in addition to his duties within the Medical Corps of the Air Corps. A change of these measures does not appear necessary, and an enlargement of the task is not considered pressing at this time.
"The low-pressure chamber would not be needed for these lowtemperature experiments. It is urgently needed at another place and therefore can no longer remain in Dachau.
"I convey the special thanks from the supreme commander of the Air Corps to the SS for their extensive cooperation.
"I remain with best wishes for you in good comradeship and with Heil Hitler!/s/ E. Milch"
THE PRESIDENT: Major Farr, hadn't you better read the letter on the preceding page? It may be capable of an explanation.
MAJOR FARR: The letter on the preceding page is dated 31 August 1942, is also from General Field Marshal Milch, and is addressed to the Reichsfuehrer SS. It reads as follows: "Dear Mr. Himmler:
"I thank you very much for your letter of the 25th of August. I have read with great interest the reports of Dr. Rascher and Dr. Romberg.
I am informed about the current experiments. I shall ask the two gentlemen to give a lecture, combined with the showing of motion pictures, to my men in the near future.
"Hoping that it will be possible for me to see you at the occasion of my next visit to Headquarters, I remain with best regards and Heil Hitler!E. Milch."
Having finished his high altitude experiments, Dr. Rascher proceeded to experiment with methods of rewarming persons who had been subjected to extreme cold. I refer to our Document 1618-PS, which is an intermediate report on intense chilling experiments which had been started in Dachau on 15 August 1942. That report, signed by Dr. Rascher, I offer in evidence as U. S. Exhibit 464. I shall read only a few sentences from the report, beginning with the first paragraph:
"Experimental procedure "The experimental subjects (V P) were placed in the water, dressed in complete flying uniform, winter or summer combination, and with an aviator's helmet.
A life jacket made of rubber or kapok was to prevent submerging. The experiments were carried out at water temperatures varying from 2.5 degrees to 12 degrees. In one experimental series, occiput and brain stem protuded above the water, while in another series of experiments, the occiput and brain stem back of the head were submerged in the water.
"Electrical measurements gave low temperature readings of 26.4 degrees in the stomach and 26.5 degrees in the rectum. Fatalities occurred only when the brain stem and the back of the head were also chilled. Autopsies of such fatal cases always revealed large amounts of free blood, up to 1/2 liter, in the cranial cavity. The heart invariably showed extreme dilation of the night chamber. As soon as the temperature in these experiments reached 28 degrees, the experimental subjects (V P) died invariably, despite all attempts at resuscitation."