6. Between September 1939 and April 1945 all of the defendants herein
unlawfully, willfully, and knowingly committed war crimes, as defined by
Article II of Control Council Law No. 10, in that they were principals
in, accessories to, ordered, abetted, took a consenting part in, and
were connected with plans and enterprises involving medical experiments
without the subjects’ consent, upon civilians and members of the armed
forces of nations then at war with the German Reich and who were in the
custody of the German Reich in exercise of belligerent control, in the
course of which experiments the defendants committed murders,
brutalities, cruelties, tortures, atrocities, and other inhuman acts.
Such experiments included, but were not limited to, the following:
(_A_) _High-Altitude Experiments._ From about March 1942 to about August
1942 experiments were conducted at the Dachau concentration camp, for
the benefit of the German Air Force, to investigate the limits of human
endurance and existence at extremely high altitudes. The experiments
were carried out in a low-pressure chamber in which the atmospheric
conditions and pressures prevailing at high altitude (up to 68,000 feet)
could be duplicated. The experimental subjects were placed in the
low-pressure chamber and thereafter the simulated altitude therein was
raised. Many victims died as a result of these experiments and others
suffered grave injury, torture, and ill-treatment. The defendants Karl
Brandt, Handloser, Schroeder, Gebhardt, Rudolf Brandt, Mrugowsky,
Poppendick, Sievers, Ruff, Romberg, Becker-Freyseng, and Weltz are
charged with special responsibility for and participation in these
crimes.
(_B_) _Freezing Experiments._ From about August 1942 to about May 1943
experiments were conducted at the Dachau concentration camp, primarily
for the benefit of the German Air Force, to investigate the most
effective means of treating persons who had been severely chilled or
frozen. In one series of experiments the subjects were forced to remain
in a tank of ice water for periods up to 3 hours. Extreme rigor
developed in a short time. Numerous victims died in the course of these
experiments. After the survivors were severely chilled, rewarming was
attempted by various means. In another series of experiments, the
subjects were kept naked outdoors for many hours at temperatures below
freezing. The victims screamed with pain as parts of their bodies froze.
The defendants Karl Brand, Handloser, Schroeder, Gebhardt, Rudolf
Brandt, Mrugowsky, Poppendick, Sievers, Becker-Freyseng, and Weltz are
charged with special responsibility for and participation in these
crimes.
(_C_) _Malaria Experiments._ From about February 1942 to about April
1945 experiments were conducted at the Dachau concentration camp in
order to investigate immunization for and treatment of malaria. Healthy
concentration-camp inmates were infected by mosquitoes or by injections
of extracts of the mucous glands of mosquitoes. After having contracted
malaria the subjects were treated with various drugs to test their
relative efficacy. Over 1,000 involuntary subjects were used in these
experiments. Many of the victims died and others suffered severe pain
and permanent disability. The defendants Karl Brandt, Handloser,
Rostock, Gebhardt, Blome, Rudolf Brandt, Mrugowsky, Poppendick, and
Sievers are charged with special responsibility for and participation in
these crimes.
(_D_) _Lost (Mustard) Gas Experiments._ At various times between
September 1939 and April 1945 experiments were conducted at
Sachsenhausen, Natzweiler, and other concentration camps for the benefit
of the German Armed Forces to investigate the most effective treatment
of wounds caused by Lost gas. Lost is a poison gas which is commonly
known as mustard gas. Wounds deliberately inflicted on the subjects were
infected with Lost. Some of the subjects died as a result of these
experiments and others suffered intense pain and injury. The defendants
Karl Brandt, Handloser, Blome, Rostock, Gebhardt, Rudolf Brandt, and
Sievers are charged with special responsibility for and participation in
these crimes.
(_E_) _Sulfanilamide Experiments._ From about July 1942 to about
September 1943 experiments to investigate the effectiveness of
sulfanilamide were conducted at the Ravensbrueck concentration camp for
the benefit of the German Armed Forces. Wounds deliberately inflicted on
the experimental subjects were infected with bacteria such as
streptococcus, gas gangrene, and tetanus. Circulation of blood was
interrupted by tying off blood vessels at both ends of the wound to
create a condition similar to that of a battlefield wound. Infection was
aggravated by forcing wood shavings and ground glass into the wounds.
The infection was treated with sulfanilamide and other drugs to
determine their effectiveness. Some subjects died as a result of these
experiments and others suffered serious injury and intense agony. The
defendants Karl Brandt, Handloser, Rostock, Schroeder, Genzken,
Gebhardt, Blome, Rudolf Brandt, Mrugowsky, Poppendick, Becker-Freyseng,
Oberheuser, and Fischer are charged with special responsibility for and
participation in these crimes.
(_F_) _Bone, Muscle, and Nerve Regeneration and Bone Transplantation
Experiments._ From about September 1942 to about December 1943
experiments were conducted at the Ravensbrueck concentration camp, for
the benefit of the German Armed Forces, to study bone, muscle, and nerve
regeneration, and bone transplantation from one person to another.
Sections of bones, muscles, and nerves were removed from the subjects.
As a result of these operations, many victims suffered intense agony,
mutilation, and permanent disability. The defendants Karl Brandt,
Handloser, Rostock, Gebhardt, Rudolf Brandt, Oberheuser, and Fischer are
charged with special responsibility for and participation in these
crimes.
(_G_) _Sea-water Experiments._ From about July 1944 to about September
1944 experiments were conducted at the Dachau concentration camp, for
the benefit of the German Air Force and Navy, to study various methods
of making sea-water drinkable. The subjects were deprived of all food
and given only chemically processed sea-water. Such experiments caused
great pain and suffering and resulted in serious bodily injury to the
victims. The defendants Karl Brandt, Handloser, Rostock, Schroeder,
Gebhardt, Rudolf Brandt, Mrugowsky, Poppendick, Sievers,
Becker-Freyseng, Schaefer, and Beiglboeck are charged with special
responsibility for and participation in these crimes.
(_H_) _Epidemic Jaundice Experiments._ From about June 1943 to about
January 1945 experiments were conducted at the Sachsenhausen and
Natzweiler concentration camps, for the benefit of the German Armed
Forces, to investigate the causes of, and inoculations against, epidemic
jaundice. Experimental subjects were deliberately infected with epidemic
jaundice, some of whom died as a result, and others were caused great
pain and suffering. The defendants Karl Brandt, Handloser, Rostock,
Schroeder, Gebhardt, Rudolf Brandt, Mrugowsky, Poppendick, Sievers,
Rose, and Becker-Freyseng are charged with special responsibility for
and participation in these crimes.
(_I_) _Sterilization Experiments._ From about March 1941 to about
January 1945 sterilization experiments were conducted at the Auschwitz
and Ravensbrueck concentration camps, and other places. The purpose of
these experiments was to develop a method of sterilization which would
be suitable for sterilizing millions of people with a minimum of time
and effort. These experiments were conducted by means of X-ray, surgery,
and various drugs. Thousands of victims were sterilized and thereby
suffered great mental and physical anguish. The defendants Karl Brandt,
Gebhardt, Rudolf Brandt, Mrugowsky, Poppendick, Brack, Pokorny, and
Oberheuser are charged with special responsibility for and participation
in these crimes.
(_J_) _Spotted Fever (Fleckfieber)[2] Experiments._ From about December
1941 to about February 1945 experiments were conducted at the Buchenwald
and Natzweiler concentration camps, for the benefit of the German Armed
Forces, to investigate the effectiveness of spotted fever and other
vaccines. At Buchenwald numerous healthy inmates were deliberately
infected with spotted fever virus in order to keep the virus alive; over
90 percent of the victims died as a result. Other healthy inmates were
used to determine the effectiveness of different spotted fever vaccines
and of various chemical substances. In the course of these experiments
75 percent of the selected number of inmates were vaccinated with one of
the vaccines or nourished with one of the chemical substances and, after
a period of 3 to 4 weeks, were infected with spotted fever germs. The
remaining 25 percent were infected without any previous protection in
order to compare the effectiveness of the vaccines and the chemical
substances. As a result, hundreds of the persons experimented upon died.
Experiments with yellow fever, smallpox, typhus, paratyphus[3] A and B,
cholera, and diphtheria were also conducted. Similar experiments with
like results were conducted at Natzweiler concentration camp. The
defendants Karl Brandt, Handloser, Rostock, Schroeder, Genzken,
Gebhardt, Rudolf Brandt, Mrugowsky, Poppendick, Sievers, Rose,
Becker-Freyseng, and Hoven are charged with special responsibility for
and participation in these crimes.
(_K_) _Experiments with Poison._ In or about December 1943, and in or
about October 1944, experiments were conducted at the Buchenwald
concentration camp to investigate the effect of various poisons upon
human beings. The poisons were secretly administered to experimental
subjects in their food. The victims died as a result of the poison or
were killed immediately in order to permit autopsies. In or about
September 1944 experimental subjects were shot with poison bullets and
suffered torture and death. The defendants Genzken, Gebhardt, Mrugowsky,
and Poppendick are charged with special responsibility for and
participation in these crimes.
(_L_) _Incendiary Bomb Experiments._ From about November 1943 to about
January 1944 experiments were conducted at the Buchenwald concentration
camp to test the effect of various pharmaceutical preparations on
phosphorous burns. These burns were inflicted on experimental subjects
with phosphorous matter taken from incendiary bombs, and caused severe
pain, suffering, and serious bodily injury. The defendants Genzken,
Gebhardt, Mrugowsky, and Poppendick are charged with special
responsibility for and participation in these crimes.
7. Between June 1943 and September 1944 the defendants Rudolf Brandt and
Sievers unlawfully, willfully, and knowingly committed war crimes, as
defined by Article II of Control Council Law No. 10, in that they were
principals in, accessories to, ordered, abetted, took a consenting part
in, and were connected with plans and enterprises involving the murder
of civilians and members of the armed forces of nations then at war with
the German Reich and who were in the custody of the German Reich in
exercise of belligerent control. One hundred twelve Jews were selected
for the purpose of completing a skeleton collection for the Reich
University of Strasbourg. Their photographs and anthropological
measurements were taken. Then they were killed. Thereafter, comparison
tests, anatomical research, studies regarding race, pathological
features of the body, form and size of the brain, and other tests, were
made. The bodies were sent to Strasbourg and defleshed.
8. Between May 1942 and January 1944[4] the defendants Blome and Rudolf
Brandt unlawfully, willfully, and knowingly committed war crimes, as
defined by Article II of Control Council Law No. 10, in that they were
principals in, accessories to, ordered, abetted, took a consenting part
in, and were connected with plans and enterprises involving the murder
and mistreatment of tens of thousands of Polish nationals who were
civilians and members of the armed forces of a nation then at war with
the German Reich and who were in the custody of the German Reich in
exercise of belligerent control. These people were alleged to be
infected with incurable tuberculosis. On the ground of insuring the
health and welfare of Germans in Poland, many tubercular Poles were
ruthlessly exterminated while others were isolated in death camps with
inadequate medical facilities.
9. Between September 1939 and April 1945 the defendants Karl Brandt,
Blome, Brack, and Hoven unlawfully, willfully, and knowingly committed
war crimes, as defined by Article II of Control Council Law No. 10, in
that they were principals in, accessories to, ordered, abetted, took a
consenting part in, and were connected with plans and enterprises
involving the execution of the so-called “euthanasia” program of the
German Reich in the course of which the defendants herein murdered
hundreds of thousands of human beings, including nationals of
German-occupied countries. This program involved the systematic and
secret execution of the aged, insane, incurably ill, of deformed
children, and other persons, by gas, lethal injections, and diverse
other means in nursing homes, hospitals, and asylums. Such persons were
regarded as “useless eaters” and a burden to the German war machine. The
relatives of these victims were informed that they died from natural
causes, such as heart failure. German doctors involved in the
“euthanasia” program were also sent to Eastern occupied countries to
assist in the mass extermination of Jews.
10. The said war crimes constitute violations of international
conventions, particularly of Articles 4, 5, 6, 7, and 46 of the Hague
Regulations, 1907, and of Articles 2, 3, and 4 of the Prisoner-of-War
Convention (Geneva, 1929), the laws and customs of war, the general
principles of criminal law as derived from the criminal laws of all
civilized nations, the internal penal laws of the countries in which
such crimes were committed, and of Article II of Control Council Law No.
10.