These experiments proved that from 14 kilometers on down severest bends
occurred which remained until the ground was reached. The detrimental
effects caused by these experiments manifested themselves at the
beginning as unconsciousness, and subsequently as spastic and limp
paralysis, catotomy, stereotypy, and as retrograde amnesia lasting
several hours. About 1 hour after the end of the experiment the VP’s for
the most part were still disoriented as to time and locality. The blood
picture often showed a shift to the left; albumen and red and white
blood corpuscles were regularly found in the urine after the experiment;
cylinders were sometimes found. After several hours or days the blood
and urine returned to normal. The changes of the electrocardiograph were
reversible.
Contrary to descending tests on parachutes without oxygen, descending
tests with oxygen were carried out from heights up to 18 kilometers. It
was proved that on the average the VP’s regained the normal function of
their senses at 12 to 13 kilometers. No disturbances of general
conditions occurred during any of these experiments. Brief
unconsciousness at the beginning of the experiment caused no lasting
disturbances. Urine and blood showed only a slight change.
4. As the long time of descent on parachutes, under actual conditions,
would cause severe freezing even if no detrimental effects were caused
by lack of oxygen, VP’s were brought by sudden decreases in pressure
with a cutting torch from 8 to 20 kilometers, simulating the damage to
the pressure-machine of the high-altitude airplane. After a waiting
period of 10 seconds, corresponding to stepping out of the machine, the
VP’s were made to fall from this height with oxygen to a height where
breathing is possible. The VP’s awoke between 10 and 12 kilometers and
at about 8 kilometers pulled the parachute lever.
5. In experiments of falling from the same height without oxygen, the
VP’s regained normal function of their senses only between 2 and 5
kilometers.
6. Experiments testing the effect of pervitin on the organism during
parachute jumps, proved that the severe after-effects, as mentioned
under No. 3, were considerably milder. The ability to withstand the
conditions at high altitudes was only slightly improved, while the
bends, since they were not noticed, occurred suddenly
(restraint-loosening effects of pervitin).
7. Dr. Kliches, of the Charles University in Prague, reports in the
publication of the Reich Research Council: “By prolonged breathing of
oxygen, human beings should theoretically be kept fully fit up to 13
kilometers. In practice, the limit is around 11 kilometers. Experiments
which I carried out in this connection proved that with pure oxygen no
lowering of the measurable raw energy (ergometer) was noticeable up to
13.3 kilometers. The VP’s merely became unwilling since pains of the
body cavities grew too severe, due to the lowering of pressure between
body and thin air. When pure oxygen was inhaled bends occurred in all 25
cases only at heights above 14.2 kilometers.”
As practical result of the more than 200 experiments conducted at
Dachau, the following can be assumed:
Flying in altitudes higher than 12 kilometers without pressure-cabin or
pressure-suit is impossible even while breathing pure oxygen. If the
airplane pressure-machine is damaged at altitudes of 13 kilometers and
higher, the crew will not be able to bail out of the damaged plane
themselves since at that height the bends appear rather suddenly. It
must be requested that the crew should be removed automatically from the
plane, for instance, by catapulting the seats by means of compressed
air. Descending with opened parachute without oxygen would cause severe
injuries due to the lack of oxygen, besides causing severe freezing;
consciousness would not be regained until the ground was reached.
Therefore the following is to be requested: 1. A parachute with
barometrically controlled opening. 2. A portable oxygen apparatus for
the jump.
For the following experiments Jewish professional criminals who had
committed race pollution were used. The question of the formation of
embolism was investigated in 10 cases. Some of the VP’s died during a
continued high-altitude experiment; for instance, after one-half hour at
a height of 12 kilometers. After the skull had been opened under water
an ample amount of air embolism was found in the brain vessels and, in
part, free air in the brain ventricles.
To find out whether the severe psychic and physical effects, as
mentioned under No. 3, are due to the formation of embolism, the
following was done: After relative recuperation from such a parachute
descending test had taken place, however, before regaining
consciousness, some VP’s were kept under water until they died. When the
skull and the cavities of the breast and of the abdomen had been opened
under water, an enormous amount of air embolism was found in the vessels
of the brain, the coronary vessels, and the vessels of the liver and the
intestines, etc.
That proves that air embolism, so far considered as absolutely fatal, is
not fatal at all, but that is reversible as shown by the return to
normal conditions of all the other VP’s.
It was also proved by experiments that air embolism occurs in
practically all vessels even while pure oxygen is being inhaled. One VP
was made to breathe pure oxygen for 2½ hours before the experiment
started. After 6 minutes at a height of 20 kilometers, he died and at
dissection also showed ample air embolism, as was the case in all other
experiments.
At sudden decreases in pressure and subsequent immediate falls to
heights where breathing is possible, no deep reaching damages due to air
embolism could be noted. The formation of air embolism always needs a
certain amount of time.
[Signed] DR. RASCHER
PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT NO-402
PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 66
LETTER, 29 SEPTEMBER 1942, AND REPORT, 28 JULY 1942, FROM ROMBERG AND
RUFF TO HIMMLER CONCERNING EXPERIMENTS ON RESCUE FROM HIGH ALTITUDES
German Aviation Research Institute
Berlin-Adlershof, Rudower Ch. 16-25
[Stamp] Secret
To the Reich Leader SS
Berlin SW 11
Prinz-Albrechtstr. 8
Your Ref.
Your communication of DVL-Ref. Day
R/Ru/Ko 2098/42, 22 September 1942
Military Secret
Re: Report “Experiments on Rescue from High Altitudes”
[handwritten] to files
B [initial]
Enclosed we submit copies Nos. 2, 3, and 4 of the report “Experiments on
Rescue from High Altitudes” for your files.
German Aviation Research Institute
per procura
[Signed] DR. ROMBERG
L. RUFF
[handwritten]
Report-3-received 2 November
[Signed] SIEVERS, SS Oberfuehrer
_3 enclosures_
Personal Staff Reich Leader SS 29 September 1942
Diary No. 1348/42 To RF
[handwritten] 1943
Top Secret [stamp]
EXPERIMENTS ON RESCUE FROM HIGH ALTITUDES.[24]
_Abstract_: A report is to be made on experiments in which the
possibility of rescue from high altitudes in the
low-pressure chamber is studied. Experiments were made at
parachute sinking speeds up to 15 km. [49,200 ft.] without
oxygen, and up to 18 km. [59,100 ft.] with oxygen
breathing, as well as falling experiments speeds up to 21
km. [68,900 ft.] altitude with and without oxygen. The
results with practical significance will be discussed
below.
Organization: I. Introduction and statement of the problem.
II. Procedure of the experiment.
III. Results of the experiment.
1. Descending experiments without O_{2} breathing.
2. Descending experiments with O_{2} breathing.
3. Falling experiments without O_{2} breathing.
4. Falling experiments with O_{2} breathing.
IV. Discussion of the results.
V. Conclusions from the results.
VI. Summary.
Bibliography.
The report includes 28 pages with 3 figures and 6 tables.
German Aviation Research Institute
For the Institute
[signed]: L. RUFF
The Authors:
[Draft copy signed by] DR. RASCHER
Stabsarzt der Lw.
[signed] DR. ROMBERG.
Berlin, Adlershof, 28 July 1942.
Rf 401/20
[page 2 of original]