Field Command Post
[Rubber stamp]: Personal Staff of Reich Leader SS
Documentation Section
File No.: Confidential
Field Command Post, 13 December 1942
The Reich Leader SS
Personal Staff
Journal No. 19/10/43 g, Bra/Secret
1. Hauptsturmfuehrer Dr. med. Rascher [illegible] * * * SS
2. Reich Leader SS Berlin
3. Medical Office in SS Fuehrungshauptamt (SS Operational Main Office)
Berlin
4. SS Obergruppenfuehrer Pohl, Berlin
5. Ahnenerbe Berlin-Dahlem
Enclosed I am sending you a letter of the Reich Leader SS (copy of same)
with an order for SS Hauptsturmfuehrer Dr. Rascher.
You are requested to duly note and accord needed assistance to
Hauptsturmfuehrer Dr. Rascher in the carrying through of his
experiments.
By order
[Initialed] B.
SS Obersturmbannfuehrer
Prinz Albrechtstrasse
[Rubber stamp] Personal Staff of Reich Leader SS
Documentation Section
Journal No.: Confidential
SS Hauptsturmfuehrer Dr. Rascher is being assigned by me to carry
through the following experiments:
1. Low-pressure chamber experiments—to be carried out under conditions
corresponding to those actually prevailing under normal operating
conditions—for rescue from high and extremely high altitudes.
Determination of changes in chemical equilibrium, as well as gas
equilibrium of human body. Experiments are to be repeated until a
scientifically incontestable basis for findings is established. Testing
of pressure-proof protection garments for the highest altitudes to be
carried out with the assistance of manufacturers of such protective
suits.
2. Tests for reimparting warmth after total chilling of the human body,
recording all changes of chemical and gas characteristics, are to be
further continued until complete clarification of doubtful questions. I
attach particular value to conditions for experiments coming as close to
actual conditions as possible, particularly as regards reimpartation of
warmth. Sauna equipment available in Dachau should be used in connection
with experiments on reimpartation of warmth.
3. Experiments on removal of effects due to freezing of parts of human
system, especially the extremities, to be carried through in suitable
form (e. g. applications with Gastein water).
4. Experiments concerned with adaptation to freezing cold in snow huts
(igloos) to be carried out under varying diets in order to establish
whether adaptation to cold [German text says “Gewaehrung”, i. e.
consent, which evidently is a typographical error] and resistance
increase against freezing is possible. These experiments are to be
carried out on the site of the SS Mountain Retreat Sudelfeld.
5. The procurement of the apparatus needed for all the experiments
should be discussed in detail with the offices of the Reicharzt SS, of
the SS Main Office for Economic Administration and with the Ahnenerbe.
The necessary chemical products, medical supplies, and glassware will be
made available by the SS Medical Office, Berlin.
6. Publication of results obtained in such tests subject to my approval
only.
[Signed] H. HIMMLER
EXTRACTS FROM THE TESTIMONY OF TRIBUNAL WITNESS WALTER NEFF[25]
_EXAMINATION BY PROSECUTION_
* * * * *
MR. MCHANEY: * * * When did the high-altitude experiments begin in
Dachau?
WITNESS NEFF: The first high-altitude experiments were on 22 February
1942. The so-called low-pressure chambers had been brought in earlier
and dismounted. The exact time when the chambers came is not known to
me.
Q. Why do you remember the date when the first experiments were made in
the low-pressure chambers so well?
A. The 22d of February is my birthday and the tubercular patients gave a
party for me. On that date the experiments started, and that is why I
remember the date.
* * * * *
Q. Will you tell the Tribunal who worked on these experiments?
A. The experiments were conducted by Dr. Rascher and Dr. Romberg. Ten
prisoners were selected and were taken to the station as permanent
experimental subjects; and they were told that nothing would happen to
them. In the beginning, the first 3 weeks, the experiments went off
without incident. One day, however, Rascher told me the next day he was
going to make a serious experiment and that he would need 16 Russians
who had been condemned to death, and he received these Russians. Then I
told Rascher that I would not help, and I actually got Rascher to send
me away to the tubercular ward. On that day I know for certain that
Rascher’s SS man Endres or other SS men conducted these experiments. Dr.
Romberg was not there that day. The SS man Endres took the Russian
prisoners of war to Rascher and in the evening the parties were taken
out. On the next day when I returned to the station, Endres was already
there and he said that two more, two Jews, would be killed. I am quoting
what he said. I left the station again, but I watched to see who would
be taken for the experiments. I saw the first one getting into the car.
I could only see his profile. It seemed familiar to me. I knew that man
worked in the hospital as a tailor. I tried to find out if it was really
that man. I went to the place where he worked, and I was told that
Endres had just taken the man away. The first person that I informed was
Dr. Romberg whom I met in the corridor. I told Romberg that this was not
a person who had been condemned to death, that this was a clear case of
murder on the responsibility of Endres. Romberg went with me to see
Rascher to clear the matter up, but it was discovered that Endres had
put this man in the experimental car because he had refused to make a
civilian suit for him. Rascher sent the man back; Endres went with him
and remarked: “Well, then you will get an injection today.” I must say
that Rascher interfered once more and put the man in safety into the
bunker. In the meantime, Endres had brought a second man up, a Czech,
whom I knew very well. Again it was Romberg together with me who talked
to Rascher to stop this experiment or to inquire why a man like Endres
was simply taking people who had never been condemned to death. Rascher
went to the camp commandant, Piorkowski, who personally came to the
station and Endres was transferred to Lublin immediately.
And now I come to the subject: it was actually the day on which my
comrade and I reached the decision that under all circumstances, no
matter what happened, I would not remain at this——
Q. Now, Witness, let me interrupt you just a minute. We will come back
and you can tell the full story then.
* * * * *
PRESIDING JUDGE BEALS: I will ask the Secretary General to turn this
book over to counsel for the prosecution, and defense counsel may
examine the book.
MR. MCHANEY: Now, Witness, before the recess, you had been telling the
Tribunal about the high-altitude experiments which you stated began on
22 February 1942, and you had related how early in March Rascher had
experimented upon some 15 Russians who were killed and you stated that
neither you nor the defendant Romberg were present on that occasion and
you then had gone on to relate that an SS man in Dachau named Endres had
brought in the tailor at the camp and wanted him to be experimented upon
and how you recognized the tailor and interceded with Romberg and had
this man returned. Now, before you continue with your story, I would
like to put some specific questions to you. It is true, is it not, that
concentration camp inmates were experimented on during these
high-altitude experiments?
WITNESS NEFF: Yes.
Q. About how many concentration camp inmates were subjected to these
high-altitude experiments?
A. There were 180 to 200 inmates who were subjected to the high-altitude
experiments.
Q. When, to the best of your recollection, did the high-altitude
experiments end?
A. The incident of the dead—I am afraid I didn’t quite get your
question. Will you repeat it?
Q. I am asking you, Witness, when the high-altitude experiments ended,
that is, when they were completed.
A. During the course of June—maybe the beginning of July, the
low-pressure chambers were taken away. I don’t recollect the exact date,
however.
Q. And you state that between 22 February 1942 and the end of June, or
the beginning of July 1942, approximately 180 to 200 concentration camp
inmates were experimented on?
A. Yes.
Q. What nationalities were the experimental subjects?
A. I cannot say that with certainty but I think that approximately all
nations were represented there; that is, all nations that were in the
camp, mostly Russians, Poles, Germans, and Jews belonging to any nation.
I do not remember any other nationalities being represented there.
Q. Were any of these experimental subjects prisoners of war?
A. Yes.
Q. What nationalities were they? Do you recall?
A. They were Russians.
Q. Now, will you tell the Tribunal how these experimental subjects were
selected?
A. The experimental subjects who had to be subjected to severe
experiments, experiments that would end in death, were requested by
Rascher from the camp administration and then furnished by the SS;
however, this procedure differed with the so-called series of
experiments and a number of other experiments. For those experiments,
the people were brought into the experimental station straight from the
camp, that is, from the blocks.
Q. Now, did they, to your knowledge, make any effort in the camp to
secure volunteers for these experiments?
A. There were certain volunteers for these experiments. That was because
Rascher promised certain persons that they would be released from the
camp if they underwent these experiments. He sometimes promised them
that they would be detailed to more favorable work.
Q. Now, about how many of such volunteers would you say there were for
the high-altitude experiments?
A. I do not know the exact number. It was not very high; approximately
10 inmates volunteered for that purpose.
Q. Did these volunteers come one at a time, or did they come in a body,
or just how did they present themselves to the experimental stations?
A. Rascher moved around the camp quite a lot and on that occasion the
inmates spoke to him.
Q. In other words, the camp officials and Rascher and Romberg made no
effort to find volunteers, did they?
A. I don’t know, but I should not think so. I should not think that they
made great efforts to get volunteers.
Q. Now, other than these approximately 10 persons who you state
presented themselves as volunteers, were all the rest of the
experimental subjects simply picked out and brought in and experimented
on?
A. Yes.
Q. Were any of these prisoners experimented upon released from the
concentration camp because they underwent the experiments?
A. There is only one man who was released after the high-altitude
experiments.
Q. And who was that?
A. An inmate with the name of Sobota.
Q. And did Sobota assist Rascher in his experimental work other than
simply undergoing the experiment? Was he something in the nature of an
assistant to Rascher?
A. No. Sobota was one of those persons who had to undergo most of the
experiments and he was also used on one experiment which was conducted
in the presence of the Reich Leader SS. On that occasion he was asked by
the Reich Leader how long he had been in the camp and he promised him
that he would be released. He was later sent to the Group Dirlewanger.
Q. Was it considered a privilege to be released to the Group
Dirlewanger?
A. No. The inmates who later were forced to transfer to the Group
Dirlewanger thought that this was the worst thing that could happen to
them.
Q. Will you tell the Tribunal just what the Group Dirlewanger was?
A. The Group Dirlewanger was an SS division who received their education
in Oranienburg and who were used for special purposes. At one time 200
German political inmates in this group were transferred to Russia. All
persons who were forced to join this group were very disgusted at being
forced to join the SS and fight for them. They considered being selected
to join the SS as the very worst disgrace.
Q. Was the Dirlewanger a special commando group?
A. Yes, it was a special commando group and was assigned to the most
dangerous spots. However, I only know that from comrades to whom I have
spoken about this matter after the liberation.
Q. Other than the prisoner Sobota, were there any other concentration
camp inmates released as a result of undergoing the high-altitude
experiments?
A. I know of no case except Sobota.
Q. Do you know of any cases where a prisoner condemned to death had his
sentence commuted to life imprisonment because he underwent the
high-altitude experiments?
A. No.
Q. Witness, were any political prisoners used in these high-altitude
experiments?
A. Yes, there were political prisoners who were used in these
experiments. All foreigners were considered political prisoners.
Q. Witness, tell the Tribunal how one could tell the difference between
a political and a criminal prisoner in a concentration camp?
A. All inmates had certain squares with letters; the political inmates
had red squares; the German political inmates had a plain red square;
the Poles had a red square with a “P” marked on it; the Russians with an
“R”; all nationalities could be identified by the first letter of their
country. The red square with a yellow star was the Jew. The green
square, on the other hand was the sign of the so-called professional
criminal. Here it must be said that there were quite a number of people
with green squares who did not fall under the classification of
professional criminals, but who were sent to the camp with that square
since the Gestapo could find no excuse to send them into the camp as
political prisoners.
Q. Now, was this square really a square or a triangle?
A. It was really a triangle with the head of the triangle pointed down
to the earth. If it pointed upward, it indicated a member of the
Wehrmacht who was sent to the camp for punishment.
* * * * *
Q. Witness, were any Jews experimented on in these high-altitude
experiments?
A. Yes.
Q. Now, tell the Tribunal approximately how many prisoners were killed
during the course of the high-altitude experiments?
A. During the high-altitude experiments 70 to 80 persons were killed.
Q. Did they experiment on prisoners other than those condemned to death?
A. Yes.
Q. Were any of those prisoners who had not been condemned to death
killed during the course of the high-altitude experiments?
A. Yes.
Q. Do you have any idea how many may have been killed?
A. There could have been approximately 40 persons.
Q. That is, 40 persons were killed, who had not been condemned to death,
out of a total of 70, did you say?
A. Yes.
Q. Now, were some of those killed political prisoners?
A. Yes.
Q. Is there any way of telling whether or not a prisoner had been
condemned to death—that is, when the experimental subject arrived in
the pressure chamber, was there any way to know whether he had been
condemned to death?
A. Once the experimental subjects came from the Bunker, that is, if the
SS brought them out, we could always tell they were prisoners who had
been condemned to death. When the inmates were sent by the camp leader,
and were brought there by him, then we could also tell they were persons
who came from the camp, and that they were not persons who had been
condemned to death.
Q. Could Romberg know this just as you did?
A. He could only know it if he tried to find out about it, because he
could hardly differentiate whether the person concerned came from the
Bunker or came from the camps.
Q. But you could tell that yourself?
A. Yes.
Q. Did Romberg ever ask you whether or not these experimental subjects
had been condemned to death?
A. I do not remember Romberg ever asking me about that.
Q. Were records kept in the concentration camp which showed whether or
not a man had been condemned to death?
A. Yes.
Q. Do you know whether Romberg ever checked these records?
A. I do not know that.
Q. You do not know if he ever checked them, is that right?
A. No.
Q. Can you remember, approximately, how many deaths Romberg witnessed
during these high-altitude experiments, if any?
A. I can remember five cases where Romberg was present during cases of
death; whether he was present on other occasions, I do not know. It is
possible, but I am not sure of it.
Q. You are sure of only five cases?
A. Yes.
Q. Did Romberg ever make any objections concerning these deaths?
A. I do not know of Romberg having made any protests against it.
Q. He did not make any protest in your presence?
A. Only at the time when we were concerned with the incident which I
spoke of earlier. I do not know anything about anything else.
* * * * *