25th copy.
Worked on by: Professor Dr. K. Blome
Berlin SW 68
Lindenstr. 42 77 [pencil notation]
Telephone: 174871 929 [pencil notation]
Priority: “SS”
SS-No. │ Requested by— │ Topic │Registration│Degree of
│ │ │ No. │ secrecy
│ │ │ │
0453 │Schwarz, Kruft │Combating of │ 2058/15 │
│ │ potato bug. │ │
│ │ │ │
0496 │Seel, Poznan │Investigation of │ 2118/15 │
│ │ means for │ │
│ │ combating │ │
│ │ agricultural │ │
│ │ parasites and │ │
│ │ for disinfection│ │
│ │ of the soil. │ │
│ │ │ │
0328 │Rascher, Munich │Rewarming after │ 1879/15 │
│ │ general freezing│ │
│ │ of the human │ │
│ │ body; healing │ │
│ │ after partial │ │
│ │ freezings; │ │
│ │ adjustment of │ │
│ │ the human body │ │
│ │ to low │ │
│ │ temperatures. │ │
│ │ │ │
0329 │Hirt, Strasbourg │Changes in the │ 1881/15 │
│ │ living organism │ │
│ │ under the │ │
│ │ influence of │ │
│ │ poison gases. │ │
│ │ │ │
0415 │von Borstell, Colonel,│Development of │ 1975/15 │ Secret.
│ Weimar-Nohra. │ aircraft │ │
│ │ apparatus for │ │
│ │ insecticides and│ │
│ │ fungicides which│ │
│ │ can be sprayed. │ │
Cancer Research
Worked on by: Prof. Dr. K. Blome
Berlin SW 68
Lindenstr. 42
Telephone: 174871
Deputy: Dr. Breuer
Berlin-Steglitz
Grunewaldstr. 35
Telephone: 726071
No. │ Requested by— │ Topic
│ │
0454/1857/15│Zipf, Koenigsberg │Tests of food colors for their
│ │ cancer-causing effect on
│ │ animals.
0473/1838/15│Spek, Heidelberg │Physio-chemical investigations
│ │ on living cells.
[Stamp] Top Secret
The Reich Research Council 22 [pencil notation]
The Director of the Business Management
Committee
Cancer Research
3d copy
Authorized person:
Prof. Dr. Kurt Blome
Berlin SW 68, Lindenstr. 42
“Nesselsted”
Prof. Dr. Blome, Commissioner for Cancer Research, Berlin SW 68.
Lindenstr. 42
DE 1413—RPS—VLI/44
SS 4891—0242 (1739/15) 44
EXTRACTS FROM THE TESTIMONY OF TRIBUNAL WITNESS
WALTER NEFF[30]
_EXAMINATION BY PROSECUTION_
* * * * *
MR. MCHANEY: When did the freezing experiments start?
WITNESS NEFF: The first freezing experiments started during August or at
the end of July. They were conducted by Prof. Holzloehner, Dr. Finke,
and Dr. Rascher. The freezing experiments can be divided into two
separate classes, the Holzloehner-Finke series, which were later
dropped, and a series where Dr. Rascher conducted these experiments
himself.
Q. All right. Suppose you describe the experimental basin.
A. The experimental basin was built of wood. It was 2 meters long and 2
meters high. It was raised about 50 centimeters above the floor and it
was in Block No. 5. In the experimental chamber and basin there were
many lighting instruments and other apparatus which were used in order
to carry out measurements.
Q. Now, you have stated that you can divide the freezing experiments
into two groups, one where Holzloehner and Finke were working with
Rascher and then the period after Holzloehner and Finke had left?
A. Yes.
Q. Now, will you tell the Tribunal approximately how many persons were
used over the whole period? That is, including both groups that you have
mentioned.
A. Two hundred and eighty to three hundred experimental subjects were
used for these freezing experiments. There were really 360 to 400
experiments that were conducted, since many experimental subjects were
used for more than one such experiment—sometimes even for three.
Q. Now, out of the total of 280 or 300 prisoners used, approximately how
many died?
A. Approximately 80 to 90 subjects died as a result of these freezing
experiments.
Q. Now, how many experimental subjects do you remember that they used in
the Holzloehner-Finke-Rascher experiments?
A. During that period of time approximately 50 to 60 subjects were used
for experimental purposes.
Q. Did any of these experimental subjects die?
A. Yes. During that period of time there were about 15, maybe even 18
cases of death.
Q. When was that experimental series concluded?
A. It was concluded in the month of October. I think it was at the end
of October. At that time Holzloehner and Finke discontinued these
experiments, giving the reason that they had accomplished their purpose
and that it was useless to carry out further experiments of that kind.
Q. And then Rascher continued experiments on his own?
A. Yes. Rascher conducted these experiments saying that he had to build
a scientific basis for them and he prepared a lecture for Marburg
University on the subject.
Q. How long did Rascher continue to experiment with freezing by cold
water?
A. Until May 1943.
Q. Now, were the experimental subjects for the freezing experiments
selected in the same way as for the high-altitude experiments?
A. No. Here Rascher turned to the camp administration and told them that
he needed so and so many experimental subjects. Then the political
department of the camp selected 10 inmates by name. That list was sent
to the camp commandant and was signed by the camp commandant and they
were then sent to Rascher’s station and the subjects on that list had to
be experimented on. I was able to use the original list as evidence in
the first Dachau trial.
Q. Do I understand then that the experimental subjects used in the
freezing experiments were political prisoners?
A. There were a number of political prisoners and also a number of
foreigners, but there were also prisoners of war and inmates who had
been condemned to death.
Q. These persons were not volunteers, were they?
A. No.
Q. Suppose you describe to the Tribunal exactly how these freezing
experiments were carried out, that is what tests they made, how they
measured the temperature and how the temperature of the water was
lowered in the basin and so forth?
A. These basins were filled with water, and ice was added until the
water measured 3°, and the experimental subjects were either dressed in
a flying suit or were placed into the ice water naked. During the period
when Holzloehner and Finke were active, most experiments were conducted
under narcotics because he maintained that you could not find the exact
condition of the blood, and that you would exclude the will power of the
experimental subject if he was under an anaesthetic. Now whenever the
experimental subjects were conscious, it took some time until so-called
freezing narcosis set in. The temperature was measured rectally and
through the stomach through the Galvanometer apparatus. The lowering of
the temperature to 32° was terrible for the experimental subject. At 32°
the experimental subject lost consciousness. These persons were frozen
down to 25° body temperature, and now in order to enable you to
understand this problem, I should like to tell you something about the
Holzloehner and Finke period. During the period when Holzloehner and
Finke were active, no experimental subject was actually killed in the
water. Deaths occurred all the more readily because during revival the
temperature dropped even further and so heart failure resulted. This was
also caused by wrongly applied therapy, so that in contrast to the
low-pressure experiments, deaths were not deliberately caused. In the
air-pressure chamber on the other hand, each death cannot be described
as an accident, but as willful murder. However, it was different when
Rascher personally took over these experiments. At that time a large
number of the persons involved were kept in the water until they were
dead.
Q. Now, Witness, you have identified the defendant Weltz in the
defendants’ dock. On what occasion did you meet Weltz?
A. I met Weltz in Munich. I saw him there once. According to my
recollection it was in Luftgau Kommando VII, Prinzregenten Strasse No.
2, and I saw him speak to Rascher there, and at a later date Rascher
told me that that was Professor Weltz. I remember this incident
especially since Rascher often discussed Weltz and his animal
experiments, which he carried out with reference to freezing. I never
saw Professor Weltz in Dachau or anywhere in the camp.
Q. Do you know, Witness, whether Rascher and Weltz exchanged information
on freezing problems?
A. I don’t know that. I would assume so, since Rascher discussed
Professor Weltz’ experiments, and he certainly must have had some
discussions with Weltz on the subject. However, I know of no
correspondence with Weltz.
Q. Do you recall the occasion when two Russian officers were
experimented upon in the freezing experiments?
A. Yes.
Q. Will you relate that incident to the Tribunal?
A. Yes. It was the worst experiment which was ever carried out. Two
Russian officers were carried out from the bunker. We were forbidden to
speak to them. They arrived at approximately 4 o’clock in the afternoon.
Rascher had them undressed and they had to go into the basin naked. Hour
after hour passed and while usually after a short time, 60 minutes,
freezing had set in, these two Russians were still conscious after 2
hours. All our appeals to Rascher asking him to give them an injection
were of no avail. Approximately during the third hour one Russian said
to the other, “Comrade, tell that officer to shoot us.” The other
replied, “Don’t expect any mercy from this Fascist dog.” Then they shook
hands and said “Goodbye, Comrade.” If you can imagine that we inmates
had to witness such a death, and could do nothing about it, then you can
judge how terrible it is to be condemned to work in such an experimental
station.
After these words were translated for Rascher in a somewhat different
form by a young Pole, Rascher went back into his office. The young Pole
tried at once to give them an anesthetic with chloroform, but Rascher
returned immediately and threatened to shoot us with his pistol if we
dared approach these victims again. The experiment lasted at least 5
hours until death occurred. Both corpses were sent to Munich for autopsy
in the Schwabing Hospital.
Q. Witness, how long did it normally take to kill a person in these
freezing experiments?
A. The length of the experiment varied, according to the individual
case. Whether the subject was clothed or unclothed also made a
difference. If he was slight in build and if in addition to that he was
naked, death often occurred after only 80 minutes. But there were a
number of cases where the experimental subject lived up to 3 hours, and
remained in the water until finally death occurred.
* * * * *
Q. Will you describe to the Tribunal the method used for rewarming the
victims of the freezing experiments?
A. During the period when Rascher, Holzloehner, and Finke were there,
rewarming was in the beginning carried out by massage and partly by
means of injections of drugs affecting the heart, and also by means of
rewarming by electrical heaters and sometimes by means of a warm bath.
At the end of the Holzloehner period, the hot water rewarming method was
introduced, and that was carried out until the end of the rewarming
experiments with the exception of a few special experiments with animal
heat. About 10 women from the concentration camp at Ravensbrueck were
ordered to report to Dachau to supply the heat and were forced to press
themselves against the body of the frozen person in order to rewarm him
in that manner. These are the methods which were employed in order to
rewarm the frozen body.
Q. Now, Witness, did I understand you to say that the hot water bath
method of rewarming was not adopted until after Holzloehner and Finke
had left?
A. After Holzloehner and Finke had left the station, hot water rewarming
was also carried out.
Q. Do you recall receiving orders in September 1942 from Sievers to take
the hearts and lungs of five inmates who had been killed to Professor
Hirt in Strasbourg for further scientific study?
A. It is correct that I had to take specimens belonging to five persons
who died during experiments from the morgue to Hirt in Strasbourg. I
myself, of course, have never done any dissecting and therefore did not
prepare these specimens. Sievers ordered me to go to Strasbourg and
there deliver the glasses to Professor Hirt, together with an
accompanying letter. This was the end of September or the beginning of
October. The travel warrant had been made out by Sievers and the
traveling expenses were also paid by the Ahnenerbe.
Q. Had the five experimental subjects been killed shortly before you
left for Strasbourg?
A. I cannot remember with absolute certainty whether the specimens were
fresh or whether they were taken from older corpses. I do know that
among the specimens there was one from a Dutchman. I cannot recollect
for certain the nationality of the other four.
Q. Did you deliver these hearts and lungs to Professor Hirt in
Strasbourg?
A. I delivered them in Strasbourg, not to Professor Hirt himself but to
the laboratory at the University there. The letter to Professor Hirt I
handed to him personally, and he wanted me to return and see him in the
afternoon, since he had to give me something to take to Dachau. He gave
me a sealed letter to Dr. Rascher and a parcel for Sister Pia which I
handed to Rascher to pass on.
Q. Now, Professor Hirt was also a member, in fact the head of the
Department of the Ahnenerbe Society, was he not?
A. We knew that Professor Hirt was also making experiments and belonged
to the Ahnenerbe Society.
* * * * *