The soft part of the calf of the leg was opened and the open wounds were
infected with bacteria which were introduced into the wounds. The
following were used: staphylococcus aureus, oedema malignum (clostridium
oedematis maligni), gas gangrene bacillus (clostridium perfrim gens),
and tetanus. Weronika Kraska was infected with tetanus. She died after a
few days. Kazimiera Kurowska was infected with gas gangrene bacillus;
she died after a few days. The following were infected with oedema
malignum: Aniela Lefanowicz, Zofia Kiecol, Alfreda Prus, and Maria
Kusmierczuk. The first three died after a few days; Maria Kusmierczuk
survived the infection. She was lying ill for more than a year and
became a cripple, but she is alive and is living evidence of the
experiments. Mostly pyrogen stimulants were employed. The wounds were
stitched after the infection and serious illness began. Many of the
patients were ill for months and almost all of them became cripples.
Why did Professor Gebhardt, with his education, carry out these
experiments? To test the new drugs of the German pharmaceutical
industry; mostly cibazol and albucid were used. Even tetanus was treated
in that way.
The results of the treatment were not checked, or if they were, it was
done in such an inadequate and superficial manner, that it was of no
value.
The aseptic, experimental operations consisted of bone experiments,
muscle experiments, and nerve experiments.
The bone experiments were checked by X-ray photographs. As ward
attendant I had to do all the X-ray photographs. In this way I was given
the opportunity of gaining an insight in this matter. The following were
carried out: (_a_) bone breaking; (_b_) bone transplantation; and (_c_)
bone grafting.
_a._ On the operating table, the bones of the lower part of both legs
were broken into several pieces with a hammer, later they were joined
with clips (for instance Janiga Marczewska) or without clips (for
instance Leonarda Bien) and were put into a plaster case. This was
removed after several days and the legs remained without plaster casts
until they healed.
_b._ The transplantations were carried out in the usual way, except that
whole pieces of the fibula were cut out, sometimes with periosteum,
sometimes without periosteum. The most typical operation of this kind
was carried out on Krystyna Dabska.
_c._ Bone grafting. These operations were with the school of Professor
Gebhardt. During the preparatory operation two bone splints were put on
the tibia of both legs; during the second operation such bone splints
were cut out together with the attached bones and were taken to
Hohenlychen. As a supplement to the bone splint operations such
operations were also carried out on two prisoners in protective custody
who suffered from deformation of bones of the osteomyelitis type. These
two were not Poles, one of them was a German who was a Jehovah’s
Witness, Maria Konwitschka, and the other was a Ukrainian, Maria
Hretschana. It was interesting for Professor Gebhardt to see how the
diseased bones would react to such an operation.
The muscle experiments consisted of many operations, always on the same
spot, the upper or lower part of the leg. At each further operation
larger and larger pieces of muscles were cut out. Once a small piece of
bone was planted into a muscle (this happened to Babinska). During nerve
operations parts of nerves were removed (for instance Barbara
Pytlewska).
What problem did Professor Gebhardt and his school wish to solve by
these experiments? The problem of the regeneration of bones, muscles,
and nerves.
Was the thing carried out? No. It was not checked at all, or only
insufficiently. I do not know what was done at Hohenlychen with those
pieces of bone, muscle, and nerves which were cut out and taken there.
What was the fate of the patients after they left the hospital? Almost
all of the patients became cripples, and suffered very much as a result
of these operations. Even more severe was the moral torture inflicted on
them since they lived under the conviction that they would all be shot
in order that they should not be evidence of these murderous operations.
The camp authorities—Commandant Suhren, Adjutant Braeuning and Chief
Supervisor Binz—ensured through their orders that the victims should
not forget that they were condemned to death. In the meantime, six of
the patients were shot after surviving the operations.
* * * * *
As a supplement to these operations I am submitting a description of
“special operations” which were carried out at the same time.
A few abnormal prisoners (mentally ill) were chosen and brought to the
operating table, and amputations of the whole leg (at the hip joint)
were carried out, or on others, amputation of the whole arm (with the
shoulder blade) were carried out. Afterwards the victims (if they still
lived) were killed by means of evipan injections and the leg or arm was
taken to Hohenlychen and served the purposes known to Professor
Gebhardt. Ten such operations, approximately, were carried out.
During the whole of the time these operations were carried out, I was
employed as a worker in the ward and investigated this matter risking my
own life, with the idea that it was my duty, if I were saved, to tell
the truth to the world. I conclude my statement with two questions: What
kind of recompense can the world offer to those who were operated on in
such a manner? What kind of justice has the world for those who carried
out such operations?
[Signed] DR. MACZKA, ZOFIA
Dr. med. Zofia Maczka
X-ray specialist from
Krakow. Former political
prisoner in protective
custody No. 7403 at
Ravensbrueck, now in
Stockholm,
Serafimerlasarettet,
Roentgen.