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5 May 41
Dear Reich Leader:
Enclosed herewith for your information is the result of the
investigations into the possibility of sterilization or castration,
respectively, by means of X-rays. I request your instructions as to what
further theoretical or practical steps, if any, are to be taken in this
matter.
Heil Hitler!
[SIGNED] BRACK
Enclosure
The experiments in this field are concluded. The following result can be
considered as established and adequately based on scientific research:
If any persons are to be sterilized permanently, this result can only be
attained by applying X-rays in a dosage high enough to produce
castration with all its consequences, since high X-ray dosages destroy
the internal secretion of the ovary, or of the testicles, respectively.
Lower dosages would only temporarily paralyze the procreative capacity.
The consequences in question are for example the disappearance of
menstruation, climacteric phenomena, changes in capillary growth,
modification of metabolism, etc. In any case, attention must be drawn to
these disadvantages.
The actual dosage can be given in various ways, and the irradiation can
take place quite imperceptibly. The necessary local dosage for men is
500-600 r, for women 300-350 r. In general, an irradiation period of 2
minutes for men, 3 minutes for women, with the highest voltage, a thin
filter and at a short distance, ought to be sufficient. There is,
however, a disadvantage that has to be put up with: as it is impossible
unnoticeably to cover the rest of the body with lead, the other tissues
of the body will be injured, and radiologic malaise, the so-called
“Roentgenkater”, will ensue. If the X-ray intensity is too high, those
parts of the skin which the rays have reached will exhibit symptoms of
burns—varying in severity in individual cases—in the course of the
following days or weeks.
One practical way of proceeding would be, for instance, to let the
persons to be treated approach a counter, where they could be asked to
answer some questions or to fill in forms, which would take them 2 or 3
minutes. The official sitting behind the counter could operate the
installation in such a way as to turn a switch which would activate the
two valves simultaneously (since the irradiation has to operate from
both sides). With a two-valve installation about 150-200 persons could
then be sterilized per day, and therefore, with 20 such installations as
many as 3,000-4,000 persons per day. In my estimation a larger daily
number could not in any case be sent away for this purpose. As to the
expenses for such a two-valve system, I can only give a rough estimate
of approximately 20,000-30,000 RM. Additionally, however, there would be
the cost of the construction of a new building, because adequately
extensive protective installations would have to be provided for the
officials on duty.
In summary, it may be said that, having regard to the present state of
radiological technique and research, mass sterilization by means of
X-rays can be carried out without difficulty. However, it seems to be
impossible to do this in such a way that the persons concerned do not
sooner or later realize with certainty that they have been sterilized or
castrated by X-rays.
[Signed] BRACK
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT NO-205
PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 163
LETTER FROM BRACK TO HIMMLER, 23 JUNE 1942, PROPOSING STERILIZATION OF
TWO TO THREE MILLION JEWS
Viktor Brack
SS Oberfuehrer
Berlin, W 8, Voss-Strasse 4, 23 June 1942
[Initial] HH