Personal.
To the Reich Leader SS Heinrich Himmler,
Fuehrer Headquarters.
Reich Leader,
The special treatment [Sonderbehandlung] of about 100,000 Jews in the
territory of my district [Gau], approved by you in agreement with the
Chief of the Reich Security Main Office, SS Obergruppenfuehrer Heydrich,
can be completed within the next 2-3 months. I ask you for permission to
rescue the district immediately after the measures taken against the
Jews, from a menace which is increasing week by week, and use the
existing and efficient special commandos for that purpose.
There are about 230,000 people of Polish nationality in my district, who
were diagnosed to suffer from tuberculosis. The number of persons
infected with open tuberculosis is estimated at about 35,000. This fact
has led in an increasingly frightening measure to the infection of
Germans who came to the Warthegau perfectly healthy. In particular,
reports are received with ever-increasing effect of German children in
danger of infection. A considerable number of well-known leading men,
especially of the police, have been infected lately and are not
available for the war effort because of the necessary medical treatment.
The ever-increasing risks were also recognized and appreciated by the
deputy of the Reich Leader for Public Health [Reichsgesundheitsfuehrer],
Comrade Professor Dr. Blome, as well as by the leader of your X-ray
battalion, SS Standartenfuehrer Prof. Dr. Hohlfelder.
Though in Germany proper it is not possible to take appropriate draconic
steps against this public plague, I think I could take responsibility
for my suggestion to have cases of open tuberculosis exterminated among
the Polish race here in the Warthegau. Of course only a Pole should be
handed over to such an action who is not only suffering from open
tuberculosis, but whose incurability is proved and certified by a public
health officer.
Considering the urgency of this project I ask for your approval in
principle as soon as possible. This would enable us to make the
preparations with all necessary precautions now to get the action
against the Poles suffering from open tuberculosis under way, while the
action against the Jews is in its closing stages.
Heil Hitler!
[Signature] GREISER
PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT BLOME 14
BLOME DEFENSE EXHIBIT 6
EXTRACTS FROM A REPORT ON THE GERMAN TUBERCULOSIS CONFERENCE OF 18 TO 20
MARCH 1937, AT WIESBADEN
(Published in Berlin, Publishers: Julius Springer, 1937)
Extract from the report by Dr. Erwin Dorn, chief physician of the
Charlottenhoehe Sanatorium, chief physician of the Tuberculosis Welfare
Center of the Oberamt Neuenbuerg, Calmbach (Wuerttemberg) concerning
Task and Aims of the Method of Treatment and its Application in
Consideration of the Awaited Special Laws for the Tubercular Patients
* * * * *
[Page 770]
In former years, particularly at the beginning of this century, every
attempt at a labor treatment of tubercular patients was condemned as
useless, as only a limited treatment was known. On the other hand, in
countries such as Holland, England, and Switzerland, where treatment
lasting many months is possible, labor treatment was firmly established.
We all know that several months are frequently needed in order to effect
a change by the conservative or radical treatment. Our surgical patients
(plastics, plugging, bilateral pneumothorax, premicectory) also require
a long time until the severe stage of tuberculosis has been alleviated,
and until they themselves again reach full working capacity. In a
similar manner to those treated conservatively, these patients
frequently remain contagious for the rest of their lives. In the
sanatorium they are superfluous, in every day life, useless. But they
should not be regarded as wholly incapacitated for years.
The aim of the labor treatment for active tubercular people is to fill
this gap between the remedial treatment and full working capacity. It
should be carried out in a work-sanatorium or a settlement.
Various conditions are necessary to enable tubercular persons with only
a limited working capacity to derive satisfaction from their work. The
right type of work must be provided for them; the work periods must be
graduated according to the amount of work they can handle, and it must
be suited to their capabilities and to what they did in their former
life.
The place of work and the tools should be satisfactory. _At a
work-sanatorium, in favorable climatic surroundings, these requirements
are best met if the patients are assigned to factory work._ * * *
* * * * *
[Page 772]
In my last year’s report on the forced treatment of tuberculosis
patients, I showed that a patient suffering from open tuberculosis
should remain in a work-sanatorium or settlement until the disease no
longer presents a peril to himself and to his fellow men.
PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT BLOME 1
BLOME DEFENSE EXHIBIT 8
EXTRACTS FROM THE AFFIDAVIT OF DR. OSKAR GUNDERMANN, 28 DECEMBER 1946,
STATING THAT BLOME OPPOSED THE PLAN TO EXTERMINATE TUBERCULAR POLES AND
THAT THE PLAN WAS NEVER CARRIED OUT
* * * * *
From the summer of 1940 on I was chief medical officer in the department
of the Reich Governor in Poznan.
The frequency of tuberculosis in the region of the Wartheland, at one
time incorporated into the Reich, was, according to statistics recorded
before 1939—at the time of the Polish Health
Administration—considerably higher than in the German Reich. When the
administration was taken over, no modern welfare service for
tuberculosis for the whole region existed. Among other things, there
were insufficient beds to effect a successful treatment and the
isolation of tuberculosis patients. The estimates made from the
statistical material of infectious tuberculosis cases amounted to a
round figure of 20,000 to 25,000 people of the Polish population. To
check this tuberculosis epidemic, the authorities immediately began
building 40 health offices with modern welfare centers, as well as
sanatoria and isolation homes with approximately 2,500 beds for Germans
and Poles (the latter under Polish medical direction with Polish doctors
and Polish nursing staff), and these were speedily finished. These
measures by the office of the Reich Governor were supported by the
superior Reich authority (Health Section of the Reich Ministry of the
Interior).
Since the above institutions were able to check the spreading of the
tuberculosis epidemic to a certain degree, but particularly owing to the
increasing difficulties arising from the war, they were not able to get
the urgently needed sanitary measures running effectively, all the
medical officers of the Wartheland untiringly continued to warn their
superiors and heads of departments urgently of the danger.
The whole affair took an unexpected turn in the autumn of 1942, because
the Gauleiter and Reich Governor Greiser supposedly said that in case of
necessity he would stop at nothing to check the tuberculosis epidemic
effectively in the Wartheland in the interest of the entire population.
* * * * *
I thought it my duty to talk personally to the head of the Department of
Health in the Reich Ministry of the Interior and the Reich Health
Leader, Dr. Conti, in Berlin, about this matter and the entire
tuberculosis problem.
* * * * *
As I was unable to get a clear answer from Dr. Conti and could not be
satisfied with such information as I received, I immediately called on
the Deputy Reich Health Leader, Dr. Blome. I knew that he dealt with
special questions concerning tuberculosis in the Reich Health Leader’s
office. From the beginning Blome showed a clearly negative attitude
toward any possible solution contrary to humanity or medical ethics. He
showed me the draft of a letter addressed to Greiser; I asked him to
make a few additions and alterations.
We discussed the formulation of the letter in detail from the point of
view of convincing Greiser that an intensive continuation of the health
and welfare measures so far taken, and a further extension of the health
program set up for the fight against tuberculosis could effectively
avert the acute dangers. The suggestion for a large tuberculosis
settlement was particularly discussed. This plan was based on smaller
examples, and its final aim was the establishment of a widely spread,
but nevertheless closed settlement for tuberculosis patients and their
families. In this settlement, all modern examination, treatment,
isolation, and welfare facilities should be provided for the patients
and members of their families who might be in danger.
* * * * *
Dr. Blome and I having agreed on the tactics to be taken toward Greiser
and on the contents of the said letter, Dr. Blome began, in my presence,
to dictate the draft of a new letter.
* * * * *
I concluded that the letter from Dr. Blome to Gauleiter Greiser was
successful, mainly from the development in the fight against
tuberculosis in the Wartheland. The regulation about tuberculosis relief
having become effective for the whole Reich territory on 1 April 1943, a
similar regulation for protection against tuberculosis could be decreed
in the Wartheland in favor of the Polish population. A central office
for the fight against tuberculosis was established under the management
of a specialist. This office gave the same treatment to German and to
Polish cases.
* * * * *
During my period in office as chief medical officer in Poznan, until
January 1945, no tuberculosis patients were “liquidated” in the
Wartheland as far as I know. I never received an order for such a
measure, much less brought one about either directly or indirectly. On
the contrary, the office always tried to give all tuberculosis patients
proper treatment.
* * * * *