The testimony of Dr. Renatus Hartogs was taken at 5:20 p.m., on April
16, 1964, at 7 East 86th Street, New York, N.Y., by Mr. Wesley J.
Liebeler, assistant counsel of the President's Commission.
Renatus Hartogs, having been first duly sworn, was examined and
testified as follows:
Mr. LIEBELER. My name is Wesley J. Liebeler. I am a member of the legal
staff of the President's Commission investigating the assassination
of President Kennedy. Staff members have been authorized to take the
testimony of witnesses by the Commission pursuant to authority granted
to the Commission by Executive Order No. 1130, dated November 29, 1963,
and Joint Resolution of Congress No. 137.
The Commission has also adopted certain rules of procedure governing
the taking of testimony of witnesses which provide, among other things,
that each witness should receive a copy of the Executive order and
the joint resolution to which I have just referred, as well as a copy
of the rules governing the taking of testimony. The Commission will
provide you with copies of these documents.
The rules concerning the taking of testimony provide generally that
a witness may have counsel if he wishes. He is entitled to 3 days'
notice, which I do not believe you had, but every witness is also
entitled to waive that notice. I presume that you will waive the notice
since we are here.
Dr. HARTOGS. That's right, sure, yes.
Mr. LIEBELER. We want to inquire of you concerning the contact which
the Commission understands you had with Lee Harvey Oswald some time in
1953 or 1954.
Would you state your full name for the record, please.
Dr. HARTOGS. Renatus Hartogs.
Mr. LIEBELER. What is your address?
Dr. HARTOGS. 7 East 86th.
Mr. LIEBELER. Where were you born and when?
Dr. HARTOGS. In Mainz, M-a-i-n-z, Germany, January 22, 1909.
Mr. LIEBELER. When did you come to the United States, Doctor?
Dr. HARTOGS. On December 4, 1940.
Mr. LIEBELER. You received your education in Germany, is that correct?
Dr. HARTOGS. In Germany, in Belgium. I have a Ph. D. from the
University of Frankfurt-am-Main, which is Germany, and I have a medical
degree from the University of Brussels Medical School, and then I
came to the United States and I studied medicine again to fulfill the
requirements of the New York State Education Department, and I have a
medical degree from the University of Montreal Medical School. Then I
have an M.A. from New York University, and that's it.
Mr. LIEBELER. In what field is that?
Dr. HARTOGS. In clinical psychopathology.