1946-12-19, #4: Doctors' Trial (early afternoon)
AFTERNOON SESSION (The Hearing reconvened at 1400 hours, 19 December 1946.)
THE MARSHAL: The Tribunal is again in session.
MR. McHANEY: If the Tribunal please, the Prosecution would like now to begin the presentation of evidence on the sulfanilamide experiments as charged in paragraph 6(E) of the indictment and the bone, muscle and nerve regeneration and bone transplantation experiments as charged in paragraph 6(f) of the indictment. Of course, these experiments are also set up as crimes against humanity in paragraph 11 of the Indictment under Count 3.
With respect to the sulfanilamide experiments Defendants Karl Brandt, Handloser, Restock, Schroeder, Genzken, Gebhardt, Blome, Rudolf Brandt, Mrugowsky, Peppendick, Becker-Freyseng, Oberhauser and Fischer are charged with special responsibility for and participation in the sulfanilamide With respect to the so-called bone, muscle and nerve regeneration and bone transplantation experiments, the Defendants Karl Brandt, Handloser, Rostock, Gebhardt, Rudolf Brandt, Oberhouser and Fischer are charged with special responsibility for and participation in these experiments.
The first document which we would like to offer is NO-228, which is the first document in the English document books before the Tribunal, and this will be Prosecution Exhibit 206. This is an affidavit taken in the English language and signed by the Defendant Fritz Fischer. It reads as fellows:
I, Fritz Ernst Fischer, being first duly sworn according to law, upon my oath do depose and say:
I am a doctor of medicine, having been graduated from the University of Hamburg and passed by State Examination in 1936. On 13 November 1939 I was inducted into the Waffen SS and after having served with a combat division as medical officer, I was hospitalized and then assigned to the SS Hospital at Hohenlychen, as assistant Surgeon.
In addition to my normal duties as surgeon at the SS Hospital at Hohenlychen on or about 12 July 1942, I was ordered by Professor Gebhardt to begin medical experiments in my capacity as assistant surgeon to professor Beghardt.
The purpose of the proposed experiments was to determine the effectiveness of sulfanilamide, which I was informed at that time was a matter of considerable importance to military medical circles.
According to the information which I received from Professor Gebhardt, these experiments were directed initially by the Reichsfuehrer SS and the Reichsartz, Dr. Grawitz.
Professor Gebhardt instructed me, before the operations were undertaken, on the techniques to be followed and the methods of procedure to be employed. The persons who were to be the subjects of these experiments were inmates of the concentration camp at Ravensbruck who had been condemned to death.
The administrative procedure which was followed in obtaining the subject for the experiments was established by Professor Gebhardt with the camp commandant at Ravensbruck. After the initial arrangements had been made, it was the general practice to inform the medical officer at Ravensbruck as to the date on which a series of experiments was to be begun and the number of patients which would be required, and then he took the matter up with the commandant of the camp, by whom the selections of subjects were made. Before an operation was undertaken, the persons who had been selected in accordance with this procedure, received a medical examination by the camp physician to Determine their suitability for the experiments from a medical standpoint.
The first of the series of experiments involved five persons. The gangrenous bacterial cultures for use in the experiments were obtained from the Hygienisches Institute for Waffen SS. The procedure followed in the operations was as follows: the subject received the conventional anesthetic of morphine-atropine, then evipan other. An incision was made five to eight centimeters in length and one to one and a half centimeters in depth, on the the outside of the lower leg in the area of the peronaeus longus.
The bacterial cultures were put in dextrose, and the resulting mixture was spread into the wound. The wound was then closed and the limb on cased in a cast which had been ********** which was lined on the inside with cotton, so that in the event of swelling, all the affected member, the result of the experiment would not be influence by a factor other than the infection itself The bacterial cultures used on each of the five persons varied both as to the type of bacteria used and the amount of culture used.
After the initial operations has performed, I returned to Ravensbruck each afternoon, to observe the progress of the persons who had been operated on. No serious illnesses resulted from these initial operations. I reported the progress of the patient to Professor Gebhardt each night.
When the five persons who were first operated on were cured, another series of five was begun. The surgical procedure and the post-operative procedure was the same as in the initial experiments, but the bacterial cultures were more virulent. The results from this series were substantially the same as in the first and no serious illnesses resulted.
Since no inflammation resolved from the bacterial cultures used in the first two series of operations, it was determined, as a result of correspondence with Dr. Mugrowsky, the Chief of the Hygiensches Institute der Waffen SS, and conversations with his assistant, to change type of bacterial culture in the subsequent operations. Using the new culture, two more series of operations were performed, each involving five persons.
The difference between the third and fourth series was in the bacterial cultures used. The Hygienschus Institute der Waffen SS prepared them from separate combinations of the three or four gangrene cultures which were available. In the third and fourth series a more pronounced infection and inflammation was discerned at the place of incision. Its characteristics were similar to a normal, level infection with redness, swelling and pain. The circumference of the infection was comparable in size to a chestnut. Upon the completion of the fourth series the camp physician informed me that the camp commandant had instructed him that no longer would male patients be available for further experiments, but that it would be necessary to use female inmates.
Accordingly, five women had been prepared for the operation, but I did not operate on them. I reported the change of situation to Professor Gebhardt and suggested that in view of these circumstances, it would be desirable to stop the experimental operations. He did not adopt this suggestion, however, and pointed out that it was necessary, as an officer, that I carry out my duty, which had been assigned to me.
The experiments, however, were interrupted for a period of two weeks, during which Professor Gebhardt told me he had discussed the matter at Berlin and was instructed to carry on the experiments, using polish female prisoners who had been sentenced to death.
In addition, he instructed me to increase the tempo of experiments since the Reichsarzt; Dr. Grawitz, intended soon to go to Ravensbruck to test the results of the experiments. Accordingly, I went to Ravensbruck and operated on the female prisoners.
Since the infections which resulted from the first four series of experiments were not typical of battlefield gangrenous infections, we communicated with Hygienisches Institute der Waffen-SS to determine what steps could be taken more nearly to simulate battle-caused infections. As a result of this correspondence and a conference at Hohenlychen presided over by Professor Gebhardt; it was decided to add tiny fragments of wood shavings to the bacterial cultures; which would simulate the crust of dirt customarily found in battlefield wounds.
As a result of this conference; three series of operations were performed, each involving ten persons, one using the bacterial culture and fragments of wood, the second using bacterial culture and fragments of glass, and the third using the culture plus glass and wood.
About two weeks after these new series were begun, Dr. Grawitz visited Ravensbruck. Professor Gebhardt introduced him to me and explained to him the general nature of the work. Professor Gebhardt then left; and I explained to Dr. Grawitz the details of the operations and their results. Dr. Grawitz, before I could complete my report on the procedures used and the results obtained; brusquely interrupted me and observed that the conditions under which the experiments were performed did not sufficiently resemble conditions prevailing at the front. He asked me literally; "How many deaths have there been?" and when I reported that there had not been any, he stated that that confirmed his assumption that the experiments had not been carried in accordance with his directions.
He said that the operations were more fleabites and that since the purpose of the work was to determine the effectiveness of sulfanilamide on bullet wounds it would be necessary to inflict actual bullet wounds on the patients. He ordered that the next series of experiments to be undertaken should be in accordance with these directions.
That same evening, I discussed those orders of Dr. Grawitz with Professor Gebhardt and we both agreed that it was impossible to carry them out; but that a procedure would be adopted which would more nearly simulate battlefield conditions without actually shooting the patients.
The normal result of all bullet wounds was a shattering of tissue; which did not exist in the initial experiments. As a result of the injury, the normal flow of blood through the muscle is cut off. The muscle is nourished by the flow of blood from either end. When this circulation is interrupted, the affected area, becomes a fertile field for the growth of bacteria; the normal reaction of the tissue against the bacteria is not possible without circulation. This interruption of circulation usual in battle casualties could be simulated by tying off the blood vessels at either end of the muscle.
Two series of operations, each involving ten persons; were begun following this procedure. In the first of these, the same bacterial cultures wore used as were developed in the third and fourth series; but the glass and wood wore omitted. In the other series, streptococci and staphylococci cultures were used. In the series using the gangrenous culture a severe infection in the area of the incision resulted within 24 hours.
Eight patients out of ten became sick from the gangrenous infection. Cases which showed symptoms of an unspecific or specific inflammation were operated on in accordance with the doctrine and manner of septic surgery. The doctrine of Lexer formed the basis for the procedure. The technique is that an incision in the area of the gangrenous blisters swabbed; and a solution of hydrogen peroxide was poured over them. The inflamed extremity was immobilized in a cast. With most patients it was possible to improve the gangrenous condition of the entire infected area in this manner.
In the series in which banal cultures of streptococci and staphylococci wore used; the severe resultant infection with accompanying increase in temperature and swelling did not occur until seventy-two hours later. Four patients showed a more serious picture of the disease. In the case of these patients; the normal professional technique of orthodox medicine was followed as outlined above; and the inflamed swelling split. Due to the slight virulence of the bacteria it was possible in the case of all patients except one to prevent the threatened deadly development of the disease.
The incisions were made on the lower part of the log only in all series to make an amputation possible. It was not made on the upper thigh because then no area for amputation would remain. However, in the series the inflammation was so rapid there was no remedy and no amputations were made.
Since after the tying up of the circulation of the muscles, a very severe course of infection was to be expected, five grams of sulfanilamide were given intravenously in the amount of one gram each, beginning one hour after the operation. After the wound was laid open to expose all its corners, sulfanilamide was shaken into the entire area and the area was drained by thick rubber tubes.
The infection normally reached an acute stage over a period of three weeks during which time I changed the bandages daily, After the period of three weeks the condition was normally that of a simple wound which was dressed by the camp physicians rather than by me.
The procedure prescribed for the post-operative treatment of the patients was to give them three times each day one cc of morphine, and when the. dressings wore changed, to induce anesthesia by the use of evipan.
In all the series of experiments, except the first, sulfanilamide was used after the gangrenous infection appeared. In each series two persons were not given sulfanilamide as a control to determine its effectiveness. When sulfanilamide and the bacteria cultures together introduced into the incision no inflammation resulted.
After the arrival of Doctor Stumpfegger from general headquarters in the fall of 1942; Professor Gebhardt declared before some of his co-workers that he received orders to continue with the tests at Ravensbrueck on a larger scale. In this connection, questions of plastic surgery which would be of into est after the end of the war should be clarified. Doctor Stupfegger was supposed to test the free transplantation of bones. Since professor Gebhardt knew that I had worked in preparation for my habilitation at the university on regeneration of tissues, he ordered me to prepare a surgical plan for these operations, which after it had been approved he directed me to carry out immediately. Moreover, Doctor Koller and Doctor Heissmeyer were ordered to perform their own series of experiments. Professor Gebhardt was also considering a plan to form the basis of an operative technique of remobilization of joints. Besides the above, Doctors Schulze and Schulze-Hagen participated in this conference.
Since I knew Ravensbrueck I was ordered to introduce the new doctors named above to the camp physician. I was specifically directed to assist Doctor Stumpfegger, since he was physician in the staff of Himmler probably would be absent from time to time.
I had selected the regeneration of muscles for the sole reason because the incision necessary for this purpose was the slightest. The operation was carried out as follow:
Evipan and other were used as an anesthetic, and a five centimeter longitudinal incision was made at the outer side of the upper leg. Subsequent to the cutting through the fascian, a piece of the muscle was removed which was the size of the cup of the little finger. The fascian and skin were enclosed in accordance with the normal technique of aseptic surgery. Afterwards a cast was applied. After one week the skin wound was split under the same narcotic conditions, and the part of the muscle around the area cut out was removed. Afterwards the fascian and the sewed-up part of the skin were immobilized in a cast.
Since Professor Gebhardt did not ask me any longer for these operations, I discontinued them.
Only one female patient was operated on whose wounds healed under normal aseptic conditions.
As a disciple of Lexer, Gebhardt had a already planned long ago a free heteroplastic transplanation of bone. In spite of the fact that some of his co-workers did not agree, he was resolved to carry out such an operation on the patient Ladisch, whose shoulder joint was removed because of a sarcoma.
I and my medical colleagues urged professional and human objections up until the evening before the operation was performed but Gebhardt ordered us to carry out the operations. Doctor Stumpfegger, in whose field of research this operations was, was supposed to perform removal of the scapula at Raven* brueck, and had already made initial arrangements therefore. However, because Professor Gebhardt required Doctor Stumpfegger to assist him in the actual transplantation of the shoulder to the patient Ladisch, I was ordered to go to Ravensbrueck and perform the operation of removal on that evening. I asked Doctor Gebhardt and Schulze to describe exactly the technique which they wished me to follow. The next morning I drove to Ravensbrueck after I have made a previous appointment by telephone. At Hohenlychen I had already made the normal initial preparations for an operation, namely, etc., merely put on my coat, and went to Ravensbrueck and removed the bone.
The camp physician who was assisting me in the operation continued with it while I returned to Hohenlychen as quickly as possible with the bone which was to be transplanted. In this manner the period between removal and transplantation was shortened. At Hohenlychen the bone was handed over to Professor Gebhardt, and he transplanted it, together with Doctor Schulze and Doctor Stumpfegger.
Subsequent to the foregoing test operation (gangrenous infection) I had impressed on Professor Gebhardt that now we had result which would justify their cessation. I ceased to operate, and later on I did not receive any order to continue with the operation. I did not carry out another order for Doctor Stumpfegger, who was absent at that time, to continue his work.
My behavior towards all patients was very considerate, and I was very careful in the operations to follow standard professional procedure.
In May 1943 at the occasion of the fourth conference of the consulting physicians of the Wehrmacht a report was made by Professor Gebhardt and myself as to these operations. This medical congress was called by Professor Handles who occupied the position of surgeon general of the armed forces, and was attended by a large number of physicians, both military and civilian.
In my lecture to the meeting I reported the operations in an open way using charts which demonstrated the technique used, the amount of sulfanilamide administered, and the condition of the the patients.
This lecture was the center of the conference. Professor Gebhardt spoke about the fundamentals of the experiments, their performance, and their results, and asked me then to describe the technique. He began his lecture with the following words:
"I carry the full human, surgical, and political responsibility for these experiments."
This lecture was followed by a discussion. No criticism was raised. I am convinced that all the physicians present would have acted in the same manner as I.
Subsequent to my repeated urgent requests I went to the front as surgeon immediately after this conference. Only after I was wounded did I return as a patient to Hohenlychen. I never entered the camp Ravensbruck again. I protested vigorously against these experiments on human beings, endeavored to prevent them, and to limit their extension after they had been ordered. In order not to be forced to participate in those experiments. I declined habilitation at the University of Berlin because I felt that it might result in my being obliged to carry on additional experiments at Ravensbruck. Since I succeeded in scientific discoveries of the highest practical importance, that is, the solution of the cancer problem and its therapy, I have not communicated this fact to Professor Gebhardt and have not published this work in order not to be ordered again to carry out experiments.
This was signed by Fritz Fischer. The translation -- not the translation but the copy of the original document which is in Your Honors' document book does not show that it is signed, but the original, which is going into evidence, is signed.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 19th day of November 1945. John J. *onigan Jr., Major.
Of course this affidavit certains some technical language but I think it is pretty clear what the defendants Gebhardt, Fischer and Oberhauser were going in the Ravensbruck concentration camp. As described in this affidavit, these experiments began in the latter part of 1942, and insofar as the Defendant Fischer is concerned, were concluded in May 1943. The Tribunal will recall that Fischer made a very frank and open statement to the affect that a full report was given on these Ravensbruck experiments before that august body headed up by the Defendant Handloser; the Military Medical Academy in Berlin was under his direct control.
The Defendant Rostock, as it so happened presided over and was chairman of the Meeting at which this report was made, since it was given to a section of the Academy dealing with surgical problems. Sitting in the front raw was the Defendant Karl Gebhardt, on his right was the Defendant Handloser. These facts will appear in proof to be subsequently submitted, and curiously enough, at the very same meeting in May, 1943, at a section attended by the specialists in hygiene, a report was given by the notorious Dr. Ding on the murder us typhus experiments at Buchenwald; and the Defendant Rose will also tell you that he attended that meeting and not only did he attend it but he got up and had a few words to say about the experiments themselves.
I would like new to pass on to the second affidavit of the Defendant Fischer. This is document NO-477 and will be Prosecution Exhibit 207.
I think I probably stated, in my remarks about the meeting in May '43 at the Military Medical Academy, that Gebhardt was in the front row. That was a mistake; it was Defendant Karl Brandt in the middle of the front row; on his right was Conti and on his left Handloser. Gebhardt made a speech, together with the Defendant -Fischer.
Prosecution Exhibit 207 roads as follows;
I, Fritz Ernst Albert Fischer, being duly sworn, depose and state:
1. I am. the some Fritz Ernst Fischer who has heretofore sworn to an affidavit on the 19th of November 1945 and or the 21st of October 1946 concerning sulfanilamide experiments and bone transplantations performed on inmates of the Ravensbrueck Concentration Camp.
2. For the same reasons set forth on Page 1 of my affidavit of 19 November 1945, I am albe to make a statement concerning the activities and participation of Dr. Herta O*erhauser and Dr. Berhard Schicdlausky in these aforesaid experiments.
3. Dr. Herta Oerhauser was one of the camp physicians of the concentratin camp Ravensbruck. She helped me in my sulfanilamide experiments and in the operations connected with the experiments, which I already have described in my affidavit of 19 November 1945. During all the time I was carrying out operations she assisted me, with the exception of a few day of her vacation.
Dr. Oberhauser was in charge of the post-operation care for the patients and she regularly reported to me how the patients were getting on and hot the experiments developed. As a matter of course she know that one of the series of patients were operated on and infected out not treated with sulfanilamide, in order to determine the effect of the drug. Further, I believe she know that in other experimental series pieces of glass and word were inserted in the wounds of the victims in order to intensify the infection and to create chemically a situation which may occur to soldiers in the field and that for the same reason, in other cases, circulation of blood was interrupted by artificial means.
4. She assisted me in every operation from the beginning to the end, during all the time I was experimenting with sulfanilamide in Ravensbruck. In several cases she bandaged the patients after the operation and was always present when I changed the bandages of the patients, and assisted me in this duty.
5. Dr. Oberhauser also reported to me that in certain cases during the last series of experiments the effect of the infection was much more serious than that which we observed in previous cases. She also informed me about the three casualties which occurred during the experimentation, as she took care of the three patients who later died. She reported to me that these people died in consequence of the inflammation.
6. In spite of the fact that she did not like her work as a camp physician as she was the only female doctor in Ravensbruck, Dr. Oberhauser never complained to me about her participation in the experiments.
7. I believe the selection of victims for the experiments were carried out by the Chief Doctor of the Ravensbruck Concentration Camp, Dr. Schiedlausky, together with Dr. 0berhauser. Dr. Oberhauser took part in the selection, in as much as she knew the situation of the camp better than the other doctors as she was camp physician. Later, she was transferred and became an assistant to Dr. Gebhardt in Hohenlychen, and presume, therefore, that she was also familiar with the bone transplantations which were carried out by Dr. Gebhardt and Dr. Stumpfengert after I left Hohenlychen.
8. Dr. Schiedlausky, the Chief Physician of Ravensbruck concentration camp, never assisted me personally when I experimented with sulfanilamide. He assisted me, however, when I carried out the bone transplantations which I described in my affidavit of 19 November 1945, as Dr. Oberhauser was not a surgeon.
9. To the best of my knowledge, Dr. Schiedlausky assisted Dr. Gebhardt when he experimented with sulfanilamide. Dr. Schiedlausky was familiar with the sulfanilamide experiments and with my task in the Ravensbruck concentration camp, and as stated before, selected victims for these experiments.
/s/ 1 November 1946, Fritz Ernst Albert Fischer.
This affidavit then rives us some idea of the part played by the Defendant Oberhauser in these experimental operations at Ravensbruck.
We come now to the affidavit by the defendant. Oberhauser herself. This is Document NO-437 and will be Prosecution Exhibit 208.
I, Dr. Herta Oberhauser, duly sworn, depose and state:
1. I was born in Cologne on the Rhine in Germany on 15 May 1911, studied medicine in Bonn from 1931 to 1933 and thereafter in Duesseldorf till 1937. I joined the NSDAP in May 1937 and was since 1933 in the BD. In this organization I had the rank of District Physician in Duesseldorf. I worked at the medical clinic in Duesseldorf and at the Dermatological clinic in Duesseldorf, and came thereafter as Specialist and Camp Physician to the concentration camp Ravensbruck. Later I was transferred to Hohenlychen, to the hospital of the Red Cross under Professor Karl Gebhardt.
2. Through my capacity as camp physician and specialist at the concentration camp Ravensbruck and as assistant physician to Professor Dr. Gebhardt at the hospital in Hohenlychen and because of the fact that I assisted Dr. Karl Gebhardt, Dr. Fritz Fischer and Dr. Stumpfeggert in their operations and experiments, I have a detailed knowledge of the sulfonamide experiments and bone transplantations performed in Ravensbruck and Hohenlychen. I am therefore able to make the following statements about these facts:
Sulfonamide Experiments 3. The sulfonamide experiments were carried out in the time between August and the end of 1942, for the purpose of determining the effects of sulfonamides.
The experimental subjects needed for these experiments were named to me on a list furnished by the camp administration, and it was duty to examine the condition of health of the proposed persons. Mainly, I had to examine their skin and their heart. Some of the proposed prisoners were also X-rayed. When I considered one or the other of the prisoners as not sufficiently healthy for the performance of the operation, I notified the camp physician, at that time Dr. Schiedlausky, by telephone, and he replaced him with another one. Only perfectly healthy Polish nationals were used for the experiments.
4. The operations were performed by Dr. Fritz Fischer. Sometimes I helped and assisted at these operations and had the duty, to attend the patients after the operation. Different series of experiments were conducted; in some, glass or wood splinters and cloth fibers were forcibly brought into the wound, in order to cause gangrene. For this purpose, a cut on the calf of an approximate length of 10 centimeters was usually made. I don't recall either, which muscle was used for the purpose of the experiment.
5. I cannot say, how many persons, on whom experiments were conducted, suffered permanent injuries. But I know that three died as victims of these experiments. I found that their heart failed. But since I had examined these three persons before the experiments were conducted on them, it is very probable that they died because of the infection which was caused by the experiments.
6. As far as I can remember, a total of 40 persons were used for these experiments.
Bone Transplantation 7. The experiments with bone transplantations were carried out, as far as I can remember, at the end of 1942 and beginning of 1943 by Dr. Stumpfeggert of Hohenlychen.
I helped and assisted Dr. Stumpfeggert in the same way, as I helped Dr. Fischer with the sulfonamide experiments, and as I have described already in paragraph 4 of this affidavit. Before the operation I had to examine, as in die other case, the condition of the health of the selected persons. The operations consisted in the removal and transplantation of a piece of bone from the tibia. Fifteen to twenty persons were used for their experiments.
The persons necessary for their experiments were requisitioned by Dr. Schidlausky from the camp commander.
8. Dr. Karl Gebhardt was in charge of the sulfonamido experiments and bone transplantations. It is not know to me, that he himself has performed operations of this type. But I know, that all these experiments were performed under his direction and supervision and upon his instructions.
He was assisted by the already mentioned Dr. Fischer and Dr. Stumpfeggart and also by Dr. Schidlausky and Rosenthal. Also for these experiments, only healthy Polish prisoners were used.
I can't remember, that a single one of the used experimental subjects was pardoned after the completion of the experiments.
Conditions in the Concentration Camp Ravensbrueck
9. During ay service at the concentration camp Ravensbrueck I observed that one of the physicians serving there, Dr. Sonntag, severely mistreated prisoners who reported sick, by beating and kicking them.
10. It was no rarity at Ravensbrueck, that persons who were already approaching death, were killed by injections. I myself have given 5 or 6 such injections.
Nuernberg, 1 November 1946, /s/ Herta Oberhauser
This, your Honor, I think, gives a sufficiently broad picture of what transpired at the Ravensbrueck Concentration Camp, and we submit that this affidavit probably contains all the material facts to constitute a confession to the crime charged with the exception, perhaps, of the voluntary character of the experimental subjects used, who were operated on; and, that of course, will be proved in a few moments.
We would like now to call the first of a series of four witnesses.
THE PRESIDENT: Before the witness is called the Tribunal will take a fifteen minute recess.
(A recess was taken)