1947-07-19, #12: Doctors' Trial (Wolfram Sievers' personal statement)

THE PRESIDENT: The defendant Sievers.

DR. SIEVERS: Your Honors, in his opening plea, my defense counsel already stated quite openly and frankly that all events were going to be presented with which I was in any way connected, and in this hour which is so important to me, I can state to the best of my conscience that when I furnished my defense counsel with information, and during my own examination on the witness stand, I always spoke the full truth. I have, in fact, had the satisfaction to see that my testimony was confirmed by a witness for the prosecution. During my examination as a witness on the stand, I said quite truthfully that the experimental subjects to whom I had talked in connection with the last experiment in Natzweiler had confirmed to me that they were voluntary subjects.

Witness Nalles, witness for the prosecution, confirmed my testimony during his examination on the 30th of June in this courtroom, record page 10593.

With regard to the charge of participation in the malaria experiments, I have stated that I had nothing to do with malaria experiments.

Witness Vieweg called by the prosecution, confirmed this testimony of mine. Likewise witness Stoehr, pages 495 and 638 of the record.

I testified that the two experimented subjects whom I met in connection with the altitude experiments, in reply to a question of me, confirmed specifically that they had volunteered.

Witness Neff of the prosecution confirms this voluntary status of the witnesses, page 657 of the record. Likewise Dr. Romberg during his direct examination stated on the strength of his own knowledge that my testimony was correct.

The only experimental subject whom I met in connection with the typhus experiments answered my definite question regarding the voluntary act of the witness that this was so. The testimony of myself was confirmed through the affidavit of a former prisoner, a witness Grunzenhuber contained in my second document book.

The prosecution says that they charged me with having placed myself at the disposal of IMT on the behalf of the SS. This was rather a peculiar statement considering my own defense in this trial. I said when I was on the stand that without my own initiative, in fact against my own will the defense counsel for the SS called me in order to use me as a witness.

Attorney Pelckmann, then defense counsel of the SS has confirmed the correctness of the statements of mine in an affidavit. According to that, I immediately informed Pelckmann at the time in writing regarding my former membership of the resistance movement against the national socialist regime and told him I was not a suitable witness. At the same time I had also a copy of my letter, in which I placed myself at the disposal of the International Military Tribunal through ISD as early as the 20th of December, 1945, as the record shows — IMT shows on page 14929.

I have stated my regrets on this same witness stand that my preparedness to aid justice and to help in prosecuting past crimes was not accepted and that considerable evidence was thus destroyed.

As early as August last year, I furnished the prosecution with a report about my activities in the resistance movement, indicating again my willingness. This was passed over, however, when I stated that I was not prepared to sign affidavits which were not completely true.

I openly and frankly stated at that point that I lacked the understanding for this action. I had to do this, and I could do it because I had been looking for truth and right at the risk of my life, undaunted, and even during the time of tyranny. Was one now to be a collaborator in methods which I thought had passed with the National Socialist Regime? And which, as remains my firm conviction, would never lead to a true pacification of this world such as we all desire. I am mentioning this with regret and only because I have always claimed that I myself, and my statements, during responsible times, deserve to be believed. The Prosecution did not only feel in a position to doubt my credibility, but they even consented to call me a liar during their argument, against their better knowledge and their better conscience. Consequently, I had to draw your attention to the testimony of various witnesses which confirmed, in full, my testimony on the stand in such complicated matters. I can truly be satisfied that it was not up to me, but to the Prosecution witnesses, to contradict the incorrect statements made against me. History will honor such action, and judge the persistent attempt to stick to pre-conceived ideas. There is no blessing connected with it. I'm only sorry for those who are misguided by false ideas. My firm conviction that this high Tribunal will fully believe my testimony during my examination is based on these facts. In this connection, with reference to the experiences which I have just described, I am forced to say that on the other hand it was quite inspiring confidence to see which wisdom and patience inspired my judges. This Tribunal stood above matters and disclosed a conduct of trial in which one could feel sheltered; all my friends, who fought in the secret resistance movement with me and attended this trial repeatedly in the audience, share with me the sentiments. I have explained to you, Your Honors, for what reasons I was in immediate, direct contact with the NSDAP and the SS. I have told you how I always tried to prevent the application of medical research to the Ahnenerbe [Ancestral Heritage]. This attempt failed, due to the ambitious attitude of Himmler.

Only on the strength of my own feelings had I to find an attitude with regard to this new question of experiments on human beings. I did not approve of them, and I attempted to take the consequence, which could only be that I immediately resigned from my post as the Reich Manager of the Ahnenerbe. I think the testimony of the Witness Hilscher, in this stand, and the affidavits from Witness Deutelmoser, Witness Dellmann, Witness Schmitz, and others prove beyond doubt that I had the true intention of resigning from the Ahnenerbe. And these witnesses have also clearly testified why I didn't do so, not because of personal ambition, not for reasons of comfort, or for what other low reasons might be attributed to me in this point. It was due to the persistent urging on the part of my political friends that I remained, in order to serve the task I have fought for. It had taken me to the NSDAP and the SS, but I refused to be a follower of the NSDAP and the policies which they represented. On the outside I had to live up to the name of a National Socialist, if I was to hold up the political ideal to which I had devoted myself since 1929 and not to endanger it. In his affidavit, and it is in my appendix to my document No. 1, Witness Niebhausen, who was the most important member in the circle of the secret German resistance, and who has acted on behalf of Dr. Kempner too, and who is obviously a personality beyond reproach, says that his illegal activity which continued for five years would have been quite impossible without my assistance. I do, in deed, not know what the Prosecution is prepared to recognize as being the fight against the Nazi Regime. Even such activities as these cannot be eliminated as a fact. It is not necessary to read all the details which have been testified to in this Courtroom. That in true recognition of the consequences which might be daily expected for myself and my family I devoted myself to resistance, continued in it undaunted, and never abandoned it, is now the only reason why I find myself in this dock. For that reason, I look forward to the judgment of this Tribunal with confidence, due to my conviction that I have lived for a good cause and acted on it, on behalf of something which at the time, as a matter of fact today, filled me with true belief.