dtufail/nuremberg-trials-corpus huggingface dataset:
these death reports were dropped." One source of concentration camp inmates was the Reich Ministry of Justice. On 18 September 1942 Himmler and the Minister of Justice conferred at Himmler's field command post. A captured file memorandum by the minister records that one of the items of agreement was that certain prisoners should be delivered by the Ministry of Justice to the SS to be worked to death. On this point, the memorandum reads: "The delivery of anti-social elements from the execution of their sentence to the Reich Leader of the SS to be worked to death. Persons under protective arrest, Jews, gypsies, Russians, and Ukrainians, Poles with more than 3-year sentences, Czechs and Germans with more than 8-year sentences, according to the decision of the Reich Minister for Justice. First of all the worst anti-social elements among those just mentioned are to be handed over." Shortly after this conference the minister wrote to Reichsleiter Bormann: "With a view to freeing the German people of Poles, Russians, Jews, and gypsies and with a view of making the Eastern territories which have been incorporated into the Reich available for settlements for German nationals, I intend to turn over criminal proceedings against Poles, Russians, Jews, and gypsies to the Reich Leader SS. In so doing I base myself on the principle that the administration of justice can only make a small contribution to the extermination of members of these peoples." A report on the progress of this undertaking was made to Pohl by the chief of the Security Police and SD on 31 December 1942. The latter, in describing his efforts to increase the total number of inmates in the concentration camps, stated that 12,000 prisoners had been named by the Justice Ministry, that some had been transferred, and that subordinate agencies have orders to transfer an additional 3,000 prisoners. Correspondence during March and April 1943 between Pohl and Himmler shows that the SS was not failing in its task of working these prisoners to death. Pohl reported that the death rate of prisoners transferred from the Justice Ministry was an average of 30 percent per year and even higher in Mauthausen. Out of 10,191, such prisoners, Mauthausen received 7,587 and 3,306 had died by the first of the year.
not failing in its task of working these prisoners to death. Pohl reported that the death rate of prisoners transferred from the Justice Ministry was an average of 30 percent per year and even higher in Mauthausen. Out of 10,191, such prisoners, Mauthausen received 7,587 and 3,306 had died by the first of the year. Theoretically, the RSHA had jurisdiction over internment of inmates, length of sentence, and release from the camp. In practice, however, the economic purposes of the WVHA prevailed over the punitive objectives of the RSHA. Release of workers who were employed at so-called "important work locations" was first cleared with the WVHA. SS victims were sent to the camps by the thousands without any regard for penal consideration and for no other purpose than increasing the number of slave laborers. Socalled inferior races were herded into the camps by the thousands without any pretext of charges. As an example, Himmler wrote to Gluecks, in January 1942, as follows: "As no more Russian prisoners of war are expected in the near future, I shall send to the camps a large number of Jews and Jewesses who will be sent out of Germany. Make the necessary arrangements for the reception of 100,000 male Jews and up to 50,000 Jewesses into the concentration camps during the next 4 weeks. The concentration camps will have to deal with major economical problems and tasks in the next weeks. SS Gruppenfuehrer Pohl will inform you of particulars." In the summer of 1942, Russian workers were transferred to concentration camps in such numbers that the WVHA, with all of its bookkeeping facilities, was unable to keep a record even by serial number of their arrival or transfer. On 1 August 1942, the chief of Amtsgruppe D sent the following order to the commanders of concentration camps: "According to a communication from the Reich Security Main Office in the letter referred to above, the Technical Office of the Reich Security Office Main Office will register the transferred Soviet Russian civilian workers only in numbers. There will be no special treatment of each individual case. "In order to save paper and labor I, therefore, direct that neither the arrival of such a prisoner nor his transfer into another camp is to be individually reported; moreover,
will register the transferred Soviet Russian civilian workers only in numbers. There will be no special treatment of each individual case. "In order to save paper and labor I, therefore, direct that neither the arrival of such a prisoner nor his transfer into another camp is to be individually reported; moreover, no camp index cards are to be made out and sent to the Reich Security Main Office office IV C 2. Reports to this office are not to be made either." It is obvious that the absence of individual records of the prisoners made administration of any penal policy impossible whether the end be reformation, deterrence, or even incapacitation. * * * * * * * The WVHA was connected intimately in a variety of ways with the cruelty, torture, and murders which particularly characterized the slave labor program in the building of armaments Both Amtsgruppe C, in charge of construction, and Amtsgruppe W, in charge of the SS industries, were engaged in the actual construction of armaments, and each had its own munitions program, using inmate labor supplied by Amtsgruppe D on a gigantic scale. In addition, the WVHA supplied thousands of workers to private industries engaged in the manufacturing of armaments Finally, the WVHA worked in close cooperation with the highest Reich officials in the armament program Goering, Speer, Sauckel , (6) Saur, and Waeger. I shall briefly refer to each of these phases of armament construction. Amtsgruppe C, under Kammler and his deputies, Eirenschmalz, Kiefer and Busching, not only constructed plants for other agencies on a gigantic scale but in addition Kammler was given overall authority for producing V-1 and V-2 weapons at concentration camp Nordhausen-Dora. The giant munitions plant was constructed underground to escape allied bombings and was located on the outskirts of Nordhausen, 125 miles southwest of Berlin Approximately 80,000 slave laborers were used at Dora and they were forced to work, eat, and sleep in the darkness of the subterranean tunnels, and were driven 14 hours a day along the 31 miles of railroad track in the underground factories. The tempo of work was deadly and the living conditions unbearable. Literally thousands of inmates were murdered on
and they were forced to work, eat, and sleep in the darkness of the subterranean tunnels, and were driven 14 hours a day along the 31 miles of railroad track in the underground factories. The tempo of work was deadly and the living conditions unbearable. Literally thousands of inmates were murdered on this project. One transport of unfortunates after another left Buchenwald and nearby camps for Dora never to return. The V weapons were a specialty of the SS and of the WVHA and were constructed upon the lives of those foreigners whose countries were to be destroyed by them. Amtsgruppe W, under the supervision of the defendants Pohl, Georg Loerner, Baier, Volk, and Mummenthey, also used inmate labor on a wide scale and under the most inhumane conditions in manufacturing armaments in its Amt IV plants, which were located in almost every camp under the WVHA, including Auschwitz, Buchenwald, Dachau, Lublin, Ravensbrueck, Sachsenhausen, and Stutthof. As an example, in plants of the DEST industry, directly managed by the defendant Mummenthey of Amt W II, airplane parts were manufactured by inmates at Flossenberg and Mauthausen, planes were assembled by inmates at Hertogenbosch, and air torpedoes were welded by inmates at Natzweiler. More detailed reference will be made to these firms in the discussion of the SS industries. Private armament firms, as well as many other types of industries, were supplied with laborers from concentration camps by Amtsgruppe D. One of the largest private employers was the I.G. Farbenindustrie, which was given priority on prisoners for its Buna plant over all other armament plants. At Goering's request eight to ten thousand inmates were used in constructing the Buna plant in 1941. The largest labor camp in Auschwitz, containing 7,000 inmates, was attached to the Farben plant. Numerous other Farben plants were also supplied with inmate labor by Amtsgruppe [Amt] D II. Hermann Goering Works, Krupp, Siemens-Schuckert, and Flick were also among the large employers of inmates Close liaison was maintained by order of Speer among the highest officials in the Reich Ministry for Armament and War Production, the Office of the Plenipotentiary General for Allocation of Labor, Sauckel, and the WVHA. The policy of the WVHA was to allocate
and Flick were also among the large employers of inmates Close liaison was maintained by order of Speer among the highest officials in the Reich Ministry for Armament and War Production, the Office of the Plenipotentiary General for Allocation of Labor, Sauckel, and the WVHA. The policy of the WVHA was to allocate concentration camp labor through the former agencies in groups of not less than 1,000 male inmates or 5,000 female inmates. If one concern was not able to use an entire lot of inmates, several collectively applied for the allocation. The WVHA also worked in close cooperation with Saur, the head of the technical office of armament production in the Speer Ministry, in building tank engines for the Jaeger program, and with members of the Central Planning Board in building armament plants. Fifteen extensive plans for the construction of subterranean plants for the airplane industry were carried out by Amtsgruppe C with concentration camp prisoners in cooperation with the Armament Commission and the Plenipotentiary General for Construction in the Reich Aviation Ministry. In March 1944, in a top secret letter to Reich Marshal Goering, Himmler summarized the activities of the WVHA in the aviation industry. Himmler's letter read as follows: "Most honored Reich Marshal: "Following my teletype letter of 18 February 1944 I herewith transmit a survey on the employment of prisoners in the aviation industry. "This survey indicates that at the present time about 36,000 prisoners are employed for the purposes of the air force. An increase to a total of 90,000 prisoners is contemplated. "The production is being discussed, established, and executed between the Reich Ministry of Aviation and the chief of my Economic-Administrative Main Office, SS Obergruppenfuehrer and General of the Waffen SS, Pohl, respectively. "We assist with all forces at our disposal." Continuing the quotation from Himmler's letter to Goering: "The task of my Economic-Administrative Main Office, however, is not solely fulfilled with the delivery of the prisoners to the aviation industry as SS Obergruppenfuehrer Pohl and his assistants take care of the required working speed through constant control and supervision of the work groups [Kommandos] and
task of my Economic-Administrative Main Office, however, is not solely fulfilled with the delivery of the prisoners to the aviation industry as SS Obergruppenfuehrer Pohl and his assistants take care of the required working speed through constant control and supervision of the work groups [Kommandos] and therefore have some influence on the results of production. In this respect I may suggest consideration of the fact that in enlarging our responsibility through a speeding up of the total work, better results can definitely be expected. "We also have for some time adjusted our own stone quarries to production for the air force. For instance, in Flossenberg near Weiden the prisoners employed previously in the quarry are working now in the fighter plane program for the Messerschmitt corporation, Regensburg, which saw in the availability of our stonemason shops and labor forces after the attack on Regensburg at that time a favorable opportunity for the immediate partial transfer of their production. Altogether 4,000 prisoners will work there after the expansion. We produce now, with 2,000 men, 900 sets of engine cowlings and radiator covers as well as 120,000 single parts of various kinds for the fighter Me-109. "In Oranienburg we are employing 6,000 prisoners at the Heinkel works now for construction of the He-177. With that we have supplied 60 percent of the total crew of the plant. "The prisoners are working without fault. Up until now 200 suggestions regarding the improvement of work have been handed in at Heinkel from the ranks of the prisoners, which were used and were rewarded with premiums. We are increasing this employment to 8,000 prisoners. "We also have employed female prisoners in the aviation industry. For instance, at the mechanical workshops in Neubrandenburg 2,500 women are working now, in the manufacture of devices for dropping bombs and rudder control. The plant has adjusted the total serial production to employ prisoners. In the month of January, 30,000 devices, as well as 500 rudder controls and altitude regulators have been manufactured. We are increasing employment to 4,000 women. The performance of the women is excellent." Still reading from Himmler's letter to Goering: "In our own plant in Butschowitz near Bruenn [Brno] we
In the month of January, 30,000 devices, as well as 500 rudder controls and altitude regulators have been manufactured. We are increasing employment to 4,000 women. The performance of the women is excellent." Still reading from Himmler's letter to Goering: "In our own plant in Butschowitz near Bruenn [Brno] we produce also for the air force. There, however, with civilian workers. This plant supplied 14,000 wooden-built rear control apparatus for Me-109 to the Messerschmitt corporation, Augsburg. "The movement of manufacturing plants of the aviation industry to subterranean locations requires further employment of about 100,000 prisoners. The plans for this employment on the basis of your letter of 14 February 1944 are already under way. "I shall keep you, most honored Reich Marshal, currently informed on this subject." In addition to the double role which Amtsgruppe C played in the armament industry, it was responsible for two other model achievements in construction; the construction of concentration camps and crematoriums cold, damp, vermin-infected huts, and well-constructed murder chambers which extended for blocks. The existence of the crematoriums was a closely-guarded secret and the camp commander of Mauthausen concentration camp has related that an order existed to the effect that every 3 weeks the detail of inmates working in the crematorium was to be shot. Another project under Amtsgruppe C was the construction of a secret Fuehrer headquarters near Ohrdruf. The project was known by the code name S III. The defendant Sommer himself went to Buchenwald to select the inmates for this important work. The strength of the project, which was commenced in November 1944, reached 13,000 by 27 March 1945 and hundreds of inmates were killed by overwork and mistreatment. Various other construction projects were carried out by Amtsgruppe C. The so-called "A" projects were underground work detachments, designated A-1, A-2, A-3, etc. Construction of these projects included the enormous undertaking of moving the munitions industries underground and cost the lives of thousands of inmates. The "B" projects were surface work details. "S" projects were secret building detachments, such as the one at Ohrdruf, and the "V" projects already
of these projects included the enormous undertaking of moving the munitions industries underground and cost the lives of thousands of inmates. The "B" projects were surface work details. "S" projects were secret building detachments, such as the one at Ohrdruf, and the "V" projects already described, involved production of secret weapons. Amtsgruppe C was the largest user of concentration camp inmates. Kammler was constantly on the search for new manpower for his construction brigades. On 10 February 1942 he wrote to Gluecks, chief of Amtsgruppe D: "In view of the increasing shortage of civilian workers the execution of the construction tasks devolving upon the SS Economic Administrative Main Office in the 3d year of war, 1942, requires the employment of an increased number of prisoners, prisoners of war, and Jews. "Although through the operation 'Heinrich' a certain number of German construction firms and skilled workers have already been secured for construction projects in the Eastern territory for the establishment of supply depots, it is, nevertheless, essential that prisoners, prisoners of war, Jews, etc. be kept in readiness as helpers for the jobs in all circumstances." The evidence will show that the defendants Eirenschmalz and Kiefer, as members of the Amtsgruppe C, played a vital part in this construction program and are responsible for the mistreatment, torture, and murder of untold hundreds of concentration camps inmates The SS Industries One of Himmler's principal ambitions for the WVHA was that it would eventually make the SS economically independent, both from the State and from the Party. The SS was to become a "state within a state" industrially and commercially, as well as politically and militarily. Here again as in other aspects of German life, the basis of industrial organization was to be the National Socialist philosophy. The economic system of this elite group was to be based upon racial and political selection, reinforced by military organization, and individually motivated by a characteristically corrupted conscience and a desire for personal enrichment. The cornerstone of the new economic order was to be slave labor and spoliation exploitation, and even extermination through work of
political selection, reinforced by military organization, and individually motivated by a characteristically corrupted conscience and a desire for personal enrichment. The cornerstone of the new economic order was to be slave labor and spoliation exploitation, and even extermination through work of so-called inferior people; and expropriation of valuable industries in the occupied countries. The development of the SS industries was entrusted to Amtsgruppe W of the WVHA. The Amtsgruppe was designated "W" from "Wirtschaft" which means economy. The importance of Amtsgruppe W was emphasized by the fact that Pohl and his deputy, Georg Loerner, were themselves directly in charge of the Amtsgruppe and were principal managers of the parent holding company, German Economic Enterprises, Ltd., commonly known as DWB. However, the operation of the SS industries was both too intensive and too extensive to be supervised to any substantial degree by Pohl and Loerner. The bulk of the supervising work was carried on by members of staff W including Hohberg, Baier, and Volk, and the chiefs of the Aemter, including Mummenthey Bobermin, and Klein. These were the men of commerce of the new order the elite industrialists. It was their goal to carry the economics of business efficiency to the Nazi terminus. Fanatical Nazis turned into fanatical businessmen, and their business was profit for the SS state and for themselves through the fraudulent income of the SS industries. In order that German economic life could be recast and rebuilt on the SS pattern, entrepreneurs were trained in the WVHA industries, and schools for business administration were established where SS principles of commerce were taught. The defendant Baier, later to become the chief of staff W, was in charge of such a school, known as the "Junkerschule Toelz" and as the "SS Fuehrerschule-Verwaltung". Indeed, one of the most enlightening of the captured WVHA documents is a memorandum which was to be used by the defendant Fanslau as material for a lecture in the SS training schools and which explains the political and economic rationale of the SS industries. The memorandum was submitted to Fanslau on behalf of the defendant Volk, legal advisor to Pohl and member of staff
memorandum which was to be used by the defendant Fanslau as material for a lecture in the SS training schools and which explains the political and economic rationale of the SS industries. The memorandum was submitted to Fanslau on behalf of the defendant Volk, legal advisor to Pohl and member of staff W. It explains that the purpose of the SS industries was "to get hold of all anti-social elements, which no longer had a right to live within the National Socialist state, and to turn their working strength to the benefit of the whole nation. This was effected in the concentration camps. The Reich Leader SS, therefore, delegated SS Obergruppenfuehrer Pohl to set up concentration camp enterprises, in addition he gave orders to establish companies on a private economy basis for the purpose of employing the prisoners. "National Socialism maintains this point of view: The State gives orders to the benefit of economy, economy. The State does not exist for the but economy exists for the benefit of the State." * * * * * * * Brief examination of the organization of Amtsgruppe W and of its several Aemter will illustrate how closely connected were each of the industries with the administration of the concentration camps and the slave labor program, and how closely their purposes coincided with those of the SS state. The structure of Amtsgruppe W was based upon Pohl's conception of military organization and the Fuehrerprinzip. The individual economic enterprises maintained by the SS were headed by the Offices W I to W VIII. They in turn, were subordinate to staff W, which was responsible to the chief and deputy chief of the Amtsgruppe. Viewing Amtsgruppe W from the standpoint of private economy, into which the SS industries had to be fitted for purposes of commercial law, registration, and taxation, the parent holding company, the German Economic Enterprises, Ltd., commonly known as DWB, stood at the head of the various W industries Within the DWB, Pohl was managing director and Georg Loerner was second managing director. The defendant Volk was executive manager. The chief of staff W held the position of economic adviser to the managing director. He had immediate supervision over the directors of the DWB, the