B. Medical Experiments
Reading edition
a. Introduction
The defendant Milch was charged with participation in criminal medical experiments. On this charge he was acquitted. Both the judgment and the concurring opinions deal extensively with this topic; also Volume I of this series, and the first part of the present volume, contains considerable documentation from Case I (the Medical Case) on the same medical experiments for participation in which the defendant Milch was indicted. Hence, only a small portion of the evidence on medical experiments offered in the Milch Case has been included in the present volume. Some of the prosecution documents which were directly related to the defendant Milch have been included here as well as the testimony of the defense witness SS General Wolff. Documents NO-285, NO-289, NO-224, 343-A-PS, and 343-B-PS, published as part of the Medical Case, were also introduced in the Milch Case. Further defense testimony on this topic may be found by consulting the official record.
The following defendants in Case I (the Medical Case) testified as witnesses for the defendant Milch: Hans Wolfgang Romberg, Wolfram Sievers, Hermann Becker-Freyseng, Georg August Weltz, and Rudolf Brandt. In addition, six other defense witnesses testified regarding the medical experiments: Erich Hippke, Walter Neff, Dr. Leo Alexander, Siegfried Ruff, Karl Wolff, and Gerhard Engel. See list of witnesses for dates and transcript page references on pages 889-90.
b. Evidence
PROSECUTION DOCUMENTS
Doc. No.Pros. Ex. No.Description of DocumentPage
NOKW-041113Sworn statement by Hermann Goering, 27 September 1946, concerning Milch’s position as Inspector General of the Luftwaffe.626
NO-21983Letter from Dr. Rudolf Brandt to Dr. Rascher, 27 April 1942, concerning medical experiment report for Himmler and Milch.626
NO-26189Letter from Milch to Dr. Hippke, 4 June 1942, concerning availability of low-pressure air chamber for experiments.626
1607-B-PS115Letter from Dr. Rascher to Dr. Brandt, 20 July 1942, concerning report on high-altitude experiments.627
1607-A-PS115Letter from Himmler to Milch, 25 August 1942, concerning Dr. Rascher’s report on high-altitude experiments.628
1617-PS111Letter from Himmler to Milch, 13 November 1942, concerning Rascher’s transfer to the Waffen SS.629
NO-262119Letter from Dr. Hippke to SS Obergruppenfuehrer Wolff, 6 March 1943, concerning Rascher’s transfer to the Waffen SS.631
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT NOKW-041
PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 113
SWORN STATEMENT BY HERMANN GOERING, 27 SEPTEMBER 1946, CONCERNING MILCH’S POSITION AS INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE LUFTWAFFE
I, Hermann Goering, swear, depose, and state:
That I am the former Reich Marshal of the German Reich and the former Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe, that I have personal knowledge of all the facts stated here, and that I know these facts because of the position and responsibility which I had in the German Reich.
That in approximately 1939 the former Field Marshal Erhard Milch was appointed Inspector General [Generalinspekteur] of the Luftwaffe and that as such he was directly responsible to me for the performance of his duties.
That the Inspector General of the Luftwaffe was in charge of all tasks and responsibilities, with the exception of those which were concerned with tactical operations (the latter were handled by my Chief of Staff). The supervision of the inspections, as well as the affairs of the health and medical inspections, was included in the tasks of the Office of the Inspector General. Special questions, however, such as the number of hospitals to be put at the disposal of the individual air fleets, fell within the province of my Chief of Staff.
That Generaloberstabsarzt [Lt. Gen., Medical Service] Dr. Erich Hippke was Chief of the Medical Service [Sanitaetswesen] of the Luftwaffe during the years 1941 till 1944 inclusive; that the Office of the Chief of the Medical Service was directly responsible for the execution of all medical research and experiments; that the Office of the Chief of the Medical Service, i.e., Hippke’s office, was directly subordinated to the Inspector General, the former Field Marshal Milch.
I have read the foregoing deposition consisting of two pages, in the German language, and declare that it is the full truth to the best of my knowledge and belief. I have had the opportunity to make changes and corrections in the above statement. I made this declaration voluntarily without any promise of reward, and I was not subjected to any duress or threat whatsoever. Nuernberg, 27 September 1946.
[Signed] Hermann Goering
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT NO-219
PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 83
LETTER FROM DR. RUDOLF BRANDT TO DR. RASCHER, 27 APRIL 1942, CONCERNING MEDICAL EXPERIMENT REPORT FOR HIMMLER AND MILCH
Top Secret
XI a-59
Fuehrer Headquarters, 27 April 1942
1198/42
Bra-N
To SS Untersturmfuehrer Dr. Sigmund Rascher
Munich
56 Troger Street
Dear Comrade Dr. Rascher:
The Reich Leader [Himmler] has seen your letter of 16 April 1942. He has shown the same interest in this report as in the one you sent recently. He would like you to make up for him an over-all report on the experiments carried out to date, which he would like to present personally to Field Marshal Milch.
Kind regards to your wife and yourself,
Heil Hitler!
Yours
[initialed]R. Br.
SS Obersturmbannfuehrer
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT NO-261
PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 89
LETTER FROM MILCH TO DR. HIPPKE, 4 JUNE 1942, CONCERNING AVAILABILITY OF LOW-PRESSURE AIR CHAMBER FOR EXPERIMENTS
The State Secretary for Aviation and Inspector General of the
Luftwaffe
Berlin W 8, Leipziger Street 7, 4 June 1942
Telephone 12 00 47
Dear Herr Hippke!
According to the agreement with the Reich Leader SS the low-pressure air chamber for experiments in the neighborhood of Munich is still to be available for two further months.
Moreover, Stabsarzt Dr. Rascher is, in addition to his tests in the Luftwaffe, to be on duty for the present for the purposes of the Reich Leader SS.
Heil Hitler!
Yours
Generaloberstabsarzt Professor Dr. Hippke
Berlin-Tempelhof.
Copy
SS Obergruppenfuehrer and General of the Waffen SS Wolff
Berlin SW 11.
Heil Hitler!
and kind regards,
Yours,
[signature] Milch
PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 1607-B-PS
PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 115
LETTER FROM DR. RASCHER TO DR. BRANDT, 20 JULY 1942, CONCERNING REPORT ON HIGH-ALTITUDE EXPERIMENTS
Stabsarzt Dr. Rascher
Ahnenerbe RF-SS
Munich, 20 July 1942
Top Secret
SS Obersturmbannfuehrer Dr. R. Brandt
Berlin, RF-SS.
Very esteemed Dr. Brandt,
Enclosed please find a copy of the work of myself and Romberg, “Experiments for Rescue from High Altitudes”.
On 14 July 1942, I was ordered by the Reich Leader SS to send you the above-mentioned report. The Reich Leader wants that report to be forwarded to Field Marshal Milch, accompanied by a letter from him, asking Milch to receive Romberg and me for a lecture. I believe to have understood correctly that the Reich Leader thought you would submit to him a letter to that effect for his signature.
I was very glad to hear that the Reich Leader was satisfied with the result of the work at Dachau and with the film, and that he ordered an intensive continuation of the work in that field.
I recommended Romberg for the War Merit Cross 2d Class [“Kriegsverdienstkreuz II. Klasse”] on the request of SS Obersturmbannfuehrer Sievers. SS Standartenfuehrer Dr. Wuest ordered me to notify you hereof.
The Reich Leader furthermore decided on 14 July 1942 that the prisoner Sobota and the two prisoners who work in the dissection room in Dachau should be released and transferred to the group “Dirlewanger.” The exact names are in possession of SS Obersturmbannfuehrer Sievers. The Reich Leader has also issued an order to that effect to Major Suchaneck.
I thank you cordially for everything and remain
Heil Hitler!
[handwritten] Very faithfully yours,
[Signed] Dr. S. Rascher
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 1607-A-PS
PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 115[137]
LETTER FROM HIMMLER TO MILCH, 25 AUGUST 1942, CONCERNING DR. RASCHER’S REPORT ON HIGH-ALTITUDE EXPERIMENTS
Field Headquarters, 25 August 1942
Field Marshal Milch
Secret
Dear Milch:
Enclosed please find a report about experiments for rescue from high altitudes, which have been carried out by Stabsarzt Dr. S. Rascher and Dr. med. H. W. Romberg. I saw a film[138] produced by Dr. Rascher.
I consider the results of those experiments as so important for the air force, that I beg you to receive Dr. Rascher and Dr. Romberg
I consider the results of those experiments as so important for the air force, that I beg you to receive Dr. Rascher and Dr. Romberg that, after having seen the film, you will also refer the matter to the Reich Marshal because of its importance.
I would be obliged if you could let me know your opinion in time.
Friendly greetings and
Heil Hitler!
H. H. [initials of Himmler]
27 August 1942
[initial illegible]
1 Enclosure
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 1617-PS
PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 111
LETTER FROM HIMMLER TO MILCH, 13 NOVEMBER 1942, CONCERNING RASCHER’S TRANSFER TO THE WAFFEN SS
The Reich Leader SS
Berlin, SW 11, 8 Prinz Albrecht Street
Field Command Post
13 November 1942
Secret
Dear Comrade Milch:
You will recall that through General Wolff I particularly recommended for your consideration the work of a certain SS Fuehrer Dr. Rascher, who is a medical officer of the air force reserve [Arzt des Beurlaubtenstandes der Luftwaffe].
These researches which deal with the behavior of the human organism at great heights, as well as with manifestations caused by prolonged cooling of the human body in cold water and similar problems which are of vital importance to the air force in particular, can be performed by us with particular efficiency because I personally assumed the responsibility for supplying asocial individuals and criminals, who deserve only to die [todeswuerdig], from concentration camps for these experiments.
Unfortunately, you had no time recently when Dr. Rascher wanted to report on the experiments at the Ministry of Aviation. I had put great hopes in that report, because I believed that in this way the difficulties, based mainly on religious objections to Dr. Rascher’s experiments—for which I assumed responsibility—could be eliminated.
The difficulties are still the same now as before. In these Christian medical circles the standpoint is being taken that it goes without saying that a young German aviator should be allowed to risk his life but that the life of a criminal—who is not drafted into military service—is too sacred for this purpose and one should not stain oneself with this guilt; at the same time it is interesting to note that credit is taken for the results of the experiments while excluding the scientist who performed them.
I personally have inspected the experiments, and have—I can say this without exaggeration—participated in every phase of this scientific work in a helpful and inspiring manner.
We two should not get angry about these difficulties. It will take at least another ten years until we can get such narrow-mindedness out of our people. But this should not affect the research work which is necessary for our young, splendid soldiers and aviators.
I beg you to release Dr. Rascher, Stabsarzt of the reserve, from the air force and to transfer him to the Waffen SS. I would then assume the sole responsibility for having these experiments made in this field and would put the results, of which we in the SS need only a part for the frost injuries in the East, entirely at the disposal of the air force. However, in this connection I suggest that with the liaison between you and Wolff, a “non-Christian” doctor should be entrusted who ought to be not only a fully qualified scientist but also a man not prone to intellectual theft and who could be informed of the results. This doctor should also have good contacts with the administrative authorities so that the results would really obtain a hearing.
I believe that this solution—to transfer Dr. Rascher to the SS, so that he could carry out the experiments under my responsibility and on my orders—is the best way. The experiments should not be stopped; we owe that to our men. If Dr. Rascher remained with the air force, there would certainly be much annoyance; because then I would have to submit to you a number of unpleasant details caused by the arrogance and presumptousness which Professor Dr. Holzloehner displayed in the Dachau military post—which is under my command—during conversations with SS Standartenfuehrer Sievers about my person. In order to save both of us this trouble, I suggest again that Dr. Rascher should be transferred to the Waffen SS as quickly as possible.
I would be grateful if you ordered the low-pressure chamber being put at our disposal again, together with the differential pumps [Stufenaggregatpumpen], as the experiments should be extended to even greater altitudes.
Cordial greetings and
Heil Hitler!
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT NO-262
PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 119
LETTER FROM DR. HIPPKE TO SS OBERGRUPPENFUEHRER WOLFF, 6 MARCH 1943, CONCERNING RASCHER’S TRANSFER TO THE WAFFEN SS
The Inspector of the Medical Service of the Luftwaffe
Berlin W 8, Leipziger Street 7, 6 March 1943
File No. 2299-43 secret Inspectorate
Dear Obergruppenfuehrer Wolff!
State Secretary Milch has given me your letter of 21 November last year—Diary No. 1426/42 top secret—regarding the release of Stabsarzt of the Luftwaffe Dr. Rascher to the Waffen SS.
I am prepared to release Stabsarzt Dr. Rascher from the Luftwaffe, even after the Reich Physician of the SS, SS Gruppenfuehrer Dr. Grawitz explained to me that he was unable to give me a replacement; I shall put him at the disposal of the Waffen SS if Rascher himself desires this release. I shall ask him about that.
Your conception that I, as the responsible director of all medical-scientific research work, would have been opposed to the chilling experiments on human beings and so retarded their development is erroneous. I immediately agreed to the experiments, because our own previous experiments on large animals were concluded and supplementary work was necessary. It is also highly improbable that I, who is responsible for the development of all possibilities for rescuing our airmen, would not do everything possible to further such work. When Rascher explained his wishes to me, I agreed with him immediately. The difficulties, Mr. Wolff, lie in an entirely different sphere: it is a question of vanity on the part of individual scientists, every one of whom personally wants to bring out new research results, and very often it is only with great effort that they can be led to work unselfishly for the common good. None of them is without guilt in this respect; Rascher is not either.
If Rascher wants to build up his own research institute within the framework of the Waffen SS, I have no objection. All research work within the field of aviation medicine—that is, altitude—moreover, is under my scientific supervision in my capacity as director of German aviation medicine. This institute would then be under the supervision of the Reich Physician of the SS, SS Gruppenfuehrer Dr. Grawitz.
Momentarily, however, this work cannot be carried on because its continuation would require a low-pressure chamber in which not only the altitude of the stratosphere, but also the stratospheric temperature can be established. But there is no such chamber available in Germany as yet; a large chamber is being built in the new Berlin Research Institute for Aviation Medicine, and I hope I shall be able to have it completed in the course of this year.
If Rascher, on the other hand, wishes to conduct other experiments not concerned with altitude and chilling problems, these would not be under my supervision (aviation medicine) but under the supervision of the Medical Inspector of the Army (military medicine), whom he would have to contact.
I am going to talk over all these problems with Rascher in old comradeship, and I shall again notify you.
With respectful compliments and
Heil Hitler!
[Signed] Hippke