The Reichsfuehrer-SS Personal Staff Department A To Waischenfeld/Ofr., 5.9.44. Teleprint SS-Standartenfuehrer Ministerialrať Dr. Brandt Top Secret. [Marginal notes in shorthand] Re: Collection of Jewish Skeletons. According to the proposal of 9/2/42 and your approval of 23/2/42 AR/493/37, Prof. Dr. Hirt has assembled the skeleton collection which was previously non-existent. Because of the vast amount of scientific research connected therewith, the job of reducing the corpses to skeletons has not yet been completed. Since it might require some time, Hirt requested 80 copies of the directives pertaining to the treatment of the collection stored in the morgue of the Anatomical Institute, in case Strassburg should be endangered. The Collection can be de-fleshed and thereby rendered unidentifiable. This however, would mean that at least part of the whole work had been done for nothing and that this singular collection would be lost to science, since it would be impossible to make plaster casts afterwards. The skeleton collection as such is inconspicuous. The flesh parts could be declared as having been left by the French at the time we took over the Anatomical Institute and would be turned over for cremating. Please advise me which of the following three proposals is to be carried out: 1. The collection as a whole is to be preserved. 2. The collection is to be dissolved in part. 3. The collection is to be completely dissolved. For the attention of SS Obersturmbannfuehrer Eichmann Prinz-Albrecht-Str. 8 Re: Establishment of a collection of skeletons at the Anatomical Institute at Strassburg. The Reichsfuehrer-SS has issued a directive to the effect that SS-Hauptsturmfuehrer Prof. Dr. Hirt, who is the director of the Anatomical Institute at Strassburg and the head of a department of the institute for Military Science Research in the Ahnenerbe Society, be furnished with everything he needs for his research work. By order of the Reichsfuehrer-SS, therefore, I ask you to make possible the establishment of the planned collection. SSObersturmbannfuehrer Sievers will get in touch with you with regard to straightening out the details. By order [signed] Brandt SS-Obersturmbannfuehrer 2. To the "Ahnenerbe" Society Berlin-Dahlem Berlin, 27 November 1942. Puecklerstrasse 16 Copy sent with request that cognizance be taken thereof. I refer to your letter of 2.11.42. Note: By order [signature illegible] SS-Obersturmfuehrer. [in pencil] 27.11 [in pencil] M TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 091 [Marginal notes in shorthand] On 12.10.1944, I had a telephone conversation with SS-Standartenfuehrer Sievers and asked him if the Strassburg Skeleton collection had been completely dissolved, as directed by SS-Standartenfuehrer Baumert. SS-Standartenfuehrer Sievers could not advise me on that matter, since he had not as yet heard anything further from Prof. Hirt. I told him that in case the dissolution had not yet been carried out, a certain part of the collection should be preserved. However, guarantee should be given that a complete dissolution could be made in time in case the military situation should endanger Strassburg. SS-Standartenfuehrer Sievers promised me that he would find out about it and let me know. [signed] Berg. SS. Hauptsturmfuehrer. 15.10.1944 Bg/HM Note for SS-Standardtenfuehrer Dr. Brandt. During his visit at the Operational HQ on 21.10.1944, SS-Standartenfuehrer Sievers told me that the collection in Strassburg had been completely dissolved in the meantime in conformance with the directive given him at the time. He is of the opinion that this arrangement is for the best in view of the whole situation. I have your note of 3.11.1942 again in front of me today. At the time I could only speak to SS-Obergruppenfuehrer Pohl very shortly. If I remember correctly, he even sent me a letter informing me that he would have the deficiencies which you described taken care of, but I did not have time to enumerate them in detail. I had just received your letter the same morning on which I went to see SS-Obergruppenfuehrer Pohl. Therefore, it was impossible for me to read it over beforehand. I only remembered what you had told me during our last conversation. If it should be necessary for me to take this matter up again, will you please let me know. Heil Hitler! [signed] Brandt. SS-Obersturmbannfuehrer. 744400-47-83 Subject: Organization of a skeleton collection in the anatomical institute of Strassburg. The Reichsfuehrer-SS has ordered that everything necessary for the research work of SS-Captain [Hauptsturmfuehrer] Prof. Dr. HIRT, who is at the same time director of a branch of the institute for Military Scientific Researches for Specific Purposes in the Office "Ahnenerbe" [Ancestry Research based on racial theory] should be placed at his disposal. By order of the Reichsfuehrer-SS, I therefore request you, to make the organization of the planned skeleton collection possible. The SS-Lt Colonel [Obersturmbannfuehrer] SIEVERS will contact you for details. /s/ BRANDT SS-Lt Col [Obersturmbannfuehrer] COPY OF AFFIDAVIT K CROSS-AFFIDAVIT OF DR. RUDOLF MILDNER I, the undersigned Dr. Rudolf Mildner, made the following affidavit in answer to cross interrogations by representatives of the Office of United States Chief of Counsel relating to my affidavit of 29 March 1946, made in response to questions by Dr. Kaufmann for presentation to the International Military Tribunal: Question No. 1: Confirm or correct the following biographical data: Answer: December 1939, I became Chief of the Gestapo Office in Chemnitz. In March 1941, I became Chief of the Gestapo Office in Kattowitz. In September 1943, I became Commander of the SIPO In January 1944, I became Inspector of the SIPO and On 15 March 1944, I was made Deputy Chief of In December 1944, I became Commander of the SIPO In December 1944, I became Deputy Inspector of the All of these appointments after January 1943 were made by Kaltenbrunner as Chief of the Security Police and SD. Question No. 2: Is it not true that while you were Gestapo leader at Kattowitz you frequently sent prisoners to Auschwitz for imprisonment or execution; that you had contacts with the Political Department (Abteilung) at Auschwitz during the time you were Chief of the Gestapo at Kattowitz with regard to inmates sent from the district of Kattowitz; that you visited Auschwitz on several occasions; that the Gestapo "SS Standgericht" frequently met within Auschwitz and you sometimes attended the trial of prisoners; that in 1942 and again in 1943, pursuant to orders by Gruppenfuehrer Mueller, Chief of Gestapo, the Commandant of Auschwitz showed you the extermination plants; that you were acquainted with the extermination plants at Auschwitz since you had to send Jews from your territory to Auschwitz for execution. Answer: Yes, these are true statements of fact. Question No. 3: With respect to your answer to Question No. 5 in your affidavit of 29 March 1946, did all orders for arrest, commitment to, punishment and individual executions in concentration camps come from RSHA? Was the regular channel for orders of individual executions from Himmler through Kaltenbrunner to Mueller, then to the concentration camp commandant. Did WVHA have supervision of all concentration camps for administration, utilization of labor, and maintenance of discipline? Answer: The answer is yes to each of the three questions. Question No. 3 a: Is it true that conferences took place between SS Obergruppenfuehrer Kaltenbrunner and SS Obergruppenfuehrer Pohl, Chief of the WVHA, and Chief of Concentration Camps? Was Dr. Kaltenbrunner acquainted with conditions in concentration camps? Answer: Yes and because of these conferences and on the occasion of discussion with the two Amt Chiefs, Gruppenfuehrer Mueller IV and Gruppenfuehrer Nebe, RSHA, the Chief of SIPO and SD, SS-Obergruppenfuehrer Dr. Kaltenbrunner should be acquainted with conditions in concentration camps. |