Text: English     International Military Tribunal "Blue Series," Vol. 11 (British Edition), p. 348
		15.4.46 A. Yes, that is correct. Q. Is it furthermore correct that only one man, by the name of Eichmann recorded the figure, the man who had the task of organizing and assembling these people? A. Yes. Q. Is it furthermore true that Eichmann stated to you that in Auschwitz a sum total of more than two million Jews had been destroyed? A. Yes. Q. Men, women and children? A. Yes. Q. You were a participant in the World War? A. Yes. Q. And then in 1922, you entered the Party? A. Yes. Q. Were you a member of the S.S.? A. Since 1934. Q. Is it true that you, in the year 1924, were sentenced to 2 lengthy detention because you participated in a so-called political murder (Fememord)? A. Yes. Q. And then at the end of 1934, you went to the concentration camp of Dachau? A. Yes. Q. What task did you receive? A. At first, I was the leader of a block of prisoners (Gefangenenblockführer) and then I became report leader (Rapportführer) and at the end, the administrator of the property of prisoners (Gefangeneneigentumsverwalter). Q. And how long did you stay there? A. Until 1938. Q. What job did you have from 1938 on and where were you then? A. In 1938, I went to the concentration camp at Sachsenhausen where, to begin with, I was adjutant of the commandant and later on I became the head of the protective-custody camp. Q. When were you commandant at Auschwitz? A. I was commandant at Auschwitz from May, 1940, until 1st December, 1943. Q. What was the highest number of internees ever held at one time at Auschwitz? A. The highest number of internees held at one time at Auschwitz was about 140,000 men and women. Q. Is it true that in 1941, you were ordered to Berlin to see Himmler? Please, state briefly what was discussed. A. Yes. In the summer of 1941, I was summoned to Berlin to Reichsführer S.S. Himmler to receive personal orders. He told me something to the effect - I don't remember the exact words - that the Führer had given the order for a definite solution of the Jewish question. We, the S.S., must carry out that order. If it was not carried out now then the Jews would later on destroy the German people. We had chosen Auschwitz because of its easy access by rail and also because the extensive site could readily be isolated. Q. During that conference, did Himmler tell you that this planned action had to be treated as a "Secret Reich Matter"? (Geheime Reichassache). A. Yes. He stressed that point. He told me not to say anything about it to my immediate superior Gruppenführer Glücks. This conference only concerned the two of us and I was to observe the strictest secrecy. Q. What was the position held by Glücks? A. Gruppenführer Glücks was, so to speak, the Inspector of Concentration Camps at that time and he was immediately subordinate to the Reichsführer. Q. Does the expression "Secret Reich Matter" mean that no one was permitted to make even the slightest allusion to outsiders without endangering his own life? 348
		Text: English     International Military Tribunal "Blue Series," Vol. 11 (British Edition), p. 348     Last modified: October 10, 1998 Copyright © 1998 The Mazal Library and The Holocaust History Project. All rights reserved. Technical/administrative contact: webmaster@holocaust-history.org Find a typo? Let us know.