Text: English     International Military Tribunal "Blue Series," Vol. 11 (British Edition), p. 350
		15.4.46 because there was in Auschwitz an unusually large number of incoming transports consisting of shipments of material and so forth? A. Yes, an observer who did not make notes exclusively for that purpose could obtain no idea about that because, to begin with, not only transports arrived which were destined to be destroyed but other transports also arrived continuously, containing new detainees who were used in the camp. Furthermore, transports containing large numbers of workers frequently left the camp. The trains themselves were closed, that is to say, the doors of the freight cars were closed so that it was not possible, from the outside, to see the people being transported. In addition to that, up to one hundred cars of materials, rations, etc., were daily brought into the camp or continuously left the workshops of the camp, in which war material was being made. Q. And after the arrival of the transports did the victims have to dispose of everything they had? Did they have to undress completely; did they have to surrender their valuables? Is that true? A. Yes. Q. And then they immediately went to their death? A. Yes. Q. I ask you, according to your knowledge, did these people know what was in store for them? A. The majority of them did not, for steps were taken to keep them in doubt about it so that the suspicion would not arise that they were to go to their death. For instance, all doors and all walls bore inscriptions to the effect that they were going to undergo a delousing operation or take a shower. This was proclaimed in several languages to the detainees by other detainees who had come in with earlier transports and who were being used as auxiliary crews during the whole action. Q. And then, you told me the other day, that death from gassing occurred within a period of three to fifteen minutes. Is that correct? A. Yes. Q. You also told me that even before death definitely set in the victims fell into a state of unconsciousness? A. Yes. From what I was able to find out myself or from what was told me by medical officers, the time necessary for the arrival of unconsciousness or death varied according to the temperature and the number of people present in the chambers. Loss of consciousness took place after a few seconds or minutes. Q. Did you yourself ever sympathise with the victims, thinking of your own family and children? A. Yes. Q. How was it possible then for you to carry out these actions? A. In spite of all the doubts which I had, the only one and decisive argument was the strict order and the reason given for it by the Reichsführer Himmler. Q. I ask you whether Himmler inspected the camp and convinced himself that the order for annihilation was being carried out? A. Yes. Himmler visited the camp in 1942 and he watched in detail one processing from beginning to end. Q. Does the same apply to Eichmann? A. Eichmann came repeatedly to Auschwitz and knew precisely what was being done there. Q. Did the defendant Kaltenbrunner ever inspect the camp? A. No. Q. Did you ever talk with Kaltenbrunner with reference to your task? A. No, never. I was with Obergruppenführer Kaltenbrunner on only one single occasion. Q. When was that? A. That was one day after his birthday in the year 1944. 350
		Text: English     International Military Tribunal "Blue Series," Vol. 11 (British Edition), p. 350     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.