30 Nov. 46
COL. AMEN: Were you acquainted with Colonel Rowehl?
LAHOUSEN: Yes.
COL. AMEN: Who was he?
LAHOUSEN: He was an officer. He was a colonel of the Luftwaffe.
COL. AMEN: What was the work of the special squadron to which he
was attached?
LAHOUSEN: Rowehl had a special squadron for altitude flying which
operated together with the Ausland Abwehr for the reconnaissance of
certain territories or states.
COL. AMEN: Were you ever present when he reported to Canaris?
LAHOUSEN: I was present occasionally.
COL. AMEN: Do you recall what Rowehl told Canaris on those
occasions?
LAHOUSEN: He reported on the results of the reconnaissance
flights and submitted his photographs, I believe, to Abwehr I,
Section Luft which, competent for this work, made some evaluation of
them.
COL. AMEN: Did you know over what territories these
reconnaissance flights had been made?
LAHOUSEN: They were taken over Poland, England and in
southeastern Europe; I cannot be more explicit as I do not know the
specific territories or countries of southeastern Europe. All I know
is that this squadron was stationed in Budapest for the purpose of
making such reconnoitering flights.
COL. AMEN: Did you personally see some of these photographs?
LAHOUSEN: Yes.
COL. AMEN: Now will you tell the Tribunal the dates when you know
that these reconnaissance flights over London and Leningrad were
being made?
LAHOUSEN: I cannot give the exact dates. I only remember, being
present at discussions between Rowehl and Canaris--sometimes
Pieckenbrock was there too--that these reconnaissance flights did
take place in the aforementioned areas, that photographic material
was furnished and that the squadron operated from Hungarian air
fields in the vicinity of Budapest. I know this because once I myself
flew back from Budapest to Berlin in such a plane, and also from
knowing some of the pilots and their activities.
COL. AMEN: What I am going to ask you about now is the year, or
years we will say, when these reconnaissance flights were being made.