20 Dec. 45
scientific research possibilities, they
pertain exclusively to such affairs, which are carried out with the
material (prisoners) which is only accessible to the Waffen-SS and are
therefore not to be undertaken by any other experimental office. I
cannot object therefore on behalf of the Reich Research Council
against the budget claim of the Reich Surgeon SS and Police."
The letter is signed, "Mentzel, Ministerial Director."
Thus it was because the SS was in a position to supply material for the
program of experiments that it took the lead in that field of endeavor.
THE PRESIDENT: Does the letter on Page 4 mean that the Defendant Göring
was President of the Reich Research Department?
MAJOR FARR: Page 4 of the translation? That I understand to be the
case. The point of the letter being that Göring had laid down the
rule that during the war there was to be no duplication of experimental
facilities. Therefore, the Reich Research Department to whom the
Minister of Finance had turned for an opinion, asked the Reich Surgeon,
"Why do you want to carry out this program of experiments?"
THE PRESIDENT: I was only asking whether the President of the Reich
Research Department was the Defendant Göring
MAJOR FARR: That is what is stated in the letter. I understand that to
be the case.
THE PRESIDENT: Then what do the words, "President of the Reich
Research Department" on Page 1 mean? Does that mean that the letter
went to the Defendant Göring?
MAJOR FARR: No. The letterhead bears the notation "President of
the Reich Research Department," and the letter proceeds from an
office of that department, Head of the Executive Council. The letter was
addressed to the Reich Minister of Finance.
THE PRESIDENT: I see.
MAJOR FARR: I have concluded the concentration camp phase.
THE PRESIDENT: We will recess now for 10 minutes.
[A recess was taken.]
THE PRESIDENT: It will perhaps be convenient that I should announce
that the Tribunal will adjourn today at 4 o'clock.
MAJOR FARR: Through its activities with respect to concentration camps,
the SS performed part of its mission to safeguard the security of the
Nazi regime. But another specialized aspect of