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On June 23 1942, Oberfuehrer Victor Brack wrote Reichsfuehrer-SS Himmler, suggesting to "preserve" between two and three million Jews who can be used for forced labor, while sterilizing them. On August 11 1942, Himmler replied in the affirmative, adding "I am positively interested in seeing that sterilization by X-rays is tried out at least once in one camp in a series of experiments.".
This document echoes the Nazi plan to kill the Jews "unfit for work" immediately (see for example Wetzel's report), while sparing for some time those who could be used in the slave labor program. However, the latter were to be sterilized, in order to prevent any reproduction and thus "solve the Jewish question" within one generation. The translation follows. It is excerpted from "Trials of War Criminals Before the Nuernberg Military Tribunals" - Washington, U.S Government Printing Office, 1949-1953, Vol. I, p. 721-723. We gratefully acknowledge the help of the Institute for Contemporary History in obtaining a copy of these documents. TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT NO-205 PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 163 LETTER FROM BRACK TO HIMMLER, 23 JUNE 1942, PROPOSING STERILIZATION OF TWO TO THREE MILLION JEWS Viktor Brack SS Oberfuehrer Berlin, IV 8, Voss-Strasse 4, 23 June 1942 [Initial] HH Top Secret To the Reich Leader SS and Chief of the German Police Heinrich Himmler, Berlin SW 11, Prinz Albrecht Str. 8 Dear Reich Leader, On the instructions of Reich Leader [Reichsleiter] Bouhler I placed some of my men already some time ago at the disposal of Brigadefuehrer Globocnik to execute his special mission. On his renewed request I have now transferred additional personnel. On this occasion Brigadefuehrer Globocnik stated his opinion that the whole Jewish action should be completed as quickly as possible so that one would not get caught in the middle of it one day if some difficulties should make a stoppage of the action necessary. You, yourself, Reich Leader, have already expressed your view, that work should progress quickly for reasons of camouflage alone. Both points which in principle arrive at the same result are more than justified as far as my own experience goes; nevertheless would you kindly allow me to submit the following argument: Among 10 millions of Jews in Europe there are, I figure, at least 2-3 millions of men and women who are fit enough to work. Concerning the extraordinary difficulties the labor problem presents us with, I hold the view that those 2-3 millions should be specially selected and preserved. This can, however, only be done if at the same time they are rendered incapable to propagate. About a year ago I reported to you that agents of mine had completed the experiments necessary for this purpose. I would like to recall these facts once more. Sterilization, as normally performed on persons with hereditary diseases, is here out of the question, because it takes too long and is too expensive. Castration by X-ray however is not only relatively cheap, but can also be performed on many thousands in the shortest time. I think, that at this time it is already irrelevant whether the people in question become aware of having been castrated after some weeks or months once they feel the effects. Should you, Reich Fuehrer, decide to choose this way in the interest of the preservation of labor, then Reichsleiter Bouhler would be prepared to place all physicians and other personnel needed for this work at your disposal. Likewise he requested me to inform you that then I would have to order the apparatus so urgently needed with the greatest speed. Heil Hitler! Yours, [Signed] Viktor Brack TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT NO-206 PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 164 LETTER FROM HIMMLER (COUNTERSIGNED BY RUDOLF BRANDT), 11 AUGUST 1942, ADDRESSED TO BRACK, CONCERNING HIMMLER'S INTEREST IN STERILIZATION EXPERIMENTS The Reich Leader SS 1314/42 [Handwritten] XIa/126 [Handwritten] 11 August 1942 Figure 11 [Handwritten] Field Headquarters SS Senior Col. (SS Oberfuehrer) Brack Berlin W 8 VossStrasse 4 Top Secret 4 copies 4th copy Dear Brack: It is only today that I have the opportunity of acknowledging the receipt of your letter of 23 June. I am positively interested in seeing that sterilization by X-rays is tried out at least once in one camp in a series of experiments. I will be very much obliged to Reichsleiter Bouhler if, to begin with, he would place the expert physicians for the series of experiments at our disposal. I will mail a copy of this letter to the Reich Physician SS and to the competent Chief of the Main Office for concentration camps. Heil Hitler! Yours, [Signed] H. Himmler SS Obergruppenfuehrer Pohl SS Gruppenfuehrer Dr. Grawitz For information. By order [Stamp] 11 August 1942 [Handwritten] Br. SS Obersturmbannfuehrer | ||||||||||
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Last modified: November 1, 2002
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