NMT01-T315
Volume I · Page 315
| Karl Brandt and Sievers. Extracts from these briefs are set forth below on pages 315 to 324. A corresponding summation of the evidence by the defense on these experiments has been selected from the closing briefs for the defendants Karl Brandt and Sievers, It appears below on pages 324 to 334. This argumentation is followed by selection from the evidence on pages 336 to 354. |
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| b. Selections from the Argumentation of the Prosecution |
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| EXTRACT FROM THE CLOSING BRIEF AGAINST DEFENDANT KARL BRANDT |
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| Gas Experiments |
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| The treatment of wounds caused by chemical
warfare agents was of considerable interest to military medical
circles of Germany. On 1 March 1944, the Fuehrer gave Karl Brandt
broad powers in the field of chemical warfare. (NO-012, Pros.
Ex..270.) The decree itself is not available, but there is no
dispute that Brandt's jurisdiction extended to pharmaceutical
products to treat gas wounds. So much he admits. (Tr. p. 2629.)
This necessarily involved a determination of the most effective
method of treatment. That the decree included medical research on.
gas wounds can also be concluded from the fact that copies of the
decree which Brandt sent to Himmler (NO-012, Pros. Ex. 270)
were forwarded to Grawitz and Sievers who had previously worked on
this problem. (NO-013a, Pros. Ex. 271; NO-013b, Pros. Ex. 272.)
In any event, on 31 March 1944, Sievers reported to Brandt about the research activities of Hirt. (NO-015, Pros. Ex. 275.) Hirt had been experimenting on inmates of the Natzweiler concentration camp since November 1942. (NO-098, Pros. Ex. 263.) For a detailed description of Hirt's experiments, see the brief against Sievers (p. 318 ff). Brandt admitted that Sievers gave him the written report by Hirt, which we introduced as Prosecution Exhibit 268 (NO-099) and that this report shows on its face that experiments on human beings were performed by him. (Tr. p. 2626.) It is significant to note that the report speaks of heavy, medium, and light wounds caused by Lost. Moreover, Brandt admitted he talked to Hirt in Strasbourg in April after the meeting with Sievers. (Tr. p. 2610.) Approximately 220 inmates of Russian, Polish, Czech, and German nationality were experimented on with gas, of whom about 50 died. They did not volunteer. (Tr. pp.1052,1057.) Hirt continued his gas experiments at Natzweiler during the summer of 1944. (Tr. p. 1058.) His gas research was classified "urgent" by Rostock in August 1944. (NO- 692, Pros. Ex. 457.) |
