NMT01-T316
Volume I · Page 316
| In addition to his participation in the gas
experiments of Hirt, Karl Brandt personally furthered the criminal
experimentation of Ott Bickenbach. Brandt testified that the gas
experiments of Bickenbach came to his attention in the fall of 1943
on the occasion of a visit to Strasbourg to see a cyclotron; that
later he helped him to arrange laboratory; that he assisted him in
obtaining experimental animals that Bickenbach did not conduct
experiments on human beings; that he helped him in 1944 after be had
established this laboratory. (Tr. pp. 2619, 2620.) The Sievers' diary for 1944 contains the following entry under February: "Met Professor Bickenbach in Karlsruhe and he advises that he has put his research work under the control of General Commission Professor Dr. Brandt. "Discussion with SS Hauptsturmfuehrer Hirt: 1. Professor Dr. Bickenbach, without instructions from Hirt and Professor Stein contacted General Commissioner Professor Dr. Brandt concerning the phosgene experiments that were [and was] in Natzweiler with him. Commission is to be withdrawn; for our part Natzweiler is to be closed." (3546-PS, Pros. Ex. 123.)Phosgene is a chemical warfare agent. (Tr. p. 2630.) Brandt ad its he was in Natzweiler, but insists that only animal experiments were conducted. This is in direct contradiction to statements contained in an official war crimes report of the Government of the Netherlands. (NO-1063, Pros. Ex. 328.) Josef Kramer, former camp commandant at Natzweiler, also stated that Bickenbach experimented on prisoners. (NO-807, Pros. Ex. 185.) Brandt testified that he later assisted Bickenbach in establishing laboratory in Fort Franzeky, which is near Strasbourg, and that he saw animal experiments there. (Tr. p. 2630.) Bickenbach was a Professor at the University of Strasbourg with Hirt and Haagen (Tr. p. 2631.) The Bickenbach reports sent to Karl Brandt not only prove that Bickenbach and his collaborators Helmut Ruehl and Fritz Letz carried out phosgene experiments on 40 Russian prisoners of war, but that four of the subjects were killed as a result. (NO-1852, Pros. Ex. 456.) This document completely destroys the credibility of the defendant Brandt. These reports on the phosgene experiments are designated top military secret and are numbered 2, 3 , 4, 5, 6, and 7. They are all addressed to Plenipotentiary General Brandt. These reports obviously cover the same series of experiments which culminated in experiments on 40 prisoners detailed in the 7th report. They were found in the apartment of Professor Bickenbach by French authorities. The purpose of |
