NMT01-T632
Volume I · Page 632
(Tr. pp. 1183-6). The first series of the experiments was carried out in December 1943 in order to determine the fatal dosage of poisons of the alkaloid group. These experiments were requested by the SS judge, Morgen, who investigated the criminal case against Koch, camp commander of Buchenwald, and the defendant Hovers. Haven was suspected of having killed a witness against Koch and himself by means of poison. Four Russian prisoners of war were experimented upon by Ding. The poison was administered to the experimental subjects in their food without their knowledge. All four survived but were strangled in a crematorium of the concentration camp in order that autopsies could be performed. (Tr. pp. 1183-6; NO-265, Pros. Ex. 287.) Since Ding was subordinated to Mrugowsky, this experiment could not have been performed by Ding without Mrugowsky's approval.
On 11 September 1944 Mrugowsky and Ding carried out an experiment with aconitine nitrate projectiles in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. The projectiles were filled with crystallized poison and five experimental subjects were shot in the upper part of the left thigh with these projectiles. In two cases, no effect of the poison could be observed. In the other three cases, the suffering of the experimental subjects was terrible. All three died after approximately two hours of agony. The poison bullets used in the experiments were allegedly of Russian origin. (NO-201, Pros. Ex. 290.)
The experimental subjects were Russian prisoners of war. (Tr. P. 1186; see also Kogon's testimony in Case 4.*) Mrugowsky admitted his participation in these experiments. He defended himself on the ground that he was the legally appointed executioner in this case. Assuming the truth of this absurd statement, it cannot be held legal to torture to death prisoners of war even if they had been validly sentenced to death.
On 26 October 1941 still another poison experiment was carried out by Ding in Buchenwald. The entry in the Ding diary for that date states: "Special experiment on 6 persons according to instructions of SS Oberfuehrer Lecturer Dr. Mrugowsky and RKPA. (Report on this orally.)" Kogon testified that Ding told him the Russian prisoners of war used in the experiments died in a short time. 'they were later dissected and burned. Ding reported to Mrugowsky orally. These experiments were connected with the poison bullet experiments in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp; (Tr. pp. 1185-1186. )
* United States vs. Oswald Pohl, et al. See Vol. V. 632
