NMT01-T682
Volume I · Page 682
necessary in only a few spots, and this was always in those places where vessels had been injured during the operation. The favorable effect of "polygal 10" in surgical operations consists not only in its causing slight bleeding and preventing great loss of blood, but also in that it makes possible considerably faster operations, because the applications of clips and later ligatures always takes up a certain time, which can be saved be the use of "polygal 10."
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| [Signed] Dr. Kahr SS Obersturmfuehrer |
DIRECT EXAMINATION
Dr. Weisgerber: The prosecution has submitted a single Document, NO–1424, Prosecution Exhibit 462. This is an affidavit of Dr. Fritz Friedrich Karl Rascher, who is an uncle of Dr. Rascher. It becomes evident from this document that Rascher was carrying out fatal experiments on human beings in connection with the development of polygal. Did you know about that at any time?
Defendant Sievers: No, I heard nothing about it. After Rascher's arrest, however, in 1944, the Police President of Munich, von Eberstein, gave me a rather excited description of this criminal Rascher. He said that Rascher had even shot at a human being in order to test his coagulating drug. A confirmation of this statement could not be obtained at that time. I didn't believe it at first because so many rumors were flying around about him and his wife after his arrest — one of them was that he removed his collaborator Muschler by murdering her. Rascher, incidentally, succeeded in clearing himself of this suspicion of murder. After everything has become known through this trial — everything that Rascher has on his conscience — I am rather inclined to believe it. Uncle Rascher's statements also reveal how secret Rascher kept his misdeeds. Only by interfering with his nephew's desk did Uncle Rascher gain knowledge of whatever he is testifying here. At the same time, he confirms in his statement that his nephew was furious when he found out about his interference.
Q. Concluding these questions, I put to you Pohl's affidavit which is Document NO–065, Prosecution Exhibit 221. I quote (this is on top of page 3) : "Sievers told me the following: Ahnenerbe, of which Sievers was manager, was developing a drug in Dachau, by order of Himmler, which had as its result the quick coagulation of blood. He said that it was very important for fighting units because it prevented their bleeding to death. The experiments in Dachau, during which
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*Complete testimony is recorded in mimeographed transcript, 9, 10, 11, 14 Apr 1947, pp. 5656-5869.
