on in a more concrete form, first of all by the Ministry of the Interior. In this case, Dr. Linden participated as a special consultant, probably as representative of Dr. Conti — who became Reich Minister for Health after the death of his predecessor Wagner, and then afterwards State Secretary in the Ministry of the Interior.

Q. Who was Dr. Linden?

A. Dr. Linden was Ministerialrat in the Reich Ministry of the Interior. He was a doctor and was the competent official who was later in charge of this office for the mental institutions, perhaps he already was at the time, I don't know exactly. Later on, during the treatment of the euthanasia question he was appointed exponent of all these matters.

Q. What was the procedure at the time? Was Hitler informed about all these matters?

A. In August 1944 he ordered me to participate in a conference which took place between Dr. Linden, Mr. Bouhler, and some other people. The question of the registration of these deformities was discussed, and also how to set about this registration. Dr. Linden, on behalf of the Ministry of the Interior, submitted pertinent documents, questionnaires, etc., which were then discussed once more in detail. It was the preparatory work for the Reich Committee for the Registration of Serious Hereditary and Constitutional Diseases, which was subsequently established.

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CROSS-EXAMINATION

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Mr. McHaney: Now, Witness, this is the first time that I have ever heard mentioned in connection with the Euthanasia Program that anybody's consent had to be obtained, and I take it that it is a rather fundamental matter. Are you ready to swear to this Tribunal that, the Reich committee never performed euthanasia on children without obtaining the consent of the parents of the child?

Defendant Karl Brandt: I said yesterday that the approval of the parents was necessary for the euthanasia of children, and I am of the opinion that such approval was actually given.

Q. Was the approval written approval or verbal approval?

A. That I don't know. I cannot say.

Q. Have you ever seen any written approval?

A. I believe that during the first period when this authorization was submitted for signature to Bouhler and to me, all the other papers were together with it, such as approvals, etc. It may be that during the later period we were only concerned with the authorization papers and that the other papers were left with the Reich committee. However, I did see such letters of approval but I don't believe that they