. NMT05-T0281
Volume V · Page 281
| this defendant who is designated as chief
dental surgeon of the WVHA, "Defendant Hermann Pook was entrusted with the
dental care of concentration camp inmates" and in the opening statement of the
prosecution too he is mentioned only in two sentences, "Defendant Pook was
chief dental surgeon in office D III, all dental surgeons of concentration
camps were subordinate to him. One of their tasks was the removal of gold teeth
from deceased prisoners", and, "Defendant Pook was chief of the dentists who
were supervising the extractions of gold teeth of corpses in all concentration
camps by authority of the WVHA". Notwithstanding, I am far from adhering to an
illusion with regard to the severity of the accusation against this defendant
too. In clear and concise formulation the standpoint of the prosecuting
authority is presumably the following: Defendant Hermann Pook is accused by
reason of his responsible position in the field of dental surgery, to have
contributed in a criminal manner to the "institution for violence, wholesale
crime, and human vileness" as the prosecution describes the system of
concentration camps. 2. In order to clarify the responsibility according to criminal law of defendant Hermann Pook it is necessary in the first instance to define his official position. This will show the following: The subordination for a dental surgeon in the Waffen SS as well as in the army was threefold — as far as the health service was concerned, he was subordinate to the physician of the unit; in all matters relating to discipline he was subordinate to the commander of the unit; and professionally he was subordinate to the leading dental surgeon of the superior association. He could, therefore, receive orders from three different offices, and he was responsible to three different offices. If one of these offices gave an order to the dentist, this same office was, of course, responsible for the order given and not the other two offices. The leading dental surgeon of the superior association on his part was likewise responsible to three different offices. He had a separate superior on each field: medical, disciplinary, and professional. Dr. Hermann Pook was the leading dental surgeon of office D III. What does the position of leading dental surgeon of the Waffen SS entail? The main office of the entire dental service of the Waffen SS was office XIV (Dental Service) in the office group D of the Operational Main Office (Medical Service of the Waffen SS). This office XIV was competent and responsible for the dental service throughout the SS, not only within the sphere of the |
