The Mazal Library

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NUERNBERG MILITARY TRIBUNAL
Volume V · Page 1044

On 29 February 1944, Baier received a long report from Weber on the expenditures for prisoners in comparison with the wages paid to free workers. On 3 March 1944, Baier ordered that the various offices involved report to him on the industries employing prisoners.

On 17 March 1944, Maurer of Amtsgruppe D wrote Baier asking for a conference on the subject of wage scales for prisoners in the armament industries.

On 27 March 1944, Baier wrote a memorandum on the, "effects of a pay raise for prisoners working with the Deutsche Ausruestungswerke," (German Equipment Plants). This constant reference to wages for the prisoners is not to be understood as meaning anything for the prisoners, but only increased revenue for the SS. In fact toward the end of the war, Baier had from 5,000,000 to 6,000,000 RM in one account, sums which had been collected from individual enterprises. In an affidavit, made prior to the trial, he admitted that, "the fact that the inmates themselves did not receive any compensation obviously was an exploitation."

One of the most amazing documents presented at the trial on the subject of prisoner labor is a letter sent by the Allach-Munich G.m.b.H., to staff W, demanding reimbursement for losses incurred on account of the absence of prison labor. Part of the letter reads as follows:

"In consequence of the typhoid epidemic which broke out in the Dachau concentration camp in January 1943, no prisoners were available to us as workers from 26 January 1943 up to and including 2 March 1943. On 4, 5, and 6 March 1943 only 20 prisoners worked for us. For years our plant has been completely dependent on prison labor. A sudden withdrawal of these workers as it occurred in January this year, means the closing down of the whole plant.

"We are convinced that the losses incurred by us, through the withdrawal of prisoners in the period from 26 January to the beginning of the month of March, fall under paragraph 2 of the Business Regulations for the Financial Compensation office and should, therefore, be reimbursed.

"Without the typhoid epidemic in January and February 1943 we should have made a profit of about half the amount of the total for the 2d and 3d quarters of 1943, that is to say, about 21,300 RM, because operating conditions, apart from these circumstances, were the same. Instead of this profit we suffered losses of about 10,500 RM. Thus our losses resulting from the shortage of prisoners amounts to about 31,800 RM."

In a letter written by Pohl under the date of 18 February 1944, he states that he charges chief W, SS Oberfuehrer Baier with

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