. NMT05-T1047
Volume V · Page 1047
| was called upon to obtain
barracks at the Auschwitz concentration camp for the housing of suitable
prisoners to be used by the Getwent, G.m.b.H. (Company for Technical and
Economical Development, Ltd.). It is not claimed by the prosecution that Baier, or for that matter, any of the defendants in this case, physically manhandled Jews, or other detainees of the Reich. But it is maintained with reason that the systematic persecution, impoverishment, confinement, and eventual slaying of these persecutees could not have been possible without the vast machinery of the SS, of which the WVHA was one of the most important parts. The Tribunal finds that Baier, in his position as chief of staff W, took a consenting and active part in the exploitation of slave labor. In this he comes quite clearly within the purview of Control Council Law No. 10 defining war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Tribunal finds Baier guilty under counts two and three of the indictment. |
| COUNT FOUR |
| The Tribunal also finds him guilty under count four. |
| LEO VOLK |
| Leo Volk joined the NSDAP on 1 May 1933,
stating that this was required of him in order that he might finish his legal
education. Further, that on orders of the Young Lawyers' Organization he was
compelled to join the Allgemeine SS. In December 1939 he was requested by the
SS Main Office Administration and Economy as an expert on legal affairs.
According to his statement, he refused to leave his work as information
specialist with the Professional Trade Society of German Cities and
Communities, and was therefore drafted into the Waffen SS and detailed to legal
work in the Main Office III A 4, of the Main Office Administration and Economy
on 3 January 1940. In the summer of 1941 he was assigned to legal work with the DWB which was part of staff W. Later he became the head of the legal department in staff W, and acquired, as time went on, the titles and functions of deputy chief of staff W, Prokurist for DWB, Referent or private secretary, and legal advisor to Pohl. For one month, in the absence of Hohberg, he acted as chief of staff W. Volk was undoubtedly a very busy man. There were so many facets to his unique position that at times he did not know himself in which capacity he was functioning. Volk's attorney seeks to dim the luster of his client's versa- […tility] |
