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[strug...] gle against malaria. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers of
all nations in this war have had their lives and health preserved by atabrine,
and millions of people may in the future be saved from death by malaria by this
invention of the Elberfeld laboratories.
Atabrine is today internally
recognized as superior to quinine. In future, I hope better drugs may be found,
but no one can deny the accomplishment of Farben in proving that malaria, a
disease from which a third of mankind is suffering, can be conquered by a
product which can be produced in any quantity desired.
Our research was
carried out on a basis of private enterprise and I do not want to lose this
opportunity to thank my firm for entrusting to me the funds to carry out our
work, and I also want to thank my Vorstand colleagues for letting me work as I
wished and not calling upon me for other things.
Heiser’s farewell
letter to the President of the Rockefeller Foundation contains the following
sentence, and I quote: |
| |
“The only possible reward
for a life devoted to the public branch of the medical profession is, of
course, such professional standing and respect as one may earn and the keen
satisfaction of unselfish service to others.” |
I am proud that before this Court many scientists of international
reputation have paid tribute to my work. The prosecution, however, in their
opening statement called me and others of my colleagues, a “damaged
soul,” and an “architect of catastrophe”. They accused me of
crimes against humanity, and tried in their case to prove this monstrous
statement. I hope, however, that the Tribunal has been convinced by the
presentation of evidence by my counsel that these charges are unfounded.
I am, therefore, awaiting your decision with calm and
confidence. |
| |
| 5. DEFENDANT AMBROS |
| |
PRESIDING JUDGE SHAKE: Dr. Ambros.
DEFENDANT AMBROS: When
the prosecution’s statement yesterday showed once more that the
prosecution, in spite of the defense evidence, holds to its hypotheses, I
realized that the lack of understanding on the part of the prosecution lies not
in realities, but deeper. It does not understand the circumstances, and does
not understand my feeling and attitude.
For me as a chemist, my highest
goal was the scientific work for all humanity and the earnest struggle to
supply Germany with vital goods. That the totalitarian state seized the results
of this work for its plans I learned only much later. At that time, however, my
work was not subject to my own free will. Only in working on technical projects
for the benefit of all could I, as a chemist, find inner satisfac- [...tion]
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1064 |
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