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| 4. DEFENSE TESTIMONY AND AFFIDAVITS |
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TRANSLATION OF
HOUDREMONT DOCUMENT 195
DEFENSE EXHIBIT 1301
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| AFFIDAVIT OF DEFENSE AFFIANT FERDINAND SCHMITZ, 23 MARCH 1948,
CONCERNING ACCOMMODATIONS, FOOD, AND ENTERTAINMENT PROVIDED FOREIGN WORKERS AT
KRUPP’S FRIEDRICH ALFRED FOUNDRY* |
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I, Ferdinand Schmitz, residing at Rheinhausen,
Friedrich-Alfred-Strasse 182, after having been instructed of the significance
of the oath, and of the fact that the making of a false affidavit is
punishable, herewith make the following statements to be used in court, in
particular by the American Military Tribunal in Nuernberg, in connection with
the trial against Alfried Krupp:
Since 1913 I have been employed in the
dormitories and the canteen of the Friedrich Alfred Foundry, and during the war
I was in charge of the accommodation and feeding of the foreign workers of
various nationalities who were employed at the Friedrich Alfred Foundry, a task
in which I was supported by the plant management in every possible way. Apart
from the endeavors made to provide decent and clean accommodations and adequate
food, everything possible was done in order to make the hours of leisure
pleasant. The plant library procured numerous books written in various
languages and they were loaned out free of charge. In addition, many daily
newspaper and periodicals were distributed among the foreign workers. A sports
field, as well as sports equipment and sports clothing was made available, so
that the workers could go in for sports. A soccer team consisting of Belgians
played against the teams of other community camps, and won a cup. Those
nationalities that were most numerous had their own orchestras and theater
(vaudeville) groups, and one hut in the camp, in which there was a stage, was
always at the disposal of each nationality in turn. For purposes of larger
performances the big hall of the high school or other halls of considerable
size in the town were rented, and the fellow countrymen of other community
camps were invited to attend these performances.
The groups also
visited, and gave performances in other community camps; thus, for instance, a
choral, musical, and theatrical group consisting of Ukrainians repeatedly
played before their fellow countrymen in the camp of the Friedrich Heinrich
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* Affiant Schmitz was not
called for cross-examination by the prosecution and did not appear as a
witness.
946 |
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