Trials of war criminals before the Nuernberg military tribunals under control council law no. 10, volume IVarious
Philosophy
Trials of war criminals before the Nuernberg military tribunals under control council law no. 10, volume I
Various
Nuremberg Trial of Major German War Criminals, Nuremberg, Germany, 1945-1946; War crime trials -- Germany -- Nuremberg
The actual date of the commencement of the experiments at Dachau was 22
February 1942, which was recalled by the witness Neff because it was his
birthday. (_Tr. p. 606._) From this point on, the defendant Weltz takes
the position that he had no knowledge of the work and that, in fact,
Rascher was relieved from his command. Weltz admitted that it was his
obligation to supervise Rascher and that the existing arrangement
between Ruff and Weltz was that this was to be a joint undertaking. Ruff
exercised supervision over Romberg, and Weltz was to exercise
supervision over Rascher. Weltz conceded that he was Rascher’s
disciplinary superior and was responsible for the scientific programs to
which he assigned Rascher. (_Tr. p. 7088._) Despite this chain of
command and working agreement, Weltz takes the position that Rascher
endeavored to work independently and that he did not desire to report to
Weltz. (_Tr. pp. 7088-9._) It became necessary for Weltz to order
Rascher to report to him twice a week and, as a result of this order,
Weltz alleges that Rascher came to him in the middle of February and
that they had their first conversation since the meeting in Dachau and
on that occasion, Rascher informed Weltz that the experiments had not
even started yet and that he had nothing to report. (_Tr. p. 7089._)
Weltz testified that Anthony, under whom Becker-Freyseng worked in the
Luftwaffe Medical Inspectorate, in Berlin, telephoned him to inquire how
the Dachau experiments were progressing and that he could only reply
that nothing had been reported to him. Rascher reported to him for the
second time, whereupon Weltz informed Rascher that a telephone call had
come through from Berlin and that he wanted to have some clarification
as to how things stood at Dachau. Rascher did not want to report
anything to Weltz at the second conversation, and Weltz maintains that
he told Rascher that he was going to Berlin to clear up the situation
and obtain a clear decision whether or not Rascher was to report to him.
Then, on the occasion of the third visit from Rascher, Weltz, expecting
a sharp argument, asked Wendt of his office to come into the room, and
on that occasion he confronted Rascher with the alternative either to
report to him or to leave the institute. Weltz asserts that at that time
Rascher showed him a telegram from Himmler, which read: “Experiments are
to be kept secret from everyone.” (_Tr. p. 7089._) Thereupon, Weltz
maintains that he ordered Rascher from his institute and that he then
composed a letter, together with Wendt, to the Luftgau and asked for
Rascher’s immediate transfer and that within a few days Rascher’s
assignment had ended. (_Tr. p. 7090._)
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