Trials of war criminals before the Nuernberg military tribunals under control council law no. 10, volume IIVarious
Philosophy
Trials of war criminals before the Nuernberg military tribunals under control council law no. 10, volume II
Various
Nuremberg Trial of Major German War Criminals, Nuremberg, Germany, 1945-1946; War crime trials -- Germany -- Nuremberg
The record shows that the agencies organized for the so-called
euthanasia of incurables were used for this bloody pogrom. Later,
because of the urgent need for laborers in Germany, it was decided not
to kill Jews who were able to work but, as an alternative, to sterilize
them.
With this end in view Himmler instructed Brack to inquire of physicians
who were engaged in the Euthanasia Program about the possibility of a
method of sterilizing persons without the victim’s knowledge. Brack
worked on the assignment, with the result that in March 1941 he
forwarded to Himmler his signed report on the results of experiments
concerning the sterilization of human beings by means of X-rays. In the
report a method was suggested by which sterilization with X-ray could be
effected on groups of persons without their being aware of the
operation.
On 23 June 1942 Brack wrote the following letter to Himmler:
“Dear Reichsfuehrer:
“* * * Among 10 millions of Jews in Europe, there are, I figure,
at least 2-3 millions of men and women who are fit enough to
work. Considering the extraordinary difficulties the labor
problem presents us with I hold the view that those 2-3 millions
should be specially selected and preserved. This can however
only be done if at the same time they are rendered incapable to
propagate. About a year ago I reported to you that agents of
mine have completed the experiments necessary for this purpose.
I would like to recall these facts once more. Sterilization, as
normally performed on persons with hereditary diseases is here
out of the question, because it takes too long and is too
expensive. Castration by X-ray however is not only relatively
cheap, but can also be performed on many thousands in the
shortest time. I think, that at this time it is already
irrelevant whether the people in question become aware of having
been castrated after some weeks or months, once they feel the
effects.
“Should you, Reichsfuehrer, decide to choose this way in the
interest of the preservation of labor, then Reichsleiter Bouhler
would be prepared to place all physicians and other personnel
needed for this work at your disposal. Likewise he requested me
to inform you that then I would have to order the apparatus so
urgently needed with the greatest speed.
“Heil Hitler!
“Yours
“VIKTOR BRACK.”
Brack testified from the witness stand that at the time he wrote this
letter he had every confidence that Germany would win the war.
Brack’s letter was answered by Himmler on 11 August 1942. In the reply
Himmler directed that sterilization by means of X-rays be tried in at
least one concentration camp in a series of experiments, and that Brack
place at his disposal expert physicians to conduct the operation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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