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
It appears from the record that the persons used in the experiments were
40 gypsies of various nationalities who had been formerly at Auschwitz
but who had been brought to Dachau under the pretext that they were to
be assigned to various work details. These persons had been imprisoned
in the concentration camps on the basis that they were “asocial
persons.” Nothing was said to them about being used as human subjects in
medical experiments. When they reached Dachau some of them were told
that they were being assigned to the sea-water experiment detail.
Beiglboeck testified that before beginning the experiments he called the
subjects together and told them the purpose of the experiments and asked
them if they wanted to participate. He did not tell them the duration of
the experiments, or that they could withdraw if ever they reached the
physical or mental state that continuation of the experiment should seem
to them to be impossible. The evidence is that none of the experimental
subjects felt that they dared refuse becoming experimental subjects for
fear of unpleasant consequences if they voiced any objections.
The defendant testified that pursuant to the order that had been given
him, it was necessary that the subjects thirst for a continuous period;
and that the question of when, if ever, they should be relieved during
the course of the experiment was a matter which he reserved for his own
decision.
During the course of the experiments the subjects were locked in a room.
As to this phase of the program the defendant testified that “They
should have been locked in a lot better than they were, because then
they would have had no opportunity at all to get fresh water on the
side.”
At the trial the defendant produced clinical charts which he said were
made during the course of the experiments and which, according to the
defendant, showed that the subjects did not suffer injury. On
cross-examination the defendant admitted that some of the charts had
been altered by him since he reached Nuernberg in order to present a
more favorable picture of the experiments.
We do not think it necessary to discuss in detail what is shown by the
charts either before or after the fraudulent alterations. We think it
only necessary to say that a man who intends to rely on written evidence
at a trial does not fraudulently alter such evidence from any honest or
worthy motive.
The defendant claims that he was at all times extremely reluctant to
perform the experiments with which he is charged, and did so only out of
his sense of obedience as a soldier to superior authority. Under Control
Council Law No. 10 such fact does not constitute a defense, but will be
considered, if at all, only in mitigation of sentence.
In our view the experimental subjects were treated brutally. Many of
them endured much pain and suffering, although from the evidence we
cannot find that any deaths occurred among the experimental subjects.
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