7. THE NUMBER OF VICTIMS
No accurate estimate of how many persons died in the concentration camps can be made. Although the Nazis were generally meticulous record keepers, the records they kept about concentration camps appear to have been incomplete.
Occasionally there is a death book, or a set of index cards, but for the most part, the victims apparently faded into an unrecorded death. The scale of the concentration camp operations is suggested by a set of seven books, the death ledger of the Mauthausen Concentration Camp (physically offered to the court). Each book bears on its cover “Totenbuch” or Death Book—Mauthausen. In these books were recorded the names of some of the inmates who died or were murdered in this camp. The books cover the period from January 1939 to April 1945. They give the name, place of birth, the assigned cause of death and time of death of each individual recorded. In addition each corpse is assigned a serial number. Addition of the serial numbers for the five-year period produces a total figure of 35,318.
Examination of the books reveals the camp’s routine of death. For example, pages 568 to 582 of Volume 5 cover death entries made for 19 March 1945 between fifteen minutes past one in the morning until 2 o’clock in the afternoon. In this space of 12¾ hours, 203 persons are reported as having died. They were assigned serial numbers running from 8390 to 8593. The names of the dead are listed. The victims are all recorded as having died of the same ailment—“heart trouble”. They died at brief intervals. They died in alphabetical order. The first who died was a man named Ackermann who died at one fifteen A.M. The last was a man named Zynger who died at 2 o’clock P.M.
At twenty minutes past two o’clock on the afternoon of the same day, 19 March 1945, the fatal roll call began again, and continued until half past four o’clock. In a space of two hours, 75 more persons died. Once again they died from heart failure and in alphabetical order. The entries are recorded in the same volume, from pages 582 through 586.
Another death book was found at Camp Mauthausen. This is a single volume, which has on its cover the words—“Death Book—Prisoners of War”. Pages 234 through 246 contain entries recording the names of 208 prisoners of war, apparently Russians, who at 15 minutes past midnight on the 10th day of May 1942, were executed at the same time. The book notes that the execution was directed by the Chief of the SD and the SIPO (Heydrich).
It is common knowledge that the anguish of the concentration camp was spread, not only over the Continent of Europe, but over all the world. Even today all over the world people are still seeking word of their friends and relatives who vanished into the Nazi concentration camps and left no trace behind. This fact is emphasized by the 23 November 1945 issue of the weekly newspaper, “Aufbau”, published in the German language in New York City. On the back pages—8, 9, 10, and 11—are published both notices requesting information about friends and relatives, and notices announcing the deaths of persons who were last heard of in a Nazi concentration camp. The personal tragedies, which these notices represent, multiplied an incalculable number of times, is part of the legacy which the Nazi conspirators have left to the world.
LEGAL REFERENCES AND LIST OF DOCUMENTS RELATING TO CONCENTRATION CAMPS
| Document | Description | Vol. | Page |
| Charter of the International Military Tribunal, Article 6 (b, c). | I | 5 | |
| International Military Tribunal, Indictment Number 1, Sections III; VIII (A, C); X. | I | 15, 31, 41, 53 | |
| 3737-PS | Hague Convention of 1907 respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land, Annex, Article 46. | VI | 597 |
| 3738-PS | Geneva Convention of 1929 relative to treatment of Prisoners of War, Articles 2, 3. | VI | 600 |
| ————— | |||
| Note: A single asterisk (*) before a document indicates that the document was received in evidence at the Nurnberg trial. A double asterisk (**) before a document number indicates that the document was referred to during the trial but was not formally received in evidence, for the reason given in parentheses following the description of the document. The USA series number, given in parentheses following the description of the document, is the official exhibit number assigned by the court. | |||
| ————— | |||
| *374-PS | TWX Series of Orders signed by Heydrich and Mueller, issued by Gestapo Headquarters Berlin, 9-11 November 1938, concerning treatment of Jews. (USA 729) | III | 277 |
| *392-PS | Official NSDAP circular entitled “The Social Life of New Germany with Special Consideration of the German Labor Front”, by Prof. Willy Mueller (Berlin, 1938). (USA 326) | III | 380 |
| *641-PS | Report of Public Prosecutor General in Munich, 1 June 1933, concerning murder of Dr. Strauss in Dachau by an SS guard. (USA 450) | III | 453 |
| *642-PS | Report to Public Prosecutor General in Munich, 1 June 1933, concerning murder of Hausmann in Dachau by an SS guard. (USA 451) | III | 454 |
| *644-PS | Report to Public Prosecutor General in Munich, 1 June 1933, concerning murder of Schloss in Dachau by an SS guard. (USA 452) | III | 455 |
| *645-PS | Report to Public Prosecutor General in Munich, 1 June 1933, concerning murder of Nefzger in Dachau by an SS guard. (USA 453) | III | 457 |
| *778-PS | Disciplinary and Penal Measures for Concentration Camp Dachau and Service Regulations for the Camp Personnel, signed by Eicke, 1 October 1933. (USA 247) | III | 550 |
| 833-PS | Instructions by Admiral Canaris, Head of the Abwehr, 2 February 1942, concerning prosecution of crimes against the Reich or occupying forces in the occupied territories. | III | 600 |
| *1063-A-PS | Order of Chief of SIPO and SD, 2 January 1941, concerning classification of concentration camps. (USA 492) | III | 775 |
| *1063-B-PS | Letter signed by Kaltenbrunner, 26 July 1943, concerning establishment of Labor Reformatory camps. (USA 492) | III | 777 |
| *1063-D-PS | Mueller’s order, 17 December 1942, concerning prisoners qualified for work to be sent to concentration camps. (USA 219) | III | 778 |
| 1063-E-PS | Copy of Mueller’s order, 25 June 1942, concerning increased shipments to concentration camps. | III | 780 |
| 1151-P-PS | Letter from WVHA, 28 March 1942, concerning “Action 14 F 13” from files of Gross Rosen Concentration camp. | III | 808 |
| *1165-PS | Letter from Commandant of concentration Camp Gross Rosen, 23 October 1941, and letter of Mueller to all Gestapo offices, 9 November 1941, concerning execution of Russian PWs. (USA 244) | III | 821 |
| *1166-PS | Interoffice memorandum of WVHA, 15 August 1944, concerning number of prisoners and survey of prisoners’ clothing. (USA 458) | III | 824 |
| 1216-PS | Typewritten memorandum, “Important Incidents in Concentration camp Dachau”. | III | 846 |
| 1390-PS | Decree of the Reich President for the Protection of the People and State, 28 February 1933. 1933 Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, p. 83. | III | 968 |
| *1531-PS | Directive from RSHA, 26 October 1939, concerning execution of protective custody, and directive, 12 June 1942, concerning third degree. (USA 248) | IV | 93 |
| *1584-I-PS | Teletype from Goering to Himmler, 14 February 1944, concerning formation of 7th Airforce Group squadron for special purposes. (USA 221) | IV | 117 |
| *1584-III-PS | Correspondence between Himmler and Goering, 9 March 1944, concerning use of concentration camp inmates in aircraft industry. (USA 457) | IV | 118 |
| 1616-PS | Letter from Dr. Rascher to Himmler, 17 February 1943, concerning freezing experiments. | IV | 133 |
| *1650-PS | Directive to State Police Directorates from Chief of SIPO and SD by Mueller, 4 March 1944, concerning captured escaped PWs except British and American PWs. (USA 246) | IV | 158 |
| *1723-PS | Order concerning cooperation of Party offices with the Secret State Police, 25 January 1938, published in Decrees, Regulations, Announcements, 1937, Vol. II, pp. 430-439. (USA 206) | IV | 219 |
| *1919-PS | Himmler’s speech to SS Gruppenfuehrers, 4 October 1943. (USA 170) | IV | 558 |
| 1956-PS | Meaning and Tasks of the Secret State Police, published in The Archives, January 1936, Vol. 22-24, p. 1342. | IV | 598 |
| 2107-PS | Law on Secret State Police of 10 February 1936. 1936 Preussische Gesetzsammlung, pp. 21-22. | IV | 732 |
| 2108-PS | Decree for execution of Law on Secret State Police of 10 February 1936. 1936 Preussische Gesetzsammlung, pp. 22-24. | IV | 732 |
| 2169-PS | Quarterly report of the SS medical officer of Hmb. Neuengamme concentration camp, 29 March 1945. | IV | 799 |
| 2171-PS | U. S. Government report B-2833 on Numerical Expansion of Buchenwald Concentration Camp, during years 1937-1945. | IV | 800 |
| *2176-PS | Report on Mauthausen concentration camp, by investigating officer, Office of Judge Advocate, Third U. S. Army, 17 June 1945. (USA 249). | IV | 836 |
| 2187-PS | Order from Main SS economic administration office, 14 July 1943, concerning beating of female prisoners. | IV | 842 |
| *2189-PS | Orders from Department D of Economic and Administrative Main Office, 11 August 1942, concerning punishment by beating. (USA 460) | IV | 842 |
| 2222-PS | Report of investigation of Buchenwald Concentration Camp, by Judge Advocate Section, Third United States Army, 25 May 1945. | IV | 860 |
| *2285-PS | Affidavit, 13 May 1945, by two French officers, about shooting of prisoners at Mauthausen. (USA 490) | IV | 991 |
| *2309-PS | Report by Headquarters Third United States Army, 21 June 1945, concerning Flossenburg Concentration Camp. (USA 245) | IV | 999 |
| *2324-PS | Extracts from Reconstruction of a Nation, by Hermann Goering, 1934. (USA 233) | IV | 1033 |
| *2330-PS | Order of Protective Custody, Police Directorate of Nurnberg-Fuerth of Josef Simon, Chairman of German Shoemaker’s Union, 29 August 1935. (USA 237) | IV | 1038 |
| *2334-PS | Affidavits of Lorenz Hagen, Chairman of Local Committee, German Trade Unions, Nurnberg. (USA 238) | IV | 1041 |
| 2344-PS | Reconstruction of a Nation by Goering, 1934, p. 89. | IV | 1065 |
| 2347-PS | Court decisions from 1935 Reichsverwaltungsblatt, Vol. 56, pp. 577-578, 20 July 1935. | IV | 1066 |
| 2476-PS | Affidavit of Josef Buehler, 4 November 1945. | V | 228 |
| *2477-PS | Affidavit of Willy Litzenberg, 4 November 1945. (USA 518) | V | 229 |
| 2478-PS | Affidavit of Willy Litzenberg, 4 November 1945. | V | 230 |
| *2499-PS | Original Protective Custody Order served on Dr. R. Kempner, 15 March 1935. (USA 232) | V | 236 |
| *2513-PS | Extract from The National Socialist Workers’ Party as an Association Hostile to State and to Republican Form of Government and Guilty of Treasonable Activity. (USA 235) | V | 252 |
| 2533-PS | Extract from article “Legislation and Judiciary in Third Reich”, from Journal of the Academy for German Law, 1936, pp. 141-142. | V | 277 |
| *2605-PS | Affidavit of Dr. Rudolf Kastner, former President of the Hungarian Zionist Organization, 13 September 1945. (USA 242) | V | 313 |
| 2615-PS | Affidavit of Dr. Wilhelm Hoettl, 5 November 1945. | V | 338 |
| 2655-PS | Concordat between the Holy See and the German Reich, Article 31. 1933 Reichsgesetzblatt, Part II, p. 679, 687-8. | V | 364 |
| *2663-PS | Hitler’s speech to the Reichstag, 30 January 1939, quoted from Voelkischer Beobachter, Munich edition, 1 February 1939. (USA 268) | V | 367 |
| *2745-PS | Order for commitment to concentration camp, 7 July 1943, Kaltenbrunner’s signature. (USA 519) | V | 383 |
| *2753-PS | Affidavit of Alois Hoellriegl, 7 November 1945. (USA 515) | V | 393 |
| *2928-PS | Affidavit of Mathias Lex, deputy president of the German Shoemakers Union. (USA 239) | V | 594 |
| *3051-PS | Three teletype orders from Heydrich to all stations of State Police, 10 November 1938, on measures against Jews, and one order from Heydrich on termination of protest actions. (USA 240) | V | 797 |
| *3249-PS | Affidavit of Dr. Franz Blaha, 24 November 1945. (USA 663) | V | 949 |
| *3420-PS | U. S. Army report on human skin exhibits at Buchenwald Concentration Camp. (USA 252) | VI | 122 |
| *3421-PS | Certificate accompanying human skin exhibit. (USA 253) | VI | 123 |
| *3423-PS | U. S. Army report on identification of tattooed human skins. (USA 252) | VI | 123 |
| *3590-PS | Charges and findings against Weiss and others tried by U. S. Military Court at Dachau. (USA 664) | VI | 288 |
| *3601-PS | Affidavit of Sidney Mendel, 28 December 1945, concerning the connection of Frick’s Ministry of Interior with concentration camps. (GB 324) | VI | 313 |
| *3751-PS | Diary of the German Minister of Justice, 1935 concerning prosecution of church officials and punishment in concentration camps. (USA 828; USA 858) | VI | 636 |
| *3762-PS | Affidavit of SS Colonel Kurt Becher, 8 March 1946, concerning the responsibility of Kaltenbrunner for concentration camp executions. (USA 798) | VI | 645 |
| *3844-PS | Statement of Josef Niedermayer, 7 March 1946, concerning Kaltenbrunner’s part in “bullet” orders at Mauthausen concentration camp. (USA 801) | VI | 782 |
| *3846-PS | Interrogation of Johann Kanduth, 30 November 1945, concerning crematorium at Mauthausen and the activities of Kaltenbrunner there. (USA 796) | VI | 788 |
| *3868-PS | Affidavit of Rudolf Franz Ferdinand Hoess, 5 April 1946, concerning execution of 3,000,000 people at Auschwitz Extermination Center. (USA 819) | VI | 787 |
| *3870-PS | Affidavit of Hans Marsalek, 8 April 1946, concerning Mauthausen Concentration Camp and dying statement of Franz Ziereis, the Commandant. (USA 797) | VI | 790 |
| *D-84 | Gestapo instructions to State Police Departments, 5 August 1937, regarding protective custody for Bible students. (USA 236) | VI | 1040 |
| *D-569 | File of circulars from Reichsfuehrer SS, the OKW, Inspector of Concentration Camps, Chief of Security Police and SD, dating from 29 October 1941 through 22 February 1944, relative to procedure in cases of unnatural death of Soviet PW, execution of Soviet PW, etc. (GB 277) | VII | 74 |
| *D-728 | Circular, 15 March 1945, from NSDAP Gauleitung Hessen-Nassau to the “Kreis”-Leaders of the Gau, concerning Action by the Party to keep Germans in check until end of the War. (GB 282) | VII | 174 |
| *D-745-A | Deposition of Anton Kaindl, 8 March 1946, concerning SS personnel supervising concentration camps. (USA 811) | VII | 208 |
| *D-745-B | Deposition of Anton Kaindl, 19 March 1946, concerning SS personnel supervising concentration camps. (USA 812) | VII | 209 |
| *D-746-A | Deposition of Fritz Suhren, 8 March 1946, concerning SS personnel supervising concentration camps. (USA 813) | VII | 209 |
| *D-746-B | Deposition of Fritz Suhren, | ||
| 19 March 1946, concerning SS personnel supervising concentration camps. (USA 814) | VII | 210 | |
| *D-748 | Affidavit of Karl Totzauer, 15 March 1946, concerning SS personnel supervising concentration camps. (USA 816) | VII | 211 |
| *D-749-B | Statement of Rudolf Hoess, | ||
| 20 March 1946, concerning SS personnel supervising concentration camps. (USA 817) | VII | 212 | |
| *D-750 | Deposition of August Harbaum, | ||
| 19 March 1946, concerning SS personnel supervising concentration camps. (USA 818) | VII | 213 | |
| *L-83 | Affidavit of Gerhart H. Seger, 21 July 1945. (USA 234) | VII | 859 |
| *L-215 | File of orders and dossiers of 25 Luxembourgers committed to concentration camps at various times in 1944. (USA 243) | VII | 1045 |
| *R-91 | Telegram from Mueller, SS Gruppenfuehrer to Reichsfuehrer SS, 16 December 1942. (USA 241) | VIII | 60 |
| *R-124 | Speer’s conference minutes of Central Planning Board, 1942-44, concerning labor supply. (USA 179) | VIII | 146 |
| *R-129 | Letter and enclosure from Pohl to Himmler, 30 April 1942, concerning concentration camps. (USA 217) | VIII | 198 |
Chapter XII
THE PERSECUTION OF THE JEWS
It had long been a German theory that the First World War ended in Germany’s defeat because of a collapse behind the lines. In planning for future wars it was determined that the home front must be secured to prevent a repetition of this 1918 debacle. Unification of the German people was essential to successful planning and waging of war. Hence, the Nazi political goal must be sought:—“One race, one State, one Fuehrer.” Free trade unions must be abolished, political parties (other than the NSDAP) must be outlawed, civil liberties must be suspended, and opposition of every kind must be swept away. Loyalty to God, church, and scientific truth was declared to be incompatible with the Nazi regime.
The anti-Jewish policy was part of this plan for unification because it was the conviction of the Nazis that the Jews would not contribute to Germany’s military program, but on the contrary would hamper it. The Jew must therefore be eliminated. This view is clearly borne out by a statement contained in a speech of Himmler’s at a meeting of SS Major Generals on 4 October 1943:
“We know how difficult we should have made it for ourselves if with the bombing raids, the burdens and deprivations of war, we still had the Jews today in every town as secret saboteurs, agitators, and trouble-mongers; we would now probably have reached the 1916-17 stage when the Jews were still in the German national body.” (1919-PS)
The treatment of the Jews within Germany was as much a part of the Nazi plan for aggressive war as was the building of armaments and the conscription of manpower.