COL. AMEN: You referred to a change in the plans to take the Soviet prisoners back to German territory. Is that correct?
LAHOUSEN: Yes, they were not brought back into Germany.
COL. AMEN: And what was the result of this action, namely of their not being brought back at the direct order of Hitler?
LAHOUSEN: The result was as described just now.
COL. AMEN: But I want you to repeat it because we lost some of the answer in the interpreting process. Please just repeat it again.
LAHOUSEN: The enormous crowds of prisoners of war remained in the theater of operation, without proper care—care in the sense of prisoner of war conventions—with regard to housing, food, medical care; and many of them died on the bare floor. Epidemics broke out, and cannibalism—human beings driven by hunger devouring one another—manifested itself.
COL. AMEN: Were you personally at the front to observe these conditions?
LAHOUSEN: I made several trips with Canaris and I saw some of these things which I have just described, with my own eyes. At the time I made notes of my impressions which were found amongst my papers.
COL. AMEN: Did you also obtain information as to these matters through official channels of the Abwehr?
LAHOUSEN: Yes, I received this information through the office subordinate to me and through the Amt Ausland.