The witness Maczka, a graduate of the Medical School of the University of Krakow and a practicing physician, testified that in the course of her duties as X-ray technician in the Ravensbrueck concentration camp she had occasion to observe approximately 13 cases in which experimental operations were performed on the bones of inmates. There were three kinds of bone operations—fractures, bone transplantations, and bone splints. Some of the Polish girls were operated on several times. In the case of Krystyna Dabska, Maczka took X-ray pictures of both legs and discovered that small pieces of the fibulae had been removed. In the case of one leg the periosteum had also been taken out. Zofia Baj was operated on in a similar manner. Janina Marczewska and Leonarda Bien were subjected to the bone fracture experiments. The tibia was broken in several places and in the case of one of the girls, clamps were applied while in the case of the other they were not. These operations impeded the locomotion of the girls operated on. Bone incision operations were performed on Barbara Pietczyk, a Polish girl 16 years old. She was operated on six times. During the first operation incisions were made in each tibia. During a later operation pieces of the tibia were cut out where incisions had been previously made. Maczka took an X-ray of the pieces of tibia that were removed. As a result of these bone operations, Maczka observed the development of two cases of osteomyelitis, Maria Grabowska and Maria Cabaj. (Tr. pp. 1445-7.)
A rather large group of muscle experiments were performed. Here again multiple operations were carried out on the same subject. Gledziewjowska was operated on most frequently. During the first operation certain muscles were removed and during subsequent operations additional pieces were cut out, always at the same place, so that the legs got thinner and weaker all the time. (Tr. p. 1447.)
Transplantation of whole limbs from one person to another was also carried out. Maczka testified that about 10 feeble-minded inmates were selected, taken to the hospital and prepared for operation. She knew personally that at least two of these persons were operated on. One case was a leg amputation. Following this operation, the experimental subject was killed and placed in a special room where the dead were kept. Maczka was able to observe the corpse and saw that there was only one leg. In the second case an abnormal woman was operated on by Dr. Fischer. When he left the operating room he carried with him a bundle wrapped up in linen about the size of an arm. He took this away with him. The prison nurse, Quernheim, informed Maczka that the whole arm with shoulder blade was removed from this woman. (Tr. p. 1448.)
The amputation of the arm and shoulder blade mentioned by Dr. Maczka obviously refers to the transplantation performed on the patient Ladisch at Hohenlychen. As to this, the defendant Fischer stated in his affidavit as follows:
“As a disciple of Lexer, Gebhardt had already planned long ago a free heteroplastic transplantation of bone. In spite of the fact that some of his co-workers did not agree, he was resolved to carry out such an operation on the patient, Ladisch, whose shoulder joint was removed because of a sarcoma.
“I and my medical colleagues urged professional and human objections up until the evening before the operation was performed, but Gebhardt ordered us to carry out the operations. Dr. Stumpfegger, in whose field of research this operation was, was supposed to perform the removal of the scapula at Ravensbrueck and had already made initial arrangements for it. However, because Professor Gebhardt required Doctor Stumpfegger to assist him in the actual transplantation of the shoulder to the patient Ladisch, I was ordered to go to Ravensbrueck and perform the operation of removal on that evening. I asked Doctors Gebhardt and Schulze to describe exactly the technique which they wished me to follow. The next morning I drove to Ravensbrueck after I had made a previous appointment by telephone. At Hohenlychen I had already made the normal initial preparation for an operation, namely, scrubbing, etc., merely put on my coat, and went to Ravensbrueck and removed the bone.
“The camp physician who was assisting me in the operation continued with it while I returned to Hohenlychen as quickly as possible with the bone which was to be transplanted. In this manner the period between removal and transplantation was shortened. At Hohenlychen the bone was handed over to Professor Gebhardt, and he, together with Doctor Schulze and Doctor Stumpfegger, transplanted it.” (NO-228, Pros. Ex. 206.)
Gebhardt admitted that he, together with Stumpfegger, personally performed the bone transplantation operation on Ladisch. He testified further that Fischer only removed the scapula, shoulder blade, from the Polish female inmate at Ravensbrueck. (Tr. p. 4235.) It is impossible to raise the arm above the horizontal if the scapula has been removed. (Tr. p. 4235.) Gebhardt further admitted that Stumpfegger reported to him on the bone experiments in Ravensbrueck concentration camp. (Tr. p. 4235.)
The affidavit of Gustawa Winkowska corroborates the testimony of Maczka concerning the transplantation of whole limbs and establishes that the experimental subjects were later killed. (NO-865, Pros. Ex. 231.)
The witness Karolewska was a subject in both the sulfanilamide and bone experiments. (Tr. pp. 833, 836-7.) She was operated on a total of six times. The first operation was conducted on 14 August 1942 by Fischer. (Tr. p. 819.) Gebhardt inspected her early in September. (Tr. p. 821.) She was sent back to her block on 8 September 1942, but was unable to walk and remained in bed for a week. On 16 September 1942 she was again taken to the hospital and operated on for the second time by Fischer. (Tr. pp. 821-2.) She left the hospital on 6 October 1942 and remained in bed for several weeks. Her leg did not heal until June 1943 (Tr. pp. 822-3). She filed a written protest with the camp commander, together with other experimental subjects in February 1943. In August 1943 she was operated on literally by force in the bunker at Ravensbrueck. Both her legs were cut open. These operations were carried out on five other Polish girls under indescribably filthy conditions. On 15 September 1943 a further operation was performed on her right leg by a doctor from Hohenlychen. Two weeks later her left leg was operated on and pieces of the shinbone were removed. She stayed in the hospital for 6 months—until the end of February 1944. (Tr. pp. 828-9.) Karolewska identified the defendants Gebhardt, Fischer, and Oberheuser as having participated in the experiments on her. (Tr. pp. 818, 830.)