In like manner the prosecution was obliged to furnish proof with regard to the experiments asserted to have been made on concentration camp prisoners in Natzweiler. The only witness provided by the prosecution for this, a woman by the name of Eyer, did not confirm what the prosecution affirmed, namely that experiments intended by Professor Haagen in the research into hepatitis had been carried out in the concentration camp at Natzweiler. (German Tr. p. 1765.)
Dr. Cording testified in an affidavit submitted by Professor Rose:
“For my training in the study of hygiene and bacteriology I was detailed in February 1944 to the Hygiene Institute of Strasbourg University where I was engaged, until the military occupation of the town on 23 November 1944, almost exclusively on work connected with hepatitis (series of inoculations of mice and proof of virus in the organs of mice) under Professor Haagen.”
“It did not come to my ears that during the time I was in Strasbourg experiments with hepatitis were made on human beings within the framework of this cooperation. In the middle of July 1944 Stabsarzt Dr. Dohmen went from Giessen to visit Professor Haagen in Strasbourg for about 2-3 days. During this time he saw for himself in the Institute the results obtained from our research work in hepatitis. He confirmed that the results of his experiments had been similar but that all his research material had been destroyed in an air raid on Berlin. At present he was busy in Giessen making a fresh start with his own experiments.
“I know for a fact that Dr. Dohmen was not in Natzweiler during the time of his visit to Strasbourg. I know nothing of any further cooperation between Professor Haagen and Dr. Dohmen.”
Thus it is proved that Dr. Dohmen was not at the Natzweiler concentration camp and did not take part in any experiments on human beings there in this particular branch of medicine. In correcting his affidavit (NO-371, Pros. Ex. 186) the defendant Rudolf Brandt declared upon oath that he had no knowledge that these experiments had been carried out in Sachsenhausen and that some of the prisoners died. In like manner he revoked his evidence concerning the cooperation of Dr. Dohmen and Dr. Haagen in the Natzweiler concentration camp and declared that no facts were known to him about this. (German Tr. pp. 1990-1993.) Finally Rudolf Brandt declared in his affidavit (Handloser 11, Handloser Ex. 35) that no facts were known to him from which could be deduced that the defendant Handloser had any knowledge of the experiments in Sachsenhausen and Natzweiler.
If one also takes into consideration Professor Gutzeit’s testimony that Professor Handloser had reported nothing about Dohmen working in the concentration camp in Sachsenhausen or of his activity there, the following emerges: Professor Handloser’s answer is correct that he had no knowledge that experiments with epidemic jaundice were conducted on human beings in the concentration camps of Sachsenhausen and Natzweiler.
On the other hand Professor Handloser declares that he had a considerable interest in the hepatitis research work, as it is also established that not only his consulting physician Gutzeit but also numerous other offices had concerned themselves with hepatitis research. Professor Handloser gave reasons, confirmed by Professor Gutzeit, why he, as medical officer responsible for the management of health matters in the army, had the duty to give importance to the research in order to find out what caused epidemic jaundice. As far as Handloser knew, this research was carried out in accordance with recognized medical practice, i. e., by experiments on animals and on the persons of the experimenters themselves; likewise by unobjectionable clinical examinations of human beings.
This also emerges from the hepatitis meeting of June 1944 in Breslau. Professor Gutzeit also reported about this meeting and declared upon oath that six or seven different hepatitis research workers had given reports on their experiments and the results obtained. Nothing was said about experiments on human beings. From this Professor Handloser, who took part in the meeting which included the military and civilian sector, must have gained the impression that research into hepatitis was conducted in a generally recognized medical fashion.