The actual dosage can be given in various ways, and the irradiation can take place quite imperceptibly. The necessary local dosage for men is 500-600 r, for women 300-350 r. In general, an irradiation period of 2 minutes for men, 3 minutes for women, with the highest voltage, a thin filter and at a short distance, ought to be sufficient. There is, however, a disadvantage that has to be put up with: as it is impossible unnoticeably to cover the rest of the body with lead, the other tissues of the body will be injured, and radiologic malaise, the so-called “Roentgenkater”, will ensue. If the X-ray intensity is too high, those parts of the skin which the rays have reached will exhibit symptoms of burns—varying in severity in individual cases—in the course of the following days or weeks.
One practical way of proceeding would be, for instance, to let the persons to be treated approach a counter, where they could be asked to answer some questions or to fill in forms, which would take them 2 or 3 minutes. The official sitting behind the counter could operate the installation in such a way as to turn a switch which would activate the two valves simultaneously (since the irradiation has to operate from both sides). With a two-valve installation about 150-200 persons could then be sterilized per day, and therefore, with 20 such installations as many as 3,000-4,000 persons per day. In my estimation a larger daily number could not in any case be sent away for this purpose. As to the expenses for such a two-valve system, I can only give a rough estimate of approximately 20,000-30,000 RM. Additionally, however, there would be the cost of the construction of a new building, because adequately extensive protective installations would have to be provided for the officials on duty.
In summary, it may be said that, having regard to the present state of radiological technique and research, mass sterilization by means of X-rays can be carried out without difficulty. However, it seems to be impossible to do this in such a way that the persons concerned do not sooner or later realize with certainty that they have been sterilized or castrated by X-rays.
[Signed] Brack
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT NO-205
PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 163
LETTER FROM BRACK TO HIMMLER, 23 JUNE 1942, PROPOSING STERILIZATION OF TWO TO THREE MILLION JEWS
Viktor Brack
SS Oberfuehrer
Berlin, W 8, Voss-Strasse 4, 23 June 1942