Moral and Humanitarian Justification
In the brief against Karl Brandt the prosecution has summarized the overwhelming proof that euthanasia, far from being “an act of grace”, was a measure to eliminate “useless eaters” and other “undesirable” persons. Brack himself, when questioned by the Tribunal, was unable to explain why war veterans of the First World War (1914-18) were exempted from this “act of grace.” (Tr. pp. 7650, 7664.) Contrariwise, he could not explain why this grace was extended to insane criminals, irrespective of the length of time they had spent in an insane asylum. (NO-825, Pros. Ex. 358.)
Brack personally reprimanded Mennecke, who was an expert in the Euthanasia Program, on the ground that his expert opinions were far too soft and did not recommend euthanasia as often as he desired. (Tr. pp. 1881, 1907.) The so-called “observation stations” where the patients, according to Brack’s statement, were examined for several weeks by expert doctors were nothing but collecting points for the victims. (Tr. pp. 1822, 1878, 1879.)
Brack admitted that the work of Binding and Hoche is considered the standard work on euthanasia. (Tr. p. 7633.) This work leaves no doubt that the will to live, of even those who are most seriously ill, suffer most gravely, and are of least use, should be fully respected, and that any authority for the annihilation of life is excluded in cases where the will to live must be broken. (NO-2893, Pros. Ex. 496.) Brack himself admitted that euthanasia is inadmissible in cases where the patient has the will to live. (Tr. p. 7701.) The witness Schmidt testified that the victims, who obviously knew or suspected their fate, had to be forced to enter the busses which took them to the extermination stations. (Tr. pp. 1856, 1861.) This evidence is corroborated by documentary proof. (D-906, Pros. Ex. 376.) While many of those victims may have been insane, they certainly did not lack the will to live. Moreover, Brack himself admitted, when questioned by the Tribunal, that Bouhler ordered that the arrangements for the killing had to be made in such a way that the patients would not realize what was being done to them. (Tr. p. 7660.) The gas chambers where the victims were annihilated resembled shower rooms. (Tr. p. 7659.) The patients were deceived into thinking that they were to take a shower bath and, therefore, had to undress. (Tr. pp. 7644, 7660.) Such precautions would certainly not have been necessary if the victims had desired the “privilege of a mercy death.”
Action 14 f 13[[99]]
If the testimony of Brack and Brandt as to the number of doctors who were active in the Euthanasia Program is correct, it is clear from the record that all doctors active in this program collaborated in Action 14 f 13. Brandt estimated the number of doctors who were charged with the execution of the Euthanasia Program as 10 to 15 (Tr. p. 2478), Brack, as 12 to 15. (Tr. p. 7573.) Mennecke testified that about 15 doctors from the Euthanasia Program were commissioned to carry out the “examinations” in the concentration camps. (Tr. p. 1891.)
Brack was unable to explain how it came about that concentration camps inmates selected in Action 14 f 13 were killed in euthanasia stations. (Tr. p. 7541.)
Legality