Mr. McHaney: Now, Witness, this is the first time that I have ever heard mentioned in connection with the Euthanasia Program that anybody’s consent had to be obtained, and I take it that it is a rather fundamental matter. Are you ready to swear to this Tribunal that the Reich committee never performed euthanasia on children without obtaining the consent of the parents of the child?
Defendant Karl Brandt: I said yesterday that the approval of the parents was necessary for the euthanasia of children, and I am of the opinion that such approval was actually given.
Q. Was the approval written approval or verbal approval?
A. That I don’t know. I cannot say.
Q. Have you ever seen any written approval?
A. I believe that during the first period when this authorization was submitted for signature to Bouhler and to me, all the other papers were together with it, such as approvals, etc. It may be that during the later period we were only concerned with the authorization papers and that the other papers were left with the Reich committee. However, I did see such letters of approval but I don’t believe that they were in writing in every case. I think they were partly given orally through the local physician or some other agency which dealt with the case.
Q. Well, Witness, let’s look at this letter again. I find some difficulty in reconciling your testimony about the necessity of consent by the relatives of the child with what’s written here in this letter. For example, the third line reads: “It seems that the relatives of Anna Gasse tried to obtain her release by every possible means.” If, Witness, it was necessary to obtain consent, why was there any question about releasing Anna Gasse?
A. I cannot say that either. According to my opinion, the child could not be kept in an institution if the parents wanted it at home.
Q. And the last sentence which reads, “If from a medical point of view such release is warranted, one could perhaps take into consideration whether one should not perhaps comply with such request in the interest of the good reputation of the institution.” Don’t you find that language just a bit restrained, Witness?