[135] This law is reproduced in part on p. 182.
[136] Decree of the Reich President for the protection of people and State is reproduced on p. 160.
[137] The hereditary health courts dealt with sterilization of human beings. Because of space limitations, a relatively small amount of the evidence introduced in the Justice Case has been reproduced in this volume. However, sterilization was also the subject of charges in the Medical Case. See “Medical Experiments—Experiments for Mass Sterilization” (sec. VII A 15, Vol. I, pp. 694 ff., this series).
[138] Reference is made to the basic law of 14 July 1933, reproduced in part immediately above.
[139] Dr. Conti was Reich Health Leader (Reichsgesundheitsfuehrer). His activities came into issue in the Medical Case, United States vs. Karl Brandt, et al., Volumes I and II, this series. Conti committed suicide in 1945 after Germany’s unconditional surrender.
[140] Complete testimony is recorded in the mimeographed transcript, 25 and 26 June 1947, pages 4253–4364.
[141] Reference is made to the Law Concerning the Head of the German Reich, 1 August 1934 (1934 Reichsgesetzblatt, pt. I, p. 747). This law reads as follows: “Article 1. The office of the Reich President is herewith united with that of the Reich Chancellor. Therefore, the prerogatives hitherto held by the Reich President are transferred to the Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor, Adolf Hitler. He determines his deputy. Article 2. This law becomes effective from the time of the death of Reich President Hindenberg.” Hindenberg died on 2 August 1934. This law was signed by Hitler and 14 Reich ministers.
[142] This act is reproduced on page 163.
[143] Article 53 reads—“The President of the Reich appoints and dismisses the Chancellor of the Reich and, on the latter’s recommendation, the ministers of the Reich.”
[144] Article 54 reads—“The Chancellor of the Reich and the ministers of the Reich require the confidence of the Reichstag in the administration of their office. Any one of them must resign should the confidence of the Reichstag be withdrawn by an express resolution.”