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Q. The witness Elkar said literally, and I quote, “As far as I know, the relations between Zimmermann, Haberkern, and Rothaug were very close.” (Tr. p. 2896.) [Page 374, herein.]
How did you come to know Zimmermann, and what were your relations with him?
A. I have already pointed out that it was only in the course of 1940 that I met Zimmermann by accident when he was at the Blaue Traube.
Q. How often did he attend sessions of the Special Court when you were presiding judge, and do you know why he attended those sessions?
A. I cannot remember one single case when Zimmermann attended one of my sessions. However, it is possible that he attended at the case of Schmidt-Fasel, which has been discussed here several times.
Q. As to Haberkern, you have already testified that quite by accident, as a young assessor, you met him in 1926 and that for many years you had no contact with him. How and when did you hear that Haberkern was in Nuernberg?
A. That was in connection with the National Socialist change-over in 1933. In those days his name often appeared in the newspapers, and that was how I discovered that he was in Nuernberg and that he played a political role.
Q. You have already said that you did not resume contact, not even when against your will you were transferred to Schweinfurt. You have also given us your reasons. When and how was it that you renewed your relations with Haberkern?
A. It was in 1938 as far as I recollect. One day Haberkern rang me up and asked whether I was that Rothaug who in 1926 had stayed in his home. I told him that I was that man, and he was very pleased and asked me to come to see him and his wife. They were the owners of the Hotel Blaue Traube, Nuernberg. I told him that I would go to see him some day, and one day I did go to see him. That was how I came to the Blaue Traube.