Mr. King: Dr. Rothenberger, the document which has been placed before you is NG-1656 [Pros. Ex. 535].[429] It is an information for the Fuehrer report. I would like to, with your concurrence, read it. You say—“After the birth of her child a full-blooded Jewess sold her mother milk to a pediatrician and concealed the fact that she was a Jewess. With this milk babies of German blood were fed in a nursing home for children. The accused will be charged with deception. The buyers of the milk have suffered damage for mother’s milk from a Jewess cannot be regarded as food for German children. The impudent behavior of the accused is an insult as well. Relevant charges, however, have not been applied for, so that the parents who were unaware of the true facts need not subsequently be worried.”
Do you recall the origin of this particular document?
Defendant Rothenberger: I do not remember the facts. It is quite impossible that I wrote this, because I never drafted the Fuehrer Information. I do not even remember whether it ever came to my attention later. I ask to be shown the original of that Fuehrer Information.
Q. I will be very happy to do that, Dr. Rothenberger. Is that your initial?
A. That shows that I have seen it later, but not at all that I was the author. It can be seen from the original, naturally, that the Fuehrer Information had neither a date nor a signature and the Fuehrer Information also shows that there is a notation on it “to the Under Secretary”—for information, that means. As I can see from the initial, it apparently came to my attention without, however, identifying myself in any manner with the contents of that Fuehrer Information.
Q. Have you finished, Dr. Rothenberger?
A. Yes.
Q. Your feeling, of the moment, is that you had nothing to do with the authorship of this document?
A. I consider it quite impossible that I would have identified myself even at that time with such an opinion.
Presiding Judge Brand: I have a question of information. Would your initials have been placed on it before or after the distribution of the document?