NMT Case 8

USA vs. Ulrich Greifelt, et al.

Trial VIII, The United States of America vs. Ulrich Greifelt, et al, more commonly known as the "RuSHA Trial," took place between July 1947 and March 1948. Fourteen defendants were charged; one defendant was removed from the trial for health reasons, leaving thirteen on trial. During the trial, the prosecution introduced 2,000 written exhibits and 39 witnesses, and the defense introduced 1400 written exhibits and 70 witnesses. The tribunal convened 124 times; the trial transcript totals 8700 pages. The defendants were charged with crimes against humanity and membership in criminal organizations.

In the Third Reich, individuals of sufficient Nordic or Aryan lineage, who possessed the proper physical, mental, and characterological traits deemed desirable by the National Socialist regime, were regarded as valuable additions to the German population. These individuals were often encouraged or forced to migrate within Germany or to German-occupied territories for the purpose of Germanization. Jews, Poles, and other ethnic groups were not considered "worthy" of Germanization and were systematically eliminated through various means.

The RuSHA (Race and Settlement Main Office) was the primary SS agency charged with strengthening the racial "quality" of the German people and Germanizing occupied territories. This included racial examinations, marriage approvals, and the kidnapping of thousands of children from Eastern European countries who were considered "racially valuable." The Lebensborn program provided maternity homes for unmarried mothers of "racially pure" offspring, and also participated in the kidnapping program. The defendants were also charged with participating in the evacuation, deportation, and resettlement of hundreds of thousands of persons, particularly Jews and Poles, in order to make room for ethnic German settlers.

Indictment

Count One: Crimes Against Humanity

  • Forced germanization of populations
  • Kidnapping of foreign children for the purpose of germanization
  • Deportation to slave labor
  • Persecution and extermination on political, racial and religious grounds
  • Plunder of public and private property

Count Two: War Crimes (Dismissed by Tribunal)

Count Three: Membership in the SS

Chronology Overview

  • Indictment filed 10 July 1947
  • Arraignment 20 October 1947
  • Opening statements 20 October 1947
  • Defense opening statements 27 January 1948
  • Prosecution closing statement 20 February 1948
  • Defense closing statements 20 February 1948
  • Judgment 10 March 1948

Persons Involved

Military Tribunal I

  • Lee B. Wyatt, Presiding Judge
  • Daniel T. O'Connell, Judge
  • Johnson T. Crawford, Judge
  • Webster J. Oliver, Alternate Judge

Prosecution

  • Brigadier General Telford Taylor, Chief of Counsel for War Crimes
  • James M. McHaney, Deputy Chief Counsel, Associate Trial Counsel
  • W. Peter Walton, Werner K. von Hentig, and Hans E. Wieschenberg, Asst. Chief Counsel, Special Activities, Chief Trial Counsel

Defendants

  • Ulrich Greifelt
  • Rudolf Creutz
  • Konrad Meyer-Hetling
  • Otto Schwarzenberger
  • Herbert Huebner
  • Werner Lorenz
  • Heinz Brueckner
  • Otto Hofmann
  • Richard Hildebrandt
  • Fritz Schwalm
  • Max Sollmann
  • Gregor Ebner
  • Guenther Tesch
  • Inge Viermetz

Defense Counsel

  • Dr. Gerhard Mayer (Greifelt)
  • Dr. Hoffman Ruelffer (Creutz)
  • Dr. Hans Gawlik (Meyer-Hetling)
  • Dr. Fritz Seidl (Schwarzenberger)
  • Dr. Erich Mandt (Huebner)
  • Dr. Rudolf Koessl (Lorenz)
  • Dr. Otto Nelte (Brueckner)
  • Dr. Kurt Kaufmann (Hofmann)
  • Dr. Heinrich Ortmann (Hildebrandt)
  • Dr. Waldemar von Gregory (Schwalm)
  • Dr. Guenther Lewermann (Sollmann)
  • Dr. Fritz Sauter (Ebner)
  • Dr. Max Hoehn (Tesch)
  • Dr. Wolfgang Klauss (Viermetz)

Judgment/Sentences

Ulrich Greifelt: Guilty, counts 1/3; life imprisonment

Rudolf Creutz: Guilty, counts 1/3; fifteen years

Konrad Meyer-Hetling: Acquitted

Otto Schwarzenberger: Acquitted

Herbert Huebner: Acquitted

Werner Lorenz: Guilty, counts 1/3; twenty years

Heinz Brueckner: Guilty, counts 1/3; fifteen years

Otto Hofmann: Guilty, counts 1/3; twenty-five years

Richard Hildebrandt: Guilty, counts 1/3; twenty-five years

Fritz Schwalm: Guilty, count 1; ten years

Max Sollmann: Acquitted

Gregor Ebner: Guilty, counts 1/3; two years, six months

Guenther Tesch: Guilty, count 1; seven years

Inge Viermetz: Acquitted