The third part of option Reinhardt was the employment of the working ability of these Jews not initially marked for execution together with the utilization of the confiscated industrial facilities. The WVHA was active in this phase of the program. In order to coordinate these economic enterprises, the East Industries Limited Liability Company (Ostindustrie GmbH), commonly called "Osti", was formed in March 1943. Its purposes were stated to have been: (1) to utilize the working capacity of the Jews by erecting industrial plants in connection with Jewish labor camps; (2) to take over commercial enterprises which had been maintained by the Higher SS and Police Leaders in the General Government; (3) to confiscate all Jewish machinery and raw materials; and (4) to utilize all former Jewish machines, tools, and merchandise which had been transferred to non-Jewish ownership.
The sole partners of Osti were the defendants Pohl and Georg Loerner. They also served on the board of directors with the notorious Wilhelm Krueger. The business managers were Globocnik and a Dr. Max Horn, an SS Economic Administrator, appointed to Krueger's staff at Cracow by Pohl. Part of the capital for Osti was furnished by the defendant Frank out of the Reinhardt fund.
One of the more immediate reasons for the organization of Osti was to establish iron foundries in the vicinity of Lublin. The WVHA expected to derive the machinery and other equipment for this enterprise from the Warsaw action. Thus, on 26 February 1943, Dr. Horn wrote to the defendant Hohberg:
"The organization of the Osti cannot be effected at the originally intended pace. The resettlement of the Jewish enterprises will probably last until June of this year, so that Osti will only be able to start properly by July of this year. Besides the utilization of the movable Jewish property in Warsaw must be started, a matter which I have not been able to attend to so far. I will start to take up this problem next week."
The unexpected resistance put up by the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto, which has already been described, largely frustrated the plans for an iron industry in Lublin since substatial quantities of machinery were destroyed.
There were some 18 manufacturing establishments controlled by Osti, employing altogether about 52,000 slave laborers. These plants included a glass works, a textile mill, a peat cutting plant, an iron foundry, a brush manufacturing plant, a stone quarry, and finally, a pharmaceutical laboratory.
In November 1943, the remaining Jews in the Lublin area were exterminated. This deprived Osti of its principal source of labor and, except for the glass works which was operated by Polish slave labor, it was liquidated and the assets taken over by the German Equipment Works under the management of Amt W IV of the WVHA. The defendants Pohl, Georg Loerner, Baier, and Volk made an effort in January 1944 to secure the Litzmannstadt Ghetto with its industrial equipment and 80,000 Jews for Osti, but the Reichsfuehrer hold that the Ghetto should be left under the jurisdiction of the Gauleiter after the Jews had been reduced to a minimum by action of a "sonderkommando".
This, then, was Action Reinhardt - a coldly premeditated program of mass murder and gigantic theft visited upon a people whose only crime was that of failure to be born an Aryan. In scope and brutality, the crime is without parallel.
In Count Four of the Indictment it is charged that all of the defendants except Hohberg were members of the SS, an organization declared to be criminal by the International Military Tribunal, and that such membership is in violation of Paragraph 1 (d) of Article II of Control Council Law No. 10. The declaration of criminality by the International Military Tribunal applies to all persons who were officially accepted as members of any branch of the SS, and who remained members after 1 September 1939, with knowledge that the SS was being used for the commission of criminal acts, or who were personally implicated in the commission of such crimes, "excluding, however, those who were drafted into membership by the state in such a way as to give them no choice in the matter, and who committed no such crimes."
This Tribunal will be presented with no refined questions concerning voluntary membership in the SS or knowledge of its use for the commission of crimes. The defendants in this dock were full time, professional SS men; the SS was their way of life. Of the seventeen defendants charged in Count Four, all but three of them joined the SS in 1934 or earlier. The defendants Scheide and Tschentscher were members as early as 1930 when the total membership was only 2,500.
That these defendants not only knew of, but personally participated in, the systematic commission of crimes by the SS will be abundantly proved by the evidence. All of the defendants charged in Count Four hold officer rank in the SS, and most of them hold senior rank. There could have been no SS without a WVHA and these defendants are its surviving leaders.
The Prosecution has charged in the first three counts of the indictment that all of the defendants are responsible for the crimes alleged therein. This charge is based not only on the theory of conspiracy or participation in a common plan, but also on wellrecognized principles of criminal liability. One need not be the trigger-man to be guilty of murder. The criterial of criminality are clearly stated in Control Council Law No. 10, Article II, Section 2. Any person is deemed to have committed a crime, if he was (a) a principal or (b) was connected with plans or enterprises involving its commission or (e) was a member of any organization or group connected with the commission of any such crime.
And so in the case of the general and systematic commission of crimes in concentration camps all of the defendants are guilty. All of the defendants had substantial connections with the concentration camps, the very existence and operation of which necessarily involved murder, atrocities, torture, enslavement, and other inhumane acts.
But, we shall no doubt have to listen to long and tedious lectures by each of the defendants to the effect that Amtsgruppe A or B or C or W had nothing to do with the conditions in concentration camps -- that such conditions were the responsibility of Amtsgruppe D, the Inspectorate of Concentration Camps. And when we come to the two defendants unfortunate enough to have worked in Amtsgruppe D, that is Sommer and Pook, they will tell us that they did everything in their power to improve conditions, that it was the deat Gluecks and Lolling who were responsible. Several defendants may even testify that they never so much as set foot in a concentration camp. Pohl himself will say that even though he was Chief of the WVHA and even though concentration camps were under its control after March 3, 1942, nevertheless he left all concentration camp matters to Gluecks, who dealt directly with Himmler. It is indeed a curious and amazing thing that the only guilty Nazis are the dead ones. Kaltenbrunner testified at some length before the International Military Tribunal, at a time when Pohl's whereabouts were unknown, that he had nothing to do with concentration camps, that they were Pohl's responsibility. Upon being advised of this fact after his capture, Pohl stated in effect: "Kaltenbrunner counted too much on my death!"
No, the responsibility for the crimes committed in concentration camps can no more be limited to Amtsgruppe D or to dead men than to the sadistic camp guards who found it amusing to subject their helpless victims to degrading tortures. The concentration camps were the very life blood of the whole of the WVHA. The Amtsgruppen were all interrelated in their purposes and activities. Each depended on the other to a greater or lesser degree. The administrators and accountants of Amtsgruppe A cannot escape the charge of murder when they controlled two disposition of valuables of inmates killed by the millions in the camps of Auschwitz, Lublin, and Mauthausen.
Nor can the supply officers of Amtsgruppe B who ultimately controlled the food, clothing, and billeting for concentration camps and who were the recipients of train loads of clothing of exterminated Jews. Nor can the construction engineers of Amtsgruppe C who used inmates to construct crematoriums, gas chambers, and underground factories.
Nor can the "business men" of Amtsgruppe W who worked inmates to death by the thousands in the granite quarries of Mauthausen and the brick factories in Poland and who used the labor of Jews until the moment they were driven away to gas chambers.
One further word must be said with reference be the significance of this case. It cannot be charged against the defendants in this deck, as it was said of the leaders of German medicine and of the leaders of German law, that in acquiring and retaining their positions of influence they duped and deceived the German people. The existence of the SS was no secret, its purposes were not hidden, its principles were not disguised, its methods were not concealed. Himmler truthfully said that there were people in Germany "who became sick when they see these black coats" and that he did not expect that "they should be loved by too many." the International Military Tribunal fund that because of the widespread programs of the SS, its "criminal activities must have been widely known. These men did not betray their profession. Trust was not misplaced when the SS was permitted to become the powerful factor that it was. It did not represent itself to be a pillar of law and order nor an organization of benevolence. It was born and nurtured publicly amidst blood and violence.
The vastness of the crimes committed and the nature of the organization involved forcefully poses the questions Why was the SS permitted to become a State within a State? It is our deep obligation to the German people and to the peoples of the world not to avoid or to evade that question. For the sake of these nameless millions who perished under the heel of the SS -- Germans and non-Germans - let us not speak too softly or too late of the responsibility of every member of the community for its political weal! Let us not too soon lose sight of a collective civic responsibility to prevent the growth of such malignant organizations.
Before the memory of these crimes dies away let us speak of the duty of all patriotic and responsible men, in all walks of life, to protect the nation against such loathsome doctrines as these defendants preached and practiced. Here let the consequences be indelibly recorded of an organization based upon the execrable theories of racism. If there are those who doubt, let them come here and examine the documents, which Himmler's vial of cyanide could not destroy, showing the world-wide carnage wrought by that organization. And all peoples may learn that a nation may not be built upon persecution. That industry, no more than medicine or law may not be built upon death, destruction and desecration. That production may not be based upon pogroms, nor profits upon pillage. Today's misery exists the world over because these lessons were not sooner learned.
MR. MCHANEY: If it please the Tribunal, this completes the opening statement for the Prosecution. I think after a short adjournment we will be prepared to begin with the submission of the proof. I assume, however, that the Tribunal may wish to rule on the various motions which have been filed with respect to the indictment, namely motions in the nature of bills of particulars.
THE PRESIDENT: I think that if you had not mentioned them they probably wouldn't have over come to light. DefenceCounsel have been suppled with ample documents which I think will take the place of any bills of particulars. However, the motions are pending, and if urged, not by the Prosecution, but by the Defense -- We will just put a period at that point.
The broadcasting device has gone out anyway, so we will just stop the discussion and resume after the recess.
THE MARSHALL: This Tribunal is in recess fifteen minutes.
(A recess was taken.)
THE MARSHAL: Tribunal Number 2 is again in session.
The PRESIDENT: The Prosecution may proceed with the presentation of its proof.
MR. McHANEY: May it please the Tribunal: I would like to say a few words before we start. It is the plan of the Prosecution to put in its documentary proof as rapidly as possible. That means we will comment very little on the documents as they go in and read only those portions which we consider to be particularly significant. It may be that from time to time the Court of defense counsel will feel that we are going a bit too fast, that we are not explaining enough to make our case absolutely clear as it goes in. However, I think overall our plan will probably serve the best interests of every one. The opening statement has been drawn on the basis of outlining in some detail the prosecution's case. It can serve as the basis of orientation for the Tribunal and Defense Counsel alike.
If the Tribunal wishes, at the conclusion of the Prosecution's case in chief, the prosecution will, as soon as it can do so, present briefs which will then put together our proof in logical sequence. It is our hope and plan to put in the case in chief as expediously as possible. At this time, Mr. Hart will proceed with the introduction of documents contained in Prosecution's Document Number 1.
THE PRESIDENT: Your whole program, Mr. McHaney, especially that part about the brief presentation, meets with wholehearted approval of the Tribunal.
JUDGE MUSMANNO: Mr. McHaney, may I ask a question? When you come to a document in your proof from which you have already quoted liberally in your presentation speech, could you not just refer to the speech?
MR. McHANEY: Absolutely, Your Honor. We shall certainly do that. It is our plan to quote very little from any of the documents in any event, because we think that -
JUDGE MUSMANNO: These quotations were very much in order. I do not mean that by any way of reasoning, they are not to be emphasized, but I would not see any purpose in reading again what you have already given to us, even though it is in the form of presentation.
MR. McHANEY: I quite agree with you, your Honor.
DR. GAWLIK (For the Defendant Bobermin and Volk): I would like to call the Tribunal's attention to the fact that on 25 February 1947, I protested against the indictment, and to this day, I have not received a reply from the Prosecution nor a ruling by the Tribunal.
MR. McHANEY: If the Tribunal pleases, I may speak of the delinquency of the prosecution. We have received approximately six or eight of these motions which attack the indictment or rather ask for a bill of particulars. After having received the first three or four and answered them all in the same manner, we then filed upon the receipt of the next one a general answer, at least what might be called a general answer stating that the prosecution was prepared to take the position that all of the defendants had filed a motion, and that the previous answers filed by the prosecution could serve as the answer to such other motions as might be filed. All of the motions were in the same tenor, and of course the answers from the Prosecution were also the same We could see no virtue in continuing to serve upon the defendants the sort of response.
THE PRESIDENT: The Tribunal has three of your answers, Mr. McHaney to three of the motions. And, of course, they are identical. Will you wait just a moment until we can look at counsel's motion?
It is the opinion of the Tribunal that the indictment coupled with the opening statement of the prosecuting attorney, and additionally, the document books which counsel have now before them, Counsel for the Defense, sufficiently complies with the requirements of the law and fairly and adequately apprises each of the defendants of the nature of the crime with which he is charged. Therefore, all motions which attack the sufficiency of the indictment will be denied.
Mr. HART: May it please the Tribunal, I offer as Prosecution Exhibit 1 and 2, respectively, the certificate of Major Willian H. Coogan, dated 19 November 1945, and the certificate of Fred Niebergall dated 3 December 1946.
As Prosecution's Exhibit Number 3, I offer the affidavit of Oswald Pohl, being Number 2343. It is on page 9 of the Document Book. In this affidavit the Defendant Pohl states he entered the German Navy in 1912. He resigned from the Navy in 1934 with the rank of Captain Paymaster to join the SS and to become Chief of the Administration Department in the SS Central office by appointment from the Reichsfuehrer SS, Heinrich Himmler. In this capacity Pohl was the final authority on all finance and administrative matters within the SS.
In 1938, Pohl was also appointed Ministerial Director in the Reichs Ministry of the Interior.
In April 1939 the Administration Department was renamed the Office of Budget and Buildings and the SS Economics Administrative Department, Pohl remained the Chief of both" of these offices.
In 1940, these offices became Main Offices of the SS and were called the Main Office Budget and Buildings and the Main Office Administration and Economics.
On February 1, 1942, the WVHA was formed by a merger of these two offices, the defendant Pohl remaining as the Chief until the capitulation of Germany in May 1945.
In March 1942, the Inspectorate of Concentration Camps was incorporated into the WVHA.
From 1942 until the end of the war, Pohl held the rank of Obergruppenfuehrer in the SS and General of the Waffen-SS.
I next offer as prosecution's Exhibit Number 4, Document Number 1576, being the affidavit of the Defendant Frank. It is on Page 12.
The Defendant Frank states that he entered the General SS in May 1932 when he became associated with the Administrative Chief of the SS.
He was working in the Administrative Office of the SS in 1934 when the defendant Pohl became the Chief of the Administration Offices of the SS. In this capacity Frank had charge of the complete administrative affairs of the Special Service Troops and the Death Head units of the SS, which subsequently became a part of the Waffen-SS. The purpose of the Death Head units was the guarding of concentration camps. He remained there until 1939.
In 1939 with the outbreak of the war, Frank became the Chief of the Corps Supply Office of the Waffen-SS where he was subordinate to Pohl as Chief of the Main Office of Budgets and Buildings. In January 1942 when the WVHA was organized, Frank became Pohl's Deputy as Chief of the WVHA and also became Chief of the Amtsgruppe A of the WVHA.
He retained these positions until September 1943 when he was appointed Administrative Chief of the Order Police in charge of all police units within the Reich.
As Chief of Amtsgruppe A of the WVHA, Frank was the highest Auditing Director of the SS, including the Waffen-SS, under the defendant Pohl. He had charge of the budgetary and financial matters of the other Amtsgruppen of the WVHA.
I next offer as Prosecution's Exhibit Number 5, Document Number 1911, being the affidavit of the Defendant Georg Loerner. It is to be found on Page 19 of the Document Book.
DR. MUELLER (For the Defendant Mueller): May it please the Court: The affidavit of the Defendant Frank shows certain mistakes because it deals with the position of the Defendant Loerner. Far be it from me, at this point of the trial, to raise objections as to the subject matter, but I would like to point out this: The Defendant Frank, shortly after he gave this affidavit, applied to the interrogating officer and told him that his statements as far as they concerned Georg Loerner were incorrect. He asked to be allowed to correct his affidavit to this effect. This correction is not contained in the affidavit of the Defendant Frank.
On behalf of my client, the Defendant Loerner, I find myself compelled to object formally against these omissions. I would like the court to give a ruling on this point.
THE PRESIDENT: You are at liberty to deny the affidavit of Frank, or to explain it, or correct it, or you can furnish another affidavit at any time during the trial. Either Frank or Loerner may testify, and if Frank testifies, he may correct any mis-statements which you claim he had made. Or Loerner may testify and deny any statements that Frank has made.
Your objection, at this time, is too early. It is premature. The Tribunal will overrule it.
MR. HART: I offer, as prosecution's Exhibit Number 5, the affidavit of Georg Loerner. It is on page 19 of the Document Book. This affidavit of the Defendant Loerner, states that he joined the SS in 1932. He was associated with the defendant Pohl from 1934 when Pohl took over the SS Administrative Offices, until the end of the war. He was the Chief of Amtsgruppe B of the WVHA and the Deputy of Pohl as Chief of Amtsgruppe W of the WVHA. Amtsgruppe B had charge of the supply of billets and clothing for the Waffen-SS and of clothing for the concentration camp inmates. Office B-II was in charge of the Clothing Works of the Waffen-SS and Office W-VI was in charge of the German Textile and Clothing Works. Both of these offices were under the management of the Obersturmbannfuehrer Lechler. The German Textile and Cloth ing Works of Office W-VI was principally concerned with the manufacture of clothing and underwear for the troops of the Waffen-SS and for the concentration camp inmates. Through these two offices and identity of their leaders, the entire textile industry of the SS was unified.
For the benefit of the interpreters, I should like to say I am not reading from the affidavit, but from the summary of the affidavit. I will go more slowly.
The supply of rations and clothing for the concentration camp inmates was the primary responsibility of Amtsgruppe D, but was the ultimate responsibility of Amtsgruppe B, and similarly, in the event Amtsgruppe D was in need of clothing for concentration camp inmates, it was the responsibility of the Defendant Georg Loerner to provide such clothing.
The clothing was put at the disposal of Amtsgruppe D by Office II of Amtsgruppe B.
I next offer as Prosecution Exhibit No. 6 Document No. NO-1909, being the affidavit of the defendant Fanslau, found at page 25 of the Document Book. Defendant Fanslau entered the SS in July 1931. In January 1934 he became employed in the Administration Office of the SS at Munich, and continued in such employment through the various organizational changes already mentioned until the end of the war. In January 1942 he became Chief of the Personnel Office for the Administration Office of the WVHA with office A-5. He became Deputy of August Frank, Chief of Amt-A in the Fall of 1942, and subsequently after Frank took office as Chief of Order Police, he became Chief of Amt-A, retaining his position as Chief of Amt-A, Office A-5, of the Personnel Office of WVHA. The several personnel offices under Office A-5, had charge of personnel matters concerning non-commission officers, and enlisted men within the troop administration of the WVHA, and of the WVHA, of the other troop units. This office dealt with transfers from the troops of Waffen-SS to the concentration camps service. All the other four offices within Amt A, Amt I, compiled budgets for SS and WVHA; Amt II attended the supply of funds and accounts and paymatters; Amt III dealt with legal matters, and Amt IV handled the auditing of accounts and expenditures within the administrative offices of the Waffen-SS, and Amts A, B and D.
I now offer as Prosecution Exhibit No. 7 Document No. NO-1575, to be found at page 29 of the Document Book, being the affidavit of the defendant Hans Loerner. The defendant Hans Loerner said he became a member of the General-SS in May 1933. In 1934 he was employed in the administration offices of the SS in Munich as a bookkeeper. In January 1940 he was transferred to the Central Administrative Office of the SS at Berlin, reporting to the Chief, Oswald Pohl. With the organization of the WVHA he became Chief of Amt A-1 in charge of budgetry and financial matters for the SS. He is a brother of the defendant Georg Loerner.
I next offer as Prosecution Exhibit No. 8, Document No. NO-1567, found at page 31 of the Document Book, being the affidavit of the defendant Tschentscher - excuse me, I should have said "Vogt." In April 1938 the defendant Vogt was employed in the Administration Office of the Special Troops at Munich, at which time he became a member of the Waffen-SS. In October 1939 he became the head of the Department of Account Balancing and Control System under the Chief of the Administrative Offices of the SS in Berlin, under August Frank, the defendant Frank. In the organization of the WVHA Vogt became Chief of Office a-IV, being subordinate, successively, to defendants Frank and Fanslau as Chiefs of Amtsgruppe A. As Chief of A-IV it was Vogt's responsibility to check the expenditures and profits of Amts. A, B and D, which received their moneys from the Reich Ministry of Finance. Vogt's principal activity consisted of accounting to the Reichs Treasury for such funds. In June 1943 Vogt made an official trip to Lublin, Poland, under orders of the defendant Frank, to check the local administration, and the SS Economic Enterprises there, and also large quantities of foreign currency, precious metals, textiles and other valuables of deceased concentration camp inmates.
I now offer as Prosecution Exhibit No. 9 Document No. NO-1564, to be found at page 39 of the Document Book, being the affidavit of the defendant Tschentscher. Defendant Tschentscher said he joined the SS in 1930. After participation in the German campaign against Russia, he was transferred in October 1943 to the WVHA, as Chief of Amt D-1. He continued in this capacity until the end of the war. He was made Deputy of Georg Loerner, the Chief of Amtsgruppe B in April, 1944. As Chief of Office B-1, his function was the food, supply, and care for all SS and police units in Germany and the occupied areas. In the four sections of Office B-1, ration tables were worked out, the supply of quartermaster material to the troop economic camps was supervised, food testing and experimentation was supervised, and arrangements made for storage of food.
The defendant Tschentscher gives details in his affidavit of an instance in which food was supplied to the concentration camps through his office, but states that this was exceptional.
I next offer as Prosecution Exhibit No. 10, Document No. NO-2612, to be found at page 48 of the Document Book. This is the affidavit of the defendant Scheide. It states that Scheide became a member of the SS in 1930. In October 1942 he became associated with the WVHA as Chief of the Office B-5, which office was then newly created. Scheide took over the transportation matters of the entire WVHA with the exception of transportation of concentration camp inmates, which was, he said, the responsibility of Office D-1 of the WVHA. In setting up the office, Scheide was commissioned by Gruppenfuehrer Georg Loerner to bring all motor vehicles, weapons and railroad transports under his office, so that all such matters and those concerning fuel, oil, tires, etc. would clear through that office. Through Scheide as Chief of B-5 --
DR. HOFFMANN: Hoffmann for the defendant Scheide. Mr. President, I would like to ask to have Scheide's affidavit read out, for I know there are several expressions in there which were not contained in their original, and if these expressions are container in the record I protest and say that this affidavit should be read here.
THE PRESIDENT: Counsel, the affidavit in full, the complete affidavit is before the court. The court will read the entire affidavit. We are merely attempting to save time by now having the attorney or Chief of Counsel read it, but it is right in front of our eyes. Now what do you want us to do? You want us to read this affidavit?
DR. HOFFMANN: No, if the Court has the affidavit in front of itself, that is quite sufficient.
THE PRESIDENT: We have it, and we have it all.
MR. HART: Yes.
DR. HOFFMANN: All right.
MR. HART: Scheide's office as Chief of Amt B-V cleared requests from Amtsgruppe "D" for motor vehicles and weapons for the concentration camp guards. These requisitions were passed on by Scheide to the Operational Main Office of the SS, which made the weapons available to Amtsgruppe D, at its depot in Oranienburg. The motor vehicles for the concentration camps were assigned by Scheide to Office I of Amtsgruppe D, rather than directly to the concentration camps.
I now offer as Prosecution's Exhibit Number 11, Document Number NO-1922, to be found at page 54 of the Document Book. This is the affidavit of the defendant Max Kiefer. It states that Kiefer joined the SS in 1935. he completed his professional training as an architect in 1914, and after holding various positions as an architect was transferred to the Office of Budget and Buildings in 1941. He remained there and also with the subsequently organized WVHA until the end of the war. From February 1942 until May 1945, Kiefer was Chief of Office II in Amtsgruppe C of the WVHA. Kiefer describes Amtsgruppe C as the supreme building and construction authority of the SS, having as its chief, Obergruppenfuehrer Kammler. Kammler succeeded the defendant Eirenschmalz as Deputy of Kammler in May 1943, and was subsequently succeeded by Schleif as such deputy. There were six sub-offices subordinated to Keifer. These were charged with the preparation for plans far post-war construction, construction of hospitals for the Waffen-SS in Germany and the occupied countries, the planning of office and economic buildings, industrial plant constructions, agricultural constructions, and economic and special constructions.
As special construction matters entrus ted to Kammler, Kiefer mentions the construction of fighter planes, the shifting of war industries underground, and the employment of the secret V-2 weapon.
I now offer as Prosecution's Exhibit Number 12, Document Number NO-2613, being the affidavit of the defendant Eirenschmalz, to be found at page 59 of the Document Book. Eirenschmalz states that he joined the SS in 1931. He was the chief of Office VI of Amtsgruppe C. He remained there until the end of the war under Kammler.
I now offer as Prosecution's Exhibit Number 13, Document Number NO-1578, to be found at page 64 of the Document Book. This is the affidavit of Karl Sommer, the defendant, who joined the SS in September of 1933. He was employed by Office II of Amtsgruppe D in 1942 as assistant to the chief of that Office, Maurer. The following year he became deputy chief of Office II.
I next offer as Prosecution's Exhibit Number 14, Document Number 1297, to be found at page 71 of the Do cument Book. This is the affidavit of the defendant Pook, who joined the SS in March of 1934. He was appointed advisor to Dr. Lolling, the Chief of Office DIII, and was chief dentist in the WVHA.
I next offer Prosecution's Exhibit Number 15, Document Number NO-1577, to be found at page 77 of the Document Book. It is the affidavit of the defendant Hans Baier. He joined the Special Service troops in March of 1937, as he became the chief of Staff W, automatically becoming the deputy of Pohl. Baier's predecessor in this position had been the defendant Hohberg.
I next offer as Prosecution's Exhibit Number 16, Document Number NO-
DR. HEIM (for defendant Hohberg): Mr. President, I thought that the affidavit contained in the Document Book, Hohberg Affidavit, that is, would not coincide with the original, but I have now seen that the original and copy are identical.
MR. HART: May it please the Tribunal, I offer as Prosecution's Exhibit Number 16, Document Number NO1924, being the affidavit of the defendant Hans Hohberg. In 1944 the defendant Hohberg met the defendant Pohl and became associated with the WVHA, or rather, its predecessor, the Office of Budget and Buildings. Defendant Hohberg denies that he ever held an official position in the WVHA but states that he was employed under a separate contract as auditor.
I next offer as Prosecution's Exhibit Number 17, Document Number NO-2523, to be found at page 86 of the Document Book. This is the affidavit of the defendant Karl Mummenthey. He joined the SS in 1934 and became the Chief of Office W-I of Amtsgruppe W, the WVHA.
I next offer as Prosecution's Exhibit Number. 18, Document Number NO-2569, being the affidavit of the defendant Volk, to be found at page 89 of the Document Book. Volk states that he joined the SS in 1933. He became the legal expert on Staff W and was the personal advisor and assistant of the defendant Oswald Pohl.
I now offer as Prosecution's Exhibit Number 19, Document Number NO-1566, to be found at page 91 of the Document Book. This is the affidavit of the defendant Hans Bobermin. He states that he joined the SS in 1933. He became the Office Chief of Office Number II of Amtsgruppe W, of the WVHA.