Brack Testifies About the Gassing of German Mental Patients

[Daniel Keren]

Testimony of Brack, regarding gassing of insane people in Germany
[Quoted in "Trials of War Criminals Before the Nuernberg Military
Tribunals" - Washington, U.S Govt. Print. Off., 1949-1953, Vol. I,
p. 876-886].
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Q: Witness, when adult persons were selected for euthanasia and sent
by transport to euthanasia stations for that purpose, by what
methods were the mercy deaths given?

A: The patients went to a euthanasia institution after the written
formalities were concluded - I need not repeat these formalities
here, they were physical examinations, comparison of the files,
etc. Then the patients were led to a gas chamber and were there
killed by the doctors with carbon monoxide gas (CO).

Q: Where was that carbon monoxide obtained, by what process?

A: It was in a compressed gas container, like a steel oxygen
container, such as is used for welding - a hollow steel
container.

Q: And these people were placed in this chamber in groups, I
suppose, and then the carbon monoxide was turned into the
chambers?

A: Perhaps I had better explain this in some detail. Bouhler's
basic requirement was that the killing should not only be
painless, but also imperceptible. For this reason, the
photographing of the patients, which was only done for
scientific reasons, took place before they entered the
chambers, and the patients were completely diverted thereby.
Then they were led into the gas chamber which they were
told was a shower room. They were in groups of perhaps
20 or 30. They were gassed by the doctor in charge.
.
.
.

Q. What was done with the bodies of these people after mercy deaths
were given?

A. When the room had been cleared of gas again, stretchers were
brought in and the bodies were carried into an adjoining
room. There the doctor examined them to determine whether they
were dead.

Q. Then what happened to the bodies?

A. After the doctor had determined death, he freed the bodies for
cremation and they were cremated.

Q. After he had freed the bodies, had determined that they were
dead, they were then cremated? Is that correct?

A. Yes.

Q. There was a crematory built for every one of these institutions?

A. Yes. Crematoriums were built in the institutions.
.
.
.

Q. And these people thought that they were going in to take a shower
bath?

A. If any of them had any power of reasoning, they had no doubt
thought that.

Q. Well now, were they taken into the shower rooms with their
clothes on or were they nude?

A. No. They were nude.

Q. In every case?

A. Whenever I saw them, yes.