The
head of the SS camp administration office sent a directive
dated Dec. 28, 1942, to Auschwitz and the other
concentration camps sharply criticising the high death rate
of inmates due to disease, and ordered that "camp physicians
must use all means at their disposal to significantly reduce
the death rate in the various camps."Furthermore, it ordered: "The camp doctors must supervise more often than in the past the nutrition of the prisoners and, in cooperation with the administration, submit improvement recommendations to the camp commandants ... The camp doctors are to see to it that the working conditions at the various labor places are improved as much as possible."
Finally, the directive stressed that "the Reichsführer
SS [Heinrich Himmler] has ordered that the death rate
absolutely must be reduced."
From
the Nuremberg trial records: (click
here for clearer image)
Regarding: Medical Activities in the Concentration Camps
Refence:... without
Enclosure: 1
TO the 1. Camp Doctors of the Concentration Camps Da., Sh.
Bu., Neu., Au., Rav., Flo., Lu., Stu., Gr-Ro., Nied., Natz., Hinz.,
Mor., Herzog., Mau.,
Copy to Camp Commandants
In the inclosed a compilation of the current arrivals and departures in all the concentration camps is sent to you for your information. It discloses that out of the 136,000 arrivals about 70,000 died. With such a high rate of death the number of the prisoners can never be brought up to the figure as has been ordered by the Reichsfuehrer of the SS. The 1. camp doctors must use all means at their disposal to reduce essentially this death rate in the various camps. The best doctor in a concentration camp is not the one, who believes that he must stand out for uncalled severity, but the one who by his supervision and exchange keeps the working capacity at the various labor commands at the highest possible level. The camp doctors must supervise more often than in the past the food of the prisoners and, with approval of the administration, submit improvement proposals to the camp commandants. These, however, must not only appear on paper, but must be controlled regularly by the camp doctors. Furthermore, the camp doctors are to see to it that the working conditions at the the various labor places are improved as much as possible. To this purpose it will be necessary that the camp doctors inspect the labor places on the ground and convince themselves about the conditions of work.
The SS Reichsfuehrer has ordered that the death rate absolutely must be reduced. For this reason the aforementioned has been ordered and a monthly report on this matter is to be submitted to the Chief of the Department D III. The first report to be submitted on 1 February 1943.
(Nuremberg Document PS-2171, Annex 2. NC&A Red Series, Vol. 4, pp. 833-834.)
From
the Nuremberg trial records: (click
here for clearer image)
Annex II
Copy of a letter from the SS Main Camp Office of Economic Administration to all concentration camps.
SS Main Office of Economic Administration
Service Group D Concentration Camp
D III/Az.: 14 n (KL) 12.42 Lg/Wy
Copy of a letter from the SS Main Camp Office of Economic Administration to all concentration camps.
SS Main Office of Economic Administration
Service Group D Concentration Camp
D III/Az.: 14 n (KL) 12.42 Lg/Wy
Oranienburg
28 December 1942
Regarding: Medical Activities in the Concentration Camps
Refence:... without
Enclosure: 1
SECRET
TO the 1. Camp Doctors of the Concentration Camps Da., Sh.
Bu., Neu., Au., Rav., Flo., Lu., Stu., Gr-Ro., Nied., Natz., Hinz.,
Mor., Herzog., Mau.,
Copy to Camp Commandants
In the inclosed a compilation of the current arrivals and departures in all the concentration camps is sent to you for your information. It discloses that out of the 136,000 arrivals about 70,000 died. With such a high rate of death the number of the prisoners can never be brought up to the figure as has been ordered by the Reichsfuehrer of the SS. The 1. camp doctors must use all means at their disposal to reduce essentially this death rate in the various camps. The best doctor in a concentration camp is not the one, who believes that he must stand out for uncalled severity, but the one who by his supervision and exchange keeps the working capacity at the various labor commands at the highest possible level. The camp doctors must supervise more often than in the past the food of the prisoners and, with approval of the administration, submit improvement proposals to the camp commandants. These, however, must not only appear on paper, but must be controlled regularly by the camp doctors. Furthermore, the camp doctors are to see to it that the working conditions at the the various labor places are improved as much as possible. To this purpose it will be necessary that the camp doctors inspect the labor places on the ground and convince themselves about the conditions of work.
The SS Reichsfuehrer has ordered that the death rate absolutely must be reduced. For this reason the aforementioned has been ordered and a monthly report on this matter is to be submitted to the Chief of the Department D III. The first report to be submitted on 1 February 1943.
[Signature illegible]
Klueder [?]
SS Brigadefuehrer and Major General of the Arms
(Nuremberg Document PS-2171, Annex 2. NC&A Red Series, Vol. 4, pp. 833-834.)
