1. Gaustabsamtleiter (Franconia) Sellmer handwritten note.
1.10.40.
Justice: Visit from party member Blankenberg, Berlin. Action begins in the near future. So far hardly any mishaps have occurred. 80,000 dispatched. Further 100,000-120,000 are waiting. The circle of those who are initiated is to be kept very small. If necessary the Kreisleiter is to be notified in good time. Initiate Dr. [? HUMMEL], when possible supply a statement from the Gau.
(1) Institutions. (2) Doctors' attitude. (3) Where is the institution situated? (4) Who is the Kreisleiter?
The Fuehrer gave the order. The decree is ready. At present only clear cases, that is 100% ones, are being settled. Later an expansion will take place. From now on notification will be given in a [?cleverer] form. Informed are:
1.10.40 (sgd) SELLMER.
Party member Dr. [?Hummel] is informed while on leave.
2.10.40. S. the supplies [illegible word] material regarding all institutions in the Gau. Kreisleiter—Sellmer—* * [name] * * [name] * * [lord Mayor] must be informed.
2. Martin BORMANN 24.9.1940.
744400—47—68
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National Socialist German Workers Party. (NSDAP) at present in Berlin, 24.9.40. Bo-An.
The Fuehrer's deputy Chief of Staff
Personal
To the Gauleitung Franconia for the attention of Kreisleiter Zimmermann Nürnberg
Gauleitung of the NSDAP.
Copy to [? Ben]
Your letter of the 13.9.1940 was given to me by Party member Hoffmann. The Commission which was working at Neuendet-telsaus is under the control of Reichsleiter Bouhler or is acting on his orders.
The text of the notifications of relatives is being variously worded, as I was once more assured yesterday ; it can, however, naturally happen sometimes that two families living close to each other receive similarly worded letters.
It is natural that the representatives of Christian ideology speak against the Commission's measures; it must be equally natural that all Party Offices should, as far as necessary, support the work of the Commission.
Heil Hitler!
[Sgd.] M. Bormann.
3. Situation Report by the Kreisleitung of Erlangen 26.11.40. * * * # * * *
(2) Elimination of mental patients: On orders from the Ministry of the Interior, signed Schulz or Schultze, a commission consisting, among others, of a North German doctor and a number of students appeared some time ago at the local sanatorium and nursing home. It examined the documents of the patients lodged in the institution. Some time later the director of the institution was informed that a certain number of patients were to be transferred to another institution on orders from the Reich Defence Commissar, that a Berlin Transport Company was to carry out the transfer and the head of the institution was to follow the directives of this company, which was in possession of the list of names. In this way 3 transports with a total number of 370 patients were in the meantime transferred to Sonnenstein near Pirna in Sa. and to the Linz district. A further transport is to leave in January of next year.. The head of the institution did not at first know at all where the transports went and at present too he does not know officially. He received no informa-
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tion on the subject from anybody. He merely had instructions to reply to the patients' relatives' enquiries that the new Institution would get in touch with them and inform them of their admission. Strangely enough various relatives received notification after the transportation that their patients had died. In some cases pneumonia and in others an infectious disease were given as the cause of death. At the same time the relatives were further informed that it had been necessary to cremate the body and that, if they were interested, they could have the clothing of the deceased sent to them. The registry office of Erlangen was also informed by the institution of the various cases of death, and again either pneumonia or an infectious disease was given as the cause of death—illnesses which had no connection with the previous medical history, so that it is to be assumed that it is here a case of false statements. The population is terribly disturbed about the transfer of patients, because they connect it with the cases of death which are becoming known in rapid succession. They are speaking, partly openly, partly secretly, about an elimination of patients for which there is no legal foundation. In these war times such unrest among the population has a doubly unfavorable effect. Moreover, the events described above give the church and religious circles cause to revive their attitude against National Socialism.
[Handwritten addition] : original extract from the situation report of the Ereisleitung of Erlangen of the 26.11.40. A copy was not made * * *
4. Situation Report of the Ereisleitung of Ansbach, December 1940:
Sanatorium and Nursing Home: The removal of patients of sanatoria and nursing homes to other districts could not naturally remain hidden from the public. It also appears that the commissions which were established work in too great haste, are not always lucky, and that many mistakes occurred. Nor can one prevent individual cases becoming known and spoken about. The following cases should naturally not have occurred.
(1) Through an oversight one family received two urns.
(2) One notification of death indicated appendicitis as the cause of death. But the appendix had already been removed ten years previously.
(3) Another cause of death quoted was a disease of the spinal cord. Relatives of the family had visited the patient physically perfectly healthy only eight days before.
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One family received a notification of death, although the woman still lives in the institution to-day and enjoys perfect bodily health.
Some time ago, an obituary notice was inserted in the local Fränkische Zeitung by the relatives: "* * * has been taken
away from us by a tragic fate".
With these highly delicate measures, it is difficult to make suggestions as to how to counter a further spreading of the facts or rumors arising from them or invented rumors. At least it would be necessary for the Kreisleiters to receive confidential information about the measures themselves.
In addition, the competent Kreisleiter should also be advised at the same time as the relatives are notified, in order that he can observe the effects on the relatives and watch their behavior and, if necessary, intervene in a suitable manner.
Heil Hitler
- [signature illegible]
5. Kreisleiter Walz, Fraenkische Alb, 30.12.40.
Lauf (Pegnitz) 30.12.40. To the Gaustabsamtsleiter. Party member, Sellmer Nürnberg. Further to my last report on morale, I report the following: Dr. Loeffler of Hersbruck, the district doctor, informs me that in Schupf near Kainsbach (formerly district of Hersbruck), a young peasant named Koch was sent to an institution for sterilization, on account of epilepsy.
He wrote to his mother a few weeks ago that all was well with him. and that she should send him some tobacco for him to smoke. The mother replied that he should come back soon as his work in the farmyard was very much missed. It is to be noted that the young Koch was a very great help to his mother, the farmer's widow Koch, as he carried out all the agricultural work practically by himself.
The widow was informed one week later that her son had died suddenly and that she should collect the urn with his ashes.
As the young Koch was also well known in the surrounding district too on account of his diligence, this case of "violent death" has naturally caused great indignation.
When I proposed to district Doctor Loeffler that he should send a master masar from Osternohe to the institution at Ansbach for a few weeks in order to observe his mental state, he declared that he could not be responsible for this, as he did not know whether
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this person would come back alive. The doctor also informed me that it was well known that the Commission consisted of one SS Doctor and several subordinate doctors and that the "patients" were not even examined and that they only pronounced their verdict in accordance with the medical history noted down. As far as he knew, families were refusing to send their sick to institutions, as they did not know whether they would get them back alive.. .
The district doctor in Nürnberg had informed him that in the city of Nürnberg 2 accusations of murder had been instituted by the relatives of such sick persons.
The Party has up to now received neither complaints nor accusations of this sort.
Heil Hitler
[signed] E. Walz. Kreisleiter.
[on original sheet]
Note. After the penultimate paragraph there are the following handwritten remarks : "the District Doctor" is underlined, "investigate, (and a name)" * * * There is no case of this. The Authorities are instructed how they have to behave.
S. 7.1.41.
Incident at the Ottilienheim
5 March 1941.
6. Gaustabsamtsleiter Sellmer. 5.3.1941.
Gaustabsamt.
Sel/Pf.
To the Kreisleiter Party member Michael Gerstner Weissen-burg in Bavaria. .
Ref: your letter of 24 February 1941 unrest of the population of Absberg;
The Reichsoffice Berlin informs me that the removal of the patients from the Ottilienheim was not carried out by Berlin but by Munich. I have therefore now communicated with Munich on this matter. In the meantime I have heard from the District President that he has also raised an objection to the way in which the patients were treated. I hope therefore that such gross mistakes will not occur in future. .
Heil Hitler
[signed] S.
[Sellmer]
Gaustabsamtsleiter.
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N.B. The competent person for Bavaria is Regierungsrat Gaum, at the Bavarian Ministry of State, Munich. We should as far as possible get in touch with him. Regierungsrat Gaum will issue instructions for the institutions to be evacuated as soon as possible.
File note:
Subject: Ottilienheim, Absberg.
Dr. Hefelmann, Berlin,. informed me by telephone to-day that the removal of the patients from Ottilienheim did not take place on orders from Berlin but on orders from Regierungsrat Gaum of the Bavarian Ministry of State.
Furthermore, he told me that the NSDAP functionary could not be brought in, as the regulation does not provide for this. Nürnberg. 5.3.1941. (signed) Sellmer.
7. Gaustabsamtsleiter Sellmer to SD. Nürnberg 1.3.1941. Copy for information to the Fuehrer's Chancellery, Party member Dr. Hefelmann, Berlin.
Secret
1 March 1941.
Gaustabsamt
Sel/Pf.
To the Security Service
SS—Sturmbannfuehrer Friedrich.
Nürnberg.
Subject: Unrest of the population of Absberg owing to the conspicuous evacuation of the inmates of the Ottilienheim.
As I have already informed you by telephone, the evacuation of further inmates of the Ottilienheim has caused much unpleasantness. I enclose herewith for your information the comprehensive report of the Kreisleiter, party member Gertsner, and will in due course inform you of the further inquiries that take place.
"I have just received a telephone message from the Ortsgruppenleiter of the NSDAP in Absberg. Party member Kirchhof— who is employed as a foreman in the Muna Langlan and also lives there—about an incident which has disturbed the population in Absberg to an exceptional degree. In Absberg, which is part of the area of the former Kreisleitung of Gunzenhausen, the Abbey of Ottilienheim is situated in the middle of the market place. In this Ottilienheim were housed some hundreds of mentally defective persons who, as far as they were fit for any work, were em-
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ployed on the farm of the Ottilienheim. These mentally defective persons were originally sent there by the various Country Welfare Organizations. Already last year 25 inmates were removed in the course of the well known scheme; of these 24 died, while one inmate was again brought back to the Ottilienheim. It was allegedly then a case of inmates for whom the Country Welfare Organization of Swabia had to provide.
Last Friday the inmates of the Ottilienheim for whose cost the Country Welfare Organization of Upper Franconia .and Middle Franconia had .taken over the responsibility were taken away in two large cars. The removal was carried out by the personnel of the Sanatorium and Nursing Home of Erlangen under the direction of a professor from this Institution. These people were taken away in the most conspicuous manner imaginable. Instead of the buses entering the courtyard to pick up the inmates who were to be removed, the vehicles were stationed outside the Ottilienheim in the middle of the market place. The inmates of the Ottilienheim who were to be removed and were accordingly excited had to be taken to the vehicles singly and by force. The whole population of Absberg, which is strongly Catholic, had congregated and watched the incident crying loudly. That certain circles made suitable psychological use of this incident cannot be regarded as surprising. Party Member Kirchhof reported that there were even party members among these weeping onlookers and that, in the general excitement of the people, certain remarks were passed which must be regarded as irresponsible. It goes without saying that the pastor of the Ottilienheim himself helped to create the appropriate atmosphere by having the people who were to be removed brought to the Abbey church for confession and communion in the morning, and having them practically carried to the altar with the help of the nuns.
I shall now make detailed inquiries about the incident through the sub-prefect. I consider it necessary, however, to advise the authorities responsible to use somewhat more tact in the removal of these persons who are to be eliminated as a Reich Defense measure, as it is not necessary to create unnecessary difficulties and play into the hands of our opponents. As soon as I receive the report, I shall pass it on to the Gaustabsamt (Gau Staff Office).
Heil Hitler!
[signed] S. [Sellmer]
Gaustabsamtsleiter [Chief of the Gau Staff Office]
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8. Ortsgruppenleiter Kirchhof, Absberg. 25.2.1941.
Kreisleitung Weissenburg in Bavaria
Ortsgruppe Absberg
Secret
Langlan, the 25th February 1941.
Subject: Incidents on the occasion of the latest removal
of mentally defective persons from the Ottilienheim in Absberg.
Reference: Telephone conversation Party member Gerstner and Party member Kirchhof on 24.2.41.
Enclosure: 1 report.
To the Kreisleitung of the NSDAP, Weissenburg.
With reference to the telephone conversation mentioned above, the desired report about the recent incidents in Absberg a few days ago is enclosed herewith for your cognizance.
We would request you not to pass on the original of this report to the Gendarmerie Officer Pfister in Absberg for possible examination of the participating spectators, as the Ortsgruppe fears that Pfister—-as he is judged and regarded as strongly Catholic by us—may not take effective steps against his own fellow believers in this matter.
The local Ortsgruppe itself, however, is of the opinion that the Ottilienheim will serve a much more useful purpose if it is cleared of its present inmates and placed at the disposal of the State as a military hospital or some other institution of military use.
Heil Hitler!
[signed] Kirchhof
- Ortsgruppenleiter.
Confidential.
Report.
Owing to the course of last Friday, 21.2.1941, a bus. from Erlangen took 57 inmates of the Ottilienheim, Absberg, away in two parties, allegedly for an examination at the clinic at Erlangen. In the bus itself there were a doctor and three nurses who loaded these people on to the bus and supervised each transport.
A great number of spectators congregated each time these people were put on the bus, as it is reported that the loading did not take place in the courtyard but in front of the gate. The wildest scenes imaginable are reported to have taken place then, as some of these people did not board the bus voluntarily and were therefore forced to by the accompanying personnel.
These were people who were mad or mentally defective and were said to have other epileptic illnesses as well—and whose
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upkeep the state and other Public Bodies have so far had to provide for either completely, or at least for the greater part.
I was able to learn in this connection that the Country Organization of Swabia fetched eight such persons back last autumn, and that seven of these were said to have died very shortly afterwards of influenza and low blood pressure which set in. Only one person returned to the Ottilienheim in Absberg.
This matter gradually became known to Absberg, and as a result a great crowd gathered also on the occasion of the last action, who, I have heard, allowed themselves to pass remarks against the-National Socialist State. I was unfortunately unable to find out the names of the spectators concerned, as all spectators who had taken part showed great reticence towards me about this matter during my investigation.
These incidents during this action—which is after all necessary —are to be condemned all the more because even Party members themselves did not shrink from joining in the lamentations of the other weeping spectators. The fact that a certain group of spectators concerned gave expression to their former convictions and did not refrain from minimizing and criticizing the great necessity of the measures taken and introduced in the course of Reich defense was only to be expected from these people.
It is said that a section of these people even went so far as to formulate and disseminate more or less the following assertion: "The State must be in a bad way now, or it could not happen that these poor people should simply be sent to their death solely in order that the means which until now have been used for the upkeep of these people may be made available for the prosecution of the War". This view originates predominently from the Catholic population of Absberg.
It is even said that these poor victims—as they are regarded by the clergy and the religious inhabitants of Absberg—were taken to the Catholic church for confession and communion shortly before their departure. It seems absolutely ridiculous to want to take away by an oral confession the possible sins of people, some of whom completely lack all mental powers.
Although of the 57 people that were fetched away there were some that had been employed by the Ottilienheim in the kitchen and in agriculture and, as it happens, could only carry out these tasks under supervision, the measures taken can, for that reason too, not be understood by the population. As this measure is gradually becoming known now, yesterday already 7 such people were fetched back by relatives into their households, so that they allegedly could no longer be included in the action. Added to
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this comes the fact that about 14 days ago strangers thoroughly inspected the Ottilienheim and made notes as to the size of the rooms, etc. Because of all of these reasons the population of Absberg now fears that the Ottilienheim may possibly be vacated and made available for other purposes.
Langlan, 24th February 1941
[signed] Kirchhof.
Absberg, 24.2.41.
9. Chief Gendarme Pfister, 24.2.41.
Gendarmerie post Absberg,
Rural district of Gunzenhausen,
county of upper and central Franconia.
To the Gunzenhausen Sub-Prefect.
Subject: Removal of asylum inmates.
Further to your telephonic orders on the 24th inst. I beg to report the following:
On the 21st inst. at about 10 hours a large bus drove through Absberg into the Ottilienheim. The bus did not drive into the courtyard of the asylum through the open gateway but through the gateway which is provided with gates. The gates were immediately closed again. About an hour later the bus left the asylum full and drove off in the direction of Geiselsberg. As during the whole year such a large bus never comes to Absberg, it was conspicuous to the population, and they presumed that inmates of the asylum were being removed. During the bus's first departure there was no one in front of the asylum. At about 1500 hours the bus came once again, drove into the asylum courtyard through the same gates, which were again closed immediately, and left again after about one hour full of asylum inmates.
As at the time of the bus's arrival the school had just closed, about 20 to 25 schoolchildren and 4 or 5 adults stood in front of the Ottilienheim and waited until the bus had departed. Some of the women standing there, who felt sorry for the women and girls, wept.
During the departure through Absberg many people stood before their houses and waved to the girls and women. But that it go as far as riotous scenes or insults is not the case. It is, however, not impossible that one person or another was not in agreement with the removal of the asylum inmates. But remarks about this were not made.
The population of Absberg, of both religions, are good Chris-
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tians, and individuals may have found fault, among themselves, with the removal of the girls and women, but otherwise they obey ¿ill official orders and do not allow themselves to be carried away to excesses.
I had not previously informed you of the removal of the asylum Inmates as I was of the opinion that this was known to you and because there were no incidents. If I had in the least noticed such, or if unpleasant remarks had been made, I should not have omitted making a report to you.
As I have ascertained, all the asylum inmates attended communion on Friday the 21st inst. but not only those that have left but all of them. As the mother superior, Willibald Guggenberg, is a sick person and she found it too difficult to inform the people concerned that they would be leaving that day, she asked the local priest, Joseph Zottmann, to tell them.
Shortly before the arrival of the bus, the mother superior had the people concerned called into a hall, where Zottmann then told them. The mother superior had known for some time that in the near future so and so many asylum inmates would be fetched, but she told neither the priest nor her fellow sisters about it. She had also been forbidden to inform the relatives about the removal.
Neither I nor the local population knew that people from the asylum were to be removed.
[signed] Pfister, G.M.
10. Kreisleiter Gerstner, 6.3.1941.
6th March 1941.
Kreisleitung Weissenburg, Bavaria
The Kreisleiter
Ge/Kr.
To the NSDAP Gauleitung Franconia, Gau Staff Office, Nürnberg.
Subject: Disturbing the population of Absberg by conspicuous removal of inmates of the Ottilienheim.
Further to my report of the 24.2.41 which I made on the strength of a previous telephone report from the Ortsgruppenleiter, party member Kirchhof, I submit the requested written report of the Ortsgruppenleiter (N.B. No.8) and also the requested report of the competent Gendarmerie post (N.B. No.9).
. The report of Ortsgruppenleiter party member Kirchhof is of no importance, inasmuch as it does not include any real- facts but merely relates the events as told by third persons.
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The fact is that the bus in which the inmates of the asylum were removed was parked not in the market square but in the courtyard of the Ottilienheim. It was perhaps psychologically wrong to make two bus trips on one day.
It is correct that all asylum inmates attended communion on the previous day. If a causal connection between this action and the removal of a section of the inmates of the asylum is denied, then such a description does not do justice to the facts. With regard to the events, I held a meeting of members in Absberg on Saturday the 1st of March, and during the course of my statements also inquired into the happenings. Here also I could not ascertain that, any party members wept or misbehaved in any other way during the removal of asylum inmates. In any case, it was shown that much ado has been made about nothing here.
In this connection it might be worth remarking that repeatedly the endeavor can be noted to take asylum inmates who must be regarded as individual payers home now. Now and again it is attempted to explain this intention with the fact that the labor of the person concerned is required. This is of course only an excuse. It is desired to prevent a development being carried through that every sensible person can but welcome.
Heil Hitler.
[signed] Gerstner
Kreisleiter.
2 enclosures.
11. Kreisleitung Ansbach. 6.3.1941. Kreisleiter.
Ansbach, 6 March 1941.
To the NSDAP Gauleitung Franconia Gau Staff office, Nürnberg, re: Removal of inmates of the Bruckberg institution.
The Ortsgruppenleiter of the' Bruckberg Ortsgruppe, Party member Reuschel, gives the following report:
"The news of the removal of some of the inmates of the Bruckberg Institution has caused the greatest unrest among the population of Bruckberg, which was further increased by the faot which I heard for the first time to-day, that some of the inmates to be removed came into nearly every house to say good-bye. (Those concerned were those who, in the opinion of the inhabitants "are still sane"). One might almost believe that it is a question here of a "farewell carried out on orders", but I am informed from reliable sources that the inmates felt of their accord that it was their duty to say goodbye, and that probably
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one copied the other. Apart from the fact that one recognizes clearly in this case how far the simple German is receptive to the solution of this question of hereditary disease, I was asked my own opinion for weeks before from all sides and what attitude the Party takes up in this matter."
Ortsgruppenleiter Reuschel is furthermore of the opinion that he should speak about the removal of the inmates, if possible at the next meeting of members, in order to give the facts and above all to squash the rumors that have arisen that the inmates would very soon be put out of the way, done away with or poisoned.
I, however, am of the opinion that it continues to be better not to talk about this matter at all and I would ask you to notify me accordingly if you hold different views.
As I judge the situation, a certain amount of unrest will naturally continue to arise which will be specially fostered by the Churches. The more reserve the Party shows towards such attacks, the sooner will calm be restored here too.
Heil Hitler [signature illegible]
The Kreisleiter
[Handwritten note in Sellmer's writing]
Party member-Wolf was informed by telephone on 7.3. Nothing is to be announced officially. The Org.Rt. [i.e. Organizationsleiter] is to be informed.
[S. 7. III.]
(The case of Marie Kehr and her sisters)
' Nürnberg, 27.11.40. Schweppermannstr.44.
12. To the Provincial Mental Home.
Sonnenstein/near Pirna/Elbe.
Marie Kehr. [Stamped] : Kreisleiter advised
I have received your letter of 22.11.40 and have taken cognizance of the death of my sister Christine Ortmann. My brother-in-law, Herr Hans Lindemann, whose wife, Ottilie Lindemann, nee Ortmann—who has also died there—is also a sister of mine, will communicate with you about the dispatch of the urn with the mortal remains.
I request that the personal affairs of the deceased be placed at the disposal of the NSV [National Socialist Welfare Organization] .
The unexpected deaths of both my sisters within a period of
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two days appear most improbable to me. Their illnesses were fundamentally different, the difference in their ages amounted to nine years.
You must realize that one is bound to draw certain conclusions if one receives news of the death of both one's sisters on the. very same day, and nobody in the world can persuade me that that is just a coincidence. I should regain my peace of mind only if I knew for certain that a law of the Reich makes it possible to release people from their incurable maladies. This is obviously a blessing both to the sick persons themselves and to their relatives, and a great relief for our Reich and people.
I should be very grateful to you for the transmission of this order which gives the authority for the release of these sick people.
I myself and my family stand solidly behind the 3rd Reich and would certainly not oppose this decree, as I have had to watch the misery for a great many years myself, and on innumerable occasions my sole wish was that both my sisters might soon be released from their great suffering. I cannot believe, however, that this secret wish of mine should have come true within a period of two days * * *