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Letter to Heinrich Himmler requesting the use of SS prisoners for high altitude experiments

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Authors

Sigmund Rascher (Dr., SS-Hauptsturmfuehrer)

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Sigmund Rascher

German Schutzstaffel doctor

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  • Born: 1909-02-12 (Munich)
  • Died: 1945-04-26 (Dachau concentration camp)
  • Country of citizenship: Germany
  • Occupation: physician; torturer
  • Member of political party: Nazi Party
  • Member of: Sturmabteilung
  • Military rank: Hauptsturmführer
  • Military branch: Schutzstaffel (date: 1942-01-01; military rank: Untersturmführer)

Date: 15 May 1941

Defendant: Hermann Wilhelm Goering

Total Pages: 1

Language of Text: English

Source of Text: Nazi conspiracy and aggression (Office of United States Chief of Counsel for Prosecution of Axis Criminality. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Government Printing Office, 1946.)

Evidence Code: PS-1602

Citations: IMT (page 1848), IMT (page 5672)

HLSL Item No.: 451438

Notes:The document was cited by the prosecution during Goering's defense case (11 March 1946).

Trial Issues

Criminal organizations (Gestapo, Leadership Corps, Cabinet, SS, SD, OKW) (… High altitude experiments (IMT,NMT 1, 2, 4)

Document Summary

Staff Evidence Analyses

PS-1602: Letter from Dr. Rascher to Hitler re: high altitude experiments on Human Beings

Red Series Doc Descriptions

PS-1602: Letter from Dr. Rascher to Himmler, 15 May 1941, proposing that criminals or feeble-minded persons should be placed at his disposal for (possibly fatal) high altitude experiments for the Luftwaffe

Doc Book Tables of Contents

PS-1602: 15 May 41 - Rascher to Himmler asking permission to perform experiments.

15 May 41 - Rascher to Himmler requesting criminals as subjects for altitude experiments.

Dr. med. Sigmund RASCHER MUNICH, 15 May 1941
Trogerstrasse 56
Dear Reichsfuehrer,
My sincere thanks for your cordial wishes and flowers on the birth of my second son. This time, too, it is a strong boy, though he has come 3 weeks too early. I may send you a picture of both children incidentally. * * *
For the time being I have been assigned to the Luftgaukommando VII, Munich, for a medical course. During this course, where researches on high-altitude flights play a prominent part (determined by the somewhat higher ceiling of the English fighter planes) considerable regret was expressed at the fact that no tests with human material had yet been possible for us, as such experiments are very dangerous and nobody volunteers for them. I put, therefore, the serious question: can you make available two or three professional criminals for these experiments? The experiments are made at "Bodenstaendige Pruefstelle fuer Hoehenforschung der Luftwaffe", Munich. The experiments, by which the subjects can, of course, die, would take place with my cooperation. They are essential for researches on high-altitude flight and cannot be carried out, as has been tried, with monkeys, who offer entirely different test-conditions. I have had a very confidential talk with a representative of the air forces Surgeon who makes these experiments. He is also of the opinion that the problems in question could only be solved by experiments on human persons. (Feeble-minded could also be used as test material) . * * *
I hope sincerely, highly esteemed Reichsfuehrer that, in spite of the immense burden of work you carry, you are in the pink of health'
With my heartiest wishes, I am with Heil Hitler your gratefully devoted
(Z—2)
(signature)
132
S. RASCHER
132

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