Official Transcript of the American Military Tribunal No. III-A in the matter of the United States of America against Alfred Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach, et al, defendants, sitting at Nurnberg, Germany, on 17 November 1947 0930, Justice H. C.Anderson, presiding.
THE MARSHAL:The Honorable, the Judges of Military Tribunal III-A.
Military Tribunal No. III-S is now in session. God save the United States of America and this Honorable Tribunal.
There will be order in the Court.
THE PRESIDENT:Military Tribunal III-A will come to order.
The Tribunal will proceed with the arraignment of the defendants in Case X pending before the Tribunal.
Mr. Secretary-General, call the names of the defendants.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: As the names of the defendants are called, each defendant will stand, answer, "Present", and remain standing until told to be seated.
Alfred Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach.
ALFREDKRUPP von BOHLEN und HALBACH: Not guilty. Present.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Be seated.
Ewald Looser.
EWALD LOESER:Not guilty.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Answer, "Present".
EWALD LOESER:Present.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Be seated.
Eduard Houdremont.
EDUARD HOUDREMONT:Present.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Be seated.
Erich Mueller.
ERICH MUELLER:Present.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Be seated.
Friedrich Janssen.
FRIEDRICH JANSSEN:Present.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Be seated.
Karl Pfirsch.
KARL PFIRSCH:Present.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Be seated.
Max Ihn.
MAX IHN:Present.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Be seated.
Karl Eberhardt.
KARL EBERHARDT:Present.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Be seated.
Heinrich Korschan.
HEINRICH KORSCHAN:Present.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Be seated.
Friedrich von Buelow.
FRIEDRICH von BUELOW: Present,
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Be seated.
Heinrich Lehmann.
HEINRICH LEHMANN:Present.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Be seated.
Hans Kupke.
HANS KUPKE:Present.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Be seated.
Your Honors, all defendants are present.
THE PRESIDENT:The record shows that the Indictment in this case was filed in the office of the Secretary-General on the 16th day of August, 1947, and a copy thereof was served on each of the defendants in open court on the 18th day of August, 1947. We assume that each defendant is familiar with the charges set forth in the Indictment and had had the benefit of counsel. At this time we will dispense with the reading of the Indictment unless it later appears during the arraignment of the defendants that it is necessary that the same be read.
I shall now call upon the defendants to plead guilty or not guilty to the charges against them. Each defendant as his name is called will stand and speak clearly into the microphone.
At this time there will be no arguments, speeches or discussions of any kind. Each defendant will simply plead guilty or not guilty to the offenses with which he is charged by the Indictment.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Alfred Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach.
ALFREDKRUPP von BOHLEN und HALBACH: Not guilty.
THE PRESIDENT:Are you represented by counsel before this Tribunal?
ALFREDKRUPP von BOHLEN und HALBACH: Yes.
THE PRESIDENT:Was the Indictment in the German language served upon you more than thirty days ago?
ALFREDKRUPP von BOHLEN und HALBACH: Yes.
THE PRESIDENT:Are you familiar with the charges and specifications contained in the Indictment, and have you read the Indictment?
ALFREDKRUPP von BOHLEN und HALBACH: Yes.
THE PRESIDENT:Are you now ready to plead to the Indictment?
ALFREDKRUPP von BOHLEN und HALBACH: Yes.
THE PRESIDENT:How do you plead to this Indictment, guilty or not guilty?
ALFREDKRUPP von BOHLEN und HALBACH: Not guilty.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Be seated.
Ewald Loeser.
THE PRESIDENT:Are you represented by counsel before this Tribunal?
EWALD LOESER:Yes.
THE PRESIDENT:Was the Indictment in the German language served upon you more than thirty days ago?
EWALD LOESER:Yes.
THE PRESIDENT:Are you familiar with the charges and specifications contained in the Indictment, and have you read the Indictment?
EWALD LOESER:Yes.
THE PRESIDENT:Are you ready to plead to the Indictment?
EWALD LOESER:Yes.
THE PRESIDENT:How do you plead to this Indictment, guilty or not guilty?
Court III-A Case X
EWALD LOESER:Not guilty.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Be seated.
Eduard Houdremont.
THE PRESIDENT:Are you represented by counsel before this Tribunal?
EDUARD HOUDREMONT:Yes.
THE PRESIDENT:Was the Indictment in the German language served upon you more than thirty days ago?
EDUARD HOUDREMONT:Yes.
THE PRESIDENT:Are you familiar with the charges and specifications contained in the Indictment, and have you read the Indictment?
EDUARD HOUDREMONT:Yes.
THE PRESIDENT:Are you now ready to plead to the Indictment?
EDUARD HOUDREMONT:Not guilty.
THE PRESIDENT:The question was are you ready to plead to the Indictment?
EDUARD HOUDREMONT:Yes.
THE PRESIDENT:Well, how do you plead to the Indictment, guilty or not guilty?
EDUARD HOUDREMONT:Not guilty.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Be seated.
Erich Mueller.
THE PRESIDENT:Are you represented by counsel before this Tribunal?
ERICH MUELLER:Yes.
THE PRESIDENT:Was the Indictment in the German language served upon you more than thirty days ago?
ERICH MUELLER:Yes.
THE PRESIDENT:Are you familiar with the charges and specifications contained in the Indictment, and have you read the Indictment?
ERICH MUELLER:Yes.
THE PRESIDENT:Are you now ready to plead to the Indictment?
ERICH MUELLER:Yes.
THE PRESIDENT:How do you plead to this Indictment, guilty or not guilty?
ERICH MUELLER:Not guilty.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Be seated.
Friedrich Janssen.
JUDGE DALY:Are you represented by counsel before this Tribunal?
FRIEDRICH JANSSEN:Yes.
JUDGE DALY:Was the Indictment in the German language served upon you more than thirty days ago?
FRIEDRICH JANSSEN:Yes.
JUDGE DALY:Are you familiar with the charges and specifications contained in the Indictment, and have you read the Indictment?
FRIEDRICH JANSSEN:Yes.
JUDGE DALY:Are you now ready to plead to the Indictment?
FRIEDRICH JANSSEN:Yes.
JUDGE DALY:How do you plead to this Indictment, guilty or not guilty?
FRIEDRICH JANSSEN:Not guilty.
THE SECRETARY GENERAL:Be seated. Karl Pfirsch.
JUDGE DALY:Are you represented by counsel before this Tribunal?
KARL PFIRSCH:Yes.
JUDGE DALY:Was the Indictment in the German language served upon you more than thirty days ago?
KARL PFIRSCH:Yes.
JUDGE DALY:Are you familiar with the charges and specifications contained in the Indictment, and have you read the Indictment?
KARL PFIRSCH:Yes.
JUDGE DALY:Are you now ready to plead to the Indictment?
KARL PFIRSCH:Yes.
JUDGE DALY:How do you plead to the Indictment, guilty or not guilty?
KARL PFIRSCH:Not guilty.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Be seated. Max Ihn.
JUDGE DALY:Are you represented by counsel before this Tribunal?
MAX IHN:Yes.
JUDGE DALY:Was the Indictment in the German language served upon you more than thirty days ago?
MAX IHN:Yes.
JUDGE DALY:Are you familiar with the charges and specifications contained in the Indictment, and have you read the Indictment?
MAX IHN:Yes.
JUDGE DALY:Are you now ready to plead to the Indictment?
MAX IHN:Yes.
JUDGE DALY:How do you plead to this Indictment, guilty or not guilty?
MAX IHN:Not guilty.
THE SECRETARY GENERAL:Be seated.
Karl Eberhardt.
JUDGE DALY:Are you represented by counsel before this Tribunal?
KARL EBERHARDT:Yes.
JUDGE DALY:Was the Indictment in the German language served upon you more than thirty days ago?
KARL EBERHARDT:Yes.
JUDGE DALY:Are you familiar with the charges and specifications contained in the Indictment, and have you read the Indictment?
KARL EBERHARDT:Yes.
JUDGE DALY:Are you now ready to plead to the Indictment?
KARL EBERHARDT:Yes.
JUDGE DALY:How do you plead to this Indictment, guilty or not guilty?
KARL EBERHARDT:Not guilty.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Be seated. Heinrich Korschan.
JUDGE WILKINS:Are you represented by counsel before this Tribunal?
HEINRICH KORSCHAN:Yes.
JUDGE WILKINS:Was the Indictment in the German language served upon you more than thirty days ago?
HEINRICH KORSCHAN:Yes.
JUDGE WILKINS:Are you familiar with the charges and the specifications contained in the Indictment, and have you read the Indictment?
HEINRICH KORSCHAN:Yes.
JUDGE WILKINS:Are you now ready to plead to the Indictment?
HEINRICH KORSCHAN:Yes.
JUDGE WILKINS:What is your plea guilty or not guilty?
HEINRICH KORSCHAN:Not guilty.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Be seated. Friedrich von Buelow.
JUDGE WILKINS:Are you represented by counsel before this Tribunal?
FRIEDRICH VON BUELOW:Yes.
JUDGE WILKINS:Was the Indictment in the German Language served upon you more than thirty days ago?
FRIEDRICH VON BUELOW:Yes.
JUDGE WILKINS:Are you familiar with the charges and the specifications contained in the Indictment, and have you read the Indictment?
FRIEDRICH VON BUELOW:Yes.
JUDGE WILKINS:Are you now ready to plead to the Indictment?
FRIEDRICH VON BUELOW:Yes.
JUDGE WILKINS:What is your plea to the Indictment, guilty or not guilty?
FRIEDRICH VON BUELOW:Not guilty.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Be seated. Heinrich Lehmann.
JUDGE WILKINS:Are you represented by counsel before this Tribunal?
HEINRICH LEHMANN:Yes.
JUDGE WILKINS:Was the Indictment in the German language served upon you more than thirty d ays ago?
HEINRICH LEHMANN:Yes.
JUDGE WILKINS:Are you familiar with the charges and the specifications contained in the Indictment, and have you read the Indictment?
HEINRICH LEHMANN:Yes.
JUDGE WILKINS:Are you now ready to plead to this Indictment?
HEINRICH LEHMANN:Yes.
JUDGE WILKINS:How do you plead to the Indictment, guilty or not guilty?
HEINRICH LEHMANN:Not guilty.
THE SECRETARY GENERAL:Be seated. Hans Kupke.
JUDGE WILKINS:Are you represented by counsel before this Tribunal?
HANS KUPKE:Yes.
JUDGE WILKINS:Was the Indictment in the German language served upon you more than thirty days ago?
HANS KUPKE:Yes.
JUDGE WILKINS:Are you familiar with the charges and the specifications contained in the Indictment , and have you read the Indictment?
HANS KUPKE:Yes.
JUDGE WILKINS:Are you now ready to plead to this Indictment?
HANS KUPKE:Yes.
JUDGE WILKINS:How do you plead to the Indictment, guilty or not guilty?
HANS KUPKE:Not guilty.
THESECRETARY-GENERAL: Be seated.
THE PRESIDENT:The pleas of the defendants will be entered by the Secretary General in the records of the Tribunal. Now, for the benefit of counsel for both the Prosecution and the Defense, the Tribunal desires to make certain announcements and observations.
Because of the time required for the translation of documents, it will be necessary that they be filed at some date in advance of the conclusion of the trial of the case. For that reason, after the taking of evidence begins, a date will be fixed by this Tribunal, of which you will have ample and due notice, after which no documents will be received. It will be necessary, therefore, that you get your documents in order and be ready to present them early in the trial of the case. We warn you now that when this deadline date has been fixed, no documents will be received thereafter.
The Tribunal is of the opinion that the reading of documents at the time they are introduced in evidence will not be helpful and will consume too much of the Tribunal's time during court hours. All documents admitted in evidence will be read in full and analyzed by the Tribunal prior to final judgment. You will simply identify your documents; both the Prosecution and the Defense introduce them in evidence, calling the Tribunal's attention to the material portions of the exhibits, and later, of course, you may refer to them in your briefs or final argument.
Counsel will not be expected to, nor will it be necessary to, object to the admission of documents at the time they are offered. Such objections may be made later in the briefs to be filed by counsel, or in final argument.
Counsel will not be expected to, nor will it be necessary to, object to the admission of documents at the time they are offered. Such objections may be made later in the briefs to be filed by counsel, or in final arguments.
The Tribunal in its final judgment will exclude from consideration all documents which, in the opinion of the members of the Tribunal, have no probative value. We desire to make this clear to both sides at the outset. We will countenance no unusual or unreasonable delays when the taking of testimony once gets under way. We will grant no long continuances and will and will recess only for such short periods as may seem reasonable and just under all of the circumstances.