Introduction
The telex, dated December 9, 1941, was sent from Forschungsstelle A Litzmannstadt to Forschungsamt 5 A 3, both of which were components of Hermann Göring’s Secret Service Forschungsamt of the Reich Ministry of Aviation. The message from the Litzmannstadt branch mentions a conversation involving Robert Schefe, the head of the local Stapo office that “by order of the Gauleiter, the sick from the ghetto should be ‘removed’.” Furthermore, when questions were raised about whether central authorities in Berlin had been informed of this decision, the response of the Stapo “was evasive”.
The term “removed” implies the extermination of the sick in Kulmhof extermination camp, where the operation was ramped-up at the time. The evasive answer about informing Berlin suggest a possible attempt to manage such operations discretely or independently at the local level, indicating the decentralized nature of some Nazi policies.
Document
Geheime Reichssache!
Litzmannstadt, den 9. Dezember 1941
Fernschreiben an FA 5 A 3
Meldung zu Auswertefragen Nr. 236
Betr.: Klärung der Gesundheitsfrage im Getto und Zigeunerlager.
Vorg.: Ohne.
Bei Übermittlung von NL 4135 erklärte der Stapostellenleiter Dr. Schefe, dass bei der Besprechung am 5.12. beim Regierungspräsidenten erklärt worden sei, dass auf Anweisung des Gauleiters die Kranken des Gettos “weggebracht” werden sollten. Auf eine Frage der Stapostelle, ob darüber Berlin unterrichtet sei, habe man ausweichend geantwortet.
Forschungsstelle A Litzmannstadt
[Unterschrift]
Zweitschrift an FHL B
z.d.A. G.Rs. 4
Secret State Affair!
Litzmannstadt, December 9, 1941
Telex to FA 5 A 3
Report on Evaluation Issues No. 236
Re: Clarification of the health issue in the ghetto and Gypsy camp.
Ref.: None.
During the transmission of NL 4135, the head of the Stapo office, Dr. Schefe, stated that during the meeting on December 5 with the Government President, it had been declared that by order of the Gauleiter, the sick from the ghetto should be “removed”. When the Stapo office asked whether Berlin had been informed about this, the response was evasive.
Research Office A Litzmannstadt
[Signature]
Copy to FHL B
To the files G.Rs. 4
Archivial reference:
YVA O.51/13, p. 220