Introduction
After receiving the request from the government of the Warthegau to kill Polish nationals suffering from incurable tuberculosis through the use of the Sonderkommando Lange, Rudolf Brandt from the Personal Staff of the Reichsführer-SS sought a statement from the Chief of the Security Police, Reinhard Heydrich, on this matter. On June 9, 1942 ( after Heydrich’s death), Gestapo Chief Heinrich Müller reported that there were “no objections to Polish nationals of the Wartheland region, who are afflicted with open tuberculosis and stateless individuals of Polish ethnicity, being subjected to special treatment as proposed by Gauleiter Greiser”, however, “the implementation must be as inconspicuous as possible”.
Document
Berlin SW 11, den 9. Juni 1942.
Der Chef der Sicherheitspolizei und des SD
IV D 2 c – 193/ g.Rs.
Geheime Reichssache!
Schnellbrief
An den Reichsführer SS und Chef der Deutschen Polizei
Führerhauptquartiert
Betr.: Sonderbehandlung von an unheilbarer Tbc. erkrankter Polen im Reichsgau Wartheland.
Vorg.: Schrb. des Persönlichen Stabes vom 21.5.42 – 1215/42 – Me/Bn. –
Ich habe keine Bedenken dagegen, dass die im Gebiet des Reichsgaues Wartheland lebenden, mit offener Tuberkulose behafteten Schutzangehörige und Staatenlose polnischen Volkstums, soweit ihre Krankheit nach amtsärztlicher Feststellung unheilbar ist, der Sonderbehandlung im Sinnes desVorschlages von Gauleiter Greiser unterzogen werden.
Die einzelnen Maßnahmen werden jedoch vorher mit der Sicherheitspolizei eingehend besprochen werden müssen, damit die Durchführung möglichst unauffällig erfolgen kann.
In Vertretung.
[Unterschrift]
Berlin SW 11, 9June 1942.
Chief of the Security Police and the SD
IV D 2 c – 193/ g.Rs.
Secret State Affair!
Express Letter
To the Reichsführer SS and Chief of the German Police
Führer Headquarters
Subject: Special treatment of Polish nationals suffering from incurable tuberculosis in the Reichsgau Wartheland.
Reference: Letter from the Personal Staff dated May 21, 1942 – 1215/42 – Me/Bn. –
I have no objections to Polish nationals and stateless individuals of Polish ethnicity of the Wartheland region, who are afflicted with open tuberculosis, being subjected to special treatment as proposed by Gauleiter Greiser, provided that their illness is deemed incurable according to the findings of the medical officer.
However, the specific measures will need to be thoroughly discussed with the Security Police beforehand to ensure that the implementation must be as inconspicuous as possible.
On behalf [Signature]
Archivial reference:
BArch NS 19/1585, p. 18;