Source file: Public Records Office, London, WO235/83, records of the Tesch case. Summarised below by David Irving. [Discussion] [Letter]

TESCH and Weinbacher the firm's Prokurist were sentenced to death after a seven-day trial and hanged at Hameln prison. The case against Tesch rested firstly on incriminating evidence of two KZ employees (Brazilian corporal Pery Broad and French Jew Dr C S Bendel, who are called as witnesses. Broad was employed in the Kommandantur of KZ Auschwitz from Jun 1942 to early 1945. Bendel was at Auschwitz Jan 1, 1944 to Jan 18, 1945) one of whom had received instruction from Tesch that Zyklon B was in fact used for the gas chambers at Neuengamme and Auschwitz; secondly that "the records of the firm showed clearly the supply of quantities of Zyklon B to concentration camps out of all proportion to requirements for clothing disinfection.[sic]."

Defence said it could not be a war crime to supply an innocent commercial product to a government; that the quantities were nothing out of the ordinary; that employees who remembered conversations with Tesch were mistaken, as differences and discrepancies proved. However Field Marshal Montgomery signed the death warrant on April 26, 1947. Defence drew attention to the legitimate supplies of Zyklon to the KZs at Sachsenshausen, Oranienburg, Ravensbrück, and Gross Roosen. Witnesses Broad and Bendel also confirmed that it was legitimately used at Auschwitz; Witness Bimko testified in writing (she was not called in person) that she had seen an equipment at Auschwitz to apply the gas from steel cylinders and conducted through pipes!

Tesch had delivered 7.5t of Zyklon to Auschwitz in 1942, 12t of Zyklon to Auschwitz in 1943 -- the largest annual quantity; in the whole of 1944 only 6t. Tesch were surprised to find out at the trial how many other firms were manufacturing the stuff without their knowledge. Statistics on how much Zyklon is needed to delouse clothing: 20 gr. per 25 outfits. If 120,000 outfits being regularly deloused even 12 t would not have sufficed, the experts testified. The witnesses came under Untersturmführer Grabner.

The British Prosecutor is Major G Draper

pp162--5: Draper's opening address. May it please the Court. Sets out structure of Zyklon supply. Zyklon is manufactured at Dessau by Dessau Works for Sugar and Chemical Industry. At Ffm is Degesch, under control of IG Farben. Degesch had exclusive call on Dessau production. Customers ordered from Tesch, who purchased stocks from Dessau near the Elbe river. Tesch had the monopoly east of Elbe, another firm west. Draper alleges that Tesch supplied 2t per month during 1944 to Auschwitz alone.

pp.167--179 Emil Sehm, Tesch accountant May 1942 to July 1943. had read in 1942 a file in Tesch's safe marked Wehrmacht (not marked secret), a travel report, Reisebericht. Herr -- "told me [Tesch] that the shooting of Jews is growing more and more frequent and the burial of the great number is proving to me more and more unhygienic., To change this it is proposed that the extermination of the Jews should be done now through the effects of the prussic acid." And: "I, Dr Tesch, proposed to use prussic acid just as it is used for the extermination of vermin, to use it for the above-mentioned purpose." Deeply shocked, Sehm made his own notes on its salient parts; that was autumn 1942; and showed them next day to his close friend Wilhelm Pook. Pook advised him to burn the notes, which he did in an ashtray at once. he also mentioned it to a friend called Frahm in spring of 1943. All of them claimed to be anti-Nazis. He was evidently sacked after July 1943 bombing; his evidence on whether sacked or not is unclear. He worked as a freelance tax adviser after that. He denies that he has any spite toward the firm or Tesch. He had accompanied British officers to the firm on Sept. 19, 1945, but was unable to find the documents, as the registry was empty (burned out, during an air raid: he thought it suspicious that this particular room had been gutted). "This friend of mine, Pook, came back to Hamburg in October or November 1945r and we have been having discussions since [about the Reisebericht] and he showed me a letter written in spring 1944." [Does not amplify this.] Confronted by Sehm and the British officer, testified Sehm (p. 170), Tesch said: "You know very well the gas has only been used for the killing of vermin." Asked his opinion on Tesch as a businessman, Sehm replied: "Dr Tesch was solely a business man and, according to my opinion, he was a very unscrupulous business man, a business man who would be prepared to walk over dead bodies; that is my opinion."

Under cross examination by RA Dr O Zippel for Tesch, Sehm does not agree that the index room was never locked. He admittedly that "for tactical reasons" he bluffed to secretary Frl Ratchke (mistress of Tesch, he hints, but evidently used the word hörig, beholden) that he had a copy of the Reisebericht in his pocket. Zippel asked him: "Why then did you stay with the firm if the [Reisebericht] affair shocked you so much?" He would have been sent to KZ, by the Gestapo, who had made political difficulties for him some years before. He denied that staying on made him an accomplice. Zippel also comments that he no longer remembers the name of the high Wehrmacht officer Tesch had been speaking with. And why should poisoning have made the killing more hygienic than shooting? Zippel: "Is it known to you that Zyklon is used throughout the whole world?" "That Degesch had branches throughout the world." Sehm: "... If I am not mistaken, even in England." Sehm stated that the firm supplied Auschwitz, Belsen and Dachau: but the latter two were west of the Elbe. Etc. Sehm then admits he may be mistaken.

Bernhard Frahm, anti-Nazi, tax adviser, gives evidence (pp 181--). Recalls conversation with friend Sehm in early 1943. Sehm had told him he wanted to leave Tesch as things were going on which his conscience could not agree with. He did not give details, but recalled the phrase "extermination of Schädlinge" in the conversation. After the war Sehm "told me that the firm has delivered gas and also gas stoves [sic] with which human beings were killed."

An affidavit of Dr R[udolf] Diels was then produced; the British 30 Corps holding him prisoner had refused to provide him in the flesh. He said it was well known that Zyklon came from a firm in Hamburg; in his opinion "these gassing operations were being talked about practically everywhere in Germany." Talks about the euthanasia gassings.

Secretary Erna Eliza Biagini is then produced (pp 184--). Worked Jun 1930 to Dec 1943 for Tesch, as typist and in registry. She had never heard rumours about the gas being used. for purposes other than disinfesting vermin. In "approximately 1942" she did read a document [later described by her under cross-examination as a Reisebericht by Dr Tesch, possibly typed by Frl Rathcke] saying it might be used for human beings too, specifically at Oranienburg and Sachsenhausen, and mentioned it to Frl Rathcke: they agreed that they could not believe it. Agrees that SS had a greater need for Zyklon as they handled disinfestation of refugees clothing, and the fight against epidemics in the east.

Anna Uenzelmann is called (pp.189--): Typist at Tesch March 1937 to September 1945. In about June 1942 Tesch dictated a Reisebericht to her, and as she was about to leave the room "he spoke a few words to me inasmuch as he said to me that our Zyklon B had been used for the killing of human beings. That was all." She mentioned it to her husband some time later, in hospital. Crossexamined, she recalled that three copies of such reports were made -- one on white, two on red paper. "I had the impression that Dr Tesch was just as terrified and shocked about the matter as I myself." (p.190).

Margarethe Knickrehm is called (p.190--4): Typist at Tesch since June 1938. Main task of firm was supply of Zyklon to Wehrmacht, and gassing ships; Zyklon also went to Auschwitz and Oranienburg. Believes "gas chambers" were supplied to Auschwitz and Neuengamme. Typed Reiseberichte, one on white for the registry, and two on pink paper. Everybody could come and go into the registry as they pleased and take what documents they needed. The gas chambers, built by Degesch, also went to private firms and cities like Hamburg and to a chemical cleaning firm in Berlin. Never heard rumours of homicidal use of Zyklon.

Karl Johannes Rühmling: (pp 194--204). With Tesch from March 1938 to Dec 1943. States that Zyklon went to Auschwitz, Sachsenhausen, Neuengamme. Price was about 6RM per kilo; he had billed Auschwitz sometimes for 12,000 to 15,000RM. Cross-examined, he agreed that her had been working in gassings (buildings), had been in those camps but had never heard that human beings were being killed.

Wilma Nachtweh (pp204--), Tesch typist since 1938. Recalled they supplied Zyklon to Auschwitz, Neuengamme and Grossrosen camps. Confirms under cross examination that in the air raid on March 20, 1945 everything was destroyed in the registry apart from some files on the gassing of mules. Had learned nothing about gassing human beings.

Alfred Zaun (pp 206--214): worked 1925-45 for Tesch, in charge of bookkeeping. Had heard rumours in the railway that Jews were supposedly being killed. Confirms annual profit figures of firm, and those from sale of Zyklon, for 1941-4; had drawn up summaries for KZ Auschwitz, Sachsenhausen, Neuengamme, Lublin, and Ravensbruck, 1942-3. Total value of Zyklon sales to Auschwitz was RM44,575 in that year, with a profit of some 5,000. Judge Advocate points out: "Let me follow this. This is going quite contrary to your opening, is not it?..." Witness amplifies (pp.209-12), total weight of Zyklon supplied to Auschwitz in year 1943 was 12,174.09 kg, at a value of 71,849 RM. Total quantity to Sachsenhausen in 1942 was 1,438kg at value of 8,883RM; in 1943 it was 2913.6kg value 317,133RM [sic: error?] To Neuengamme in 1943: 427kg, value 2,508 RM. To Grossrosen in 1943, 429.5kg; to Lublin in 1943 1627kg., and to Ravensbruck in 1943, 351.5kg. Auschwitz was, agrees Zaun, their biggest customer. The reason: "For extermination of vermin." Under cross-examination Zippel, Zaun agrees that during February 1943 they also sold 192.kg to Sachsenhausen, 2952k to the Finnish Army Helsinki, 114 kg to the SS Kleidungsamt Ravensbruck, and 720kg to the Heeressanitätspark. This meant that bigger sales went to private firms and other official bodies than to KZ's. There were orders of thousands of kilos to Finland and Norway.

August Marcinkowski is called (pp 215--6): Tesch employee, had visited KZ Auschwitz in 1940, there were only 8 to 10 small houses there which they gassed, using about 120 to 130 kg. He would normally visit camps every two years to disinfest them.

Gustav Koch called (pp 216--219): gas technician; had gassed camps Neuengamme, Grossrosen, Stutthof. Had also been to a place near Riga but not for gassing purposes; heard stories that Jews had been shot there. In normal gassing operations they would use 15kg per 1,000 cbm. To a place like Neuengamme they would take perhaps 250kg, enough for 1800 cbm [sic. 18,000?]. It would take four days for one hut. Believed 1000kg would be a lot for one camp like Neuengamme for one month.

Wilhelm Bahr (pp 220--222): Oberscharführer, at Neuengamme, 1941-3. Medical orderly; took Zyklon course from Dr Tesch at Oranienburg in SS Krankenhaus. Confirmed he had gassed 200 Russian prisoners, on orders of a Dr von Bergmann, at Neuengamme, using Zyklon B; had used 5 or 6 little tins. "How long did the Russians take to die?" "A: I do not know; I obeyed only orders." After further question: "I returned after two hours and they were all dead." (He had left for his lunch break). He had to load the bodies. He only had orders to pour the gas in from the roof -- a brick was put on the entrance -- and does not know any more about it. Asked detailed questions by the defence counsel, Bahr gets confused and says: "I cannot say. I do not remember, I do not know. I cannot say." (sic). The judge advocate helps him: "Did you wear a gas mask when you were pouring in this gas into the chamber?" "Yes, I did." [Bahr was hanged after the Neuengamme case]

Rottenführer Pery Broad called (pp 223--228) Brazilian nationality (and see further below). Was employed until a month before the trial at the [British army camp] Munsterlager in Munster. Worked as typist etc in political department at Auschwitz. Saw from afar (40&endash;45 km [sic]) men with gasmasks on roof of old Krema in Auschwitz (not Birkenau) opening tins with hammers in July 1942. There were 6 holes in the flat roof. Saw them putting 300 or 400 people in, perhaps 500 people. Their screaming stopped in 2-3 minutes. From a longer distance he saw gassings at the new Kremas at Birkenau. They gassed 10,000 per day in March and April 1944. In Kremas 1 and 2 they were put in 3,000 or 4,000 at a time. In Kremas 3 and 4, they packed in 2,000 at a time. He estimated total of two and a half to 3 million gassed. Under cross examination: had never seen the interior of a gas chamber. Said he had seen the gassings only from a long way off, but could still describe the writing on the tins (astonishment by defence counsel). Said that two of the bigger tins were sufficient to gas a large gassing room.

Dr C S Bendel was French, interned for "political and racial reasons" (not specified). A doctor. Said there were 900 men in the Sonderkommandos. Said 1 million were gassed at Birkenau from January 1, 1944 to Jan 18, 1945 (his time there); 4 million altogether during camp's existence. During June 1944, almost 25,000 day being gassed, he said. "I have opened some of the bodies of those people who had been gassed." The SS packed people in 1,000 or 2,000 at a time, and tossed in young children above the packed heads when the chamber was full. He is asked: "Were the people dressed or undressed at the time? "They were naked." How tall was the room? "About 5 feet 8 inches." Screaming lasted two minutes. Two tins were sufficient for a thousand people, he testified. Of the Sonderkommandos, said Bendel, 200 were gassed on Sep 27, 1944, and 50 more shot during a unique disturbance. Cross-examined, he admitted the chambers were 10x4 meters by 1 meter 60cm, or a total of 64 cbm. He could not explain how they could get 1,000 people into that space. He volunteered: "It can only be done by the German technique." And then more mystically, "The four million people who were gassed in Auschwitz are the witnesses." As for his claim that the Nazis had extracted seventeen tons of Gold from the victims, when told that this meant that on average each person had 4gr of gold in their mouths. "It depended on the state of their teeth or their dentures."

There are well argued appeals lodged by Tesch's counsel lawyer RA Dr O Zippel, pages 25-36, and Weinbacher's counsel RA Dr Carl Stumme, pp 66 -81.

Tesch and Weinbacher the firm's Prokurist were sentenced to death after a 7 day trial and hanged at Hamelin prison along with some seven hundred others.

The case against Tesch rested firstly on incriminating evidence of two KZ employees (Brazilian-born corporal Pery Broad and French Jew Dr C S Bendel, who are called as witnesses. Broad was employed in the Kommandantur of KZ Auschwitz from Jun 1942 to early 1945. Bendel was at Auschwitz Jan 1, 1944 to Jan 18, 1945). One of them had received instruction from Tesch that Zyklon B was in fact used for the gas chambers at Neuengamme and Auschwitz. Prosecution relied secondly on the fact that "the records of the firm showed clearly the supply of quantities of Zyklon B to concentration camps out of all proportion to requirements for clothing disinfection.[sic]."

Defence argued that it could not be a war crime to supply an innocent commercial product to a government; that the quantities were nothing out of the ordinary; that employees who remembered conversations with Tesch were mistaken, as differences and discrepancies proved. However Field marshal Montgomery signed the death warrant on April 26, 1947.

Defence drew attention to the legitimate supplies of Zyklon to the KZs at Sachsenshausen, Oranienburg, Ravensbrück, and Gross Roosen. Witnesses Broad and Bendel also confirmed that it was legitimately used at Auschwitz; Witness Bimko testified in writing (she was not called in person) that she had seen an equipment at Auschwitz to apply the gas from steel cylinders and conducted through pipes!

Tesch had delivered 7.5t of Zyklon to Auschwitz in 1942, 12t of Zyklon to Auschwitz in 1943 -- the largest annual quantity; in the whole of 1944 only 6t. Tesch were surprised to find out at the trial how many other firms were manufacturing the stuff without their knowledge. Statistics on how much Zyklon is needed to delouse clothing: 20 gr. per 25 outfits. If 120,000 outfits being regularly deloused even 12 t would not have sufficed, the experts testified. The witnesses came under Untersturmführer Grabner.

The testimony of Rottenführer (Lance corporal) Pery Broad is pp 223 ff. Was employed until a month before the trial at the [British army camp] Munsterlager in Munster. Had worked as typist etc in political department at Auschwitz. Saw from afar (40&endash;45 km [sic]) men with gasmasks on roof of old Krema in Auschwitz (not Birkenau) opening tins with hammers in July 1942. There were 6 holes in the flat roof. Saw them putting 3 or 400 people in, perhaps 500 people. Their screaming stopped in 2-3 minutes. From a longer distance he saw gassings at the new Kremas at Birkenau.

They gassed 10,000 per day in March and April 1944. In Kremas 1 and 2 they were put in 3,000 or 4,000 at a time. In Kremas 3 and 4, they packed in 2,000 at a time. He estimated total of two and a half to 3 million gassed. Under cross examination Broad admitted he had never seen the interior of a gas chamber. Said he had seen the gassings only from a long way off, but could still describe the writing on the tins (astonishment by defence counsel). Said that two of the bigger tins were sufficient to gas a large gassing room.

Dr C S Bendel was French, interned for "political and racial reasons" (not specified). A doctor. Said there were 900 men in the Sonderkommandos. Said 1 million were gassed at Birkenau from January 1, 1944 to Jan 18, 1945 (his time there); 4 million altogether during camp's existence. During June 1944, almost 25,000 day being gassed, he said. "I have opened some of the bodies of those people who had been gassed." The SS packed people in 1 or 2,000 at a time, he said, and tossed in young children above the packed heads when the chamber was full. He is asked: "Were the people dressed or undressed at the time? "They were naked." How tall was the room? "About 5 feet 8 inches." Screaming lasted two minutes.

Two tins were sufficient for a thousand people, he testified. Of the Sonderkommandos, said Bendel, 200 were gassed on Sep 27, 1944, and 500 more shot during a unique disturbance. Cross-examined, he admitted the chambers were 10 x 4 meters by 1 meter 60cm, or a total of 64 cbm. He could not explain how they could get 1,000 people into that space. He volunteered: "It can only be done by the German technique." And then more mystically, "The four million people who were gassed in Auschwitz are the witnesses."

As for his claim that the Nazis had extracted seventeen tons of Gold from the victims, when told that this meant that on average each person had 4gr of gold in their mouths. "It depended on the state of their teeth or their dentures."

Items by Samuel Crowell on the Tesch trial, and conclusions to be drawn from the evidence presented