⚠️ Historical Documentation Notice
This document is part of a historical archive and is presented for scholarly research and educational purposes.
The content reflects historical perspectives and should be understood within its historical context.
see too: http://209.196.33.63/aaargh/engl/vrba3.html
On
November 2, 1996 Professor Rudolf Vrba sent this e-mail to Stephen Feinstein Professor of History
University of Wisconsin
Dear Dr. Feinstein,
I read in H-Holocaust of Oct.31 your short message which contains some inaccuracies relevant to my person. I am not and never was a practising physician in Vancouver; however,
I live in Vancouver since 1967 as Associate Professor,
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of
Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC,
Canada V6T 1X4.
As far as the genesis of the Vrba-Wetzler Report is concerned, I published recently a study on the subject, cf.
Rudolf Vrba, “Die missachtete Warnung, Betrachtungen
über den Auschwitz Bericht 1944;” Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte, Heft 1/1996, p.1-25.
In this connection I would like to remind you of the previous studies on this subject by J.S.Conway (“Frühe
Augenzeugenberichte aus Auschwitz.Glaubwürdigkeit und
Wirkungsgeschichte”) published in Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte, Heft 2 /1979,p 263-284; an
English version of this article may be found in Simon
Wiesenthal Center Annual, vol. 1,p 133-151 (“The
First Report About Auschwitz”).
Rudolf Vrba
[August 1997:]
Anybody who wishes to learn about Dora, The Nordhausen
Camp and the real activities of Crimes against Humanity committed by the German experts in Rockets Development (von
Braun et al) should read the truly masterly description of the German system as practiced at that time in Dora and left to the knowledge of future generation by Professor Charles
Sadron.
Charles Sadron was born May 12th, 1902 and became
Professor of Physics ( Faculte de Science de Strassbourg).
He was arrested by the Gestapo
on November 25th, 1943 in
Clermont-Ferrand. By that time he was an internationally known expert in the field of rocketry. He was deported to
Buchenwald in January 1944 ( as a member of the French
Resistance, not for religious or “racial” reasons) and as he refused to join the team of von Braun as a research expert, he spent the time from February 1944 to April 1945 as a prisoner in Dora wearing the Buchenwald matriculation
No.42013.
After evacuation of Dora he was liberated on May 3rd 1945
in the region Mecklenbourg and became again Professor of
Physics at the University of Strasbourg.
He authored his memoires of Dora under the title
“A L’ USINE DE DORA” , published lately in ” De l’Universite aux Camps de Concentration.
Temoignages Strasbourgeois”, Presses Universitaires de
Strasbourg, 3e edition, Strasbourg 1989.pp 177-231.
In the same volume are also to be found the recollections of Dora by a former student of Medicine in Strasbourg, later
Dr. P.-Andre Lobstein , born in 1923. He was in Dora from
September 1944 until April 5, 1945 and worked as a medical orderly there, Buchenwald No. 31307.His memoirs of Dora:
“Le BLOCK 39A DU REVIER DE DORA”, ibid, pp.233-236.
Also Greff Eugene, born in 1920, formerly etudiant a l’Ecole superieure d’electricite (Strasbourg) published his memoirs from Dora, where he was prisoner No.40811 from 10th
February 1944 and was liberated by the British on April
16th, 1945 ( “A ELLRICH, PRES DORA”, ibid,pp.237-245).
The memoirs of Professor Charles Sadron have in my opinion a great merit not only as a historical document of immense value but also as a piece of excellect art and literature. It is high time to translate this work into other languages for those who cannot read French, particularly an English and German translation is highly desirable and long time overdue, particularly as it was written by a so called “non-Jewish” witness, survivor and an outstanding scientist.
From Dr.Rudolf Vrba Associate
Professor Emeritus Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of
Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2176 Health
Sciences Mall, Vancover, BC, Canada V6T 1X4 Fax: ( 604 )-
822-6012
Picture courtesy of Westdeutscher
Rundfunk (WDR)
Vrba index testimonies of Raul Hilberg (1985) A
Friedman (1985)
David Irving (1988)
©
Focal
Point 1999 write to David Irving