One is the socalled Polh Report, 1469-PS
The 2nd document is from 2171-PS, reprinted in the Buchenwald Report and hereFulltext: TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 1469-PS
PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 165
REPORT BY POHL TO HIMMLER, 9/30/1943, ON DEATHS IN THE CONCENTRATION
CAMPS, AND HIMMLER'S ANSWER, 10/8/1943
Berlin, 9/30/1943
Lichterfelde-West
Unter den Eichen 126-135
Telephone: Local 765261
Long distance 765101
The Chief SS Economic and Administrative Main Office
Reich Leader SS
Subject: Deaths in concentration camps.
Reference: None
Enclosures: 3
Reich Leader:
Although in the month of December the mortality rate was still
approximately 10 percent, in January 1943 it fell to 8 percent and
continued to fall.
This reduction in the mortality rate is due primarily to the fact that
the hygienic measures which have long been demanded have now been
carried out, at least to a larger extent. Furthermore, it has been
ordered in the field of nutrition that one-third of the food, raw and
properly chopped, be added shortly before distribution, to the cooked
food. Cooking too long has been avoided. Supplementary rations of
sauerkraut and similar foods have been issued. In regard to clothing,
it has been ordered that the prisoners may keep their coats on in the
winter, insofar as their work permits. Unnecessary prolongation of roll
calls has also been avoided. Permitting prisoners to receive food
shipments individually has had a favorable effect.
The experiments with the distribution of yeast preparation were also
favorable.
The above measures were aided by the fact that selected prisoners were
incorporated in a special cooking course in the training kitchen at
Dachau. It is intended to conduct a new cooking course in the near
future.
Two tables [charts] are enclosed.
1. Comparison of deaths in the second half of 1942 with the first half
of 1943this comparison shows that the over-all average of the second
half of 1942 was 9.89 percent while the over-all average of the first
half of 1943 was only 5.72 percent.
2. Deaths in the month of August 1943since January 1943 the death rate
has fallen steadily, so that in the month of August it was only 2.09
percent.
A graph is also enclosed, illustrating the figures for the
Sachsenhausen concentration camp extremely well. Sachsenhausen contains
26,500 people, 194 cases of death or 0.73 percent. Similar graphs could
be obtained for all the camps.
Although when bad weather begins, an increase in the death rate must be
expected, it is nevertheless certain that it will no longer exceed five
or six percent.
In Stutthof also, the death rate for the month of August 1943 fell to
3.45 percent while in the previous month it was still 5.69 percent.
Only in the Lublin concentration camp did the percentage figures rise
again to two or three percent. It is to be expected that when the
planned hygienic measures are carried out the mortality figures here
will also no longer differ from those elsewhere.
[Signed] POHL
SS Obergruppenfuehrer
received 10/4/1943
SS Economic and administrative Main Office
Office D/III
Comparison of death cases in the concentration camps, second half of
1942 and first half of 1943
July; Average number of inmates: 98000; Death Cases: 8329; Percent:
8.5%.
August; Average number of inmates: 115000; Death Cases: 12217;
Percentage: 10.62%.
September; Average number of inmates: 110000; Death Cases: 11206;
Percentage 10.19%.
October; Average number of inmates: 85800; Death Cases: 8856;
Percentage: 10.32%.
November; Average number of inmates: 83500; Death Cases: 8095;
Percentage: 9/69%.
December; Average number of inmates: 88000; Death Cases: 8800;
Percentage 10%.
January; Average number of inmates: 123000; Death Cases: 9839;
Percentage: 8%.
February; Average number of inmates: 143100; Death Cases: 11650;
Percentage: 8.14%.
March; Average number of inmates: 154200; Death Cases: 12112;
Percentage: 7.85%.
April; Average number of inmates: 171000; Death Cases: 8358;
Percentage: 4.71%.
May; Average number of inmates: 203000; Death Cases: 5700; Percentage:
2.8%.
June; Average number of inmates: 199500; Death Cases: 5650; Percentage:
2.83%.
Over-all average 96,770, or 9.89 percent.
Over-all average 165,600, or 5.72 percent.
Oranienburg, 9/22/1943.
Field Command Post, 10/8/1943
Personal Staff of Reich Leader SS
Document administration
No. Secret 64
The Reich Leader SS
Journal No. 38/133/43g
Subject: Deaths in concentration camps.
Reference: Your letter of 9/30/1943Ch./Po/Ha-VS No. 933/43
I received your report of 9/30/1943 concerning death in concentration
camps and can only more express to you and YOur co-workers my thanks
and my gratitude for the result achieved. I am convinced that the
latest difficulties will also decrease to the extent when sewerage and
better sanitary installations are possible.
[Signed] H. H.
Enclosure II
Death cases for the month of August 1943
Personal staff of Reich Leader SS
Records Section
No. Secret 67
[Concentration Camp; Average number of inmates; Deaths; Percent;
Percent previous Month; Plus or minus Percent]
Camp: Dachau; Average number of inmates: 17300; Deaths: 40; Percentage:
0.23%; Percentage previous month: 0.32%; Plus or minus percent:
Camp: Sachsenhausen; Average number of inmates: 26500; Deaths: 194;
Percentage: .73%; Percentage previous month: .78%; Plus or minus
percent: -0.5%.
Camp: Buchenwald; Average number of inmates: 17600; Deaths: 118;
Percentage: .67%; Percentage previous month: 1.22%; Plus or minus
percent: -.55%.
Camp: Mauthausen-Gusen; Average number of inmates: 21100; Deaths: 290;
Percentage: 1.37%; Percentage previous month: 1.61%; Plus or minus
percent: -.24%.
Camp: Flossenbuerg; Average number of inmates: 4800; Deaths: 155;
Percentage: 3.23%; Percentage previous month: 3.27%; Plus or minus
percent: -.04%.
Camp: Neuengamme; Average number of inmates: 9800; Deaths: 150;
Percentage: 1.53%; Percentage previous month: 2.14%; Plus or minus
percent: -.61%.
Camp: Auschwitz (men); Average number of inmates: 48000; Deaths: 1442;
Percentage: 3%; Percentage previous month: 2.96%; Plus or minus
percent: +.04%.
Camp: Auschwitz (women); Average number of inmates: 26000; Deaths: 938;
Percentage: 3.61%; Percentage previous month: 5.15%; Plus or minus
percent: -1.54%.
Camp: Gross- Rosen; Average number of inmates: 5000; Deaths: 76;
Percentage: 1.52%; Percentage previous month: 2.69%; Plus or minus
percent: -1.17%.
Camp: Natzweiler; Average number of inmates: 2200; Deaths: 41;
Percentage: 1.87%; Percentage previous month: 1.63%; Plus or minus
percent: +.24%.
Camp: Bergen-Belsen; Average number of inmates: 3300; Deaths: 4;
Percentage: .12%; Percentage previous month: .39%; Plus or minus
percent: -.27%.
Camp: Stutthof (men); Average number of inmates: 3800; Deaths: 131;
Percentage: 3.45%; Percentage previous month: 5.69%; Plus or minus
percent: -2.24%.
Camp: Stutthof (women); Average number of inmates: 500; Deaths: 1;
Percentage: 0.20%; Percentage previous month: -%; Plus or minus
percent: +.20%.
Camp: Lublin (men); Average number of inmates: 11500; Deaths: 882;
Percentage: 7.76%; Percentage previous month: 4.62%; Plus or minus
percent: +3.05%.
Camp: Lublin (women); Average number of inmates: 3900; Deaths: 172;
Percentage: 4.41%; Percentage previous month: 2.01%; Plus or minus
percent: +2.40%.
Camp: Ravensbrueck (men); Average number of inmates: 3100; Deaths: 26;
Percentage: .84%; Percentage previous month: .76%; Plus or minus
percent: +.08%.
Camp: Ravensbrueck (women); Average number of inmates: 14100; Deaths:
38; Percentage: .27%; Percentage previous month: .24%; Plus or minus
percent: +.03%.
Camp: Riga; Average number of inmates: 3000; Deaths: 1; Percentage:
.03%; Percentage previous month: .33%; Plus or minus percent: -.30%.
Camp: Herzogenbusch [Hertoegenboch]; Average number of inmates: 2500;
Deaths: -; Percentage: -%; Percentage previous month: -%; Plus or minus
percent: -%.
Total; Average number of inmates: 224000; Deaths: 4699.
Over-all average for August 1943 - 2.09%
Over-all average for July 1943 - 2.23%
[Decrease] -0.14 Percent
Personal Staff of the Reich Leader SS
Records Section
No. Secret 64
SS Economic and Administrative Main Office
Office D/III[=]
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/imt/d ... 171-ps.htm
There is an overlap between these two documents from July to November 1942Annex II
Copy of a letter from the SS Main Office of Economic Administration to all concentration camps.
SS Main Office of Economic Administration
Service Group D Concentration Camp
D III/Az.: 14 h (KL) 12.42 Lg/Wy
Oranienburg
28 December 1942
Regarding: Medical Activities in the concentration Camps
Reference: without
Enclosure: 1
SECRET
TO the 1. Camp Doctors of the concentration Camps Da., Sh. Bu., Neu., Au., Rav., Flo., Lu., Stu., Gr-Ro., Nied., Natz., Hinz., Mor., Herzog., Mau., Copy to the Camp Commandants.
In the inclosed a compilation of the current arrivals and departures in all the concentration camps is sent to you for your information. It discloses that out of 136,000 arrivals about 70,000 died. With such a high rate of death the number of the prisoners can never be brought up to the figure as has been ordered by the Reichsfuehrer of the SS. The 1. camp doctors must use all means at their disposal to reduce essentially this death rate in the various camps. The best doctor in a concentration camp is not the one, who believes that he must stand out for uncalled severity, but the one who by his supervision and exchange keeps the working capacity at the various labor commands at the highest possible level. The camp doctors must supervise more often than in the past the food of the prisoners and, with the approval of the administration, submit improvement proposals to the camp commandants. These, however, must not only appear on paper, but must be controlled regularly by the camp doctors. Furthermore, the camp doctors are to see to it that the working conditions at the various labor places are improved as much as possible. To this purpose it will be necessary that the camp doctors inspect the labor places on the ground and convince themselves about the conditions of work.
The SS Reichsfuehrer has ordered that the death rate absolutely must be reduced. For this reason the aforementioned has been ordered and a monthly report on this matter is to be submitted to the Chief of the Department D III. The first report to be submitted on 1 February 1943.
[Signature illegible] Klueder[?]
SS Brigadefuehrer and Major general of the Arms Survey
For the month of June-November 1942
Month Arrivals Departures Deliveries Uberst [?] Total Dischrg, Uberst [?] Dead Exek. Total
June 10,322 1,575 11,897 873 1,903 4,080 243 6,899
July 25,716 31,970 31,970 907 4,340 8,536 477 12,260
Aug. 25,407 28,149 28,149 581 2,950 12,733 99 16,363
Sept. 16,763 6,438 23,201 652 6,805 22,598 144 30,199
Oct. 13,873 5,345 19,218 1,089 6,334 11,858 5,945 25,235
Nov. 17,780 4,565 22,345 809 5,514 10,805 2,350 19,478
Total 109,861 26,919 13,870 4,711 27,846 70,610 9,267 112,434
Month...................Buchenwald report................Pohl Report
July......................8536 (+ 477 ?).......................8329
August.................12733 (+ 99 ?)......................12217
September............22598 (+ 144 ?)....................11206
October................11858 (+ 5954 ??).................8856
November.............10805 (+ 2350 ??).................8095
The figures in brackets in the Buchenwald report are an extra column called E, which the report suggests is erschossen (shot or executed) however the numbers appear to way to high for October and November - unless anyone is aware of a 60 fold increase in executions between August and October.
There are also significant differences in the October and November figures between the two reports, a very large difference in the September figures and only small differences in the July and August.
Is anyone aware of the factor that accounts for these differences and if the large execution figures for October and November in the Buchenwald report have been confirmed independently in other historical sources or if there is another explanation for the "E" column.