ZAL Bisingen Dec 1944

[David Thompson]

Document NO-3793, in Trials of War Criminals Before the Nuernberg Military Tribunals Under Control Council Law No. 10. Vol. 5: United States v. Oswald Pohl, et. al. (Case 4: 'Pohl Case'). US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1950. pp. 392-394.

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT NO-3793

PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 582

EXTRACTS FROM REPORT OF GERMAN SHALE OIL COMPANY, 12 DECEMBER 1944, TO WVHA, ON CONDITIONS IN CAMP BISINGEN

DEUTSCHE SCHIEFEROEL G.m.b.H.
near Balingen in Wuerttemberg
Telephone: 504,514 Balingen-Wuerttbg.
Bank account: Dresdner Bank Depka 12,
Berlin-Steglitz account No. 2300/20
District Savings Bank [Kreissparkasse]
Balingen-Wuerttemberg account No. 1955

Your reference No.
Your letter dated
Our reference No. J/-3
[illegible handwritten mark]
Erzingen, 12 December 1944
[Handwritten, partly illegible]
P 13
XII

SS Economic and Administrative Main Office
Staff W Berlin-Lichterfelde-West
Unter den Eichen 135
[Stamp] Received: 11 December 1944

Distribution:
[illegible initial letters]
[illegible initial letters]
[illegible initial letters]
[illegible] [illegible initials]

Situation report

As already advised by Dr. Sennewald at the conference of 21 November 1944 at the office of Obergruppenfuehrer Pohl, all available means are being used, in order to complete Plants 2 (Bisingen); 4 (Erzingen-Nord); 8, and 9 (Dormettingen). The simultaneous withdrawal of the Speer transport columns will follow gradually. The DBHG is doing its best to put Plant 2 into operation before Christmas.

Rain with really catastrophic effects brought serious damage, as for example, a landslide at plant 4 where both of the two large containers for the finished product caved in shortly before completion. The installation sites and the roads are completely bogged. There is no bombing damage to report; in this respect the weather conditions are favorable.

* * *

I have lately thoroughly inspected camp Bisingen, administered by SS Hauptscharfuehrer Pauli as camp commander, and I found frightful conditions prevailing there. At present I am still engaged in the investigation of all incidents, and can now give only the following short report:

The camp was occupied in the first days of October by 1,500 mostly Polish prisoners. It is situated on an extremely wet meadow; there are no pathways. The ground has become completely bogged; the wetness is almost beyond control. The hygienic installations, which are of the most primitive kind, such as toilets, dispensary, and washrooms, are absolutely inadequate; further they are too far apart, and hard to reach under these muddy conditions. Consequently, extreme filth and vermin are prevailing and the health situation has become unjustifiable. On 1 December 1944 there were about 420 person sick, mostly from diarrhea a general debility and weakness of the heart. Since the camp has been in operation, 233 deaths are on record (in 8 weeks!); of these only 6 were shot while trying to escape, and 6 committed suicide. A graph is annexed.

The food is good; of that I have convinced myself by sampling and by thorough inquiry.

A delousing station is on point of completion. It is not in the camp, however, but about one-half kilometer away.

On 1 December 1944 the number of prisoners amounted to 1,655.

I am engaged in remedying the evils with the help of the bureaus concerned, in particular with the help of the OT and the DBHG, and in conjunction with the SS chiefs. However, I consider an immediate inspection necessary by a suitable representative of division D.

[Amtsgruppe D].
[Handwritten] X

[Signature] JACOBI
SS Hauptsturmfuehrer

[Handwritten] 1 enclosure