Nazi Letters on Sterilization

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Letter from SS-Oberfuehrer Brack to Reichsfuehrer-SS Himmler, June 23, 1942 [DotH, p. 272]

Honorable Mr. Reichsfuehrer!

According to my impression there are at least 2-3 million men and women well fit for work among the approx. 10 million European Jews. In consideration of the exceptional difficulties posed for us by the question of labor, I am of the opinion that these 2-3 million should in any case be taken out and kept alive.

Of course this can only be done if they are in the same time rendered incapable of reproduction. I reported to you about a year ago that persons under my instruction have completed the necessary experiments for this purpose. I wish tobring up these facts again.

The type of sterilization which is normally carried out on persons with genetic disease is out of the question in this case, as it takes too much time and is expensive. Castration by means of X-rays, however, isnot only relatively cheap, but can be carried out on many thousands in a very short time. I believe that it has become unimportant at the present time whether those affected will then in the course of a few weeks or months realize by the effects that they are castrated.

In the event, Mr. Reichsfuehrer, that you decide to choose these means in the interest of maintaining labor-material, Reichsleiter Bouhler will be ready to provide the doctors and other personnel needed to carry out this work. He also instructed me to inform you that I should then order the required equipment as quickly as possible.
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Dear Brack,

It is only today that I have the opportunity of acknowledging the receipt of your letter of June 23. I am positively interested in seeing the sterilization by X-rays tried out at least once in one camp in a series of experiments.

By order of Reichsleiter Bouhler I submit to you as an enclosure a work of Dr. Horst Schumann on the influence of X-rays on human genital glands.

SS-Obersturmbannfuehrer Brandt to Prof. Clauberg, 10 July 1942
[ToWC, Vol. I, p. 729]

Today the Reich Leader SS charged me with transmitting to you his wish that you go to Ravensbruck after you have had another talk with SS-Obergruppenfuehrer Pohl and the camp physician of the women’s concentration camp Ravensbruck, in order to perform the sterilization of Jewesses according to your method…

Thorough experiments should be conducted to investigate the effect of the sterilization largely in a way that you find out after a certain time, which you would have to fix, perhaps by X-rays, what kind of changes have taken place. In some cases a practical experiment might be arranged by locking up a Jewess and a Jew together for a certain period and then seeing what results are achieved.

Memorandum of SS-Obersturmbannfuehrer Brandt on discussion between Himmler, Gebhart, Gluecks, and Clauberg concerning sterilization experiments conducted on Jewesses [ToWC, Vol. I, p. 728]

Fuehrer Headquarters, July 1942

On 7 July 1942 a discussion took place between the Reich Leader SS,SS-Brigadefuehrer Professor Dr. Gebhart, SS-Brigadefuehrer Gluecks, and SS-Brigadefuehrer Clauberg, Koenigshette. The topic of the discussion was the sterilization of Jewesses.

The Reich Leader SS has promised Brigadefuehrer Professor Clauberg that Auschwitz concentration camp will be at his disposal forhis experiments on human beings and animals. By means of some fundamental experiments, a method should be found which would lead to sterilization of persons without their knowledge.

The Reich Leader SS wanted to get another report as soon as the result of these experiments was known, so that the sterilization of Jewesses could then be carried out in actuality.

It should also be examined, preferably in cooperation with Professor Dr.Hohlfelder, an X-ray specialist in Germany, what way sterilization of men could be achieved by X-ray treatment.

The Reich Leader SS called the special attention of all gentlemen present to the fact that the matter involved was most secret and should be discussed only with the officers in charge and that the persons present at the experiments had to pledge secrecy.

Letter from Professor Clauberg to Himmler, June 7 1943, on his research concerning sterilization of women [ToWC, Vol 1, p. 730]

Dear Reich Leader,

Today I am fulfilling my obligation to report to you from time to time about the state of my research work…

The method I contrived to achieve the sterilization of the female organism without operation is as good as perfected. It can be performed by a single injection made through the entrance of the uterus in the course of the customary gynecological examination known to every physician. If I say that the method is”as good as perfected” this means:

1. Still to be worked out are only minor improvements of the method.

2. Already today it could be put to practical use in the course of our regular eugenic sterilization and could thus replace the operation.

As to the question which you, Reich Leader, asked me almost a one year ago,i.e., how much time would probably be required to sterilize 1,000 women by using this method. Today I can answer you with regard to the future as follows:

If my researches continue to have the same results as up to now – and there is no reason to doubt that – then the moment is not far off when I can say:

“One adequately trained physician in one adequately equipped place, with perhaps 10 assistants (the number of assistants in conformity with the speed desired) will most likely be able to deal with several hundred, if not even 1,000 per day”.

Nazi Letters on Sterilization