JÓZEF HABRAJSKI

Presiding Judge: Next witness, Józef Habrajski.

(Witness Józef Habrajski appears.)

Presiding Judge: Please state your personal details.

Witness: Józef Habrajski, 32 years of age, custodian at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, Roman Catholic, no relationship to the parties.

Presiding Judge: I am advising the witness in accordance with art. 107 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the obligation to tell the truth. Making false declarations is punishable by conviction with a maximum penalty of 5-year imprisonment. Do the parties wish to file motions as regards the procedure of interviewing the witness?

Prosecutors: No.

Defense: No.

Presiding Judge: The witness will not be sworn in. I would like the witness to provide whatever information he has that is pertinent to the case, describe the circumstances under which he came across the defendants and tell us about their activities.

Witness: I arrived at Auschwitz in 1943 and I remained there until 18 January 1945.

Presiding Judge: Which kommandos did you work with?

Witness: Various: building the crematorium, bricklaying, setting up installations etc.

Presiding Judge: Which defendants do you recognize?

Witness: Working at the pump, I came across various defendants. Most notably, I met Aumeier, Buntrock, Mandl, Brandl, Mussfeldt, Grabner, Kraus, Medefind, Danz, and Hoffman.

Presiding Judge: Please testify about them one by one.

Witness: Defendant Aumeier was present at the execution by hanging of a certain prisoner, when the prisoner who was supposed to perform the execution could not open the trapdoor of the gallows. The defendant dashed forward and hanged the prisoner himself. Similarly, when he rode into the camp on a horse, he chased and trampled women who were looking for scraps of food. It is not true – as the defendant claims – that he did not beat them and that he could only hit someone with Himmler’s permission. I saw him beat people, and not only with his hand, but he also kicked them, and I even saw him torture people who, on becoming sick, were sent to the hospital.

I would like defendant Aumeier to tell me when Himmler issued the order which banned the beating of prisoners. Which month?

Presiding Judge: The witness will receive the answer after he has given his statement.

Witness: Defendant Buntrock was Rapportführer [report leader] at the so-called family camp at Birkenau, where the families of Czech Jews were accommodated. He would never pass a prisoner by without hitting him or “touching” him with his boot. I remember that when I was at block 1 I was also beaten by him for allegedly taking too long setting up an electric installation. He was capable of terrorizing people while escorting them to the gas chambers.

Defendant Brandl, a supervisor, beat, kicked, and maltreated female prisoners and walked with a dog she unleashed on people. She sent female prisoners who issued clothes at the Bekleidungskammer [clothing storeroom] to the SK [penal company].

Defendant Mandl was present at selections and she beat and kicked prisoners. She was dreaded even among SS men and Blockführers: when they drove in in cars and spotted her, they all ran off straight away to avoid her. She was ruthless even toward officers. She took part in selections at the ramp, so was also responsible for these. During selections, she was in the company of Taube and other SS men. She performed them without a doctor, though she claims she never carried them out on her own authority.

Defendant Koch was a disinfector; he was the first one to perform delousing with gas, it was his idea, approved by Dr. Wirths. During this delousing, women had nothing to cover themselves with while sleeping, and during the day were naked on the rooftops. Because of this gas, a few of them had to be moved to the hospital.

Mussfeldt was head of crematoria I and II. He arrived at Birkenau from Majdanek in 1944. At that time, a few Poles and Russians joined the crematorium personnel. Mussfeldt was cruel and he was dreaded by the entire personnel. He was present during transports which he took to the gas chambers and he himself beat people in the chambers. I even saw him in a gas chamber: he was holding a gun and shots could be heard, but I cannot confirm beyond all doubt that it was him who fired.

Defendant Grabner used to come to block 30 to Schumann, who carried out examinations in the course of the so-called vivisections that took place there, such as scorching ovaries etc. He could be seen at the ramps, gas chambers, crematories, and was accompanied by Oberscharführer Kustek.

In the final months, Kraus served as Lagerführer [camp leader] at Birkenau. He was present at the processing of transports which used to go in and out at that time. He beat and tortured people. On one occasion, he said, ‘These old numbers are still alive’.

Medefind was posted to the food storage and beat the prisoners who worked there unconscious for stealing even a tiny bit of bread.

Hoffman was Blockführer at the political department. He was at the Gypsy camp, and when three prisoner tried to escape from that camp, he also participated in the investigations, together with Boger.

Defendant Danz, supervisor at the laundry, served as Rapportführerin at the women’s camp during the final months.

Presiding Judge: Did you personally see defendant Brandl beat prisoners?

Witness: Correct. I saw it because I was at the women’s camp for almost a year, day and night.

Prosecutor Szewczyk: You claim that defendant Mandl was present during selections. Did you personally see her?

Witness: That is correct.

Prosecutor Szewczyk: What was her role and how did she behave?

Witness: Together with the Rapportführer, she selected prisoners for block 20, that is the death block.

Prosecutor Szewczyk: So she was the one making decisions and selecting prisoners?

Witness: Yes, together with Rapportführer Taube.

Prosecutor Szewczyk: You said that defendant Kraus was present in the course of processing prisoners’ transports. When was it?

Witness: At the end of 1944.

Prosecutor Szewczyk: What was his role? Did he, too, make decisions?

Witness: I do not know if Kraus made any decisions, but he was present while these transports were being processed and he beat women who could not walk fast, and he also poked them with a stick.

Prosecutor Szewczk: And these women he beat, what were they designated for?

Witness: For departure, or alternatively they were on incoming transports, such as the one that came in toward the end of October or the beginning of November, of insane women from some prison.

Prosecutor: As regards Danz, you said that she worked at the laundry and was likely a Rapportführerin. What can you tell us concerning her conduct?

Witness: That she also was capable of torturing women and she beat them.

Prosecutor: How did she torture them?

Witness: Beating and kicking them.

Prosecutor Pęchalski: As regards Koch the disinfector, you said that he carried out delousing. Did you also see him later at the crematoria or during gassings?

Witness: Defendant Koch was present at the crematorium. I cannot confirm that he was releasing gas, but I can confirm that he opened cans.

Prosecutor: You said you were involved in the construction of the crematorium. I would like to know if Grabner from the political department was interested in the construction of the crematorium, and if he came to the site, supervised the work and checked if it was progressing fast?

Witness: The person I most often saw at the construction site was Obersturmführer Janik.

Prosecutor: And what about Grabner?

Witness: I saw Grabner once, but he had nothing to do with the construction of the crematorium.

Prosecutor: And what about the Sonderkommando [special kommando] which participated in the gassings, incineration, and removal of bodies? Was it subordinated to Grabner?

Witness: No, not the technical aspect of the crematorium’s operations, but all transports passed through the hands of defendant Grabner because every list of people leaving on transports or sent to the gas chamber was signed by Grabner.

Prosecutor: Now, as regards Hoffmann, you said that he and Boger were on the investigations into the escape of two prisoners from the Gypsy camp. Do you know how this procedure progressed?

Witness: I do not know exactly, because I did not see it. I only learned about it from a man who was there.

Prosecutor: From the one who was interrogated?

Witness: Yes. I learned that he beat people.

Prosecutor: Hoffmann himself?

Witness: Correct.

Prosecutor Brandys: Your Honor! Following the statement of the witness and of other witnesses concerning the general delousing and its fatal consequences, I am petitioning for the adjudication, on the strength of volume 40, page 89, that one such special order, from 30 July 1943, concerning the general delousing at Birkenau, is signed by defendant Aumeier on behalf of the camp commandant.

Presiding Judge: Read the document out, please.

Prosecutor Brandys: I am just asking to adjudicate that this order was issued by defendant Aumeier.

Presiding Judge: Show the document to the defendant, please. (The translator presents the document to the defendant).

Presiding Judge: So did the defendant sign this document?

Defendant: I did not sign this document in my own name but on behalf of the commandant. I often did so when I was supposed to assist the commandant.

Defense attorney Rymar: The witness, answering the question from the prosecutor, said that Mandl, together with Taube, took part in selections. I am asking the witness to specify, based on his own experience, what was Mandl’s part, and what was Taube’s.

Witness: Both defendant Mandl and Taube selected prisoners, one by one, walking along standing rows of prisoners.

Defense attorney: This is not what I meant. You say that they selected people together. But what was the procedure of selection? Did you stand close by? Did you hear the conversations?

Witness: I wanted to specify that by saying that both Mandl and Taube walked along the rows and selected individuals.

Defense attorney: Was it Taube who selected these people, or was it Mandl?

Witness: Both did, concurrently. Mandl picked some people and Taube picked others, because they were a committee of sorts.

Defense attorney Czerny: Could the witness please state if during the gas disinfection performed by Koch clothes were taken away on the orders of Koch, or somebody else?

Witness: I do not know who issued the order about delousing. I only saw the defendant preparing the disinfection liquid the prisoners later rubbed the women with.

Defense attorney: What did he do with these clothes?

Witness: The clothes were moved to a gas chamber, where they were deloused, and the underwear was put in the liquid and then dried for a few days.

Defense attorney: Did Koch give these clothes back?

Witness: As an Unterscharführer, Koch could not give these clothes back; the prisoners did it.

Defense attorney: Do you know that there were two Hoffmanns with the political department?

Witness: No, I do not.

Defense attorney: You said that Hoffmann participated in the investigation into the escape from the Gypsy camp.

Witness: This was relayed to me by one prisoner, who was planning an escape; I do not remember his surname, his first name was Julek.

Defense attorney: Did this Julek tell you which Hoffman he meant, or did he mention his rank or function?

Witness: He mentioned his function: Rottenführer.

Defense attorney: I believe that you previously said what function Hofmann fulfilled with the political department.

Witness: I did not.

Presiding Judge: I will ask the defendant to rise.

Presiding Judge: Please rise, Mr. Hoffmann.

Witness: This is the Hoffmann who was at the Gypsy camp.

Defense attorney: How can you know which Hoffmann this was about, since you only heard stories, and when did it take place?

Witness: In 1943.

Defense attorney: This Hoffman came to the camp in February 1944.

Witness: If there was another Hoffmann, then he was with the political department, or maybe I am mistaken as to the timing.

Prosecutor: Was the Hoffmann that you saw a Blockführer?

Witness: He moved around the Gypsy camp and inspected the blocks, but I do not know exactly if he was a Blockführer.

Defendant Kraus: Please ask the witness to tell me which kommando he worked with at Birkenau.

Witness: With the electricians’ kommando.

Defendant: Until when?

Witness: Until the end.

Defendant: What does that mean?

Witness: Until 18 January 1945.

Defense attorney Minasowicz: You were there until 18 January 1945; and where were you evacuated?

Witness: First to Gross-Rosen, and then to Leit-Möritz.

Defense attorney: Do you know defendant Bogusch?

Witness: I do. He worked at the office and I cannot state anything specific about him.

Defense attorney: How did the evacuation of the camp proceed?

Witness: It happened in groups. Prisoners had to wake up early in the morning and there was a general roll call.

Defense attorney: Who was the general commandant at that time?

Witness: At that time it was Kraus.

Defense attorney: Did the evacuation happen in stages?

Witness: I departed in the afternoon.

Defense attorney: And were there groups leaving earlier?

Witness: Yes, there were.

Defense attorney: You were at the camp for so long – do you know defendant Dinges?

Witness: Dinges carried coal and potatoes, and I had no further contact with him.

Defense attorney: And did Dinges bring food for prisoners and collect letters to their families?

Witness: I do not know if he brought it because the prisoners who had been at the camp since 1940 had their own SS men “in their pockets”, and these SS men would bring anything into the camp.

Prosecutor Pęchalski: Were services to prisoners provided free of charge or where they paid for?

Witness: They were paid for heavily – with gold.

Defense attorney Rappaport: Yesterday, one of the witnesses stated that such services did not win Dinges any financial benefits.

Prosecutor Pęchalski: I just wanted to know what this particular witness can state.

Prosecutor: Thank you.