Archive/File: imt/nca/supp-b/nca-sb-02-pohl.04-00
Last-Modified: 1997/12/10

         Nazi Conspiracy & Aggression, Supplement B
        Deposit of Gold Fillings with the Reichsbank
                              
     Excerpts from Testimony of Oswald Pohl, taken at
     Nurnberg, Germany, 3 June 1946, 1400-1700, by Col.
     John Amen, Lt. Col. Smith W. Brookhart, Jr., and
     Robert M.W. Kempner. Also present: Lt. Joachim von
     Zastrow and Bert Stein, Interpreters; Anne
     Daniels, Reporter.

                                                 [Page 1583]
                                                            
Q. Who took part in those first discussions? Who was the man
who would have such discussions?

A. I really don't know. So far as I recall, there were no
large discussions. Without my having anything to do with it,
those things went to Berlin. I personally told Himmler that.
I talked to Himmler and asked him what should be done with
all those things; I was told they were supposed to be given
to the Reichsbank.

Q. Is that what Himmler told you?

A. Yes.

                                                 [Page 1584]
                                                            
Q. Did Himmler tell you that he had talked with Funk about
this matter?

A. I believe that he had talked with Funk about it.

Q. Do you know in detail what they had been talking about in
this connection?

A. What they had been talking about, in detail, I cannot
say: I do not recall. I once talked with Funk, but it had
nothing to do with that.

Q. What did Himmler talk to Funk about, as far as you know,
in relation to the order Himmler gave you?

A. I assume that Himmler and Funk discussed the matter, that
the valuables from the concentration camps were to be
received by the Reichsbank. Subsequently Himmler said to me:
"I want you to do that; deliver them to the Reichsbank."

Q. What particular subjects were discussed at that time?

A. That concerned all the valuables that were delivered from
the concentration camps at that time.

Q. Was there any doubt about the fact that it concerned dead
Jews?

A. No, there was no doubt about it.

Q. Do you say there was no doubt, or there could not have
been any doubt?

A. There couldn't have been any doubt.

Q. Why couldn't there have been any doubt? Where could those
things have come from otherwise? Tell me, because you can be
quite open with me.

A. There couldn't have been any other source.

Q. When three million disappear, there must have been quite
a substantial amount of stuff in one camp. That is, three
million in one camp alone. That must have been more than
just a few sacks full.

A. There must have been a great total amount.

Q. Now let us go back. We had jewels that went down there to
the Reichsbank, and we had the gold eyeglass frames. Is that
correct?

A. Yes.

Q. What else was there? Please tell us in your own words.

A. All the things that men can have, rings, watches,
eyeglass frames, and gold bars.

Q. And what were those gold bars made from?

A. If you ask me now, those gold bars were made from the
melting of various things, among other things, gold
fillings.

Q. You have said anything that men can carry.

A. Yes.

                                                 [Page 1585]
                                                            
Q. What originated from women?

A. Jewelry, pins, broaches.

Q. Anything else? Earrings? Have we mentioned wedding rings?

A. Yes, we had wedding rings also.

Q. What about earrings?

Q. And when you were down there with Puhl didn't you, at
that time, open suitcases full of that stuff?

A. Yes, Puhl showed them to me.

Q. Can you recall any particular suitcase in which certain
individual things were contained?

A. Yes, he showed me especially valuable rings which had
already been assorted.

Q. Now we want to reconstruct the whole thing as
realistically as possible. You were down there at the
Reichsbank.

A. Yes.

Q. With whom?

A. From my group there were with me Gruppenfuehrer Loerner,
Frank, my adjutant, certainly, and several others.

Q. Then Puhl was there?

A. Yes, Puhl was there, and Waldheeker was there, because I
know him personally.

Q. Who else?

A. Puhl and Waldheeker. I believe they were the two from the
Reichsbank. Afterwards I was together with Funk.

Q. That is exactly what I want to know. Now why didn't you
come out with that right at the beginning? That is what I
wanted to know.

A. How could I know that you wanted to find out that sort of
thing?

Home ·  Site Map ·  What's New? ·  Search Nizkor