The Lachout Document
Anatomy of a Forgery

Austrian Resistance Archives, 1990

Statements in copies of two of the "documents" he presented to the ASBO also contradict his stories in the video about his post-war experiences (Russian POW camp, from which he claimed to have escaped umpteen times).

These statements maintain that he was already an NCO medic with the Russian Army on May 9, a day after the capitulation of the Third Reich, and served in this function until May 16, 1945.[46] There is no mention of his asserted service with the Russian military police, after the POW camp, in the ASBO documents.

According to a copy of an "official notarization, MA 2", he was a sergeant and department leader in the Catastrophy Help and Work Service from August 7, to September 2, 1945, where he cleared away rubble and did reconstruction work.

Furthermore, Lachout maintains that except for the period from December 20, 1945 to June 21, 1946, when he was supposedly working as military police NCO with the Russian military command, his work with the Russian Army from June 30, 1946 until June 1, 1947 was as a medic NCO, in the POW medic service.[47]

In the same "document", one reads that Lachout passed his medic NCO test on February 15, 1954 because of his foreign mission with the Red Cross and with the medical corps of the United Nations, and that he was also appointed medic NCO with the mechant marines.[48] The remarkable thing here is that Austria did not join the United Nations until December 15, 1955.

The "documents" Lachout gave ASBO are for the most part copies or duplicates of supposed transcripts. The DOEW thus surmised in its rebuttal for its civil litigation against Lachout that

"...it must be noted here that transcribing documents is a practice that ceased in the 1960s; on the contrary, photocopies of original documents are usually presented.[49] Furthermore, Lachout's 'documents' are in many cases on official stationary - usually from the City Board of Education, or the Office of the Viennese State Government, or of a city department - although the contents make it seem improbable that these offices would certify the same. Notarizations (also copied) occurred in many cases through the notarization of Lachout's signature, or by the certification of a transcript. Therefore it appears that a great number of the presented 'documents' are implausible, and, in some cases, have already proven to be obvious forgeries."[50]

One of the more interesting documents in this connection had already been published by Lachout in the previously mentioned neo-nazi book by Gerd Honsik, "Freispruch für Hitler?" It is a transcript produced by the Federal Chancellory on October 18, 1955, and has the stamp and the "Richtigkeit der Ausfertigung"[51] of the Viennese Board of Education and is "certified" by the Vienna Board of Education as well.

The contents of this "official notarization" establish that Lachout served as a "military police and line officer" from 1947-1955 and was also with the "Mountain Troops" and the gendarmie where he was promoted to Hauptmann (captain) in 1954.[52] These assertions are false. A letter from the Ministry of the Interior to the DOEW asserts Lauchout never belonged to any branch of the Austrian executive body.

Besides, during those years Austria did not have any armed forces.[53] Research has shown that under the file number of this "official notarization" (No. 508.191-I/Pers/55), there is indeed a Federal Chancellory file where Lachout petitioned the Office for Defense for the use of the title of a reserve officer, but his petition was turned down.

The original petition can be found in the Archive of the Republic. Moreover, in 1954 there was no rank of "Hauptmann" in the gendarmie, only Rittmeister. The Office for Defense could never have confirmed such a title. Under these circumstances "the conclusion follows that the official notarization presented by Lachout is a forgery."[54]

The two documents already mentioned above and supposedly produced by the Chair of the First Accident Surgery have already been proven to be forgeries. Prof. Trojan, Chief of the University Clinic for Accident Surgery answered the DOEWs inquiry:

"As far as the 'official notarization' of August 3, 1972 is concerned, I think it is out of the question that such was or could have been issued. I also find the second notarization from Aug. 2, 1972 about the use of the title 'Oberpfleger' improbable, because we have never had an 'Oberpfleger'.

Besides the signature is completely illegible and unidentifiable. In conclusion, I am convinced that such certificates were never issued by the Chair for Accident Surgery. Furthermore, copies of all such certificates and grade reports from the year 1972 are kept at the First University Clinic for Accident Surgery, then the Professiorate for Accident Surgery. Such certificates as mentioned above can not be found and therefore were never issued."[55]

Thus, on the basis of these obvious forgeries, the Austrian Resistance Archives filed charges on suspicion of document forgery against Lachout at the Public Prosecutor's Office.

Emil Lachout's Curriculum Vitae

Born October 20, 1928
1942-1945 From his own account, various activities for the German Wehrmacht and Reichsarbeitsdienst
1945-1955 From his own account, various activities for the Allies
1946 Finished eight semesters polytechnical training
1947-1971 B-Level civil servant with the city of Vienna
1966-1988 Teacher of Protestant religion in Vienna's public schools.

The original plaintext version of this file is available via ftp.

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