War Crimes Trials - Vol. II The Belsen Trial. 'The Trial of Josef Kramer and Forty Four Others'

The Trial (Findings of the Court)
 

FINDINGS OF THE COURT

The PRESIDENT - I wish to make it perfectly clear to the accused that findings of guilty are subject to confirmation by superior military authority. Findings of not guilty are final, and clear the accused of the particular charge on which they are given.

All of you, with the exception of No. 48, Stanislawa Starostka, were arraigned before this Court charged with committing a war crime at Bergen-Belsen, Germany, as detailed in the charge-sheet. I shall refer to that as the first charge.

In addition, No. 1 Kramer, 2 Klein, 3 Weingartner, 4 Kraft, 5 Hoessler, 6 Bormann, 7 Volkenrath, 8 Ehlert, 9 Grese, 10 Lothe, 11 Lohbauer, and 26 Schreirer, are charged with committing a war crime at Auschwitz, Poland, as detailed in the charge-sheet. The accused No 48, Stanislawa Starostka, was arraigned on that Auschwitz charge only. I shall refer to that Auschwitz charge as the second charge.

No. 1 Kramer; the Court find you guilty of the first charge and guilty of the second charge.

No. 2 Klein; the Court find you guilty of the first charge and guilty of the second charge.

No. 3 Weingartner; the Court find you guilty of the first charge and guilty of the second charge.

No. 4 Kraft; the Court find you not guilty of the first charge and not guilty of the second charge.

No. 5 Hoessler; the Court find you not guilty of the first charge and guilty of the second charge.

No. 6 Bormann; the Court find you not guilty of the first charge and guilty of the second charge.

No. 7 Volkenrath; the Court find you guilty of the first charge and guilty of the second charge.

No. 8 Ehlert; the Court find you guilty of the first charge and not guilty of the second charge.

No.9 Grese; the Court find you guilty of the first charge and guilty of the second charge.

No. 10 Lothe; the Court find you not guilty of the first charge and not guilty of the second charge.

No. 11 Lohbauer; the Court find you guilty of the first charge and guilty of the second charge.

No. 12 Klippel; the Court find you not guilty of the first charge.

No. 14 Schmitz; the Court find you not guilty of the first charge.

No. 16 Francioh; the Court find you guilty of the first charge.

No. 18 Mathes; the Court find you not guilty of the first charge.

No. 19 Kulessa; the Court find you guilty of the first charge.

No. 20 Burgraf; the Court find you guilty of the first charge.

No. 21 Egersdorf; the Court find you not guilty of the first charge.

No. 22 Pichen ; the Court find you guilty of the first charge.

No. 23 Otto; the Court find you not guilty of the first charge.

No. 25 Stofel; the Court find you guilty of the first charge.

No. 26 Schreirer; the Court find you not guilty of the first charge and guilty of the second charge.

No. 27 Dorr; the Court find you guilty of the first charge.

No. 28 Barsch; the Court find you not guilty of the first charge.

No. 29 Zoddel; the Court find you guilty of the first charge.

No. 30 Schlomoivicz; the Court find you not guilty of the first charge.

No. 31 Ostrowski; the Court find you guilty of the first charge.

No. 32 Aurdzieg; the Court find you guilty of the first charge.

No. 33 Ilse Forster; the Court find you guilty of the first charge.

No. 34 Ida Forster; the Court find you not guilty of the first charge.

No. 35 Opitz; the Court find you not guilty of the first charge.

No. 36 Charlotte Klein; the Court find you not guilty of the first charge.

No. 37 Bothe; the Court find you guilty of the first charge.

No. 38 Walter; the Court find you guilty of the first charge.

No. 39 Haschke; the Court find you guilty of the first charge.

No. 40 Fiest; the Court find you guilty of the first charge.

No. 41 Sauer; the Court find you guilty of the first charge.

No. 42 Lisiewitz; the Court find you guilty of the first charge.

No. 43 Roth; the Court find you guilty of the first charge.

No. 44 Hempel; the Court find you guilty of the first charge.

No. 45 Hahnel; the Court find you not guilty of the first charge.

No. 46 Koper; the Court find you guilty of the first charge

No. 47 Polanski; the Court find you not guilty of the first charge.

No. 48 Starostka; the Court find you guilty of the second charge.

In the case of findings of guilty on the first charge, the words "Anna Kis, Sara Kohn (both Hungarian nationals), Heimech Glinovjechy and Maria Konatkevicz (both Polish nationals)" will be omitted as well as the words: "A female internee named Korperova."

In the case of findings of guilty on the second charge, the words: "And particularly to Ewa Gryka and Hanka Rosenwayg (both Polish nationals)" will be omitted.

Fourteen of the accused have been found not guilty of the charges preferred. You are therefore no longer the concern of this Court and you will now be removed by the Provost Marshal and held in safe custody pending such orders as the Convening Officer may see fit to issue.

 
The Trial (Findings of the Court)