The Trial of Josef Kramer and Forty Four Others
Exhibit 58 Affidavit of Hilda Löffler
IN THE MATTER OF WAR CRIMES AND IN THE MATTER OF DEATHS FROM VIOLENCE AND PERSISTENT CRUELTY AT BELSEN
DEPOSITION OF HILDA LÖFFLER, Pressburg [Bratislava], Vrbové, Slovakia, sworn before me, Major P. Ingress Bell, D.A.A.G., Legal Staff, Judge Advocate General's Staff.
1. I am 22 years old. I am a Jewess of Czechoslovakian nationality. I was arrested by the Germans in March 1942 and taken to Auschwitz Camp. In January 1945 I was transferred to Belsen camp and employed as supervisor over parties of women internees.
2. I name 3 SS women as chiefly and jointly responsible for the deaths of many women prisoners as mentioned hereunder. These women are: - Ehlert, Gollasch and Volkenrath.
3. The prisoners worked under these three women collecting wood. On one occasion two prisoners escaped from a party of 600. The remainder were punished by being deprived of food and water for three days. After this the very sick girls were specially chosen for this heavy work and numbers were taken from the hospital. As a result of this many died from the overwork and the casual beatings they received. In March 1945 alone deaths from these working parties, working under the supervision of these three women, amounted to about 200 daily.
4. In addition, I name the woman Ehlert as being responsible for great cruelty to Helene Herkovitz. This girl was beaten by Ehlert and shut up in an air raid shelter for about two weeks with little food or drink and without bedding. The victim was ill for about a month afterwards and was unable to get up. In addition to this case she treated many others in the same way.
5. I name SS Rottenführer Heidemann. On numerous occasions he came to my block and beat sick girls who were unable to get up to attend roll call. Some of these girls were actually dying and did in fact die. I have seen him batter their heads with a stick, kick their skulls in and grind their faces with his heel. There were between 600 and 700 girls in the one block and deaths were between 30 and 40 per day all the time I was there.
Sworn by the above named Hilda Löffler this 3rd day of May 1945 at Belsen.
(Signed) Hilda Löffler.
Before me the said P. Ingress Bell.
(Signed) P. Ingress Bell.
Certified that the above is an accurate translation of the evidence given by the said Hilda Löffler in my presence.
(Signed) Charlotte Duschenes.
