The Trial of Josef Kramer and Forty Four Others

Exhibit 112 Statements of Irma Grese

IN THE MATTER OF WAR CRIMES AND ATROCITIES AT AUSCHWITZ AND BELSEN CAMPS

Statement of SS Kommandoführerin Irma Grese.

I am 21years of age and come from Wrechen near Feldberg, Mecklenburg. From the age of 16 I worked as an assistant nurse in a hospital and remained there until I was 18 years old. I wanted to become a nurse but was made to join the SS as a supervisor at concentration camps. This was in July 1942.

I first went to Ravensbrück where I was made an Aufseherin and placed in charge of female working parties consisting of about 20 prisoners. In March 1943 I was sent to Birkenau near Auschwitz, where I remained up to January 1945. I then went to Ravensbrück for four weeks and arrived at Belsen in March 1945.

I know from the prisoners that there were gas chambers at Auschwitz and that prisoners were gassed there. Dr. Mengele came in the camp at Birkenau and sorted out the people unfit for work for these transports. I knew what was happening and have hidden mothers and children away in order that they should not be chosen. I was once denounced by the Jews for having done this and was put under arrest for two days in my room. Jews were used as spies in this camp and had certain privileges. I never took part in choosing people and was only on parade for roll call and seeing that no one escaped.

I have never beaten or kicked any prisoners. It is true that I made people stand on Appell for long periods but never until they dropped. I have seen people beaten by Rapportführer Tauber at Birkenau and by Rapportführer Drechsel. I was once told by Drechsel that if it was necessary I could hit prisoners but I never did this. I cannot remember who was Kommandant at this time. Whilst I was there Hoess, Hartjenstein, Scharz and Kramer were Kommandanten.

Conditions in the concentration camps were bad for everyone including the SS The only time I was allowed home was for five days after I had finished my training at Ravensbrück. I then told my father about the concentration camp and he gave me a beating and told me never to come home again. Himmler is responsible for all that has happened but I suppose I have as much guilt as all the others above me. Conditions were very bad at Belsen but there was little I could do although I did all I could do to help.

Signature: Irma Grese

Certified that I have accurately translated the above statement from German to English and have read it over to Irma Grese in German, the said Irma Grese having signed it in my presence.

Signature: H.H. Alexander.

DEPOSITION OF CAPTAIN ALFRED JAMES FOX, D.A.P.M 86 S.I.S., Special Investigation Branch, Corps of Military Police, stationed in Ostend, sworn before me Major Geoffrey Smallwood (Major Legal Staff), an Officer of the Staff of the Judge Advocate General to the Forces.

On 19th May 1945 I visted Celle prison where I saw Irma Grese. I spoke too her, through the above named interpreter, and she imtimated that she wished to make a signed statement. I have recorded her statement which is attached and which she signed in my presence.

Signed

Sworn by me Captain Alfred James Fox this 21st day of May 1945 at Belsen camp.

Before me Major Geoffrey Smallwood.

IN THE MATTER OF WAR CRIMES AT BELSEN AND AUSCHWITZ

Deposition of Irma Grese (female) SS Kommandoführerin at Auschwitz and Belsen, late of Wrechen, near Feldberg, sworn before Lieutenant Colonel Leopold John Genn, Royal Artillery, Commanding No. 1 War Crimes Investigation Team.

1. I have said in a previous statement that I have never beaten or ill-treated prisoners. I have thought it over and I now wish to confess that I have done so and to tell the truth.

2. My duties at Belsen included taking Appell or roll-call twice a week. My rank was Kommandoführerin. I was employed as Aufseherin. In this capacity it was my duty to supervise tidiness and general cleanliness in the camp. My duties were in the women's camp only. I never struck prisoners during the 3 ½ weeks I was at Belsen.

3. While at Auschwitz I struck female prisoners on the face with my hand for using dixies as latrine buckets. Though I never struck prisoners in Belsen and I never saw anyone else do so, I remember seeing Rapportführerin Drechsel strike prisoners at Auschwitz. She did this with her hand. I only saw it from a distance but they were struck only on the head. I myself did not strike prisoners often but quite frequently when they did something I didn’t like.

4. On the whole I consider that I treated prisoners well. I did not think that any of them were hostile to me when I was working in the camp. I now find that they all appear to be hostile to me. I think that is because they were hostile to all SS because they cannot forget the number of people among them who were gassed at Auschwitz. I myself think they are perfectly right to feel hostile towards us.

5. I have been shown photograph B.U. 3746 showing a woman with bad scars on her face which I believe to have been caused by beating with a stick. I have never seen such a thing happen at Belsen but I have definitely seen Unterscharführer Tauber beat people in this way at Auschwitz. He did it with a stick.

6. I have again reflected and I wish to add that I have in fact beaten prisoners other than with my hand as already described. This was at Auschwitz when for at least a week several of us SS women had short whips made in the camp workshops with one of which I several times struck prisoners before these whips were taken away from us as unauthorised Arms were never carried or possessed by any SS women.

7. I also now admit that I punished prisoners by making them kneel on the grounds for periods of a quarter of an hour at a time. I did not at the same time make them hold their hands above their heads but I saw this being done when I have made my report to another part of the camp at Auschwitz. I do not know the names of the people in Auschwitz responsible for inflicting this punishment.

8. I remember saying in the first statement I made to an English [British] officer that "Himmler is responsible for all that has happened, but I suppose I have as much guilt as all the others above me." I meant by this that simply by being in the S.S and seeing the crimes committed on orders from those in authority and doing nothing to protest or stop them being committed makes anybody in the SS as guilty as anybody else. The crimes I refer to are the gassing of persons at Auschwitz and the killing of thousands at Belsen by starvation and disease. I consider the crime to be murder.

9. I know about the gas chamber at Auschwitz because prisoners who worked in it told us about it. I only saw it myself from a distance but I have no doubt that many were gassed there.

10. I recognise a number of people on photographs I have been shown of SS guards who were at Belsen. No. 3 on photograph 1 was a clerk at Auschwitz. I do not know his duties at Belsen. No. 4 on photograph 3 was an electrician at Belsen and Auschwitz. No. 1 on photograph 5 was a cook at Auschwitz and in the food store at Belsen. No. 2 on photograph 5 worked with No. 4 on photograph 3 as an electrician both at Auschwitz and Belsen. No. 4 on photograph 7 was a cook at Belsen. No. 5 on photograph 9 is Doctor Klein. No. 3 on photograph 9 was a waiter in the Officers' Mess at Belsen. No. 1 on photograph 9 was only at Belsen a few days. He came from Mittelbau. I do not know how he was employed. Nos. 1 and 3 on photograph 12 were employed at both Auschwitz and Belsen in the guardroom checking prisoners in and out. On photograph 22 No. 6 was in charge of all SS women guards,. No. 5 was No. 6’s second in command, No. 3 was a telephonist, No. 1 was in charge of the bread store. On photograph 19 No. 6 was in the kitchen for a little while, No. 5 and No. 4 were Aufseherinnen, No. 3 looked after the pigs, No. 2 was a telephonist. On photograph 25 No. 5 was in charge of the wood cutting and chopping, No. 4 supervised outside working parties. On photograph 35 No. 1 was a telephonist, No. 2 was sick while I was there, No. 3 worked in the kitchen. On photograph 37 No. 2 was in the kitchen, No. 3 was also in the kitchen.

11. I never saw any of the before mentioned SS ill-treating prisoners in any way. I have now confessed to all the ill-treatment of prisoners of which I was guilty because it has been on my conscience. I have nothing else to admit.

Sworn by the said deponent Irma Grese at Celle, this 14th day of June 1945.

(Signed) Grese Irma.

I hereby certify that, the said deponent not understanding English, this affidavit was translated in my presence to the said deponent before swearing and I am satified that its contents were fully understood by the said deponent.

Dated this 14th day of June 1945

Signed L.J. Genn, Lt. Col. R.A.

I hereby certify that I have accurately translated this affidavit to the said deponent.

Dated this 14th day of June 1945

Signed [Unreadable] Cpl.

IN THE MATTER OF WAR CRIMES AT BELSEN AND AUSCHWITZ.

Further deposition of Irma Grese (female) SS Kommandoführerin at Auschwitz and Belsen, late of Wrechen, near Feldberg, sworn before Lieutenant Colonel Leopold John Genn, Royal Artillery, Commanding No. 1 War Crimes Investigation Team.

1. On further reflection I wish to say that in three respects the statements I made in my previous deposition were not accurate. First of all I previously stated that I never carried arms. In fact Aufseherinnen at Auschwitz did carry pistols, I among them. My pistol, however, was never loaded and I did not know how to use it nor did I ever do so. Second, when I stated that the only time I had used a weapon to beat prisoners was when I had a whip for a week, this was untrue. I did in fact always have a whip which I used consistently whenever necessary. Third, I admit that there was also a walking stick which we kept in the Lagerältester’s room and which, although it was unauthorised, we frequently used to beat prisoners. I usually used to beat them on the shoulders, but there were times when, because of the numbers involved, they were beaten on any part of the body that happened to be easiest. All the beatings to which I refer were immediate and I have never taken part in deliberately organised punishments. If it was desired to inflict an organised beating the prisoner had to be reported and confined in a special cell pending punishment. I never saw any such authorised punishment carried out.

Sworn by the said deponent Irma Grese at Celle this 14th day of June 1945

Signed Grese, Irma

I hereby certify that, the said deponent not understanding English, this affidavit was translated in my presence to the said deponent before swearing and I am satified that its contents were fully understood by the said deponent.

Dated this 14th day of June 1945

Signed L.J. Genn, Lt. Col. R.A.

I hereby certify that I have accurately translated this affidavit to the said deponent.

Dated this 14th day of June 1945

Signed [Unreadable] Cpl.