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

(47) DEPOSITION OF IVAN KAROBJENIKOW (U.S.S.R., aged 22)

2. On 15th June, 1945, I was shown by Sergeant Scamans, 86 Special Investigation Section Corps of Military Police, a man whom I recognised as the Kapo who was in charge of Block 19 at Ellrich Camp. I have now been informed that his full name is Vladislav Ostrowoski.

3. After leaving Dora Camp for Belsen Camp I spent two days at Ellrich Camp, and it was then that I met the man I have referred to. The first day at Dora I was one of 900 men of Block 19 who were ordered to sit in a squatting position for four or five hours because one of the internees had excreted outside the block. This punishment was given by Ostrowoski, who hit any prisoner who moved or spoke with a soup-ladle handle. He confined most of these beatings to the very sick prisoners. During the two days I was at Ellrich I saw Ostrowski beat many sick prisoners over the head with this same instrument. The heads of the beaten prisoners were cut open and blood streamed from their wounds. On several occasions I have had to remove bodies of persons who died at Ellrich Camp because of the beatings received from Ostrowoski. I have seen Ostrowski beat them. They died the same day. I cannot remember their names.

4. Whilst I was at Belsen Camp I was again in Block 19 and Ostrowoski was a camp policeman. During this time I saw him beat many sick prisoners, mostly at Appell times, for no reason at all. When prisoners lined up for food, Ostrowoski went down the line of waiting men and beat and hit them. Again it was mostly the sick prisoners who took the punishment.

5. One morning, just after we arrived at Belsen, Ostrowoski called everyone out on Appell. One of the prisoners, I do not know his name but he was a Frenchman, was so sick that he could not move. I saw Ostrowoski hit the Frenchman on the head with a soup ladle handle. I cannot say just what injuries he received, but his head was covered in blood. I later saw this man’s body dragged away by other prisoners and put on to a heap of dead bodies outside the hut. I saw for myself that he was dead.