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

(89) DEPOSITION OF ESTERA WAJSBLUM (Pole, aged 22)

2. I recognise No. 3 on photograph 5 as an S.S. kitchen chief in No. 1 Kitchen at Belsen, where I was employed. I have now been told that his name is Ansgar Pichen. About three weeks before the English [British] came, a male prisoner, whose name I do not know, was working next to the wire separating No. 1 Kitchen from the men’s camp at Belsen. I was in the kitchen at the time and I saw Pichen leave the kitchen. He went up to this prisoner and searched him. He then returned to the kitchen with some foodstuffs he had found on the prisoner. He then accused the girls working in the kitchen that one of them had given the stuff to the prisoners, but we all denied having done so. Pichen then left the kitchen again and went towards the prisoner. When about five metres from him he pulled his pistol out of the holster and shot him. He fell down bleeding from the chest and I was of the opinion that he was dead. Pinchen then ordered other prisoners to take the body away and this was done. The next day I was told by some male prisoners who came for food that the man shot by Pichen was dead.

3. About 13th or 14th April, 1945, all girls working in No. 1 Kitchen were ordered by Pichen to leave the kitchen and wait outside whilst he attended a parade of S.S. men, which was being held in the vicinity of the S.S. quarters. There was only one S.S. man left behind and he did duty at the guard tower. Many male prisoners who were starving took the opportunity of obtaining turnips which were piled up outside Kitchen No. 1. After about half an hour Pichen and an S.S. Rottenführer who worked in the kitchen returned. I do know the name of the Rottenführer except that his first name was Josef. When they saw the prisoners, who numbered about 50, stealing the turnips, they ran towards them, firing as they ran. They opened fire from about 30 metres. I saw many of these prisoners fall down. When they, Pichen and Josef, reached the kitchen, Josef went inside, but Pichen continued firing at the prisoners who were trying to escape. To escape from the firing we, the girls working in the kitchen, went inside the kitchen immediately it was open. I would estimate that a total number of men shot by Pichen and Josef was between 10 and 15. After about half an hour I saw other prisoners take away those who had been shot. The prisoners dragged those who had been shot by the ankles, which was the usual method of taking corpses away for burial.