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

On 15th April, 1945, after a truce agreement, the first British officer arrived in Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp, followed by other officers and men of the British forces including medical personnel. These officers discovered the most horrifying conditions imaginable. In a camp of approximately 1500 by 350 metres were confined about 40000 men and women in the most extreme state of starvation and emaciation, many suffering from Typhus, and in addition there were some 13000 unburied corpses, very little food, shocking living conditions, and no medical assistance. Further inquiries revealed a tragic story of ill-treatment, beatings, brutality, and murder by the S.S. staff and promoted prisoners, many of whom had been members of the staff of the notorious Auschwitz Concentration Camp where millions of persons were gassed and cremated.

On 17th September, 1945, Josef Kramer, the Camp Commandant, and 44 others stood in the dock before a Military Court at Lüneburg to answer for their deeds at Belsen and Auschwitz. Two charges were preferred, one relating to Belsen and the other to Auschwitz, some of the prisoners being charged only on the one count and others on both. The prisoners were defended by one Polish and eleven British officers, all members of the legal profession in civil life, and received a most painstaking and fair trial which lasted 54 days.

In this account of the trial will be found the full details of the Prosecution case and the defence of the accused. The story is grim indeed, and would be hard to believe were it not given from the mouths of witnesses and in affidavit form in overwhelming abundance. This case deals only with two such dreadful camps, although others flit through the pages, but is typical of the cruelty and oppression to be found in practically all the Nazi camps for those in "protective custody." The gassings at Auschwitz, the attacks by dogs, the beatings, the stavation, even cannibalism, are described in evidence, which is supported by the illustrations reproduced. In his Introduction the Editor has outlined the case, the legal points at issue, and the background story.