Judgment at Nuremberg Page #8

and so forth.

What else did they ask you?

They asked me when Adolf Hitler

and Dr. Goebbels were born.

What did you reply?

I told them I didn't know,

and also that I didn't care.

Did they ask you any more questions?

No. They told me that

I would be hearing from them in ten days.

I see. Now, Mr. Petersen...

I'd like you to look at something.

Do you recognize it?

Yeah.

Would you please read it for the tribunal?

"District Court of Stuttgart.

"The baker, Rudolph Petersen,

born May ...

"son of railway employee, Hans Petersen...

"is to be sterilized."

Now would you read the last paragraph?

"It is therefore requested...

"he present himself within two weeks...

"to one of the hospitals mentioned below.

"If he does not...

"betake himself voluntarily...

"he will be taken by force."

Please read the signature at the bottom.

"Presiding Justice Hoffstetter."

Would you read

what is written below the signature?

- Below?

- Below.

"By authority of...

"Ernst Janning...

"Minister of Justice."

Your Honor...

may the defense see the file

of Mr. Petersen?

What did you do

after you received the letter, Mr. Petersen?

I ran away.

I stayed at the farm of a friend I have.

And did you return?

- Did I what?

- Did you return?

Yes.

And what happened then?

The police came.

Where did they take you?

To the hospital.

Mr. Petersen, excuse me.

I wonder if you could speak

a little louder, please.

To the hospital.

And what happened at the hospital?

They kept me there.

The nurse who was...

Well, she came in, anyway.

She was to prepare me for the operation.

And she said

she thought the whole thing was terrible.

Then the doctor came in

who was supposed to do the...

And he said he thought it was awful.

Were you, in fact, sterilized?

Thank you very much, Mr. Petersen.

That's all.

Herr Rolfe?

Mr. Petersen...

you may take your earphones off now,

if you want to.

You say you work as a baker's helper?

Is that correct?

Yes, that is right.

What other occupations have you held?

I have worked for my father.

What did your father do?

He was a railroad worker.

Yes, but what did he do?

He would raise and lower the barrier...

at the crossing, for traffic.

And you spoke about your brothers.

How many brothers do you have?

Five.

And sisters?

Four.

- Then you are a family of ten?

- Yes.

What occupations do your brothers have?

Laborers.

All laborers? I see.

You said the court at Stuttgart

asked you two questions:

The birth dates of Hitler and Dr. Goebbels.

Is that correct?

Yes, correct.

What else did they ask you?

Nothing else.

Are you sure?

Are you sure there were no questions

about your schooling?

Objection!

The witness

has already answered that question.

Objection sustained.

May I ask you...

how long did you attend school?

Six years.

Six years? Why not longer?

I had to go to work.

Would you consider yourself

a very bright fellow at school?

School?

It was a long while ago. I don't...

Perhaps you were not able to keep up

with the others...

and that's why you did not continue?

Objection, Your Honor.

The witness' school record has nothing

to do with what happened to him.

It was the task of the Health Court

to sterilize the mentally incompetent.

Objection overruled.

Were you able, or were you not able...

to keep up with the others?

I would like to refer to the efficiency report

made at the school about Mr. Petersen.

He failed to be promoted, and

was placed in a class of backward children.

You say your parents died of natural causes.

Yes.

Would you describe in detail

the illness your mother died of?

She died of her heart.

In the last stages of her illness,

did your mother...

show any mental peculiarities?

No.

In the decision that came down

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