Medical Experimentationduring the Holocaust

Dr. Josef Mengele, the “Angel of Death”

Dr. Mengele personally supervised and participated in experimentation on human victims during the Holocaust. The following is an overview of the types of experiments conducted. They are described realistically to paint a clear picture and to show the extreme nature of the harm.

DIRECTIONS: Use the outline worksheet to complete the notes based on the slides.

I. Freezing ExperimentsA. Used to investigate two questions:

1. How long can a body withstand freezing temperatures before death?

2. Can a frozen victim be resuscitated?

B. Two methods:1. Icy vat

a. Naked victim placed in freezing cold water

b. Probe that measured temperature inserted into rectum and held in place with metal ring

2. Stretchera. Naked victim strapped to a stretcher and left outside

in sub-zero temperature

Clandestine photograph of a Polish political prisoner and

medical experimentation victim in the Ravensbrück concentration

camp. Pictured is Maria Kusmierczuk. Her leg was

disfigured by injections of tetanus bacteria as part of medical

experiments carried out in the camp. October 1944.

II. Resuscitation ExperimentsA. Sun Lamp: victim placed under lamps so hot they burnt

the skin

B. Internal Irrigation: boiling water forcefully irrigated into victim’s stomach, bladder, and intestines

C. Hot Bath: victim placed in hot water, heat slowly raised

1. most successful method

2. many still died of shock

III. Low Pressure ExperimentsA. Used to determine how high Nazi pilots could fly

B. Victims exposed to deadly amounts of air pressure

IV. Genetic ExperimentsA. Conducted by Josef Mengele

B. Attempted to determine Aryan superiority

C. Experiments on twins1. Bodies photographed, measured, and x-rayed2. Substantial amounts of body hair plucked out

by the root3. Totally shaven of all other hair, Photographed

again4. Several two liter enemas (laxatives)5. Extensive lower intestinal examination6. Urological examination7. All experiments conducted without anesthesia8. Twins gagged to prevent screaming9. Killed simultaneously by an injection to the

heart10. Bodies dissected, organs sent to research labs