A Roman Catholic Bishop who, in 1941, had been a prisoner in Sachsenhausen concentration camp, testified today at the trial of William Schubert, who was an SS officer in the camp, telling of witnessing atrocities committed by Schubert.
The trial entered its 40th day today. Until now, Schubert has been most contemptuous against all witnesses. Usually wearing a grin as witness after witness told of his atrocities, he has often interrupted testimony, yelling “liar” or “Jew conspirator” at the witnesses.
Today, Bishop Johannes Neuhausler was called to the stand. The Bishop had been assigned by the Roman Catholic Church the task of reporting, under the Nazi regime, about Nazi activities against his church. He said he was sending his reports to the German Episcopate and to the Vatican. In 1941, he was arrested and sent to Sachsenhausen.
“I saw this man,” the Bishop said, pointing to Schubert, “mistreating two Jewish prisoners. I saw him beat these two men to the ground. He hit them with a wooden shoe.”
Schubert sat tight dipped and grim when he heard this testimony, refusing to comment after the Bishop had testified. Just before the clergyman took the stand, Schubert made one slight admission. He stated: “I only touched prisoners with my bare hands. Occasionally, I slapped their faces.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
