Hans Biebov, former commander of the Lodz ghetto, who directed the execution of 300,000 Jews and also organized the Chelmno death camp, went on trial here today as a war criminal. His trial is expected to last one week.
One of the three judges is Michael Mirsky, chairman of the local Jewish committee. Jewish witnesses to be heard include a representative of the Jewish Historical Commission, which has in its possession most of the documents of the Lodz Nazi administration affecting Jews. In a statement to the court, Biebov, who was a wealthy Bremen merchant, said that he only carried out the orders of the Gestapo.
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