Statement

Written on 10. 12. 1945 with Mr. Josef Klábr, retired captain, residing in Prague III., Újezd 15

3-5 German women from Litoměřice, belonging to the NSDAP, were demanded by the first camp commander Dr. Seidl to search the women on the arriving transports and go through and confiscate any illegal items, i.e. money, tobacco, jewelry, and so-called contraband. They were also told to search the housing in the barracks and houses at least 3 x week. They were well paid for this by the Lagerkomandatur. I call this group a privileged thief’s and robber gang, supported by SS-men, especially Dr. Seidl, who is currently in custody in Vienna. A suit was filed to hand him over to the Czechoslovak courts, and the suit was supposed to be broadened to include the so-called ladybirds, who earned their name right from the start. They came from Litoměřice and a policeman was assigned to them, and later only one or two from the camp guards, who couldn’t enter the rooms where the ladybirds were rummaging. These women searched according to their own judgement and in the manner I have already described. It was robbery and piracy. Not only did they confiscate money and tobacco, which they never confirmed and never consigned, but they also here and there found some illegal letters or documents that led to Jews being sent to the fortress or other concentration camps. Besides that, they looted suitcases and bags, and took away mostly women’s stockings and underwear, but also watches and other similar items. From the food that the interned had saved for their small children they selected whatever they liked, they didn’t save, but feasted on what other people had and in many cases destroyed the rest by pouring water or even urine on top of it, in short, vandalism. When we sometimes tried to intervene with our Jewish elder or notify the SS commander of the camp, he answered that it wasn’t the ladybirds who stole, but the Jewish fellow inhabitants. Only a few cases were confirmed. One or maybe more women stole so many things that, during a search by Germans in Litoměřice, they found about 80 watches, about 100 pairs of women’s silk stockings, underwear, etc. in the possession of one of them. As far as I know, one of them was punished. We also observed how our camp guard in many cases stuffed luggage full of confiscated goods, which our authorities had to take to the komandatur after searching it. We found out that one of these women, before handing the goods over, took the things to the mill behind the fortress, where she had dealings with a buyer who she sold part of the stolen things to. Complaints mounted. When the international committee was supposed to arrive, the Lagerkomandant thought it would be a good idea to put an end to it out of fear that this conduct could be a reason for the international committee to terminate the camp. That was in 1944.

I can only repeat what I have said. It was a privileged thieve’s and robber gang under the protection of the Lagerkomandant.

Signature:

Documentation campaign: Scheck