D'AMATO WANTS ALL DOCUMENTS FROM IDAR-OBERSTEIN PRISON CAMP CITES FORMER GUARDS WHO SAY MENGELE WAS HELD THERE BY U.S.

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP87M01152R000100090022-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 11, 2010
• Sequence Number: 22
• Publication Date: February 19, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

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:S. Senator Al D'Amato
of New York
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UPON RECEIPT Gary Lewi 212 947 7390
D'AMATO WANTS ALL DOCUMENTS FROM IDAR-OBERSTEIN PRISON CAMP
CITES FORMER GUARDS WHO SAY MENGELE WAS HELD THERE BY U.S.
U.S. Senator Alfonse M. D'Amato (R-C-NY) said today that a second
former guard at the Idar-Oberstein Prison Camp has surfaced to confirm
that Nazi war criminal Josef Mengele may have been held by American
forces immediately following World War II.
D'Amato said that the account of former PFC Richard A. Schwarz,
who in 1945 served as a guard at the camp, corroborates information
revealed last week by Walter Kempthorne, another guard who contends
the Americans did have Mengele.
"We need to see the records from that camp," D'Amato said, noting
that he has requested the Army to come forth with all information
about the Idar-Oberstein Prison Camp.
"We know Nazi war criminals were held at that camp," D'Amato
said. "Now, two former guards tell us that we had Mengele. If that's
true, as I believe it is, then we must determine how he got free."
Last month, D'Amato requested Army Secretary John Marsh, CIA
Director William Casey, and National Security Advisor Robert McFarlane
to order an intensive search of post-war intelligence information.
This is now underway and the Senator hopes that this information will
determine how Mengele escaped and open new leads that will help find
him today.
"If Mengele was in our hands and then released for whatever
reason, we have an obligation to correct that horrendous mistake,"
D'Amato said. "The world must not remember that it was the United
States that let the "Angel of Death" go free to live a normal life
after cruelly destroying the lives of so many innocent people."
On Sunday, Senator D'Amato revealed that the United States has
information indicating that Mengele recently may have been in
Portugal.
"It is most urgent that the United States contact the government
of Portugal, provide "whatever information we can, and ask that they
immediately initiate a search for Mengele or those who have helped
him," he said.
"We need every piece of information we can get if Mengele is to
be brought to justice," D'Amato said. "The clock is running out -
Josef Mengele is 73 years old this year. It would be a cruel mockery
of justice if this monster who killed and tortured so many thousands
of innocent men, women, and children, were allowed to die in his bed
of old age without ever having been called to account for his crime;."
L
HCD reviewed: no objection to release as redacted
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SENATOR ALFONSE D' AMMATO
STATEMENT ON
THE SEARCH FOR
DR, JOSEF MENGELE
MR. CHAIRMAN:
I AM PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO APPEAR BEFORE THIS SUBCOMMITTEE
TODAY TO TESTIFY ON MY EFFORTS TO LOCATE DR. JOSEF MENGELE, THE
INFAMOUS "ANGEL OF DEATH" OF AUSCHWITZ. WHILE I AM PLEASED WITH
THE COOPERATION I HAVE RECEIVED SO FAR FROM VARIOUS AGENCIES IN
THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, I AM HERE TODAY TO MAKE CLEAR THE NEED FOR
CONTINUED MAXIMUM EFFORT IN THIS SEARCH,
DR, MENGELE WAS THE CHIEF PHYSICIAN AT AUSCHWITZ, PERHAPS
THE WORST OF THE NAZI EXTERMINATION CAMPS, HE WAS THE "SELECTING
PHYSICIAN", THE MAN WHO STOOD ON THE TRAIN PLATFORM, INSPECTED
THE JEWISH PRISONERS' AS.,THEY ARRIVED, AND CHOSE 'THOSE WHO WERE TO
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THE B ALFONSE D' A iA.TO
19 FEB 85
GO IMMEDIATELY TO THE GAS CHAMBERS FOR EXTERMINATION AND THOSE
WHO WERE TO GO TO THE BARRACKS,
IN THIS ROLE, HE WAS DIRECTLY AND PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE MURDER OF MORE THAN 400,000 OF HIS FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS,
BEYOND HIS ROLE AS THE SELECTING PHYSICIAN, HOWEVER, HE ALSO
CONDUCTED DEADLY AND BRUTAL EXPERIMENTS ON INMATES. HE IS
PARTICULARLY INFAMOUS FOR HIS GROTESQUE EXPERIMENTS INVOLVING
TWINS -- EXPERIMENTS THAT WERE CLOSER TO TORTURE THAN THEY WERE
TO ANY LEGITIMATE SCIENTIFIC EFFORT.
HE IS THE WORST OF THE SURVIVING NAZI WAR CRIMINALS,
MENGELE IS 73 YEARS OLD THIS YEAR. IT WOULD BE A CRUEL
MOCKERY OF JUSTICE IF THIS MONSTER WHO KILLED AND TORTURED SO
MANY THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN, WERE ALLOWED
TO DIE IN HIS BED OF OLD AGE WITHOUT EVER HAVING BEEN CALLED TO
ACCOUNT FOR HIS CRIMES.
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.
HE H0[,`; ."'A,T, l E A' L FGIN'CE D ' Id i A T 0
19 FEB 85
WE MUST FIND HIM NOW, WITH EVERY PASSING DAY, THE CHANCES OF
HIS ESCAPING JUSTICE INCREASE,
I TOOK IMMEDIATE ACTION WHEN THE SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER,
WHICH RABBI MARVIN HIER HEADS, UNCOVERED THE APRIL 26, 1947
LETTER FROM U.S. INTELLIGENCE OFFICER BEN J. M, GORBY TO THE
COMMANDER OF THE U.S. 430TH COUNTER INTELLIGENCE CORPS DETACHMENT
IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA. GORBY'S LETTER STATED THAT HIS OFFICE HAD
RECEIVED INFORMATION THAT DR. MENGELE "HAD BEEN ARRESTED IN
VIENNA,"
SINCE THEN, I HAVE BEEN USING EVERY RESOURCE AT MY DISPOSAL
TO UNCOVER AND REVEAL ANY AND ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS OUR GOVERNMENT
MAY HAVE IN ITS FILES ON MENGELE, NO STONE f LIST BE LEFT UNTURNED
IN OUR EFFORTS TO FIND THIS MONSTER,
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT BEARS A SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY
TO SEEK THE APPREHENSION OF DR, IfENGELE, IF THE REPORT IS
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Th LE- ALFOr SE D'A^iAT0
19 FEB 85
ACCURATE THAT WE HAD HIM IN CUSTODY SHORTLY AFTER THE WAR AND
THEN LET HIM GO, WE NO LONGER HAVE THE CONVENIENT EXCUSE THAT
MENGELE IS SOMEONE ELSE'S PROBLEM -- THE GERMANS', THE POLES', OR
THE ISRAELIS', HE IS OUR PROBLEM,
IF HE WAS IN OUR HANDS AND HE WAS RELEASED, FOR WHATEVER
REASON, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO CORRECT THAT HORRENDOUS MISTAKE
BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE, THE WORLD MUST NOT REMEMBER THAT IT WAS
THE.UNITED STATES THAT LET THE "ANGEL OF DEATH" GO FREE TO LIVE A
NORMAL LIFE, AFTER HE CRUELLY HAD DESTROYED THE LIVES OF SO MANY
INNOCENT PEOPLE,
UPON RELEASE OF THE GORBY LETTER, I WROTE TO-THE PRESIDENT'S
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR, THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY, AND THE
DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE, CALLING FOR AN INTENSIVE AND
SYSTEMATIC SEARCH OF THEIR FILES FOR ALL INFORMATION RELATING TO
DR, MENGELE, THAT SEARCH IS NOW UNDERWAY.
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T rA r , kRBLF ALFGIN SE D' [A1'VATO
19FEB 85
I JOINED WITH RABBI HIER AND RABBI COOPER AS CO-PLAINTIFFS
IN-A SUIT AGAINST THE ARMY TO OBTAIN THE FOUR DOCUMENTS WHICH THE
SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER HAD UNCOVERED THROUGH A FREEDOM OF
INFORMATION ACT REQUEST, BUT WHICH HAD BEEN WITHHELD BY THE ARMY
ON THE GROUNDS, RESPECTIVELY, THAT ONE DOCUMENT WAS PROPERLY
CLASSIFIED "CONFIDENTIAL," AND THAT THE THREE OTHERS WERE
"PROVIDED [TO THE UNITED STATES] BY FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS WITH THE
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED EXPECTATION THAT THEY BE HELD IN CONFIDENCE,"
THIS SUIT WAS FILED IN FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT FOR
WASHINGTON, D.C ? ON JANUARY 29, 1985, JUDGE FLANNERY WAS
ASSIGNED TO HEAR THE MATTER.
AS A RESULT OF THIS FILING, THE ARMY HAS ALREADY RELEASED
THREE OF THE FOUR WITHHELD DOCUMENTS AND IS SEEKING PERMISSION
FROM A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT TO RELEASE THE FOURTH DOCUMENT, I HAVE
BEEN INFORMED THE FOURTH DOCUMENT WILL BE FORTHCOMING SHORTLY,
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E T LF OR,SE D'AMATO
SUBSEQUENT TO MY INITIATION OF THE COORDINATED SEARCH FOR
U.S, RECORDS RELATING TO DR, MENGELE, I MET WITH NEAL SHER, THE
DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS IN THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT, WITH STANLEY SPORKIN, GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE CENTRAL
INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, AND WITH OTHER HIGH OFFICIALS, I AM PLEASED
WITH THE COOPERATION I HAVE RECEIVED AND I AM CONFIDENT THE
VARIOUS AGENCIES INVOLVED ARE TAKING THIS SEARCH SERIOUSLY AND
ARE PUTTING SUBSTANTIAL EFFORT INTO IT.
I ALSO APPEARED LAST SUNDAY ON ABC TV'S "THIS WEEK WITH
DAVID BRINKLEY." DURING THAT.PROGRAM, I REVEALED THAT THE UNITED
STATES HAS INFORMATION THAT INDICATES THAT MENGELE'S LAST KNOWN
LOCATION WAS PORTUGAL, WE HAVE REPORTS THAT MENGELE'S FRIENDS AND
ASSOCIATES CORRESPONDED WITH HIM IN PORTUGAL, THIS IS, TO THE
BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, THE MOST RECENT REASONABLY FIRM
INTELLIGENCE REGARDING MENGELE'S WHEREABOUTS,
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THE HGNOR PLE LFUNSE D' AVA T 0
19 FEB 85.
IT IS MOST URGENT THAT THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT CONTACT
THE GOVERNMENT OF PORTUGAL, PROVIDE ALL INFORMATION IT CAN, AND
ASK THAT THE APPROPRIATE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS OF PORTUGAL
IMMEDIATELY INITIATE A SEARCH FOR MENGELE. IF HE IS THERE, HE
MUST BE ARRESTED, IF HE WAS THERE, WE WANT TO KNOW WHERE HE WENT,
IF HE WAS ONLY USING A MAIL DROP IN PORTUGAL, WE CAN STILL LEARN
THE ORIGINAL SOURCE OF HIS CORRESPONDENCE AND TRACE HIS LOCATION,
OUR SEARCH FOR MENGELE MUST NOT BE CONFINED MERELY TO
DOCUMENTS, THAT IS WHY I WAS PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE MR,
WALTER KEMPTHORNE TO PUBLIC ATTENTION LAST THURSDAY IN LOS
ANGELES, MR. KEMPTHORNE, AS A NINETEEN YEAR OLD PRIVATE FIRST
CLASS IN 1945, WAS A TOWER GUARD AT THE IDAR-OBERSTEIN PRISON
CAMP WHERE SEVERAL NAZI WAR CRIMINALS WERE DETAINED,
HE REPORTED THAT, DURING AN EXCURSION INTO THE CAMP IN JULY,
1945, HE CAME UPON A GERMAN PRISONER STANDING "AT ATTEN-
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THE HO N OFJ ELE A,LF0NSE D' AMATO
19 FEB 85
TION, . ,(WITH) A FIXED LOOK UPON HIS FACE, , . BREATHING HEAVILY
AND, , , RED FACED," MR, KEMPTHORNE FURTHER REPORTED THAT UPON
ASKING ONE OF THE INTERIOR GUARDS WHO THE PRISONER WAS, HE WAS
TOLD "WE'RE GETTING HIM IN SHAPE TO GET HUNG, THIS HERE IS
MENGELE, THE BASTARD THAT STERILIZED THREE THOUSAND WOMEN AT
AUSCHWITZ,"
MR. KEMPTHORNE'S STORY HAS BEEN FURTHER CORROBORATED BY
ANOTHER FORMER U.S, SOLDIER WHO CAME TO MY ATTENTION LAST FRIDAY
AS A RESULT OF READING ABOUT MY EFFORTS TO FIND MENGELE AND WITH
WHOM I SPOKE PERSONALLY LESS THAN AN HOUR AGO, MR. RICHARD A.
SCHWARZ, WHO, IN 1945, WAS ALSO A NINETEEN YEAR OLD GUARD AT
IDAR-OBERSTEIN, TOLD ME THAT HE WAS ASSIGNED AS AN INTERIOR GUARD
IN THE NAZI WAR CRIMINAL SECTION. HIS STATEMENT SUPPORTS MR,
KEMPTHORNE'S IN MANY IMPORTANT DETAILS, BUT GOES EVEN FURTHER
WITH HIS MORE INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORKINGS OF THE CAMP AND
HIS STATEMENT THAT "ONE OF THE PRISONERS HAD STERILIZED 6,000
WOMEN."
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THE HONORADLE ALFONSE D'At'.ATO
19 FEB 85
MEMBERS OF MY STAFF AND ARMY OFFICIALS ARE STILL IN THE
PROCESS OF OBTAINING THE FULL DETAILS OF MR, SCHWARZ'S STORY AND
ARE GOING EVEN FURTHER, THEY ARE SEARCHING ARMY FILES FOR THE
FULL RECORDS OF THE IDAR-OBERSTEIN PRISON CAMP, IF THIS-
INFORMATION CAN BE LOCATED, WE HOPE TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE AS SOON
AS POSSIBLE.
WITH THE REPORTED INCREASE IN THE WEST GERMAN REWARD FOR
MENGELE'S CAPTURE TO $300,000, AND WITH THE TREMENDOUS UPSURGE IN
INTEREST IN HIS CAPTURE ON THIS, THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE
LIBERATION OF AUSCHWITZ, MENGELE IS PROBABLY FEELING THE HEAT. HE
MAY HAVE GONE UNDERGROUND AGAIN, OR HE MAY BE RUNNING SCARED, NOW
IS THE TIME TO PRESS THE SEARCH WITH ALL POSSIBLE-ENERGY, THIS IS
NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL, THIS MAY BE OUR LAST CHANCE TO BRING HIM.
TO JUSTICE, IF HE ESCAPES NOW, HE CHEATS JUSTICE FOREVER,
I N A WORLD WHICH HAS RECENTLY SEEN THE CAMBODIAN GENOCIDE
AND WHICH IS NOW WITNESS TO THE SOVIET EXTERMINATION CAMPAIGN
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THE HOPNORADLE ALFONSE D' A I"A T O
19 FEB 85
AGAINST THE AFGHAN FREEDOM FIGHTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES, WE MUST
REITERATE OUR TOTAL REJECTION OF GENOCIDE, WE MUST AGAIN DEMON-
STRATE THAT THERE IS NO SAFE PLACE IN THE WORLD FOR ANY PERSON
RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCH CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, BRINGING MENGELE
AND OTHER NAZI WAR CRIMINALS TO JUSTICE IS ONE OF THE IMPORTANT
WAYS WE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO SAVING OTHER LIVES NOW AND IN THE
FUTURE,
PAST GENOCIDES MUST NEVER BE FORGOTTEN, SO THAT FUTURE
GENOCIDES CANNOT HAPPEN, NEITHER TIME NOR DISTANCE MUST BE
ALLOWED TO SHIELD MONSTERS LIKE MENGELE FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF
THEIR CRIMES, WHILE HE CAN NEVER FEEL THE TERROR HE INSPIRED IN
HIS VICTIMS, OR SUFFER THE PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL-PAIN OF THOSE
WHO SURVIVED HIS TWISTED EXPERIMENTS, HE MUST NEVER BE ALLOWED TO
SLEEP EASILY, IN CONFIDENCE THAT THE WORLD HAS CONDONED OR
FORGOTTEN HIS CRIMES. HE MUST BE HOUNDED UNTIL HE IS CAPTURED,
AND THEN HE MUST FACE THE ACCUSATIONS OF THOSE HE TORTURED AND OF
THOSE WHOSE RELATIVES HE MURDERED,
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THE HON1OF,'-.DLE ALFGNSE D `AVV',ATO
19 FEB 85
I AM COMMITTED TO THE CAUSE OF APPREHENDING "THE ANGEL OF
DEATH." I CALL UPON MY COLLEAGUES IN THE CONGRESS TO JOIN WITH ME
IN THIS VITAL ENTERPRISE, WE MUST PROVIDE WHATEVER ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES OR AUTHORITY THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH REQUIRES AND WE MUST
EXERCISE AGGRESSIVE OVERSIGHT OF THEIR ACTIVITIES UNTIL MENGLE IS
CAUGHT, NOTHING LESS IS GOOD ENOUGH.
THANK YOU,
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