Polish War Crime Mission, Team Brunswick
Brunswick, 15 June 1946
Present:
Investigative Judge, First Lieutenant Czesław Tundak
In the case against: Otto Arthur Lätsch
Having been advised of the criminal liability for making false declarations, the witness testified as follows:
| Name and surname | Mojsze Jakubowicz |
| Age | 25 years old |
| Religious affiliation | Judaism |
| Marital status | unmarried |
| Occupation | tailor |
| Relationship to the suspect | none |
| Criminal record | none |
| Place of residence | Landsberg am Lech (The American Occupation Zone), Bavaria, Jewish Center, Camp No. 311, block 18, flat 143 |
On 8 August, I was deported from the Łódź Ghetto to Auschwitz, and on 16 August, I was taken to Gliwice IV where I was to work. Until November 1944 Otto Arthur Lätsch served as the camp commandant. In November 1944 he was replaced by someone else (I don’t remember the name). Lätsch became Rapportführer.
Lätsch beat me twice with a steel cable because according to him I wasn’t working fast enough. On another occasion I was beaten at the entrance to the camp because of the mirror that I had with me. At that time, he punched me in the chest with his fists and kicked me in my legs. I witnessed him kill Bajgelman (I don’t know his first name) in the roll-call square with a wooden barrel. Bajgelman was killed because he was ill and was unable to work.
In December 1944, I saw him shoot three Häftlings [prisoners] at Baustelle [construction site] for worming themselves by the flaming barrel of tar.
On his order, four transports of 50 people each were sent to the crematorium in Auschwitz.
On 19 January 1945, because of the military operations, the camp was moved to the west. On the second day of marching, I saw Lätsch shoot Alter Najman who had grown weak and was unable to keep up with the whole column. On the same day, before we set out, those who were ill and couldn’t walk were required to report to Lätsch. They were told they would be taken in a car. About 20 prisoners contacted him. After about 100 meters of marching in a column, we heard shots that killed these people. It was also Lätsch who ordered to kill them.
In the evening of the same day I saw the corpses of the Häftlings whom – as my colleagues who were marching at the head of the column told me – he had shot because they were unable to keep up with the rest of us. He was seen to be putting his gun in his holster.
After two days of marching, we reached Blechhammer where one part of the camp stayed while the other one, including Lätsch, went further on to Groß-Rosen and Buchenwald.
At this I conclude my testimony. The report was read out.