Polish War Crimes Mission
Team Brunswick
Hanover, 15 June 1946
Those present:
Investigating Judge: Capt. R. Zdankiewicz, Judge of the District Court
Reporter: 2nd Lt L. Staniszewski, secretary
In the case against: Otto Lätsch
Having been advised of the criminal liability for making false declarations and duly sworn in, the witness testifies:
| Name and surname | Mojżesz Zawadzki |
| Age | 21 |
| Religious affiliation | Jewish |
| Marital status | single |
| Occupation | installation electrician |
| Relationship to the parties | none |
| Perjury charge | none |
| Current place of residence | Hanover, Vinnhorst, Jewish camp 116 |
| Place of residence in Poland | Łódź, Piramowicza Street 7 |
At some point in August 1944 I was sent with a transport of Häftlings [prisoners] from Auschwitz to the concentration camp Gleiwitz IV. At that time, Otto Lätsch was Lagerführer [camp leader] there. During my stay at that camp, he held this post until October 1944 and was then replaced by another German, whose name I can’t remember. Lätsch became Rapportführer [report leader].
Otto Lätsch can be described as an absolute beast, who only waited for an opportunity to abuse someone. He beat and kicked people all over the body every day. He sometimes kicked a beat up prisoner lying on the ground in the face with his boot. On top of that, he beat people with a rubber Knüppel [baton]. He kicked me in the stomach when I worked as an installation electrician in his private apartment. He kicked me for failing to immediately understand an order that he gave me during work.
At the end of 1944, I saw Lätsch shoot a Polish Jew, a Häftling named Strasberg. I was in the sick room that day and observed the whole incident through a window. Strasberg was pushing a cart with trash and another Häftling, a French man, was pulling it. The person who walked behind him that day was not a guard, but Lätsch himself. When they were several steps outside the gate, Lätsch drew his gun and shot Strasberg in the back of the head, killing him on the spot. Two people from the sick room had to carry the corpse to a special ditch. Lätsch hid this murder by reporting to Lagerführer that Strasberg tried to escape. I firmly declare that Strasberg was not trying to escape, he was pushing the cart the entire time.
Lätsch has a lot of deaths on his conscience – either directly or indirectly. I know that during the so-called "sport" in the roll call square several people died on the spot and several more died in the following days.
I was told by my colleagues who survived that Lätsch and another craftsman from the OT [Organisation Todt] burnt the sick room during the evacuation of the camp, burning over 50 people alive in the process – they were the sick who could not be evacuated.
I could recognize Otto Lätsch at any time, and I would repeat everything I said in my testimony to his face.
As for Lätsch’s successor, I have to say that under his command relations in the camp improved significantly in every respect.
That is all.
The report was read out, signed, and concluded.