Institute of National Remembrance - text version
Information on the Interrogation of Herman Schaper - wersja graficzna tekstu
Information on the Interrogation of Herman Schaper
On April 11th, 2002 in Germany, an interrogation of Herman Schaper (age 90) took place. Schaper is a witness in the investigation
into the murdering Jewish inhabitants of the township Jedwabne on July 10th, 1941. The investigation is conducted by
the prosecutor Radosław Ignatiew from the Branch Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation in Białystok, who took part in the interrogation by a German
prosecutor.
When asked, a few months ago, by the Institute of National Remembrance - Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation, the German Prosecution Office as well as the Central Research Office of Nationalist and Socialist Crimes in Ludwigsburg instigated the search for Herman Schaper. This led to finding out Schaper's current place of stay and to his interrogation. Before that, it was believed that H. Schaper was dead. Thus, the particular steps taken to find Schaper by the German authorities are highly appreciated. This action enabled the Institute of National Remembrance to receive legal assistance in this
matter.
Herman Schaper, a Gestapo officer from Ciechanów, was seen by
the witness Chaja Finkelstein on July 7th, 1941 in Radziłów. The witness recognized Schaper on the photographs and testified that he was the man who had been standing in the market place in Radziłów on the day of
the of murdering the Jewish inhabitants of Jedwabne and had commanded other Gestapo officers and the Poles co-operating with
the Gestapo. The witness added that Schaper "made an impression of a person in charge". However, German prosecutors in 1965 dismissed the case against Schaper, in which he would be charged with the participation in the mass murders of Jews in summer 1941 in the Łomża voivodship, on the basis of the lack of
proof which prevented them from laying a charge against him.
The interrogation of H. Schaper, which took place last week, was based on the list of questions that had been submitted earlier to the German Prosecution Office by the prosecutor from the Institute of National Remembrance - Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation. Thus, it was conducted taking advantage of
knowledge accumulated about his activities in the Łomża voivodship in the summer 1941.
In response to questions during the interrogation Herman Schaper said
that:
-
in summer 1941 he commanded a Gestapo unit of 10-15 people which were driving passenger cars and motorcycles (he added that they did not use
lorries);
-
the task of the unit was to search for Russian agents and to secure
documents;
-
in that period he was once present when Jews were executed by a firing
squad.
Schaper denied the written testimony of Isak Fehler which was given by him in the early 1960s. In that testimony Fehler recognized Schaper and said: "I believe that he is
the officer, who was in charge of the action in Tykocin" (the action of murdering Jews in that township). Schaper denied that he had been wearing a uniform at that time and a round cap with the
"death's head" on it and that he had commanded people in Tykocin, as was confessed by Fehler. "I did not give any commands, and I did not wear a round cap" said Schaper. Answering the next question Schaper said that his Gestapo superior's name had been Pulmer. He also mentioned the name Baumann, who was one of the Gestapo officers, with whom Herman Schaper served in 1941.
Schaper, when asked whether his unit had other tasks, apart from searching for agents and documents, answered that "they had no further tasks". When asked what he knew about "the mass murders of Jews in June-September 1941 in the vicinity of Łomża", he answered that "there were wild actions of the local people and some units". He added that he "did not know what units they
were".
Simultaneously Schaper showed indignation and presented the investigating prosecutor with many certificates, among others with the medical one certifying his disability to testify. The interrogation was stopped and a doctor stated that further questioning may cause a danger of a heart attack or cerebral
hemorrhage. The next day Schaper was medically examined and found unable to take part in the investigation, with an
emphasis that no improvement of his present state could be
expected.
The interrogation lasted an hour an a half and was videotaped. The protocol was forwarded by the German Prosecution Office to the Head Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation today around
noon, which enabled the delivery of this communiqué.
The subject-matter evaluation of H. Schaper's testimony will be made by prosecutor Radosław Ignatiew, who is in charge of the
investigation and delivered in the final
provision.
Warsaw, April 14th, 2002
18 November 2003
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