Walter Schreiber
Encyclopedia
Dr Walter Paul Emil Schreiber (21 March 1893 – 5 September 1970) was a German military officer and brigadier-general (Generalarzt) of the Medical Service of the Wehrmacht
.
Schreiber was born in Berlin
to Paul Schreiber (a postal inspector) and his wife Gertrud Kettlitz. After completing gymnasium
in Berlin, he studied medicine
at the universities of Berlin
, Tübingen, and Greifswald.
In 1914, he enlisted voluntarily for military service and served with the 42nd Infantry Regiment in France
. He was injured at the First Battle of the Marne
. After his recovery, he continued with his studies and served as a temporary doctor on the Western Front until the end of the war in 1918.
In 1920, he graduated Dr. med. from the University of Greifswald.
In 1933, he joined the Nazi Party.
In 1945, he was taken prisoner of war
by the Red Army in Berlin and taken to the Soviet Union
.
On 26 August 1946 Schreiber gave evidence at the Nuremberg Trials
in support of the Soviet Chief Prosecutor, Roman Rudenko
.
On 17 October 1948 he fled the Soviet Occupation Zone, where the Soviets intended him to assume the position of Chief Medical Officer in the newly formed East German Police Force, the Volkspolizei
.
After presenting himself to the Allied military authorities in West Berlin
, who interrogated him, Schreiber was hired to work with the Counter Intelligence Corps
. In her book Secret Agenda, Linda Hunt reveals that Schreiber was employed at Camp King
, a large POW interrogation center in Oberursel
, Germany.
He arrived in new york on Sep 17, 1951 with his wife (Olga Conrad Schreiber) and son (Paul-Gerhard Schreiber) and mother in-law (Marie Conrad) on the USNS General Maurice Rose, (T-Ap216). The manifest of the ship does not list travel documents for them, but declares them to be "Paper Clips".
Schreiber was subsequently taken to the United States
as part of Operation Paperclip
. On 7 October 1951 the New York Times reported that he was working at the Air Force School of Medicine at Randolph Air Force Base
in Texas
.
When journalist Drew Pearson
publicized Schreiber's Nuremberg evidence in 1952, which showed he had assigned doctors to experiment on concentration camp prisoners and had made funds available for such experimentation, the negative publicity led the Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency
to arrange "a visa and a job for Schreiber in Argentina
, where his daughter was living." On 22 May 1952 he was flown to Buenos Aires
.,
In Argentina, he worked at an epidemiological laboratory.
Some accounts suggest he subsequently moved to Paraguay
and West Germany
, while another claims he died in Italy in 1952.
According to a family post at ancestry.com, he died on 5 September, 1970 in San Carlos de Bariloche
, Río Negro
, Argentina
.
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
.
Schreiber was born in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
to Paul Schreiber (a postal inspector) and his wife Gertrud Kettlitz. After completing gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
in Berlin, he studied medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
at the universities of Berlin
Humboldt University of Berlin
The Humboldt University of Berlin is Berlin's oldest university, founded in 1810 as the University of Berlin by the liberal Prussian educational reformer and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt, whose university model has strongly influenced other European and Western universities...
, Tübingen, and Greifswald.
In 1914, he enlisted voluntarily for military service and served with the 42nd Infantry Regiment in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He was injured at the First Battle of the Marne
First Battle of the Marne
The Battle of the Marne was a First World War battle fought between 5 and 12 September 1914. It resulted in an Allied victory against the German Army under Chief of Staff Helmuth von Moltke the Younger. The battle effectively ended the month long German offensive that opened the war and had...
. After his recovery, he continued with his studies and served as a temporary doctor on the Western Front until the end of the war in 1918.
In 1920, he graduated Dr. med. from the University of Greifswald.
In 1933, he joined the Nazi Party.
In 1945, he was taken prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
by the Red Army in Berlin and taken to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
On 26 August 1946 Schreiber gave evidence at the Nuremberg Trials
Nuremberg Trials
The Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals, held by the victorious Allied forces of World War II, most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of the defeated Nazi Germany....
in support of the Soviet Chief Prosecutor, Roman Rudenko
Roman Rudenko
Roman Andreyevich Rudenko was a Soviet lawyer. He was the prosecutor of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic from 1944-1953 and Chief prosecutor of the entire Soviet Union from 1953. He is also well known for acting as the Soviet Chief Prosecutor at the main trial of the major Nazi war...
.
On 17 October 1948 he fled the Soviet Occupation Zone, where the Soviets intended him to assume the position of Chief Medical Officer in the newly formed East German Police Force, the Volkspolizei
Volkspolizei
The Volkspolizei , or VP, were the national police of the German Democratic Republic . The Volkspolizei were responsible for most law enforcement in East Germany, but its organisation and structure were such that it could be considered a paramilitary force as well...
.
After presenting himself to the Allied military authorities in West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
, who interrogated him, Schreiber was hired to work with the Counter Intelligence Corps
Counter Intelligence Corps
The Counter Intelligence Corps was a World War II and early Cold War intelligence agency within the United States Army. Its role was taken over by the U.S. Army Intelligence Corps in 1961 and, in 1967, by the U.S. Army Intelligence Agency...
. In her book Secret Agenda, Linda Hunt reveals that Schreiber was employed at Camp King
Camp King
Camp King is a site on the outskirts of Oberursel, Taunus , with a long history. It began as a school for agriculture under the auspices of the University of Frankfurt. During World War II, the lower fields became an interrogation center for the German Air Force. After World War II, the United...
, a large POW interrogation center in Oberursel
Oberursel
Oberursel is a town in Germany. It is located to the north west of Frankfurt, and is the second largest town in the county of Hochtaunuskreis and the 14th largest town in Hessen.-Extent of municipal area:...
, Germany.
He arrived in new york on Sep 17, 1951 with his wife (Olga Conrad Schreiber) and son (Paul-Gerhard Schreiber) and mother in-law (Marie Conrad) on the USNS General Maurice Rose, (T-Ap216). The manifest of the ship does not list travel documents for them, but declares them to be "Paper Clips".
Schreiber was subsequently taken to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as part of Operation Paperclip
Operation Paperclip
Operation Paperclip was the Office of Strategic Services program used to recruit the scientists of Nazi Germany for employment by the United States in the aftermath of World War II...
. On 7 October 1951 the New York Times reported that he was working at the Air Force School of Medicine at Randolph Air Force Base
Randolph Air Force Base
Randolph Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located east-northeast of San Antonio, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 902d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command ....
in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
When journalist Drew Pearson
Drew Pearson (journalist)
Andrew Russell Pearson , known professionally as Drew Pearson, was one of the best-known American columnists of his day, noted for his muckraking syndicated newspaper column "Washington Merry-Go-Round," in which he attacked various public persons, sometimes with little or no objective proof for his...
publicized Schreiber's Nuremberg evidence in 1952, which showed he had assigned doctors to experiment on concentration camp prisoners and had made funds available for such experimentation, the negative publicity led the Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency
Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency
The Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency was the organization directly responsible for Operation Paperclip, an OSS program for capturing and taking Nazi German scientists to the United States at the end of the Second World War...
to arrange "a visa and a job for Schreiber in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, where his daughter was living." On 22 May 1952 he was flown to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
.,
In Argentina, he worked at an epidemiological laboratory.
Some accounts suggest he subsequently moved to Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
and West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, while another claims he died in Italy in 1952.
According to a family post at ancestry.com, he died on 5 September, 1970 in San Carlos de Bariloche
San Carlos de Bariloche
San Carlos de Bariloche, usually known as Bariloche, is a city in the , situated in the foothills of the Andes on the southern shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake and is located inside Nahuel Huapi National Park...
, Río Negro
Rio Negro
Rio Negro is the largest left tributary of the Amazon and the largest blackwater river in the world. It has its sources along the watershed between the Orinoco and the Amazon basins, and also connects with the Orinoco by way of the Casiquiare canal in southern Venezuela...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.