“Were you present at the Doctors’ Conference?” the FBI agent asked.
“Yes, because every woman who had the experiment was taken in the [conference] room and Gebhart explained to the other doctors what he did.”
“Do you remember the date of this conference by Dr. Gebhart and Dr. Schreiber about your experiment?”
“I think it was about three weeks after the [operation of] 15th of August 1942,” Janina Iwanska said.
“Did any of the people who were experimented on die as a result of the experiments?”
“Yes. Five died 48 hours after the operation, and six were shot after the operation,” Iwanska said.
“Do you know the names of those who died as a result of the operation?”
“I have the list at my house. I sent the names to the United Nations. They have all the documents. It was seventy-four who had the experiment.”
“Do you have any knowledge as to whether Dr. Schreiber ordered these experiments done?”
“I don’t know if he gave the orders. Only I know he was very interested in it,” she said.
Back in Texas, Dr. Schreiber began plotting his escape to Argentina. He wrote to his married daughter, Elisabeth van der Fecht, who was living in San Isidro, in Buenos Aires. He asked her to get information about how he could get a visa fast. The FBI intercepted Schreiber’s mail.
“I will be able to get a visa for you all within fourteen days,” promised Schreiber’s daughter. “To be honest, we always have feared something similar to come.… Everything started so well and seemed to be wonderful. Your nice house, your new furniture.…” She assured her father that she could help get the paperwork necessary to enter Argentina. “If, father, you wish us to take steps, send us the necessary documents,” Elisabeth wrote. “Anyhow the risk would be much less than if you must go to Germany. For Heaven’s sake do not go back.”
By mid-January, the JIOA weighed in. The Joint Chiefs decided that it was necessary to repatriate Dr. Schreiber. “Reason for Requesting Repatriation: Dr. Schreiber is basically not a research scientist, and as such his usefulness is very limited to the School of Aviation Medicine,” a memo read. “Recent criticism and adverse publicity [have] been directed against the School of Aviation Medicine in that it has been charged that Dr. Schreiber, as a high ranking Nazi Medical Officer, was connected with brutal experiments on concentration camp victims. The School of Aviation Medicine and the Surgeon General do not wish to assume responsibility for Schreiber… in view of the above criticism.”
Army headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany, disagreed. On February 5, 1952, the army cabled a message marked “Secret” to JIOA, written in shorthand. “Recommend take act[ion] to retain Schreiber in US. Subj has invaluable info of intelligence nature regarding Russia and is outstanding [in] his professional field.”
The Office of the U.S. High Commissioner weighed in: “All reparations of paper clip personnel unless voluntary have some adverse effect [on] JIOA programs,” a memo stated. “Request coordinate with G2 Army prior to final decision on repatriation.” At air force headquarters, another idea was gaining support. Why not help Dr. Schreiber “move” to Argentina? To this end, a major named D. A. Roe, from Army Intelligence, G-2, contacted Argentinean General Aristobulo Fidel Reyes to discuss “the utilization of the services of Dr. Walter Paul Schreiber, M.D.” Major Roe queried if “in any way possible… his talents could be used in Argentina.” The army had originally intended to allow the talented Dr. Schreiber to immigrate to the United States, Major Roe explained, but, unfortunately, that had changed. “His admissibility, under current law, as an immigrate [sic] of the U.S. is questionable because of this close affiliation with the Nazi Army,” Major Roe clarified. Argentina did not have the same kinds of immigration laws prohibiting entry of former high-ranking Nazis. It would be great if they could help.
Faced with pushback from High Commissioner John J. McCloy, JIOA retooled its repatriation position and instead made a case for extending Dr. Schreiber’s stay. “Schreiber family may be subjected to reprisals due to his previously reported escape from Russian control,” JIOA wrote. “If repatriation is inadvisable believe Schreiber may be retained here by issuance of visa. Above is additional reason for desirability of entry with immigration visa.” But then a new document emerged, marked JIOA eyes only, and to be kept in Schreiber’s classified dossier. Schreiber’s wife of forty years, Olga, was also an old-time Nazi. According to official NSDAP paperwork, she had joined the Nazi Party on October 1, 1931, years before Hitler came to power.