Siegfried Ruff Explained

Siegfried Ruff
Birth Date:19 February 1907
Birth Place:Friemersheim, German Empire
Death Place:Bonn, West Germany
Occupation:Physician
Party:Nazi Party
Criminal Charge:Conspiracy against peace
War crimes
Crimes against humanity
Conviction Status:Acquitted
Trial:Doctors' trial

Siegfried Ruff (19 February 1907 – 22 April 1989) was a Nazi German physician who served as director of the Aviation Medicine Department at the German Experimental Institute for Aviation,[1] and was accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity for conducting medical atrocities. He was acquitted of war crimes and recruited by the US after World War II.

Nazi activities and Doctors' Trial

In the 1947 Doctors' Trial, Ruff was indicted on various war crimes allegedly committed during his time as a researcher at the Institute for Aviation.[2] Specifically, it was alleged he had overseen experiments that had resulted in the deaths of 80 Dachau concentration camp inmates. While Ruff acknowledged human experimentation had occurred, he stated it had occurred according to the law and denied it had resulted in any deaths.[3] Ruff was acquitted of all charges against him.

Post-War human experimentation

Following World War II, Ruff was hired by the U.S. Army Air Forces to work at a United States military hospital in Heidelberg conducting experiments on human exposure to high altitudes.

In 1961 the International Academy of Aviation and Space Medicine chose to relocate its annual conference from West Germany over objections at Ruff's participation.

Ruff enjoyed a distinguished medical career in postwar Germany.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Defendant Dr. Siegfried Ruff on the first day of his testimony in his own defense at the Doctors Trial. ushmm.org. U.S. Holocaust Museum. March 5, 2018.
  2. Hunt . Linda . April 1985 . U.S. Coverup of Nazi Scientists . . 41 . 4 . 21–24.
  3. News: November 24, 1965 . Tadel verpflichtet . German . . March 5, 2018.
  4. Book: Moreno. Jonathan. Undue Risk: Secret State Experiments on Humans. 2001. Psychology Press. 0415928354. 56–57.