26 CHARGES OF MURDER

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29061, 25 November 1959, Page 12

26 CHARGES OF MURDER

German Guard To Stand Trial (NJZ. Press Association—Copyright) MUNICH, November 23. The Bavarian Ministry of Justice today made public a long list of charges that Richard Bug* dalle, aged 52, a former concentration camp guard, will face at his trial on January 18. “It could make you feel ashamed to belong to the same people,” said a Ministry spokesman in Munich when he released the list. The main charge is that he murdered 26 inmates of the Sachesenahusen concentration camp, where he was stationed from 1937, with the rank of sergeant. He was made leader of a camp block and was in charge of the so-called “labour force.” He was also in charge of the much-feared isolation section, where prisoners particularly disliked by camp leaders were tortured, British United Press said. The charges allege that Bugdalle’s first victims were prisoners building a shooting range for camp guards. He forced the prisoners to perform a “bear dance” and then, one by one, kicked them’ over an earth wall behind the targets. There 10 prisoners were shot by other guards because inmates were forbidden to go behind the target areh. Bugdalle is alleged •to have directed a powerful hose on to prisoners’ throats or hearts until they collapsed or died. He also hosed prisoners with ice-cold water and then made then stand outside in freezing temperatures, British United Press said. On May 1, 1940, Bugdalle is alleged to have •forced more than 10 prisoners into a broom cupboard, which at the most could take five men. He stopped up the keyhole and then left the men there all day. By nightfall, five prisoners had died'of suffocation. Another victim was given hot and cold showers until he died, and another was kicked by Bugdalle until his face was unrecognisable and his chest had collapsed. The allegations against Bugdalle have been under investigation for two years. Besides the 26 murders, he is also charged with committing sadistic and inhuman acts.