Adolf Pokorny Doctor accused at the Nuremberg Doctors' Trial Date of Birth: 26.07.1895 Country: Austria

1. Biography of Adolf Pokorny
2. After his acquittal, Adolf Pokorny continued his medical practice.

Biography of Adolf Pokorny

Adolf Pokorny was born in 1895 in Vienna, Austria, into a military family. His childhood was spent in Bohemia, Galicia, and Bosnia, as his father was frequently relocated due to his military service. Pokorny obtained his medical education at the University of Prague, specializing in dermatology.

After completing a two-year internship, Pokorny began his medical practice as a dermatologist. By this time, he had already served as a soldier during World War I and had been promoted to the rank of junior lieutenant for his successful service.

In 1938, when Czechoslovakia was occupied by German forces, Pokorny held Czechoslovak citizenship and lived and worked in Komotau. He was married to his colleague, Lily Weil, from 1923 to 1935, and they had two children together. Prior to the start of World War II, Pokorny's former family emigrated to England, as Lily Weil was half-Jewish. The fact that they were still legally married prevented Pokorny from joining the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazi Party) in 1939, and his application was rejected.

During World War II, Pokorny worked as a doctor in a military hospital in Hohenstein-Ernstthal. Despite being denied membership in the Nazi Party, Pokorny, inspired by Nazi ideals, sent a letter to Heinrich Himmler in 1941, stating that the enemy should not only be defeated but also exterminated. Pokorny suggested using the juice of the South American plant Dieffenbachia seguine for sterilization purposes. He also warned Himmler not to disclose information about this plant to avoid attracting attention. However, his initiative was not pursued, as the proposal was rejected due to the inability to obtain sufficient quantities of Dieffenbachia seguine. Consequently, experiments using plant juice for sterilization purposes were not conducted in concentration camps.

Despite his proposal not being implemented, Adolf Pokorny was accused and stood trial at the Nuremberg Doctors' Trial in 1946-47. His defense argued that his proposal was merely a diversionary maneuver, claiming that he was aware of the plans for experiments using the juice of Dieffenbachia seguine. Despite the obvious falseness and theatricality of these statements, the court did not find Pokorny guilty of any crimes, and he was acquitted.

After his acquittal, Adolf Pokorny continued his medical practice.