Affidavit concerning Frick's role in establishing centralized NSDAP control over the national and state governments, drafting legislation, and running "the domestic state machinery," and his personal relationship with Hitler

AFFIDAVIT
Oberursel, Germany
27 December 1945
I, Franz Ritter von Epp, after being duly sworn, state and depose as follows:—
I was Reich Governor of Bavaria from the spring of 1933 until the entry of American troops, May 1945. In this capacity the
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Minister of the Interior, Wilhelm Frick, was my superior until his appointment as Reich Protector of Bohemia. During these ten years Frick won credit for coordinating in Germany party and state along party lines. The Reich was centralized through the establishment of a Reich Statthalter (Governor) created by him, and totalitarian control by the Reich Government from Berlin was introduced through the abolition of the federal character.
Reich legislation, such as for instance racial legislation and legislation concerning civil servants, was drafted in this Ministry. Frick's knowledge and experience in the field of constitutional law and administration were of greatest value to the new Government which had come to power in January 1933. He had a position of supreme importance as Chief of the domestic state machinery (Executive). Hitler gave him this important post because as a party member of many years' standing he was a trusted co-worker ; as far as I know, they already knew each other at the time of the Beer Hall Putsch of 1923 in Munich.
. /&/ Franz V. Epp
Given, signed and sworn before me.
/s/ R. M. W. Kempner Office of the Chief Counsel