SIR GRIFFITH JONES: My Lords, I had finished describing that one children's book. There is a similar book called "The Poisonous Fungus," which has, in fact, been put in evidence already. It is a book very much the same in character and appearance and is numbered US 257. It was put in evidence, but it was not read to the Tribunal, and I would like to read one of the short stories from that book because it shows, perhaps, more strikingly, I think, than any other extract to which we have referred, the revolting way in which this man poisoned the minds of his listeners and readers. Document Book shows one of the pictures, a girl sitting in a Jewish doctor's waiting room. man, and it is only by reading these things that it becomes possible to believe the kind of education that the German children have been receiving over these years, headed by this man.
I quote from the story:
"Inge"--that is the girl--"Inge sits in the reception room of the Jew doctor. She has to wait a long time. She looks through the journals which are on the table. Put she is much too nervous to read even a few sentences. Again and again she remembers the talk with her mother. And again and again her mind reflects on the warnings of her leader of the League of German girls. 'A German must not consult a Jew doctor. And particularly not a German girls. Many a girl that went to a Jew doctor to be cured, found disease and disgrace!'
"When Inge had entered the waiting room she experienced an extraordinary incident. From the doctor's consulting room she could hear the sound of crying. She heard the voice of a young girl: 'Doctor, doctor, leave me alone!'
"Then she heard the scornful laughing of a man. And then, all of a sudden, it become absolutely silent. Inge had listened breathlessly.
"What may be the meaning of all this?" she asked herself, and her heart was pounding.
And again she thought of the warning of her leader in the League of German Girls.
"Inge was already waiting for an hour. Again she takes the journals in an endeavor to read. Then the door opens. Inge looks up. The Jew appears. She screams. In terror she drops the paper. Horrified she jumps up. Her eyes stare into the face of the Jewish doctor. And this face is the face of the devil. In the middle of this devil's face is a huge crooked nose. Behind the spectacles two criminal eyes. And the thick lips are grinning, a grinning that expresses: 'Now I got you at last, you little German girl!'
"And then the Jew approaches her. His fleshy fingers stretch out after her. But now Inge has composed herself. Before the Jew can grab hold of her, she smacks the fat face of the Jew doctor with her hand. One jump to the door. Breathlessly Inge runs down the stairs. Breathlessly she escapes the Jew house." of the age which are going to read the books you have seen. course, of the Defendant, with his youthful admirers standing around looking at it, and the script opposite that picture, which appears on page 70 of the document book, includes the words, and I quote from the one but last paragraph, "Without a solution of the Jewish question there will be no salvation for mankind." speeches:
"That is what he shouted to us. All of us could understand him. And when, at the end, he shouted 'Sieg-Heil' for the Fuehrer, we all acclaimed him with tremendous enthusiasm. For two hours Streicher spoke at that occasion. To us it appeared to have been but a few minutes." columns of Der Sturmer itself. In April 1936 there appears only one letter from many, many others that appear in other copies from children of all ages.
I quote the third paragraph of this letter, the letter signed by the boys and girls of the National Socialist Youth Hostel at Grossmuellen:
"Today we saw a play on how the devil persuades the Jew to shoot a conscientious National Socialist. In the course of the play the Jew did it too. We all heard the shot. We would have all liked to jump up and arrest the Jew. But then the policeman came and after a short struggle took the Jew along. You can imagine, dear Stunner, that we heartily cheered the policeman. In the whole play not one name was mentioned, but we all knew that this play represented the murder by the Jew Frankfurter. We were very sick when we went to bed that night. None felt like talking to the others. This play made it clear to us how the Jew sets to work."
My Lord, that is already in, as I have stated. It is GB-170. authority as a Gauleiter. It appears in the Organization Book of the NSDAP for 1938 -- which is already in as an exhibit, US 430 -- in speaking of or describing the duties and authority of Gauleiters: The Gauleiter bears overall responsibility for the Fuehrer for the sector of sovereignty entrusted to him. The rights, duties and jurisdiction of the Gauleiter result primarily from the mission assigned by the Fuehrer and, apart from that, from detailed direction.
of the other Defendants -- again can be seen from the newspapers. On the occasion of his 50th birthday, Hitler paid a visit to Nurnberg to congratulate him. That was on the 13th of February, 1934. The account of that meeting is published in the "Voelkischer Beobachter" of that date, and I quote as follows:
"Adolf Hitler spoke to his old comrades in battle and to his followers in words which Trent straight to their hearts. By way of introduction he remarked that it was a special pleasure to be pre sent for a short while in Nurnberg, the town of the National-Socialist community which had been steeled in battle, at this day of honor of Julius Streicher, and to be within the circle of the standard bearers of the National-Socialist idea during many years.
"Just as they all of them had during the years of oppression unshakeably believed in the victory of the movement, so his friend and comrade in the battle, Streicher, had stood faithfully at his side at all times. It had been this unshakeable belief that had moved mountains. "For Streicher it would surely be a solemn thought, that this 50th anniversary meant not only the half-way point of a century, but also of a thousand years of German history to him. He had in Streicher a companion of whom he could say that here in Nurnberg was a man who would never waver for a single second and who would unflinchingly stand behind him in every situation." April 1937, which is already US 258, the copy of the paper:
"If in future years the history of the reawakening of the German people is written, and if already the next generation will be unable to understand that the German people was once friendly to the Jews, it will be stated that Julius Streicher and his weekly paper Der Sturmer have contributed a great deal towards the enlightenment regarding the enemy of humanity."
Signed: "For the Reichsfurhrer SS, Himmler."
That becomes, I am told, US 260. A lot of these documents are already In the bound volumes. Leader, published in Der Sturmer of January 1938:
"It is the historical merit of the Sturmer to have enlightened the broad masses of our people in a popular way as to the Jewish world danger. The Sturmer is right in refusing to fulfil its task in the tone of the aesthetic drawing room. Jewry has shown no regard for the German people. We have, therefore, no cause to be considerate and to spare our worst enemy. What we fail to do today our youngsters of tomorrow will have to suffer for bitterly." physical commission of the crimes against Jews, of which this Tribunal has heard, than some of his co-conspirators. The submission of the Prosecution is that his crime is no less the worse for that reason. And no government in the world, before the Nazis came to power, could have embarked upon and put into effect a policy of mass extermination in the way in which they did, without having a people who would back them and support them, and without having a large number of people, men and women, who were prepared to put their hands to their bloody murder. And not even, perhaps", the German people of previous generations would have lent themselves to the crimes about which this Tribunal has heard, the killing of millions and millions of men and women. educating and poisoning them with hate, that Streicher set himself; and for 25 years he has continued unrelentingly the education--if you can call it so-or the perversion of the people and of the youth of Germany, He has gone on an on, as he saw the results of his work bearing fruit.
In the early days he was preaching persecution. As they took place he preached extermination and annihilation; and, as we have seen in the Ghettos of the East, as millions of Jews were being exterminated and annihilated, he cried out for more and more. Prosecution, that he made these things possible, made these crimes possible, which they would never have been had it not been for him and for those like like him. And he led the propaganda and the execution of the German people in those words.
Without him the Kaltenbrunners, the Himmlers, the General Strupps would have had nobody to do their orders. And, as we have seen, he has concentrated upon the youth and the childhood of Germany. In its extent his crime is probably greater and more far-reaching than that of any of the other defendants. The misery that they caused finished with their incarceration. The effects of this man's crime, of the poison that he has put into the minds of millions and millions of young boys and girls, and young men and women now, goes on.
He leaves behind him a legacy of almost a whole people poisoned with hate, sadism, and murder, and perverted by him. That people remain a problem and perhaps a menace to the rest of civilization for generations to come.
My Lord, the submission of the Prosecution's case against this man as set out in the indictment is proved. will present to the Court the case against Schacht.
LIEUTENANT BRADY BRYSON: Kay it please the Tribunal, a document book has been prepared and filed and the appropriate numbers of copies has been delivered to the Defendants.
We ask the Tribunal's permission to file, within the next few days, a trial brief, which now is in the process of preparation. and preparation of aggressive war.
THE PRESIDENT: What was it you said about the trial brief?
LIEUTENANT BRYSON: We ask permission to file a trial brief within the next few days, as our brief is not yet ready.
THE PRESIDENT: I see.
LIEUTENANT BRYSON: Our proof against the Defendant Schacht is limited to planning and preparation for aggressive war, and to membership in a conspiracy for aggressive war.
The extent of Schacht's criminal responsibility as a matter of law, under the Charter of the Tribunal, will be developed in our brief. Only a few of our 50 odd documents have been previously submitted in evidence. We have taken special pains to avoid repetition and cumulative proof, but for the sake of continuity we would like, in several instances, simply to draw the Tribunal's attention to evidence previously received, with an appropriate reference to the transcript of the record. the Defendant Schacht's control over the Germany economy was on the wane after November 1937, and that by the time of the aggression on Poland his official status had been reduced to that of Minister without Portfolio and personal adviser to Hitler.
We know, too, that he is sometimes credited with opposition to certain of the more radical elements of the Nazi Party; and I further understand that at the time of capture by United States forces he was under German detention in a prison camp, having been arrested by the Gestapo in July, 1944. end of 1937 Schacht was the dominant figure in the rearming of Germany and in the economic planning and preparation for war; that without his work the Nazis would not have been able to wring from their depressed economy the tremendous material requirements of armed aggression; and that Schacht contributed his efforts with full knowledge of the aggressive purposes which he was serving.
The details of this proof will be presented in four parts. First, we will very briefly show that Schacht accepted the Nazi philosophy prior to 1933 and supported Hitler's rise to power. and preparation for war will be submitted. This evidence Will also be brief, since the facts in this respect are well known and have already been touched upon by Mr. Dodd in his presentation of the case on economic preparation for war. posely and willingly with knowledge of and sympathy for its illegal ends.
And last, we will prove that Schacht's loss of power in the German Government did not in any sense imply disagreement with the policy of aggressive war.
early in January 1931, at Goering's house. His impression of Hitler was favorable. I offer in evidence US Exhibit 613, consisting of an excerpt from a pre-trial interrogation of Schacht, under date of 20 July 1945, and quote two questions and answers related to this meeting, near the middle of the first page of the interrogation.
THE PRESIDENT: Are you going to give us the Exhibit number? You haven't given us the other number?
LT. BRYSON: This is an interrogation, sir, and it will not have to -
THE PRESIDENT: Have you got a number for it?
LT. BRYSON: You will find it in your document book in the back, labeled "Schacht Interrogation of SO July 1945." I quote from the middle of the first page:
"Q. What did he (that is, Hitler) say?
"A. Oh, ideas he expressed before, but it was full of will and spirit." And near the bottom of the page:
"What was your impression at the end of that evening?" TEE PRESIDENT: That doesn't seem to be on my first page,
LT. BRYSON: Near the bottom, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: The first page of the Schacht interrogation?
LT. BRYSON: The first page of the Schacht interrogation.
THE PRESIDENT: I beg your pardon. I didn't know there was more than one.
LT. BRYSON: There will be several.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, I see.
LT. BRYSON: I quote near the bottom of the page:
"Q. What was your impression at the end of that evening?
"A. I thought that Hitler was a man with whom one could cooperate." moment in November 1932 he lent the pretige of his name, which was widely known in banking, financial, and business circles throughout the world, to Hitler's cause. I offer in evidence US Exhibit 616, consisting of excerpts from a pre-trial interrogation of Schacht on 17 October 1945.
I wish to quote beginning at the top of page 36 of this interrogation. This is the interrogation of 17 October 1945, at page 36. I may say that when I refer to the page numbers I speak of the page of the document.
THE PRESIDENT: I have only got page 1 and page 9 to 15. I have got it now, yes.
LT. BRYSON: "Q. Yes, and at that time (referring to January 1931) you became a supporter, I take it -
"A. In the course-
"Q. Of Hitler's coming; to power.
"A. Especially in the course of the years 1931 and 1932." gation:
"Q. But what I mean -- to make it very brief indeed -- did you lend the prestige of your name to help Hitler come to power?
"A. I have publicly stated that I expected Hitler to come to power, for the first time that I remember in November '32." I quote further:
"Q. And you know, or perhaps you don't, that Goebbels in his diary records with great affection -
"A. Yes.
"Q. The help that you gave him at that time?
"A. Yes, I know that.
"Q. November, 1932?
"A. From the Kaiserhof to the Chancellory and back, "Q. That's right; you have read that?
"A. Yes.
"Q. And you don't deny that Goebbels was right?
"A. I think his impression was, that was correct at that time." 2409A-PS. The Diary of Goebbels is in evidence as US Exhibit No. 262. The entry I wish to read, which, appears in 2409A-PS, was made on 21 November 1932 "In a conversation with Dr. Schacht, I assured myself that he absolutely represents our point of view.
He is one of the few who accepts the Fuehrer's position entirely." allied himself with the cause. Dr. Franz Reuter, whose biography of Schacht was officially published in Germany in 1937, has stated that Schacht refrained from formal membership in order to be of greater sssistance to the Party. I offer in evidence EC 460, US Exhibit No. 617, consisting of an excerpt from Reuter's biography, and I quote the last sentence of the excerpt:
"By not doing so -- at least until the final assertion and victory of the Party -- he was able to assist it (the Party) much better than he would have been able to do had he become an official Party member." 1933 election at a meeting of Hitler with a group of German industrialists in Berlin. Schacht acted as the sponsor or host of this meeting, and a campaign fund of several million Marks was collected. Without reading therefrom, I offer in evidence EC 439, US Exhibit 613, an affidavit of von Schnitzler under date of 10 November 1945, and refer the Tribunal to the Transcript for 23 November, pages 281 to 283, where the text of the affidavit already appears in the record. interrogation of Schacht on 20 July 1945, from which I read a Dart a moment ago. Schacht lent his support to Hitler not only because he was an opportunist, but also because he shared Hitler's ideological principles. Apart from the entry in Goebbel's diary, this may be seen from Schacht's own letter to Hitler, under date of 29 August 1932, pledging continued support to Hitler after the latter's poor showing in the July 1932 elections. I offer this letter in evidence as EC 457, US Exhibit 619, and quote from the middle of the first paragraph and further from the next to the last paragraph:
"But what you could perhaps do with in these days is a word of most sincere sympathy. Your movement is carried internally by so strong a truth and necessity that victory in one form or another cannot elude you for long." was then in the German Government Schacht says:
"Wherever my work may take me in the near future, even if you should see me one day within the fortress, you can always count on me as your reliable assistant."
THE PRESIDENT: What do those words mean at the top "The President of the Reichsbank in retirement"? Are they on the letter?
LT. BRADY O. BRYSON: Yes, they are, sir. Dr. Schacht had previously been a president of the Reichsbank. At this time he was in retirement. You will remember, this is prior to Hitler's accession to power.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, of course.
LT. BRADY O. BRYSON: And then Hitler reinstated Dr. Schacht as president of the Reichsbank after the Nazis had taken over.
THE PRESIDENT: And he put that at the top of his letter, did he?
LT. BRADY O. BRYSON: That I cannot say. I will also point out that Schacht signed this letter "With a Vigorous Heil."
We turn now to the second part of our proof, relating to Schacht's contribution to preparation for war.
The detailed chronology of Schacht's official career in the Nazi Government, as set forth in 3021-PS, has already been submitted in evidence as US Exhibit No. 11. However, it may be helpful at the outset to remind the Tribunal that Schacht was recalled to the Presidency of the Reichsbank by Hitler on 17 March 1933, which office he continuously held until 20 January 1939; that he was Acting Minister and then Minister of Economics from August 1934 until November 1937; and that he was appointed General Plenipotentiary for War Economy in May 1935. He resigned as Minister of Economics and General Plenipotentiary for War Economy inNovember 1937, when he accepted appointment as Minister without Portfolio, which post he held until January 1943.
His position as virtual economic dictator of Germany in the crucial years from early 1933 to the end of 1936 is practically a matter of common knowledge. German credit system for rearmament purposes. From the outset, he recognized that the plan for German military supremacy required huge quantities of public credit. To that end a series of measures was adopted which subverted all credit institutions in Germany to the over-all aim of supplying funds for the military machine. I will briefly mention some of these measures. per cent in gold and foreign exchange required against circulating Reichsbank notes was permanently abandoned. By the Credit Act of 1934, the government assumed jurisdiction of all credit institutions, and control over the entire banking system was centralized in Schacht as Chairman of the Supervisory Board for the Credit System and President of the Reichsbank. This Act not only enabled Schacht to control the quantity of credit but also its use. On 29 March 1934, a system of forced, corporate lending to the Reich was imposed on German business. And on 19 February 1935, the Treasury was authorized to borrow funds in any amounts approved by the Reich Chancellor, that is, by Hitler. the Reichsgesetzblatt, 1933, part 2, page 827; Reichsgesetzblatt, 1934, part 1, page 1203; Reichsgesetzblatt, 1934, part 1, page 295; and Reichsgesetzblatt, 1935, part 1, page 198.
THE PRESIDENT: Are they found here in the document book?
LT. BRADY O. BRYSON: They're not in the document book, sir. I asked only that judicial notice be taken of them as published laws of Germany. has termed a "daring credit policy", including the secret financing of a vast amount of armaments, through the so-called "Mefo" bill, a description of which appears in the transcript for 23 November at page 295.
I offer in evidence EC. 436, US Exhibit No.620, consisting of a statement, dated 2 November 1945, by Emil Puhl, a director of the Reichsbank during Schacht's presidency , and quote the second paragraph thereof as follows:
"In the early part of 1935, the need for financing an accelerated rearmament program arose. Dr. Schacht, President of the Reichsbank, after considering various techniques of financing, proposed the use of 'Mefo' bills, to provide a substantial portion of the funds needed for the rearmament program. This method had as one of its primary advantages the fact that secrecy would be possible during the first years of the rearmament program, and figures indicating the extent of rearmament that would have become public through the use of other methods could be kept secret through the use of 'Mefo' bills."
The extent of the credit expansion, and the importance of "Mefo" financing, may be seen from E.C. No. 419, which I now offer as US Exhibit No.621, and which consists of a letter from Finance Minister von Krosigk to Hitler, under date of 1 September 1938. I quote the following figures from the middle of the first page:
"The development of the Reich debt is as follows:
"As of December 31, 1932, Funded Debt: 10.4 millions of Reichsmarks: Current Debt: 2.1 billions of Reichsmarks: Debt (not subscribed to by public, that is, trade and 'Mefo' bills of exchange): 0."As of June 30, 1938, Funded Debt:
19 billion Reichsmarks; Current Debt: 5 billion Reichsmarks; and Debt (not subscribed to by public, that is, trade and 'Mefo' bills of exchange): 13.3 billion Reichsmarks.
"Total, as of December 31, 1932: 12.5 billion Reichsmarks; as of June 30, 1938: 35.8 billion Reichsmarks."
THE PRESIDENT: Would you read the next section, beginning with the words "Previsions were made to cover".
LT. BRADY O. BRYSON: "Provisions were made to cover the armament expenditures forthe year 1938 (the same amount as in 1937) as follows:
"Five billions from the budget, that is, taxes; 4 billions from loans; 2 billions from six months' treasury notes, which means postponement of payment until 1939; total: 11 billions."
The Reich debt thus tripled under Schacht's management. More than one-third of the total was financed secretly and through the instrumentality of the Reichsbank by "Mefo" and trade bills. It is clear that this amount of financing outside the normal public issues represented armament debt. I read further from EC. 436, at the beginning of the last long paragraph:
"These 'Mefo' bills were used exclusively for financing rearmament, and when in March 1938 a new finance program discontinuing the use of 'Mefo' bills was announced by Dr. Schacht, there was a total volume outstanding of. 12 billion marks of 'Mefo' bills which has been issued to finance rearmament."
The character of Schacht's credit policy and the fact that it was ruthlessly dedicated to the creation of armaments plainly appear from his own speech delivered on 29 November 1938.
I offer it in evidence as EC 611, U.S. Exhibit No. 622, and I quote from page 6 at the beginning of the last paragraph:
"It is possible that no bank of issue in peacetimes carried on such a daring credit policy as the Reichsbank since the seizure of power by National Socialism. With the aid of this credit policy, however, Germany created an armament second to none, and this armament in turn made possible the results of our policy."
the German economy generally, in order to marshall it behind the rearmament program. reorganization of German industry along military lines, and in accordance with the sc called "Leadership Principle". On this point I refer the Tribunal to the transcript for 23 November at pp. 287-290; and to RGBl. 1934, Part I, page 1194, of which the Tribunal is asked to take Judicial notice. Council, which was secretly established on 4 April 1933, and the function of which was preparation for war. The Tribunal is referred to the transcript for 23 November, p. 290. I also offer in evidence as EC 128, U.S. Exhibit Now 623, a report under date of 30 September 1934, showing the functions of the Ministry of Economics in this respect. The report reveals concentration upon all the familiar wartime economic problems, including stockpiling, production of scarce goods, removal of industry to secure areas, fuel and power supply for war production, machine tools, control of wartime priorities, rationing, price control, civilian supply, and so on. I wish to read into the record merely an excerpt showing the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Economics, beginning near the top of page 2. This is EC.128, and I read from the top of page 2:
"With the establishment of the Reich Defense Council and for the conduct of the warring.
There should really be no preparation for war avengeditself during the world war."
authorized him, as Minister of Economics, to take any measure deemed necessary for the development of the German economy, In this connection reference is made to RGBL. 1934, Part I, page. 565, of which the Tribunal is asked to take judicial notice.
The sc-called "New Plan", devised by Schacht, was announced in the fall of 1934 shortly after he became Minister of Economics. In this connection the Tribunal is referred to RGBl. 1934, Part I, page 81.6 and RGBl. 1935, Part I, page 105, with the request that judicial notice be taken thereof. The new Plan was Schacht's basic program for obtaining the necessary foreign-produced raw materials and foreign exchange required to sustain the rearmament program. EC. 437, U.S. Exhibit No. 624, consisting of an affidavit of Emil Puhl, dated 7 November 1945. The entire text is pertinent. Therefore, permission is requested to submit the affidavit without reading therefrom, on condition that French and Russian translations be prepared and filed.
THE PRESIDENT: And German ones supplied too.
LT. BRYSON: The original is in German, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: It is in German?
LT. BRYSON: Yes.
THE PRESIDENT: But copies will be supplied too?
LT. BRYSON: We will supply copies. I wish to say that the original is in English, but the affidavit has already been translated into German.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
LT. BRYSON: This affidavit, by a co-worker of Schact, describes in detail the many ingenious and often ruthless devices he used, including negotiating "stand-still" agreements, forcing payment in Reichmarks of interest and amortization on debts incurred in foreign currency, using scrip and funding bonds for the same purpose; suspending service on foreign-held debt; blocking foreign-held marks; freezing foreign claims in Germany; eliminating unessential foreign expenditures ; requisitioning German-held foreign exchange; subsidizing experts; issuing restricted marks; bartering under clearing agreemtns; licensing imports; and controlling all foreign exchange transactions to the end of favoring raw materials for armaments, and for the export industires to obtain further foreign exchange. 1934, page 997; Reichsgesetzblatt 1933, Part I, page 349, and Reichsgesetzblatt 1937, Part I, page 600, relating to the Clearing Bank, the Conversion Bank, and the maturity of Foreign Loans, all of which decrees are mentioned in the affidavit. deposit in German banks in rearmament notes, thus, as he put it, financing rearmament with the assets of his political opponents. Without reading therefrom, I refer your Honors to PS-1168, U.S. Exhibit 37, being a memorandum from Schacht to Hitler, dated 3 May, 1935, which already appears in the transcript on pages 412 and 413. Moreover, Schacht even resorted to capital punishment to prevent the loss of foreign exchange when frightened capital began to flee the country. In this connection reference is made to the Law Against Economic Sabotage, found in 1936 Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, page 999, of which the Tribunal is asked to take judicial notice.
under the stringent controls which he instituted under his "New Plan". I refer the Tribunal to EC. 611, in evidence as U.S. Exhibit No. 622, consisting of Schacht's speech in Berlin on 29 November 1938. I wish to read into the record an excerpt from the top of page 10:
"If there is anything remarkable about the Now Plan it is again only the fact that German organization under National Socialist leadership succeeded in conjuring up in a very short time the whole apparatus of supervision of imports, direction of exports, and promotion of exports. The success of the New Plan can be proved by means of a few figures. Calculated according to quantity, the import of finished products was throttled by 63 percent between 1934 and 1937. On the ether hand, the import of ores was increased by 132 percent, of petroleum by 116, of grain by 102 and of rubber by 71 percent." acquired still another key position, that of General Plenipotentiary for the War Economy. Reich Defense Law, secretly enacted on 21 May 1935. This law is in evidence as 2261-PS, U.S. Exhibit No. 24, consisting of a letter from von Blomberg, dated 24 June 1935, to the Chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Forces, together with copies of the Reich Defense Law and the Cabinet's memorandum relating thereto. Pertinent comments on and excerpts from this document appear in the transcript for 23 November, at pp.
278 and 292. I will simply state, therefore, that by virtue of this appointment, Schacht was put in complete charge - except for certain direct armament production under control of the War Ministry, in complete change of economic planning and preparation for war in peacetime; and upon the outbreak of war, he was to be the economic czar of Germany, with complete control ever the activities of a number of key Reich ministries. out his directives. In this connection I offer in evidence excerpts from a pre-trial interrogation of Schacht under date of 17 October 1945. This document is U.S. Exhibit 616. I wish to read into the record a question and answer found at the bottom of page 40 of the document:
"Q. Let me ask you a general question, then: Do you take the responsibility as Plenipotentiary for the war economy for the writings that were made and the actions that were done by Wohltat and his assistants?
"A. I have to."
I also offer in evidence EC. 258, U.S. Exhibit No. 625, consisting of a status report issued in December 1937 under the signature of Schacht's deputy Wohltat. The report is entitled "The Preparation of the Economic Mobilization by the Plenipotentiary for War Economy". Schacht had withdrawn from office immediately before the preparation of this report, and it plainly is a recapitulation of his accomplishments while in office. Since the entire text is relevant, we ask permission to submit the document without reading therefrom, on condition that translations into French and Russian be later filed with the Tribunal.
THE PRESIDENT: I do not think this is consistent with the rule laid down by the Tribunal, which was that the translations in the French and Russian language should be submitted at the same time. You are now suggesting that you can submit translations at a later stage.
LIEUTENANT BRYSON: Well, if your Honor please, in any event I didn't plan to real from the document at this time and defense counsel do have the German original.