preparation of aggressive war as any of his colleagues. He was beyond any doubt most effective and valuable in this connection. His assistance in the earlier phase of the conspiracy made their later crimes possible. His withdrawal from the scene of action reflected no moral feeling against the use of aggressive warfare as an instrument of national policy. He personally struggled to retain his position. By the time he lost it, he had already completed his task in the conspiracy, namely, to provide Hitler and his colleagues with the physical means and economic planning necessary to launch and maintain the aggression. We do not believe that having prepared the Wehrmacht for assault upon the world, he should now be permitted to find refuge in his loss of power before the blow was struck.
This concludes our case against the Defendant Schacht, and Lt. Meltzer follows mo with the presentation of the American case against the Defendant Funk.
LT. BERNARD D. MELTZER: May it please the Tribunal, the documents bearing upon Defendant Funk's responsibility have been assembled in a document book marked "HH" filed with the Tribunal, and has also been made available to defense counsel. The some is true of the brief. The documents have been arranged in the book in the order of their presentation. Moreover, to facilitate references, the pages of the document book have been numbered consecutively in red. I wish to acknowledge the invaluable collaboration of Mr. Sidney Jacoby, who sits to my right, in the selection and analysis of these documents.
We propose to submit evidence concerning five phases of Defendant Funk's participation in the conspiracy.
First, his contribution to the Nazi seizure of power; and his responsibility for the activities of that ministry;
Third, his responsibility for the unrelenting elimination of Jews, first from the so-called cultural professions and then from the entire German economy:
tasks were subordinated--preparation for aggressive war, and; participation in the waging of aggressive war. the conspirators' accession to power and their consolidation of control over Germany. Soon after he joined the Nazi Party in 1931 Defendant Funk began to hold important positions; first within the Party itself and then within the Nazi Government. Funk's positions have, in the main, been listed in Document No. 3533-PS, which is a statement signed by both Defendant Funk and his counsel. This document has been made available in the four working languages of these Proceedings, and a copy in the appropriate language should be avilable in each of your Honors' document books. It is accordingly requested that this document, which is U.S.A. Exhibit No. 651, be received into evidence without the necessity if its being read in its entirely. after some of the items listed on Document No. 3533-PS. These were inserted by defendant Funk. The words which he wished deleted are enclosed in parentheses. This comments are underscored and followed by asterisks. of these contested points. Accordingly, we collected in Document No. 3563-PS relevant exerpts from certain German publications. This document has also been made available in the four working languages. Moreover, we submit that the Tribunal can properly take judicial notice of the publications referred to in the Document. However, in order to facilitate reference, we request that it be received in evidence as U.S.A. Exhibit No. 6520.
In connection with item (b) on the top of page one of Document No.3533-PS, your Honors will observe that Defendant Funk has in effect denied that he was Hitler's personal economic adviser in the 1930's. However, the excerpts from the four German publications set forth on pages one and two of Document No.3563-PS directly contradict this denial.
We submit that it will be clear from the documents just referred to that Defendant Funk, soon after he joined the Party, began to operate as one of the Nazi inner circle.
Moreover, as a party economic theorist during its critical days in 1932 he made a significant contribution to its drive for mass support by drafting its economic slogans. In this connection I would refer to Document 3505-PS, which is a biography entitled, in the English translation, "Walter Funk - A Life for the Economy". This bography was written by one Oestreich in German and published by the Central Publishing House of the Nazi Party. I offer this document into evidence as U.S.A. Exhibit 653. I wish to quote now from page one of the translation of this document, the center of the page. The corresponding page of the German document is page eighty-one.
"In 1931 he (that is, Funk) became a member of the Reichstag. The document of his activity at the time is: "Economic construction program of the NSDAP", which was formulated by him in the second half of the year 1932. It received the approval of Adolf Hitler, and was declared binding for all Gau leaders, speakers on the subject, and Gau advisors on the subject and others of the Party."
Thus Defendant Funk's slogans became the economic gospel for the Party organizers and spellbinders.
Defendant Funk's slogans became the economic gospel for the Party organizers and spellbinders.
Defendant Funk, however, was much more than one of the Nazi Party's economic theorists; he was also involved in the highly practical work of soliciting campaign contributions for the Party. As liaison man between the Party and the big German industrialists he helped place the industrialists' financial and political support behind Hitler. Defendant Funk, in an interrogation conducted on 4 June 1945 admitted that he helped finance the highly critical election campaign of 1932. I offer into evidence Document No. 2828-PS as U.S.A. Exhibit No. 654, and I quote from the bottom of page forty-three-
THE PRESIDENT: Lt. Meltzer, isn't this really all cumulative and detailed evidence to support what the Defendant Funk has already agreed with reference to his office?
On page one you have there the admission that he was a member of the Nazi Party, chief of the division of the Central Nazi Party, chairman of the committee of the Nazi Party on economic policy, and then it goes on from A to U with views of the various offices which he held, and which he admits he held.
But surely to go into the details of those various positions is unnecessary.
LT. MELTZER: If your Honor please, the admission of the various positions listed do not, in our judgment, indicate in any way Defendant Funk's participation in the fund-raising for the Nazi Party.
THE PRESIDENT: The fund-raising?
LT. MELTZER: The fund-raising. Now, it is a possible inference from those positions that he did engage in the solicitation of campaign contributions. However, it did seem to us relevant to mention most briefly that aspect of his activity.
THE PRESIDENT: Very well, if you say there is nothing in these offices which covered the matter you are going to deal with; well and good
LT. MELTZER: Defendant Funk, in an interrogation conducted on 4 June 1945, admitted, as I said a minute ago, that he helped to finance this highly critical campaign.
THE PRESIDENT; You see, Lt. Meltzer, the heading that you have so conveniently given to us is that he contributed to the seizure of power. Well now, nearly every one of the headings A to U on page one, which he admits, is evidence that he contributed to seizure of power. Is it your object to propose that he also helped to raise funds? The contribution to the seizure of power isn't in itself a crime; it is only a step.
LT. MELTZER: Very well, your Honor, There is one aspect, however, of his activity in that regard which I should like to mention; that is, in connection with his fund-raising activities, he was present at a meeting in Berlin early in 1933. The primary purpose of that meeting was to raise funds; however, I am referring to the document which records what went on in that meeting in order to point out that in the course of the meeting, Hitler and Goering submitted an exposition of certain basic elements of the Nazi program. The report of this meeting is found in Document 2828-PS, which, your Honors will find on page 28 of the document book. I wish to quote the following question and answer:
"Q. About 1933, we have been informed, certain industrialists in March.
Do you know anything about this?
"A. I was at the meeting,. Money was not demanded by Goring but by Schacht.
Hitler left the room, then Schacht made a speech asking for money for the election.
I was only there as an industrialists."
The character and importance of Funk's work with the large industrialists is emphasized in the biography of Funk, which I referred to earlier, and I will simply invite your Honor's attention to the relevent pages of that book, which are 83 and 84.
THE PRESIDENT: I don't understand why you read that passage. If you wanted to show that he was at the meeting, it would be merely sufficient to say that he was at the meeting. I don't think those two sentences that you read us help us in the very least.
LT. MELTZER: If the Tribunal please, those two sentences do not refer to the meeting. Those two sentences refer to the biography which sums up the Defendant Funk's general contribution to the Nazi accession to power and I thought it might be of interest to the Tribunal to see the attitude of a German writer on this aspect of the Defendant's career.
THE PRESIDENT: It seems to me you referred to the meeting.
LT. MELTZER: I was referring your Honors to pages 32 and 33 of the document book, and to clarify this point may I read briefly from the biography:
"No less important than Funk's accomplishments in the programmatic field in the years 1931 and 1932, was his activity of that time as the Fuehrer's liaison man to the leading men of the German industry, trade, commerce and finance. On the basis of his past work his personal relations to the German economic leaders were broad and extensive. He was now able to enlist them in the service of Adolf Hitler, and not only to answer their questions authoritatively, but to convince them and win their backing for the Party. At that time, that was terribly important work, every success achieved meant a moral, political and economic strengthening of the fighting force of the Party and contributed toward destroying the prejudice that National Socialism is merely a party of class hatred and class struggle."
THE PRESIDENT: Again, I don't see that that has helped the Tribunal in the least.
LT. MELTZER: After Funk had helped Hitler become Chancellor, as Press Chief of the German Government, he participated in the early Cabinet meetings, in the course of which he conspirators planned the strategy by which they would secure the passage of the Presidential Emergency Decree, which was passed on 24 March, 1933. Funk's presence at these meetings is revealed by Documents 2962-PS and 2963-PS, which have already been received in evidence. Your Honors will recall that this decree marked the real seizure of political power in Germany. Ministry of Propaganda. The record shows that the Ministry became one of the most important and vicious of Nazi institutions and that propaganda was fundamental to the achievement of the Nazi program within Germnay and outside of Germany. We do not propose to review these matters to you but rather to present evidence showing, as we have said, that the Defendant Funk took a significant part in the propaganda operations. chief and Defendant Funk as Undersecretary, second in command.
As Undersecretary, Defendant Funk was not only Goebbels' chief aid but was also the organizer of the large and complex propaganda machine. I wish to offer into evidence Document No. 3501-PS, which will be found on page 47 of your document book, as USA Exhibit 657. This document is an affidavit signed on 19 December, 1945, by Max Amann who held the position of Reich Leader of the Press and President of the Reich Press Chamber. I should like to read the second sentence of the first paragraph and the entire second paragraph:
THE PRESIDENT: What page?
LT. MELTZER: The document. Sir, has only one page. It is on page 47. Sir, of the document book.
"In carrying out my duties and responsibilities, I became familiar with the operations and the organization of the Reich Ministry of Propaganda and Enlightenment.
"Walter Funk was the practical Minister of the Ministry of Propaganda and Enlightenment and managed the Ministry. Funk was the soul of the Ministry, and without him Goebbles could not have built it up. Goebbels once stated to me that Funk was his 'most effective man'. Funk exercised comprehensive control over all of the media of expression in German: over the press, the theater, radio and music. As Press Chief of the Ministry, Funk held daily meetings with the Fuhrer and a daily press conference in the course of which he issued the directives governing the materials to be published by the German Press." important jobs in the Propaganda Ministry and in its subordinate agencies. These positions have already been listed in Document 3533-PS. I wish, however, to refer in particular to Punk's position as Vice President of the Reich Chamber of Culture. This position was, of course, related to his functions in the Propaganda Ministry.
related Nazi policies. The first was the regimentation of all military objectives.
The second was the complete elimination of Jews and dissidents from the so-called cultural professions.
A part of US Exhibit B. Accordingly, we will not go into that In view of the Defendant Funk's major role in the Propaganda responsibility for the Nazi perversion of culture.
In this connection, I will simply invite the Tribunal's attention to pages 94 and 95 of Ostreich's biography, which has already been anti-Jewish program.
For example, on 14 June, 1938, he signed a 1938, Part I, page 627.
It is requested that the Tribunal take all subsequent references.
May I add that the brief on Defendant
THE PRESIDENT: Would that be a convenient time to break off?
LT. MELTZER: Yes, your Honor.
THE TRIBUNAL: Before we do so, Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe, I see that one of the Counsel, Mr. Fillimore, I think, is proposing to call certain-witnesses.
The Tribunal would like to know who
SIR DAVID MAXWELL-FYFE: Would the Tribunal like to know now?
THE TRIBUNAL: If you could, it would be convenient now.
SIR DAVID MAXWELL-FYFE: Yes. The first witness is Korvetten Kapitaen Mohle, who was a captain on Defendant Doenitz's 17 September, 1942.
I think that is the main point that he deals with.
I think he deals also with the destruction of some rescue The second witness is Lieutenant Heisig.
He will deal advocated the destruction of the crews of merchant ships.
That is
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
(Whereupon, at 12.45 hours the Hearing of the Tribunal adjourned to reconvene at 14.
00 hours.)
Military Tribunal, in the matter of: The Socialist Republics against Herman.
Wilhelm
THE PRESIDENT: Lieutenant Meltzer, are you intending to call any witnesses this afternoon?
LT. MELTZER: No, sir. There is another member of the Prosecution, sir, who I believe is intending to call a witness, Mr. Dodd.
THE PRESIDENT: In connection with the case against Funk?
LT. MELTZER: No, your Honor.
THE PRESIDENT: Or in connection with the case against someone else?
LT. MELTZER: Yes, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: Who is it in connection with, Raeder?
LT. MELTZER: I believe Mr. Dodd might offer -
THE PRESIDENT: Raeder, is it?
LT. MELTZER: No, sir. Mr. Dodd might offer a better explanation than I on the purpose of calling the witness.
THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Dodd?
MR. DODD: Yes, sir. Your Honor, the witness is offered in connection with the Defendants Rosenberg, Funk, Frick, Sauckel, and Kaltenbrunner.
THE PRESIDENT: I see. The evidence relates to concentration camps, does it?
MR. DODD: It does, your Honor.
THE PRESIDENT: I see.
MR. DODD: This witness would have been called at the time that we presented the other proof, excepting for the fact that he was before the Military court at Dachau at that time and was not available.
THE PRESIDENT: I see, Thank you.
LT. MELTZER: May it please the Tribunal: Before we adjourned we were dealing with Defendant Funk's role in the economic persecution of the Jews.
As your Honors will recall, in November of 1938 the death of von Rath in Paris was exploited by the Nazis as a pretext for intensifying the persecution of the Jews. The new policy was directed at the complete elimination of the Jews from the economic life of Germany. The evidence we will offer will show that Defendant Funk took a significant part in both the formulation and execution of that policy. In this connection, I would refer the Tribunal to Document No. 1816-PS, which is already in the record. This document is a report of the meeting on the Jewish question. It will be found your Honor, on page 52 of the Document Book, This Document is a report of the meeting, on the Jewish question held under Goering's chairmanship on 12 November, 1938. In opening the meeting Defendant Goering stated, and I quote now from page 1, paragraph 1, of the translation. The corresponding page of the German document is also page 1:
"To-day's meeting is of a decisive nature. I have received a letter written on the Fuehrer's orders, requesting that the Jewish question be now, once and for all, coordinated and solved one way or another."
Defendant Funk came to this meeting well prepared. He had a law already drafted which he submitted with the following explanation. I quote again from Document 1816-PS, page 15.
THE PRESIDENT: Page what?
LT. MELTZER: Fifteen of the Document, your Honor; page 66 of the Document Book.
"I have prepared a law eloborating that, effective 1 January 1939, Jews shall be prohibited to operate retail stores and wholesale establishments as well as independent artisan shops. They shall be further prohibted from keeping employees or offering any ready products on the market. Whereve a Jewish shop is operated, the police shall shut it down. From 1 January 1939, a Jew can no longer be employed as an enterpriser as stipulated in the law for the Organization of National Labor of 20 January 1934."
I believe we may omit the rest. It is all in the same tenor.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
LT. MELTZER: The substance of Defendant Funk's draft law promply found its way into the Reichsgesstzblatt. On 12 November 1938, Defendant Goering signed a decree entitled, and I quote, "For the Elimination of Jews from the German Economic Life", and in section 4 he authorized Defendant Funk to implement the provisions of the decree by issuing the necessary rules and regulations. An examination of the provisions of this decree, which is set forth in the Reichsgesetzblatt 1938, Part I, page 1580, will reveal how well it deserved its title "For the Elimination of the Jews from the German Economic Life." delivered a speech on the Jewish question. He made it clear that the program of economic persecution was part of the larger program of extermination, and he boasted of the fact that the new program insured the complete elimination of the Jews from the German economy. I offer into evidence document Number 3545-PS as USA Exhibit 659. This document, which is found on page 76 of the Document Book, is a certified photostatic copy of page 2 of the Frankfurter Zeitung of 17 November 1938. I quote a very brief portion of that speech:
"The state and the economy constitute a unit. They must be directed according to the same principles. The best proof thereof has been rendered by the most recent development of the Jewish problem in Germany. On cannot exclude the Jews from the political life and yet let them live and work in the economic sphere." notice of this reprint from the German newspaper, the Frankfurter Zeitung. Funk himself. On the 3rd of December, 1938, he signed a decree which imposed additional and drastic economic disabilities upon the Jews and subjected their property to confiscation and forced liquidation.
This decree is set forth in the Reichsgesetzblatt 1938, Part I, page 1709. Defendant Funk himself admitted and deplored his responsibility for the economic persecution of the Jews. I offer into evidence Document No. 3544-PS, as USA Exhibit 660. This document, which is the last document in connection with this phase of the case, is an interrogation of Defendant Funk dated 22 October 1945. Your Honors will find it on pages 102 and 103 of the Document Book. I wish to quote from pages 26 to 27 of the interrogation. The corresponding page of the German translation is page 21. Although I propose to quote enough to place Defendant Funk's statements in their proper context, I do not, of course, intend to give any credence to his attempts at selfjustification:
"Q. All the decrees excluding the Jews from industry were yours, were they not?"
Now, omitting the first nine lines of the reply;
"A. So far as my participation in this Jewish affair is concerned, that was my responsibility, and I have regretted it later on that I ever did participate. The Party had always brought pressure to bear on me previously to make me agree to the confiscation of Jewish property, and I had refused repeatedly. But later on, when the anti-Jewish measures and the force against Jews came into effect, something legal had to be done to prevent the looting and confiscation of all Jewish property.
"Q. You knew that the looting and all that was done at the instigation of the Party, don't you?"
Here Defendant Funk w ept and answered:
"Yes, most certainly. That is when I should have left in 1938. Of that I am guilty; I am guilty; I admit that I am a guilty party here." solidfy the German people in favor of war. When he moved on to his position as Minister of Economics, and to other positions which will appear, he used his talents even more directly for the conspirators' main task--preparation for war. Immediately before Defendant Funk took over the Ministry of Economics from Defendant Schacht in 1938, there was a major reorganization of that Ministry's functions which integrated it with the Four-Year Plan as the supreme command of the German military economy.
This reorganization was effected by a decree dated 4 February 1938, signed by Goering as Commissioner of the FourYear Plan, This decree is set forth in an official monthly bulletin issued by Goering and entitled, in the English translation "The Four Year Plan", Volume II, 1938, page 105. It is requested that the Tribunal take judicial notice of this publication. Defendant Funk assumed a critical role in the task of economic mobilization during a decisive period. Indeed, in 1938 he was directly charged with the task of preparing the German economy for war. By a secret decree he was made Chief Plenipotentiary for Economics, and assumed the duties which once had been discharged by Defendant Schacht. In this connection, I refer to Document 2194-PS, which has already been placed in evidence. This document, which is found on page 111 of your Honors' document books, consists of a letter dated 6 September 1939, and that letter transmitted a copy of the Reich Defense Law of 4 September 1938. It is this enclosure that we wish to deal with now. I wish to quote from page 4 of the translation, from paragraphs 2 to 4:
"It is the task of the GBW" -- that is the Chief Plenipotentiary for Economics -- "to put all economic forces into the service of the Reich defense, and to safeguard economically the life of the German nation. To him are subordinate:
"the Reich minister of economics "the Reich minister of nutrition and agriculture "the Reich minister of work", and so on.
"He is furthermore responsible for directing the financing of the Reich defense within the realm of the Reich finance ministry and the Reich Bank."
To quote one more paragraph:
"The GBW must carry out the demands of the OKW which are of considerable importance for the armed forces; and he must insure the economic conditions for the production of the armament industry directed immediately by OKW according to its demands."
Reich Defense Law of 1935, and I will not trouble the Tribunal with further reading. I do wish to note, however, that the law was at the specific direction of Hitler kept secret, and that it was signed by Defendant Funk, among others, as Chief Plenipotentiary for Economics. Your Honors will find Defendant Funk's signature on next to the last page of the document, and I invite your attention to the names of his co-signers. explained how, as Chief Plenipotentiary for Economies, he had for a year and a half prior to the launching of the aggression against Poland, advanced Germany's economic preparations for war. I offer into evidence Document No. 3324-PS, as USA Exhibit 661. This document is a German book by Borndt and von Wodel, entitled, in the English translation, "Germany in the Fight." That book reprings the Defendant's speech. I quote now from page 2 of the translation of Document No. 3324-PS, which is found on page 116 of the Document Book. The translation of this speech is somewhat awkward, and with the Tribunal's permission I would rephrase it somewhat without changing its substance in the slightest:
"Although all economic and financial departments were harnessed to the task of the Four Year Plan under the leadership of General Field Marshal Goering, Germany's economic preparation for war was also secretly advanced in another sector for well over a year, namely, through the formation of a national guiding apparatus for special war economy tasks which would have to be accomplished the moment that war became a fact. For this work all economic departments were combined into one administrative authority, the General Plenipotentiary for Economy, to which position the Fuehrer appointed me one and a half years ago."
THE PRESIDENT: What was the date of that?
LT. MELTZER: The date of that speech, sir, is October.
THE PRESIDENT: 14th of October?
LT. MELTZER: 14th of October, 1939.
In his dual capacity as Chief Plenipotentiary for Economics and. Minister of Economics, defendant Funk was naturally advised of the requirements which the conspirators' program of aggression imposed on the German economy. In this connection, I would invite the Tribunal's attention to Document No. 1301-PS, which is already in evidence. As your Honors will recall, this document is a top secret report of the conference held in Defendant Goering's office on 14 October 1938. Your Honors will find it on page lit 142 of the Document Book. I shall simply summarize the relevant portions of this document. Hitler's directive to organize a gigantic armament program. He thereupon directed the Ministry of Economics to increase exports in order to obtain the foreign exchange necessary for stepping up armament. He added, as your Honors will recall, that the Luftwaffe must be increased fivefold; that the Navy should arm more quickly; and that the Army should accelerate the production of weapons for attack. Defendant Goering's words directed at Funk, among others, were the words of a man already at war, and his emphasis on quintupling the air force and on weapons for attack was that of a man waging aggressive war.
After Schacht's departure, Funk was a key figure in the preparation of plans to finance the war. This was natural, since Defendant Funk, after 1939, occupied three positions crucial to war finance. Two we have already named-the Minister of Economics and the Chief Plenipotentiary for Economics. In addition, he was President of the Reichsbank.
Funk's role in war financing is illustrated by Document No. 3562-PS, which I now offer In evidence as USA Exhibit 662. This document was found in the captured files of the Reich Ministry of Economics. It consists in part of a letter from the Chief Plenipotentiary for Economics, signed on his behalf by Dr. Fosse. The letter is dated 1 June 1939, and encloses the minutes of a conference concerning the financing of the war which was held under the chairmanship of Funk's under secretary in the Ministry of Economics, Dr. Landfried. A copy of the document which I have offered into evidence bears a marginal note on page 1 in the bottom left-hand corner, dated 5 June, and stating, and I quote: "To be shown to the Minister (that is, Funk) for his information."
five of whom were directly responsible to Defendant Funk in various capacities, the conferees discussed a memorandum regarding war finance which had been prepared by the Chief Plenipotentiary for Economics on May 9, 1939. I wish to quote briefly from page 2 of the English translation, which is found on page 153 of your Honors' document book:
"Then a report was made of the contents of the notes on the question of internal financing of war of 9 May of this year, in which the figures given to me by the Reichs Minister of Finance are also discussed. It was pointed out that the General Plenipotentiary for the Economy is primarily interested to introduce into the legislation for war finance the idea of financing war expenditures by anticipating future revenues, to be expected after the war." whichis found on page 2 of the English translation, page 153 of your document bocks:
"Undersecretary Newman, first, submitted for discussion the question of whether the production would be able to meet, to the assumed extent, the demands of the army, especially if the demands of the army, as stated in the above report, would increase to approximately 14 billions in the first three months of war. He stated that, if the production potential of the present Reich territory is taken as a basis, he doubts the possibility of such an increase."
It is plain, then, that Defendant Funk exercised comprehensive authority over large areas of the German economy whose proper organization and direction were critical to effective war preparation.
The once powerful German military machine which rested on the foundation of thorough economic preparation was a tribute to the contribution which Defendant Funk had made to Nazi aggression. military aggression. A compelling inference of such knowledge would arise from the combination of several factors: from Funk's long and intimate association with the Nazi Inner circle, from the very nature of his official functions, from the war-dominated setting of Nazi Germany, from the fact that force and the threat of force had become the primary and the open instruments of German foreign policy. And the final element in weighing the question of Funk's knowledge, is, of course, the fact that at the same time that Funk was making economic preparation, specific plans for aggression was being formulated, plans which were later carried out, and plans which could be effectively carried out only if they were synchronized with the complementary economic measures.
The inference concerning Defendant Funk's knowledge is reinforced beyond any question, by considering, in the light of the factors decribed above, the more specific and direct evidence which has already been placed into the record. We have seen from Document No. 1760-PS that Defendant Funk had told Mr.Messersmith that the absorption of Austria by Germany was a political and economic necessity, and that it would be achieved by whatever means were necessary. We have already referred to Document No. 1301-PS, in which Defendant Goering laid down directives which could be understood only as directives to prepare the economic basis for aggression. And Document Number 3562-PS has revealed that Defendant Funk was making detailed plans for financing the war, that is, of course, a particular war, the war against bland. In this connection, I wish to refer to another vital piece of evidence which has already been introduced in the record. It is the letter dated 25 August 1939, which Defendant Funk wrote too Hitler. In that letter, as your Honors will recall, Defendant Funk expressed his gratitude at being able to experience those world-shaking.
times and to contribute to these tremendous events. And he thanked Hitler for approving his proposals, designed to prepare the German economy for the war.
personally and through his representatives, participated in the economic planning which preceded the military aggression against the Soviet Union. I would refer the Tribunal to Document 1039-PS, which revealed that in April of 1941, Defendant Rosenberg, who had been appointed deputy for the centralized treatment of problems related to the occupation of the eastern territories, that is, the Soviet Union, discussed with Defendant Funk the economic problems which would arise when the plans for aggression in the East matured. Document 1039-PS also reveals that Defendant Funk appointed one, Dr. Schletterer, as deputy to collaborate with Rosenberg in connection with exploitation of the Eastern territories and that Schletterer met with Rosenberg almost daily. conspirators' program, from their seizure of power to their final defeat. Throughout, he worked effectively, if sometimes more quietly than others, on behalf of the Nazi program, a program which, from the very beginning, he knew contemplated the use of ruthless terror and force within Germany, and if necessary outside of Germany. He bears, we submit, a special, a direct and a heavy responsibility for the commission of crimes against humanity, crimes against peace and war crimes. The record makes it clear, if we may summarize the evidence, that by virtue of his activities in the Ministry of Propaganda and in the Ministry of Economics, he is responsible for stimulating and engaging in the unrelenting persecution of the Jews and other minorities, for psychologically mobilizing the German people for aggressive war and for weakening the willingness and capacity of the conspirators' intended victims to resist aggression. It is also clear, we submit, that Defendant Funk, with full knowledge of the conspirators' purposes, in his capacity as Minister of Economics, President of the Reichsbank and Chief Plenipotentiary for Economics, actively participated in the mobilization of the German economy for aggression. In these capacities, and as a member of the Ministerial Council for Defense and the Central Planning Board, he also participated in the waging of aggressive war. Moreover, by virtue of his membership in the Central Planning Board which, as your Honors will recall from Mr. Dodd's presentation, formulated and directed and directed the program for the enslavement, the exploitation and degradation of millions of foreign workers.