sible without war, but through war, if the United
States would stay out of it (EC-461, USA-58).
In 1935, Schacht announced to the American Consul Fuller:
"Colonies are essential to
Germany. If it is possible, we shall acquire them through
negotiations; if not, we shall seize them." (EC-450,
USA-629)
Schacht admitted in Court that military pressure put
upon Czechoslovakia was "in some measure the result and the
fruit of his labor" (Transcript, Morning Session, 3 May 1946).
b) Schacht personally participated in the plunder of private and
State property of the countries which became victims of Hitlerite
aggressions.
The minutes of the conference of the Military-Economic Staff on
11 March 1938, in which Schacht participated, state that those
present were given Hitler's latest directives about the invasion of
Austria. Further, the minutes state: "After this, at the
suggestion of Schacht, it was decided that . . . . all the financial
accounting will be made in Reichsmarks at the rate of exchange: two
schillings for one Reichsmark" (EC-421, USA-645).
Schacht admitted in Court that he personally was in charge of the
seizure of the Czechoslovak National Bank after the occupation of
Czechoslovakia (Transcript, Morning Session, 3 May 1946).
c) At the beginning of 1940, Schacht offered Hitler his services
for negotiations with the United States in regard to the
discontinuance of aid to England and he informed Göring of his
offer (PS-3700; USA-780).
d) Schacht considered it his duty to greet and congratulate
Hitler publicly after the signing of armistice with France, although
Schacht, better than anyone else, understood the usurpatory nature of
the armistice (German Documentary Film, USA-635).
c) In his letter to Funk on 17 October 1941, Schacht suggested a
more effective exploitation of occupied territory. In this case, too,
Schacht acted on his own initiative (EC-504; USA-830).
Schacht also participated in the persecution of the Jews:
a) He testified in Court that he "agreed to the policy of
the persecution of the Jews as a matter of principle (Transcript,
Afternoon Session, 2 May 1946) although, he stated, "to a
certain extent" it was a matter of conscience which, however,
"was not serious enough to bring about a break" between him
and the Nazis (Transcript, Afternoon Session, 2 May 1946; USA-616).
b) In his capacity of Minister of Economy, Schacht signed a
series of decrees, in accordance with which the property of the Jews
in Germany was subject to plunder with impunity (USA-832; USA-616).