Only in 1943, having understood earlier than many
other Germans, the inevitability of the failure of the Hitlerite
regime, did Schacht establish contact with the opposition circles,
however, doing nothing to help depose this regime. Therefore, it was
not by chance that having found out these connections of Schacht,
Hitler still spared Schacht's life.
It is thus indisputably established that:
a) Schacht actively assisted in the seizure of power by the
Nazis;
b) During a period of 12 years Schacht closely collaborated with
Hitler;
c) Schacht provided the economic and financial basis for the
creation of the Hitlerite military machine;
d) Schacht prepared Germany's economy for the waging of
aggressive wars;
e) Schacht participated in the persecution of Jews and in the
plunder of territories occupied by the Germans.
Therefore, Schacht's leading part in the preparation and
execution of the common criminal plan is proved.
The decision to acquit Schacht is in obvious contradiction with
existing evidence.
II. The Unfounded Acquittal of
Defendant Von Papen.
The verdict does not dispute the fact that Von
Papen prepared the way for Hitler's appointment to the post of the
Reich Chancellor and that he actively helped the Nazis in their
seizure of power.
In a speech of November 1933, Von Papen said the following on the
subject:
" . . . . just as I at the time
of taking over the Chancellorship (this was in 1932) have advocated
to pave the way to power for the young fighting liberation movement,
just as I on 30 January was selected by a gracious fate to put the
hands of our Chancellor and Führer into the hands of our beloved
Field Marshal, so do I today again feel the obligation to say to the
German People and all those who have kept confidence in me:
"The kind Lord has blessed Germany by giving it in times of
deep distress a leader . . . " (PS-3375).
It was Von Papen who revoked Bruning's order
dissolving the SS and the SA, thus allowing the Nazis to realize
their program of mass terror (D-631).
Again it was the defendant who, by the
application of brute force, did away with the Social Democrat
Government of Braun and