23 Nov. 45
Industry, which was the largest association of German
industrialists, submitted to Hitler the plan of that Association for
the reorganization of German industry, and in connection therewith,
undertook to bring the Association into line with the aims of the
conspirators, and to make it an effective instrument for the
execution of their policies.
In a letter of transmittal, Krupp stated that the plan of
reorganization which he submitted on behalf of the Association of
industrialists, was characterized by the desire to coordinate
economic measures and political necessity, adopting the Führer
conception of the new German State. A copy of that letter of
transmittal is set out in the document book under the Number D-157.
In the plan of reorganization itself, Krupp
stated:
"The turn of political events is
in line with the wishes which I myself and the board of directors
have cherished for a long time .... In reorganizing the Reich
Association of German Industry, I shall be guided by the idea of
bringing the new organization into agreement with the political aims
of the Reich Government."
The ideas expressed by Krupp on behalf of the
members of the Reich Association of German Industry for introducing
the Leadership Principle into industry, were subsequently adopted.
I respectfully refer the Court to the
Reichspesetzblatt of 1934, Part I, Page 1194, Sections 11, 12,
and 16.
Under the decree introducing the Leadership Principle into
industry, each group of industry was required to have a leader who
was to serve without compensation. The leaders were to be appointed
and could be removed at the discretion of the Minister of Economics.
The charter of each group was to be decreed by the leader, who was
obligated to lead his group in accordance with the principles of the
National Socialist State.
I think it is fair to argue that the introduction of the
Leadership Principle into the organizations of business permitted the
centralization of authority, and guaranteed the efficient execution
of orders, which the Government issued to business, in the interest
of a promotion of a war economy. And the overwhelming support given
by German industrialists to the Nazi war program is very vividly
described in a speech prepared by Gustav Krupp in January of 1944,
for delivery at the University of Berlin; and I must again
respectfully refer Your Honors to the document in your book bearing
the identification Number D-317.
I shall not, of course, bore this court with a reading of that
whole document, but I should like to quote from it without wrenching
any of the material from its true context.