23 Nov. 45
Economy, of Food, Agriculture, Labor, Forestry, as well as all
Reich agencies directly under the Führer, were subordinated to
him. He was to be responsible for the financing as well as for the
conduct of the war; and he was even authorized to issue ordinances
within his sphere of responsibility, even if these deviated from the
existing laws.
The rearmament of Germany proceeded at an amazingly rapid pace.
By the summer of 1935, the Nazi conspirators were emboldened to make
plans for the reoccupation of the Rhineland; and at the tenth meeting
of this same working committee of the Council, the question of
measures to be taken in connection with the proposed reoccupation of
the Rhineland were discussed.
I refer to the document bearing the number EC-405.
At that meeting, held on the 26th day of June 1935, it was said
that the Rhineland required special treatment, because of the
assurances given by Hitler to the French that no military action was
being undertaken in the de-militarized zone. Among the matters
requiring special treatment was the preparation of economic
mobilization, a task specifically entrusted to the Defendant Schacht,
as secret Plenipotentiary for the War Economy.
THE PRESIDENT: Are you reading from this document?
MR. DODD: I am quoting in part from it, Your Honor, and it is
upon the document that I base my statements which can be found
therein on Pages 4 and 5. I dislike annoying the Court with constant
references to these documents, but I thought it would be the best way
to proceed so as fully to inform the Court.
THE PRESIDENT: Well if you tell us where it is in the document we
can follow it in the document.
MR. DODD: On Page 4, the middle of the page, the fifth paragraph,
the first sentence: "The de-militarized zone requires special
treatment." And on Page 5, (j), under "the
preparations," "Preparation of economic mobilization."
On Page 4, the last paragraph just before the setting-out of the (a),
(b), (c), and (d), it is said . . .
THE PRESIDENT: I think you ought to read on Page
4, the last paragraph but one: "Since political entanglements .
"
MR. DODD:
"Since political entanglements
abroad must be avoided at present under all circumstances. . . only
those preparatory measures that are urgently necessary may be carried
out. The existence of such preparations, or the intention of them
must be kept in strictest secrecy in the zone itself as well as in
the rest of the Reich."