10 Dec.
45
important exploitations. For the latter
mission reliable persons from German concerns will be interposed
suitably from the beginning, since successful operation from the
beginning can only be performed by the aid of their experience. (For
example: lignite, ore, chemistry, petroleum).
"After the discussion of further details Lieutenant Colonel
Luther was instructed to make an initial draft of such an organization
within a week.
"Close co-operation with the individual sections in the building
is essential. An officer must still be appointed for the Wi and Rü
with whom the operational staff can remain in constant contact. Wi is
to give each section chief and Lieutenant Colonel Luther a copy of the
new plan regarding Russia.
"Lieutenant General Schubert is to be asked to be in Berlin the
second half of next week. Also, the four officers who are ordered to
draw up the individual armament inspections are to report to the
office chief at the end of the week. — Signed — Hamann."
Hamann, who signed the report, is listed among those attending as a
captain and apparently the junior officer present, so presumably it fell
naturally enough to Hamann to prepare the notes on the conference.
The authority and mission of this organization which Thomas was
organizing at the direction of Göring was clearly recognized by
Keitel in his operational order of 13 March 1941. This order is Number
447-PS, and I have already offered it in evidence earlier as Exhibit
USA-135. At that time I quoted the paragraph in the order in which it
was stated that the Führer had entrusted the uniform direction of
the administration of economy in the areas of operation and political
administration to the Reich Marshal who in turn had delegated his
authority to the Chief of the Wi Rü Amt.
The organizational work called for by General Thomas at the meeting on
28 February apparently proceeded apace, and on 29 April 1941 a
conference was held with various branches of the Armed Forces to explain
the organizational set-up of the Economic Staff "Oldenburg."
Oldenburg was the code name given to this economic counterpart of Plan
Barbarossa. A report of this conference is captured Document Number
1157-PS, and I now offer it in evidence as, Exhibit USA-141. Section 1
of this memorandum deals with the general organization of Economic Staff
Oldenburg as it had developed by this time, and I should like to read
most of that section into the record. The report begins:
"Conference with the Branches of the
Armed Forces at 1000 hours on Tuesday, 29th April 1941.