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conference,
both confirmed that it was Schacht who was the
initiator of the financing of the pre-election
campaign (Transcript, 4 July 1946; EC-439,
USA-618).
e) Utilizing his prestige,
Schacht also repeatedly admitted in his public
statements that he asked for the support in the
elections of both the Nazi Party and of Hitler
(USA- 615; USA-616; Transcript, Afternoon
Session, 2 May 1946).
On 29 August
1932, Schacht wrote to Hitler: "No matter
where my activities lead me in the near future,
even if some day you see me imprisoned in a
fortress, you can always depend on me as your
loyal aide" (EC-457, USA-619).
Thus,
Schacht consciously and deliberately supported
the Nazi Party and actively aided in the seizure
of power in Germany by the Fascists. Even
prior to his appointment as Plenipotentiary for
War Economy, and immediately after the seizure
of power by the Nazis, Schacht led in planning
and developing the German armaments, as follows:
a) On 17 March 1933, Schacht was
appointed President of the Reichsbank (PS-3021,
USA-11), and as he himself stated in a speech
before his Reichsbank colleagues on 21 March
1938, the Reichsbank under his management was "none
other than a National Socialist institution"
(Transcript, Afternoon Session, 3 May 1946).
b) In August 1934, Schacht was
appointed Reich Minister of Economy (PS-3021,
USA-11). His Ministry "was given the task
of carrying out the economic preparation for war"
(EC-128, USA-623). A special decree granted
Schacht, in his capacity of Reich Minister of
Economy, unlimited authority in the field of
economy (Reichsgesetzblatt, 1934, Part 1, p.
565). c) Making use of these powers in 193-L
Schacht launched upon the execution of the "new
program" developed by him (Reichsgesetzblatt
, 1934, Part 1, p. 826), and, as Schacht himself
noted in his speech of 29 November 1933, this
organization played a tremendous part in the
course of Germany's rearmament (EC-611,
USA-662).
d) For the purpose of the
most effective execution of this "new
program" Schacht used the property and
means of those political enemies of the Nazi
regime, who either became the victims of terror
or were forced to emigrate (Schacht's note to
Hitler of 3 May 1939; PS-1168, USA-37).
Schacht used swindler's tactics and coercion in
an effort to acquire raw material and foreign
currency for armaments (Affidavit of
Vice-President of the Reichsbank, Puhl; EC-437,
USA:624).
e) During the first days of
his association with the Reichsbank Schacht
issued a series of decrees (27 October 1933, 23
March 1934,
343
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