. NMT06-T0224
Volume VI · Page 224
| different ways. We could have separated from
the Maxhuette. We could have found someone to take it over; for instance, the
Arbed, which was the largest Luxembourg company. We also could have separated
from our properties in the Rheinische Braunkhole (Rhenish Brown Coal Company),
but we did not take that course because it would have been contrary to my plans
which I have already mentioned, that is, from 1929 onward, I started to build
up my own companies again under my direct supervision by acquiring the majority
of shares. Therefore, we decided to take the opportunity which we had, to sell
the majority of Gelsenkirchen to the German Reich. In this connection, I would like to say we had a lot of possibilities concerning selling Gelsenkirchen to foreign companies. The large Kreuger concern had approached me years before that and asked me to give them an interest in Gelsenkirchen. At that time, the Kreuger concern was one of the largest shareholders of the Swedish iron-ore companies at Regelsbuerg. This company by that means tried to gain influence on the largest buyer of Swedish ore, and that was the Vereinigte Stahlwerke. I only mentioned that in order to draw your attention to the fact that I did not use any of these ways and means. The transaction with the Reich was started by the trustee of the Reich, Dr. von der Pfordten. He was the man who carried out the negotiations. I did part of it myself, but von der Pfordten did most of it. You asked me about the reasons the Reich had. The Reich, at that time, as far as I can recall, did not tell me the reasons it had, at least not in clear-cut and unmistakable form; but it is true that I had been informed by von der Pfordten and the then Minister of Finance, Dietrich, who concluded the deal and delivered a radio speech concerning the Gelsenkirchen deal in Germany last summer. In this radio address he exposed the reasons in much detail, the reason which in 1932 led him together with Bruening to start the acquisition of Gelsenkirchen. I think in this connection, the reasons are quite clear before the public. They are very interesting. Dietrich said, "Now, after all, I can talk about the matter, and I can tell you what I meant to do with that purchase. My plan was, through this possession of Gelsenkirchen, which was the key to the Ruhr industry, to prepare for international collaboration with the French." The program was to give the French an interest in the Ruhr coal, and vice versa, give the Ruhr an interest in the French Minette, that is, the ore in Lorraine. The French need coal from the Ruhr, and the Ruhr, again, needs ore from the French in Lorraine. The Reich Minister of Finance, Dietrich, at that time intended to use this economic basis of mutual participation to reach a political collaboration be- […tween] |
