. NMT06-T0285
Volume VI · Page 285
| D. Affidavits
of Prosecution Affiants and Testimony of Prosecution Witnesses |
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| 1. AFFIDAVIT OF KEPPLER | |
| TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT NI-903 PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 679 |
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| AFFIDAVIT OF
WILHELM KEPPLER, 24 SEPTEMBER 1946, CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT, MEMBERSHIP AND ACTIVITIES OF THE "CIRCLE OF FRIENDS" |
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| A.1. I, Wilhelm Keppler, former
SS Lieutenant General, member of the German Reichstag, State Secretary and
President of the Reich Office for Soil Research, from April 1938 to the
collapse, state herewith under oath the following facts, known to me by
personal knowledge. 2. In the course of the interrogations by representatives of the Office of United States Chief of Counsel, a number of documents were presented or read to me, in order to refresh my memory. 3. At the conclusion of these interrogations this affidavit to which the statements which I had made with regard to Himmler's Circle of Friends had been reduced, was presented to me in German. B. 1. The Circle of Friends, at first called "Keppler's Circle of Friends," and later "Himmler's Circle of Friends," was a circle of leading personalities of the German economy, which I myself had brought together at the request of the Fuehrer. 2. During a conversation which I had with the Fuehrer in December 1931, the Fuehrer expressed this desire. The Fuehrer said — "Try to get a few economic leaders — they need not be Party members — who will be at our disposal when we come into power." The Fuehrer wanted to have experts who had proved themselves in practical economy. 3. As far as I can remember, the Fuehrer mentioned no other names aside from Schacht and possibly Albert Voegler, and left the selection to me. I, myself, solicited the members for the Circle of Friends mostly in connection with trips I took. Through Kranefuss, who had a large circle of acquaintances, I gained access to his acquaintances, and that helped me greatly in winning for my idea men whom I had not previously known personally. |
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* Keppler was a defendant in the Ministries case, Volumes XII-XIV, this series. Extracts from his testimony in the Flick case are reproduced below, immediately following this affidavit.
