. NMT06-T0289
Volume VI · Page 289
| A. On the whole I remember the
affidavit. It was submitted to me at the time with many mistakes and I
corrected it, but on the whole the affidavit remained as it was. I mentioned
that at the time to the interrogator. Q. Mr. Keppler would you kindly describe to the Tribunal how these meetings of men came about, which were known as your Circle of Friends? A. In the spring of 1927 I became a member of the Party. I met the Fuehrer in the fall of the same year, when he visited me. I told the Fuehrer at that time that the economic program of the Party and their plans were not to my liking and that I thought it suitable that they should be altered. If I, in spite of it, had become a member of the Party, this had been done for different reasons, particularly for social-political reasons. This criticism of the economic work I often repeated to the Fuehrer. In the fall of 1931 I was asked by Hitler to come to Munich. He told me at the time that he considered my criticism as more or less justified, but at the time he had already appointed somebody else for economic questions; but since the situation had not improved and the economic problems would have to be revised for the program of the Party, he would therefore ask me to put myself at his disposition so that I could carry out this task in the framework of the Reich Leadership [Reichsleitung]. I refused this offer for the reason that I did not agree with the people who were in charge of these matters, either personally or officially. The Fuehrer asked me again to put myself at his disposal in spite of these facts, and eventually I agreed. On this occasion the Fuehrer said that the previous economic program of the Party was mainly theoretical, but that it was really necessary to consider the practical needs of the country. He therefore suggested bringing together a circle of people who had economic-industrial capabilities and had proved them in industry. He suggested that I should form these men into a circle so that they could advise me. He mentioned also that it was in no way necessary that these people be members of the Party. Because of this proposal I went to work, trying to get to know personally a greater number of German industrial leaders, who had through success proven themselves and had been described as men of especially strong character, so as to be able to select such a circle from among them. Q. I beg your pardon. Would you say that Hitler had suggested names to you? A. One name had definitely been mentioned — that was President Schacht. He had been suggested for special reasons because he was in charge of economic questions and Schacht had asked |
