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Volume VI · Page 319
| E. Affidavits
of Defense Affiants and Testimony of Defense Witnesses |
|
| 1. TESTIMONY OF BARON VON SCHROEDER | |
| EXTRACTS FROM
THE TESTIMONY OF DEFENSE WITNESS KURT BARON VON SCHROEDER |
|
| DIRECT EXAMINATION | |
| DR. DIX: Witness, I am Dr. Dix,
defense counsel for Flick, and in my capacity of defense counsel I would like
to put some questions to you who are a witness before this Tribunal. First of
all I want to know some personal data. What is your full name? WITNESS VON SCHROEDER: Kurt Baron von Schroeder. Q. And you are a banker? A. Yes, a banker. Q. And your bank is in Cologne? A. Yes, my bank is in Cologne. Q. And that bank is one of the oldest banks in Cologne? A. Yes. It is even one of the oldest banks in Germany. It's more than a 150 years old. Q. Now, in the interest of the interpreters, could I request you to make a short interval after every question I put to you Witness, because the interpreters have to translate, and I will try to do the same if I can. Mr. Schroeder, what we are concerned about here is the so-called Keppler Circle. There were already several witnesses who testified concerning this Circle, but none of them told us or was able to tell us about its origin because none of them belonged to the Circle since the very beginning. I don't know, but I hope that you were one of the men who belonged to that Circle from the very beginning, and I also hope that you will be able to tell this Tribunal how the origin of the Circle came about and how it was founded. What were the aims Purposes of this Circle? First of all, is my hope justified? Were you one of those who belonged to the Circle from the very beginning? A. Yes. Q. Well, now, will you then please explain to this Tribunal how it came about that this Circle was founded? A. In 1932, one day, the then economic adviser of Hitler, Mr. Keppler, came to see me. I knew him from business connections before that time, and he asked me whether I would be prepared to join a circle of businessmen who advised him, and through him Hitler, economic questions. This idea had originated with Hit- […ler's] |
* Complete testimony is recorded in mimeographed transcript, 28 July 1947, pages 4425-4464.
