. NMT06-T0343
Volume VI · Page 343
| me with my curriculum
vitae and a recognition of my achievements by the enemy, and the reason why
I mention it is, this memorial finished with the beautiful words — I have
to say it in German — "Nach Auffassung der Belgier hat dieser Offizier
sich stets aeusserst korrekt verhalten. Er war-das kann man wohl sagen ein
wahrer Ritter des Meeres." [According to the views of Belgians, this officer
always conducted himself very correctly and fairly. One might well say that he
was a real knight of the sea.] Q. Mr. Steinbrinck, after you were discharged from the navy, will you please describe to the Tribunal what you did then? A. I had the intention to study railway traffic management at the technical academy. From there I was called to Berlin into the management of the Association for German Iron and Steel Industrialists, which had at the time the supreme economic-political representation of interests in the iron producing industry, and also of the big engine factories, dockyards, and locomotive producers; in other words, of the industries using iron. After a short time I became syndicus — that is, legal adviser — and afterward deputy manager, together with Dr. Reichert, who also testified before the Tribunal.* This activity was concerned particularly with questions of political-commercial trade and specific trade questions. Besides I was concerned with the foreign trade control which was set up in the framework of the planned economy — 1920 to the end of 1922 — I was manager of all foreign trade offices, not only for iron and steel but also for chemicals, textiles, and all other things that belonged to it. In this position I was closely associated with the Ministry of Economics and the Ministry of Finance, and from this period my acquaintances and friendships included many of the leading officials of the Ministry. |
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| Q. Would you please tell us how
you joined Flick, and would you kindly indicate what sort of duties you had
when you worked for Flick? A. In connection with the stabilization crisis which I have already mentioned, the firm of Linke-Hofmann-Lauchhammer experienced certain financial difficulties, and this caused Mr. Flick to transfer his office activity into this concern so that during this period of crisis he could, as a delegate of the Aufsichtsrat as the law provides it, supervise transactions particularly. For this reason he then called me in 1925 to work for him. So that means from 1925 onward until the end of 1939 I was one of the closest collaborators of Mr. Flick. |
* Jacob W. Reichert testified as a defense witness. His testimony is recorded in the mimeographed transcript, 27 and 28 August 1947, paces 6244-6212.
