. NMT06-T0874
Volume VI · Page 874
| I. Mr. Zangen¹
gave an account of his conversation with Minister Funk.² a. Mr. Funk referred to the fact that he had given considerable assistance to business [Wirtschaft], particularly as regards the problem of taxation, and he now asked in return that he should receive assistance by a reasonable attitude in the future, and that care be taken that no excesses occur, which might give an opening to the opponents of private enterprise to make accusations against business; particularly one should seek now to repress all desire for annexation, etc. |
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| II. Minette.
Mr. Poensgen gives a picture of the task of Steinbrinck and discusses the situation in the several countries. a. Holland. — On Mr. Poensgen's suggestion the economic group adopted the attitude that the Ijmuiden blast furnace works cannot be usefully taken over. In that connection it was stated that the water piping used for the transformation of sea water into fresh water had been destroyed by the British, and that it would take at least 1 year to repair the plant. Also the entrance to the harbor was blocked by a sunken ship. He did not know if it was possible to transport ore inland. b. Belgium. — Those present took note of the sending-out of the Bulle Commission, and of the future Schwede Mission. The unanimous opinion of those present was that one should avoid to break up plants in Belgium. Those plants should remain intact except for removal of individual pieces of machinery which were lacking here. c. Luxembourg. — In this connection information was received on previous discussions of Mr. Steinbrinck in Luxembourg, and of the appointment of Mr. Berve, for Arbed³ and Mr. Meier, for Differdange. d. It is reported that confiscation commissions of the Wehrmacht have secured the supplies and in part are removing them. It is our unanimous opinion that the materials which have been removed should be assigned to the Steel Works Association [Stahlwerksverband] for further distribution in Germany. f.4 Because of the alleged tendencies on the part of heavy industry toward incorporation [Einverleibungstendezen] and their claims for former property, it has been decided to address a joint |
¹ Zangen was chairman of the Vorstand of the Mannesmannroehren-Werke, Duesseldorf, and president of the Reich Group Industry.
² Funk, Reich Minister of Economics, was a defendant in the case before the IMT See Trial of the Major War Criminals, op. cit. Volumes I–XLII.
³ Acieries Reunies de Burbach-Eich-Dudelange largest steel Plant in Luxembourg .
4 There is not a paragraph e in the report.
