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Volume VI · Page 1186
| to make a final statement. The indictment charges "Flick and others."
What is meant by this is stated at the beginning of the opening statement of 7
April and culminates in the sentence, "The defendants are leading
representatives of one of the two centers of power in Germany."
According to the prosecution's own statement this means German industry, and particularly Germany's heavy industry. I am here as an exponent of German industry. By having sentence passed on me, the prosecution is endeavoring to lend truth to their contention that it was German industry which lifted Hitler into the saddle, which encouraged him to wage aggressive wars, and instigated the ruthless exploitation of the human and economic potential of the occupied territories. By this contention not only am I held to be responsible for all methods of economic war, but also some of my associates, selected more or less arbitrarily by the prosecution. In this trial the prosecution has not even attempted to prove the decisive part of their thesis, that is, the alleged assistance in the seizure of power and participation in the planning and preparation of aggressive war; but even an unproven contention can have certain effect, especially if it is continuously propagated by press and radio. Nobody could have had a greater interest in a peaceful development than we had. Our colleagues in England, Belgium, and France cannot but confirm that we cooperated with them without reserve, without ulterior motives, and without friction right up to the outbreak of the war. The charge of spoliation in the occupied territories is without foundation. There was no witness from the coal or steel industry of neighboring countries who was able to testify against me. I object to these charges made in such a general form against German industry. I protest against them in particular so far as they refer to me and my friends here accused with me. The evidence has shown that I did in fact do everything in my power to prevent two things, first, the seizure of power by national socialism; second, the outbreak of war. Nevertheless, once this hapless war had broken out, we considered it a matter of course to fulfill our duty to our fatherland. We would feel ashamed had it been otherwise, and had we deserted our sons and brothers who stood before the enemy. Moreover, I protest against the fact that in my person German industrialists are being stigmatized in the eyes of the world as slave owners and spoliators. For the rest, I see no reason to go into any detail, in view of the evidence introduced in this case by the defense. Just as my old and trusted associates know how greatly I regret seeing them involved in this trial, so they, too, thanks to our association over many years, know that I have always endeavored to be an honest |
