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5. Farben was a power in the world a generation before the Nazis. In
1925, Farben was not only the greatest industrial combine ever formed in
Germany but one of the greatest in the world. By 1939, its size more than
doubled, Farben surpassed any single industrial group in Germany in
technological and financial influence and in the magnitude of its interests and
affiliations. Farben's domestic participations comprised some 400 German firms,
including manufacturing plants, sales companies, and power installations.
Farben owned its own railroads, lignite and bituminous coal mines, electric
power plants, coke ovens, and magnesite, gypsum, and salt mines. Farben's
foreign participations numbered over 500 firms, and its foreign manufacturing
plants and holding companies blanketed Europe. Farben's sales companies,
research firms, and other agencies were located in every important commercial
and industrial center in the world.
6. Hitler, with his program of war,
and Farben, which could make Germany (with very scanty natural resources
essential for war aside from coal) self-sufficient for war, found a basis for
close collaboration as early as 1932. The Farben leaders and other
industrialists saw the Nazi movement growing and saw in it the opportunity to
extend their economic dominion.
7. About November 1932, the defendants
Buetefisch and Gattineau, representing Farben, visited Hitler in Munich and
discussed the question whether Farben could look to him and his Party for
support in the development of the Farben hydrogenation process for producing
synthetic gasoline. Farben had been contemplating abandonment of its costly
synthetic production and research. Hitler informed the Farben representatives
that he would support them in the development of the hydrogenation process, and
assured them that synthetic gasoline fitted into his program.
8. In the
Reichstag election of 6 November 1932, the Nazi Party lost two million votes
and 34 seats. At this point, the Nazi Party was in a critical situation. Large
bills were unpaid and the coffers were empty. On 8 December 1932, Joseph
Goebbels wrote in his diary: "Severe depression prevails *** financial troubles
make all organized work impossible *** the danger now exists of the whole Party
going to pieces." At the crucial moment, many leading industrialists rallied to
the assistance of the Nazis.
9. On 4 January 1933, a meeting was held
at the Cologne home of the banker, Baron Kurt von Schroeder, for the purpose of
forming an alliance between Franz von Papen and Adolf Hitler. As a result of
the meeting, von Papen repeatedly discussed with Hindenburg the formation of a
Cabinet with Hitler as Chancellor and von Papen as Vice Chancellor. On 30
January 1933, Hinden- [...burg] |
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. 
