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| [situa…] tion. Farben proceeded to acquire control of the
Skoda-Wetzler Works through the Deutsche Bank. 91. These chemical works and the
other principal chemical firms of Austria were reorganized by Farben and merged
into the newly created Donau Chemie A.G. Farben expanded the facilities of its
newly acquired Austrian chemical industries, increased the production of war
material for the German military machine, integrated the entire Austrian
chemical industry with its own operations, and participated in the subjugation
of the Austrian economy to the German economy and in the destruction of its
former independence. |
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| B. Farben in Czechoslovakia |
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92. In Czechoslovakia the largest chemical concern (the fourth
largest in Europe) was the Verein fuer Chemische und Metallurgische Produktion
of Prague (Prager Verein). This concern which had two important plants located
in the Sudetenland, one at Falkenau and the other at Aussig, was one of
Farben's biggest competitors in southeastern Europe.
93. Prior to the
Munich Pact of 29 September 1938, Farben made various unsuccessful attempts to
acquire an interest in the Prager Verein. After the annexation of Austria and
the accelerated Nazi agitation in the Sudetenland, Farben renewed its interest
and prepared plans for the acquisition of the Prager Verein. Farben proposed to
the Reich Government that the defendants Wurster and Kugler be appointed
commissars to operate the plants. One week prior to the Munich Pact, the
Ministry of Economics informed Farben that its proposed representatives were
acceptable. The Sudeten-German Economic Board advised Farben that the
"Czech-Jewish management in Prague is done for," but recommended that it share
the management of the plants with one of the Sudeten-German managers who
remained with the chemical works. Farben reluctantly consented to share the
management, but at the same time informed the German authorities that "IG would
now lay claim to the acquisition of both works." The defendants von Schnitzler,
ter Meer, Kuehne, Ilgner, Haefliger, Wurster, and others participated in these
negotiations.
94. On 29 September 1938, the Munich Pact was signed. The
next day the defendant Schmitz wired Hitler that he was "profoundly impressed
by the return of Sudeten-Germany to the Reich, which you, my Fuehrer, have
achieved," and that Farben "puts an amount of half a million reichsmarks at
your disposal for use in the Sudeten-German territory." On 1 October, German
troops entered the Sudetenland. On 3 October, Falkenau was |
42 |
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