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| D. Farben in Norway |
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| 101. In 1940 the most important chemical concern in Norway was the
Norsk Hydro Elektrisk Kvaelstofaktieselskabet (Norsk-Hydro). This company was
particularly important as a producer of nitrogen and nitrogen products. Prior
to 1940, French interests controlled about 60 percent of the corporation.
Farben's participation was approximately 25 percent. With the aid and
participation of representatives of the German Government, Farben forced an
increase in the capitalization of Norsk-Hydro, excluding the French
stockholders from participation therein, as a result of which the French were
ousted from control. Farben and the German Government obtained the controlling
interest. 102. With the acquisition of control by Farben and the German
Government of Norsk-Hydro, the production of the Norwegian chemical industry
was coordinated with the production of the German chemical industry to supply
the German military machine. New facilities were constructed to produce light
metals for the Luftwaffe. Among the plants owned by Norsk-Hydro was an
electro-chemical plant at Vemor, which had been producing heavy water. It was
discovered that heavy water could be used in the manufacture of atom bombs, and
orders were issued to expand immediately the existing facilities of the
electro-chemical plants of Norsk-Hydro to increase substantially the production
of such heavy water. |
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| E. Farben in France |
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103. Prior to the French-German Armistice of June 1940, the three
principal chemical firms in France were: Compagnie Nationale de Matières
Colorantes et Manufactures de Produits Chimiques du Nord Réunies
Êtablissements Kuhlmann, Paris (Kuhlmann), the second largest chemical
company on the Continent; Societé Anonyme des Matières Colorantes
& Produits Chimiques de Saint Denis, Paris (Saint Denis) ; and Compagnie
Française de Produits Chimiques et Matières Colorantes de
Saint-Clair-du-Rhône, Paris (Saint-Clair-du-Rhône).
104. On
3 August 1940, Farben submitted to the Reich Ministry of Economics and to
Ambassador Hemmen, the head of the German Armistice Commission, its detailed
plans for the New Order (to which reference has previously been made in count
one). Farben proposed to acquire control of the French chemical industry by
merging the principal dyestuff and chemical corporations into one big combine
in which it would have a 50 percent participation. The consideration for this
participation was to be payment by Farben of a fixed amount to the German
Government, rather than to the private owners. |
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