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part of the enemies of Germany in the last war. I shall prove that
the direct opposite is the case.
The IG has consistently taken the
greatest trouble to interest other countries in magnesium. Since the beginning
of the twenties, there existed the friendliest relations with Great Britain in
this field, and those established with the USA since about 1923 were
intensified at the end of the twenties. An agreement was concluded with the
greatest aluminum producers in the United States and in the world, viz, the
Aluminum Company of America, which served only the purpose of making magnesium
known in the USA and of promoting its production and sale. In England, IG in
1935 built a magnesium plant for an English undertaking, the products of which
were later used by the Allies in the air war against Germany. In order to
further the production and the utilization of magnesium abroad, the IG imparted
its knowledge right up to the outbreak of the war, and in the most loyal
manner, to England, France, and the USA; and even in 1940, after war had broken
out, they tried to transmit to their American business friends the latest
results of their research.
This was the IG Farben whom the prosecution
charges with having restricted the industries of other countries in this field,
and having industrially weakened the potential enemies of Germany, in order to
use all possible means to support the preparations of the National Socialist
war machine. I shall prove that Farben [personnel] loyally conducted themselves
towards their foreign business partners in the most commendable manner, and
that this took place from 1938 on, under the leadership of my client, Dr.
Buergin.
My client is also accused of participation in plunder and
spoliation in connection with the Norwegian question. Dr. Buergin was a member
of the Aufsichtsrat of the Nordisk Lettmetall A.S., which was founded during
the war with the object of effecting a considerable increase in Norwegian light
metal production. Dr. Buergin's only part in the establishment of the Norwegian
business was that of a technical expert; he had nothing to do with the
financial transactions. The statements of the witnesses so far will already
have shown that the founding and the acquisition of the production localities
of the new Norwegian company constituted neither spoliation nor plunder.
My client is finally charged by the prosecution with participation in
enslavement and mass murder.
As in all German plants, foreign workers
also were employed in Bitterfeld. The circumstances here are somewhat special,
because in Bitterfeld a large camp was constructed already before |
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. 
