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Q. Yes.
A. Farben's activities were not particularly
influenced by rearmament. There was only one major field where development was
swifter than it would normally have been. That was magnesium. In contrast to
aluminum, the light metal magnesium could be produced from purely German raw
materials. The result of our research work which has been going on since about
1910 was that certain magnesium alloys could be worked into useful metals. In
this way metals were produced which were in demand in the market. Magnesium
does not serve only for military purposes. It serves to a very large extent
also for normal peacetime purposes, for example, civilian aviation,
automobiles, tractors, and a large number of other uses in all kinds of
industries. But it is correct that the suggestion for the construction of the
Aken and Stassfurt plants came from the Reich Ministry of Aviation which agency
was in charge of both civilian and military aviation.
What the role of
the military authorities in rubber synthesis was I shall take up when we
discuss the subject of buna.
In the Kransberg memorandum, Document
NI-5187, Prosecution Exhibit 334,* on page 6 to 12 in the English text, I have
described the development from 1933 to 1939 in great detail. I should like to
refer to what I said there in order not to go into too much detail now.
Q. Now we can come to the question of the so-called standby plants. Can
you tell me anything about that?
A. I must go back a little in this
field to be able to answer the question clearly. Once before * * * No, I didn't
mention that before. Excuse me. In considering Farben's production, one
observes that Farben produces only a relatively small number of products which
go directly to the consumer: nitrogen fertilizers, which are sold to the
farmer; gasoline; pharmaceuticals; and photographic supplies. But the great
majority of Farben chemical products goes to other industries for further
processing. All the heavy chemicals, the light metals, artificial silk,
artificial fibers, solvents, plastics, rubber, dyestuffs, intermediates,
etcetera. These latter products - from the point of view of value, too,
represent the majority of Farben production. I must explain that in order to be
able to come back to your question. Let us take an example. If a paint factory
in Germany buys solvents, gum lacs, and dyestuffs from Farben, we do not know
whether paint will be produced for military planes or for bathrooms and
kitchens. In other words, from the fact that other industries were supplied
with our products we can deduce nothing about what is |
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* Not reproduced herein.
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