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TRANSLATION OF
DOCUMENT NI-5687
PROSECUTION EXHIBIT
438 |
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LETTER OR MEMORANDUM* OF DEFENDANT AMBROS
ADDRESSED TO DEFENDANT
KRAUCH, 27 JUNE 1938 |
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I.G. Farbenindustrie Aktiengesellschaft Ludwigshafen/Rhein
Intermediates Group |
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| Director Dr. Krauch |
| 27 June 1938 |
| Dr. A/Kr. |
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| In compliance with your request we give you our personal impressions
of the execution of the expansion program for the manufacture of chemical
warfare agents and explosives in Germany. |
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| A |
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Since at present, German industry is overburdened by the many
projects of the Four Year Plan, and also by the increase in exports, we request
that in future industry should deal only with one fully responsible competent
office for matters relating to new projects for the Wehrmacht.
This
office must be able to make decisions regarding (1) overall plans for chemical
rearmament, (2) contractual regulation and financing of the projects, (3)
allocation of building materials and labor. |
__________
* This document was found in
the Legal Department of Farben's Ludwigshafen plant. The exhibit was an
unsigned carbon copy. The defendant Krauch's testimony on this exhibit appears
in the transcript at page 5097. Krauch testified that this was "simply the
draft of a letter which Ambros intended to send me." The defendant Ambros
testified (Tr. pp. 7914. 7964, 7965, 7966): ''According to my recollection,
that was a memorandum for me. It did not go out as a letter to Mr. Krauch, as
he himself confirmed from this witness stand. I would have used some form of
address in writing to Krauch. I would not just write, 'Professor Krauch'; and I
would have signed it. I would also have observed outward appearances and would
have filled all the pages in a similar way, but I hear that the original shows
pages of different lengths. But quite aside from all that. I will be glad to
explain the contents of this letter, because I believe it contains ideas, that
I actually held at that time.
* * * "Under 'a' it is said that in the
year 1918 industry was greatly overburdened: it was working to promote exports,
and received many Four Year Plan projects. I believe that I recall that
Professor Krauch said to me once: What is your impression? How is it in the
administration?' In reply I recorded here. There is a great deal of confusion.
The entire letter is very frank criticism.* * *
"I was never an
official in any government agency. This is the expression of opinion of a
private businessman who is asked by an official agency. 'What do you think?
What is the situation ?' — and perhaps I dictated this letter, as one
does, to get clarity in one's own mind. I only know now — and Mr. Krauch
confirms this — that it was never sent out. Probably it was found among
the drafts of my letters." Q. (By Dr. Hoffmann, counsel for Defendant Ambros):
"Now, Mr. Ambros. did you realize at the time, or do you believe at all, that
this draft of Years had any influence anywhere — let us say, on the
Karinhall Plan?" A. "No, it could not have had any influence because, first of
all, the Karinhall Plan was nothing new. The Karinhall Plan, as has been shown
here. was only a new formulation of existing plans which had partly been drawn
up by the OKH in connection with rearmament, which the Office for Raw Materials
and Foreign Exchange had drawn up in the program for saving foreign exchange;
and then I believe there were some points which went beyond Germany, according
to what we heard here.''
916 |
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