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authority for technical matters of the plants. The same applied to
the building of subterranean fuel works, and the so-called "little plants."
Krauch, as Plenipotentiary for Chemistry, had at that time a part in
repairing the factories, insofar as, in view of the great damage done to the
old factories, he ordered the construction of new factories stopped, and the
materials and labor on hand for this purpose were made available for
reconstruction. Goering still insisted in June 1944 that Krauch was directly
responsible to him only. I can give an example to illustrate this.
Q.
And that he was not subordinate to anybody else?
A. Was only
subordinate to him. I can give an example to illustrate this: When, beginning
on 12 May 1944, air attacks on fuel plants interfered seriously with
production, I suggested and arranged a meeting with Hitler, at which, besides
Goering, Krauch also took part. Goering was very angry at the time because
Krauch, without obtaining his permission, went to a conference with Hitler.
This, however, proved no barrier to very close cooperation which existed
between my Ministry, the Commissioner General for Immediate Measures, and
Krauch, in the practical rebuilding of the chemical factories which were
damaged by air attacks. After this visit, Hitler, upon my suggestion, appointed
the Commissioner General for Immediate Measures.
Q. Could you now
briefly describe the responsibilities of Krauch as Plenipotentiary General for
Special Questions of Chemical Production in the Four Year Plan, just as they
appeared in practice?
A. The Plenipotentiary General for Special
Questions of Chemical Production was chiefly occupied with the planning and
construction of new plants. I have no doubt that this was his primary task. To
what extent beyond this the Plenipotentiary considered himself competent for
the entire chemical production is not quite clear to me. I had the impression
that the Plenipotentiary considered it his duty to intervene in any branch of
chemical production whenever it became endangered, as for instance, when German
expert chemical workers were drafted into the armed forces. In such cases the
Plenipotentiary represented not only the building interests, but also those of
the whole chemical industry.
Q. I asked the question as to how you
interpret the term used by you, namely that Krauch was "reichsunmittelbar"
(directly subordinate to the authority of the Reich)?
A. Krauch was
formally subordinate to Goering as the Plenipotentiary of the Four Year Plan.
However, since Goering from 1942 on, or perhaps earlier already, no longer
devoted himself so energetically to the Four Year Plan, the plenipotentiaries
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