 |
| von Brauchitsch - remembers that conversation very well; and General
Beck, who lost his life in connection with the 20th of July events, is no
longer available as a witness. |
| |
| * * * * * * * * * * |
| |
| b. Testimony of Defendant Ambros |
| |
EXTRACT FROM THE TESTIMONY OF
DEFENDANT AMBROS*
|
| |
| DIRECT EXAMINATION |
| |
| * * * * * * * * * * |
| |
DR. HOFFMANN (counsel for defendant Ambros) Mr. Ambros, I believe it
is important to ascertain what your inner conviction was when you produced
these intermediates, and can you tell us specifically what your intention was?
Did you intend to produce these intermediates for war or for peaceful purposes?
DEFENDANT AMBROS: When I became head of the Intermediate Department at
Ludwigshafen, we made only peacetime products, and that is the nice thing about
chemistry. My own inclination was towards peacetime products. Only later a
part, a small part, and later a big part, was taken away for war products, but
that wasn't my responsibility. That was an order.
Q. Couldn't you
oppose these government orders? Did you have any reason to do so?
A.
No, I could not oppose them. It has been demonstrated by Mr. ter Meer that one
day all production was registered, and that then the Reich agencies drew up
programs, and the management became more and more insignificant as a private
enterprise and became agents of the Administration.
Q. How was this
steering done?
A. This steering consisted of monthly "Herstas." That is
an abbreviation for "Herstellungsauftraege" [production orders]. That meant
Berlin knew what my apparatus could produce. Berlin knew what could be
produced; and now, there came the orders that plant X has to produce so-and-so
much during the next month. That was a production order or "Hersta."
Q.
Were you, yourself, not in part involved in this steering by the state, as the
head of a technical committee [sic] or in some other function? Did you have any
part in this state steering?
A. No, but I was called upon as a
consultant. The organization, for example of the Economic Group Chemistry, that
is, the representative of industry, selected me as a buna expert, and when one
|
__________
* Further extracts appear
above in section V B 4, below in subsection K 6, and in sections VIII,
subsections D 4 and E 4, and IX F 4. in volume VIII, this series.
1040 |
. 
