 |
OKW had given approval. In the time between 12 September and 15
September 1939 (the time between the first and second meetings), the OKW
apparently expressed its opinion that Ludwigshafen was not to receive any more
important mobilization tasks than were originally provided for in the telegram
of 3 September of the Vermittlungsstelle. Beyond that, machinery was to be
transferred from Ludwigshafen to the East. Therefore, during the second meeting
of 15 September, the minimum production program fixed by the telegram of 3
September was to be retained, and only a minor portion of the counterproposals
of 9 September were to be accepted. These very two documents, Exhibits 270 and
267, which I saw for the first time here in Nuernberg because I was not present
at the meetings, prove clearly that one could not speak of preparations for war
at Ludwigshafen, for quite obviously neither the factories nor the authorities
knew, 2 weeks after the war broke out, what really should be done, and things
were discussed which could not have been carried out at all.
Q. In your
recollection, were the decisions of the so-called Working Staff Chemistry,
reached at the meeting of 15 September 1939, actually carried out?
A.
No. There was a lot of discussion about that, and when Berlin saw in the course
of time that no warlike action was going to occur in the West for the time
being, people calmed down gradually. In March 1940 further discussion took
place about the transfer of production. That can be seen from Prosecution
Exhibit 748, Document NI-7129,* book 40, English
page 82, German page 108. This document shows as well that those considerations
were not realized either.
Q. Dr. Wurster, if, on the basis of your
statements, one tries to follow the events of how the Ludwigshafen plant tried
to continue its production in the first weeks of the war, then I must ask you
the following question. What did you, as a plant leader, consider when you
tried to continue normal production in your plant? What was your motive?
A. If I tried to justify my conduct, I would say that basically I had
two motives. A very practical and rational one was the desire to keep our staff
of workers and employees together, for I was responsible for them, and so spare
them being transferred to other places in Germany and becoming separated from
their families. That is not easy for a South German. I said yesterday everybody
had a piece of land, even if it was only a few hundred square meters, and they
were attached to the soil. The second |
__________
* Reproduced in 2 above.
1157 |
. 
