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A. Certainly not. This cash was procured for us by the government.
Nobody could get any currency at that time without the permission of the
government. Now, as to the details in which way this was handled, and who made
transfer of the money, I couldn't tell you. This is just a routine business
with us. Somebody in Germany had to pay this millions of dollars. IG got the
foreign currency from the government, and paid these companies.
Q. Did
IG tell the parties to the negotiations that it was acting in a representative
capacity for the German Reich?
A. We didn't go to Standard Oil and tell
them that we asked them to do our government a favor. We didn't tell them that.
But you see, something must have leaked out. It is quite unusual for IG to
purchase oil to the amount of 20 million dollars. Our business is to make oil
by the hydrogenation process, and not to purchase gasoline. |
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Q. How did it happen that when the German Government wanted to buy
these products it asked you to do it for them, rather than directly?
A.
Well, the German Government was certainly acquainted with our very friendly
relations with Standard Oil. As you probably know, we had made a very big deal
with Standard Oil. And we had shown this agreement to our government — so
that the government knew that we were having very friendly relationships with
Standard Oil, and the government probably thought that it would go more
smoothly if we did it. Also, there was no one in the government able to do
this.
Q. Who in the government approached IG?
A. Well, in my
remembrance, President Schacht. He was Minister of Economics at that time
— I don't recall the date exactly. At that time he was Minister of
Economics, or the above — given years must be wrong.
Q. Whom did
Schacht approach in IG?
A. I can tell you from secondhand knowledge
only. We heard, to the best of my remembrance, about this from Krauch, that he
was approached by the government. He told us that he was approached by von
Blomberg, who was Minister for War, and by Schacht, who was then Minister for
Economics.
Q. Was Krauch Plenipotentiary for the Synthetic Products
Division of the Four Year Plan at that time?
A. Well, I cannot tell you
that quite correctly. You should certainly be able to find out the date from
the other sections and from Krauch himself. I can't tell you, but in my opinion
he was at that time having his domicile in Berlin. |
1204 |
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