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training for the protection of our plant against air raids * * *
Government representatives have already stressed the fact that industry would
be forced by means of official orders to undertake expensive work if it were
seen that the firms * * * have not decided * * * to carry out * * * the
so-called first measures." At the end it says: “In concluding,
Kuehne” — that is the defendant Kuehne — “declares that
only such steps are to be taken which can be forced on the plant. Above all,
everyone is to remain calm and not to exaggerate the matter.”
Q.
As head of TEA and Sparte II, did you yourself have anything to do with air
defense measures?
A. Yes. As head of the TEA, I had to have the credit
applications for air-raid measures brought up for discussion.
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Q. * * * T should like to ask you further, Dr. ter Meer, what was
the attitude of TEA in regard to credit requests and requests for
appropriations for air defense?
A. TEA was of the opinion that those
expenditures should be made that were unavoidable because of government orders.
As typical of the TEA members’ attitude, I quoted Dr. Kuehne's remark.
Upon my suggestion, Mr. Jaehne, the chief engineer of Farben and the chairman
of the Technical Commission [TEKO], was asked to deal with air defense for the
entire enterprise, and to see to it, from Hoechst, that in the individual
plants, matters were handled equally and uniformly. By these measures we want
to prevent that through the particular zeal of local Party organizations, or
the particular pressure of local organizations, individual plants should incur
too great expenses which might prejudice the other plants.
Q. Can you
illustrate this reticent attitude of Farben in a more detailed way?
A.
The prosecution presented Exhibit 174, Document NI-4838¹ in Book 7, on
page 46d of the German and 23 in the English. Then also Exhibit 179 Document
NI-4451,² also in Book 7 on page 79d of the German and 32 of the English.
The text of these exhibits shows quite clearly Mr. Jaehne's endeavors to keep
expenses for air defense low. |
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¹ An extract from the
minute, of Farben's Engineering committee, 14 September 1933. in which it was
stated that “The total of 100.009 reichsmarks provided for by the plants
for air-raid protection appears to be too high. When the result of the last
central meeting in Berlin is available, the amount to be spent will be finally
determined.” These minutes are not reproduced herein,
²
Memorandum of Defendant Jaehne, 27 September 1934, in which he reported to a
special meeting of Sparte II that “The recently proposed measures, which
exceed the previous demands, constitute such a burden on the plant and its
operation that from the viewpoint of good management of the plants, their
application appears doubtful.” This memorandum is not reproduced herein.
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