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TRANSLATION OF
DOCUMENT CK 6a
GENERAL DEFENSE EXHIBIT 58
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| EXTRACTS* FROM HITLER'S SPEECH TO THE GERMAN REICHSTAG, 17 MAY 1933,
CONCERNING THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT'S DESIRE FOR PEACE |
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| The problems with which you are familiar are of such great
importance, that upon their successful solution depends not only the political
pacification but also the economic salvation of all countries. If, on behalf of
the German government, I express the wish that their treatment be lifted out of
the reach of passion of any kind, this is to a large extent due to the
realization guiding all of us, namely, that the present depression owes its
deepest roots to those very passions, which at the end of the war, obscured the
nations' wisdom, reason, and the cause of justice. |
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No new European war could improve the unsatisfactory conditions of
the present day.
On the contrary, the application of violence of any
kind in Europe could have no favorable effect upon the political or economic
position which exists today. Even if a fresh European act of violence had a
decisive result, the ultimate effect would be to increase the disturbance of
European equilibrium and thus, in one manner or another, to sow the seed of
further conflicts and complications. The result would be fresh wars, fresh
uncertainty, and fresh economic distress. The outbreak of such infinite
madness, however, would necessarily cause the collapse of the present social
and political order. A Europe sinking into Communistic chaos would bring about
a crisis, the extent and duration of which could not be foreseen.
It is
the earnest desire of the National Government of the German Reich to prevent
such a disturbing development by means of its honest and active
cooperation. |
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| Nevertheless, Germany is at any time willing to undertake further
obligations in regard to international security, if all the other nations are
ready on their side to do the same, and if this security is also to benefit
Germany. Germany would also be perfectly ready to disband her entire military
establishment and |
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* The extracts reproduced
here are all the extracts which were offered in evidence by the defense.
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