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That's all. Now, in that document, first we have the reference that
we have been discussing, “a better industrial site examined and proposed
by us in Upper Silesia” — this is beginning at the bottom —
“could not be considered until now because this area was considered as a
troop deployment” — I believe is the better translation —
“area against Czechoslovakia.” Now, just preceding that, under the
heading “Buna Production in Germany” we also have this statement:
“I, therefore, requested you not to allow the building of the buna
factories to be completely or predominantly influenced by military interests,
now that immediate danger of war has been removed.” Now, if you will also
look at your Exhibit 74 * in book 3. Now, you see the question and answer at
the bottom of page 7, Dr. ter Meer?
A. Yes.
Q. Question:
“When did it become apparent to you or the members of the Vorstand of IG
that Germany intended to go to war?” Answer: “I cannot answer that
for other persons. I will answer for myself. When the war broke out we always
were fully confident that the war would be avoided. We saw that in 1938 when
the political situation became very severe, as the conferences in Munich et
cetera brought out. The steps taken afterward by our government, the steps
taken towards Czechoslovakia, were very risky ones; but we were still hopeful
and confident that the war could be avoided just as it had been avoided in
1938.” I would like to ask you this question. If this war, the danger of
which you spoke about in your letter to Brinkmann as having been removed in the
fall of 1938 and which you speak of here as having been avoided in the spring
of 1938, had actually broken out at either time, would you have regarded it as
an aggressive or a defensive war on the part of Germany?
PRESIDING
JUDGE SHAKE: That's a matter for the Tribunal to determine. He may testify as
to facts and in certain limits as to opinion, but the ultimate determination is
for the Tribunal.
MR. DUBOIS: May I just suggest, Your Honor, several
times during the course of his interrogation he has talked about not foreseeing
and not expecting aggressive war. I am trying to judge what he means when he
uses the word “aggressive.”
PRESIDING JUDGE SHAKE: The ruling
will stand, Counsel.
Q. All right. Now, I will just ask this question.
I think you testified on direct examination “I never believed in the
possibility of war.” I wonder how you reconcile those statements with the
statement that's in the Brinkmann letter and the statements we have just read?
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* Document ter Meer 66, not
reproduced herein.
1580 |
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