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at the moment. These discussions in Wiesbaden served the purpose of
taking up the initial contact with those agencies which were responsible for
the reactivation of business activity in France, in addition to the Reich
Ministry of Economics, and those agencies that were decisive for conducting the
industrial negotiations. I remember that the suggestions concerning France in
the dyestuffs field were explained in August, Mr. von Schnitzler reported in
Wiesbaden about the impressions that he had gained during his first trip in
France.
Q. Mr. Kugler, what sort of trip was that and who participated
in it?
A. This first trip was undertaken by Mr. von Schnitzler together
with Dr. Terhaar. As far as I remember, it was to be a preliminary
informational trip about the situation in France as it presented itself after
the termination of hostilities. On the basis of information of German agencies
in Paris at that time, interesting information for the Dyestuffs Department was
imparted to us to the effect that the French textile industries would probably
not start operating again in the immediate future. That was interesting for us
dyestuffs salesmen because the textile industry in France, just as in other
countries, was the chief consumer of dyestuffs. One can say that, in countries
like France, the share of the textile industry in the consumption of dyestuffs
was approximately sixty or seventy percent.
Q. Mr. Kugler, can you
please tell me what was the immediate cause for this trip?
A. It was
not one single reason alone. You have to take into consideration the situation
at the time. Before the war, we had considerable business interests in France.
There was a large agency in Paris, the SOPI [Société pour
l'Importation de Matièes Colorantes et des Produits Chimiques]. We knew,
by way of Switzerland, that during the war a lawsuit for espionage activity had
been brought against SOPI. Mr. von Schnitzler wanted to find out, on the spot,
what the fate of the members of that firm was, as these employees were our
employees, or at least they were employees of our firm before the war. There
were stockpiles and stores and one didn't know what had happened to them. And
the same is true for outstanding debts, and other property that we had in
France before the war. Thus Mr. von Schnitzler, as the chief of the Sales
Combine Dyestuffs, had a whole number of reasons why he should undertake such a
trip. Above and beyond that I thought that the reason was that Mr. von
Schnitzler wanted to inform himself, in his capacity as chief of the Tar Dyes
Sub group, about the entire situation.
Q. Is it correct, Dr. Kugler,
that next to the Armistice Delegation, the Reich Ministry of Economics was also
a decisive agency?
A. Yes, that is absolutely correct. |
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