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Thus I come to the conclusion of my discussion of the various facts,
offered both by the prosecution and the defense, with regard to counts one to
three. In summarizing, I arrive at the following result: Dr. Krauch
doesn’t belong at all in this dock.
As I have already proved, he
obviously no longer had any close connection with I. G. Farben after 1936.
Thus, there was no basis to indict Dr. Krauch in connection with I. G. Farben.
Nor was there any reason to make him a defendant because of his
honorary position in the government economic organization, since his position
was far below the level which is of interest to the Nuernberg Tribunals. In the
IMT the defendants were Cabinet members and specially outstanding confidants of
Hitler. Dr. Krauch by no means belonged to this category.
In the
so-called Ministries case (Case 11) there is no place for Dr. Krauch among the
defendants, since these are only high government officials, the lowest being
Under State Secretary [Unterstaatssekretaer] a rank which Dr. Krauch did not
reach by far.64a
The
correctness of that conclusion is also evident from the fact that none of the
other plenipotentiaries general — with the exception of Sauckel, who, as
was shown, held a special position — was indicted, although a number of
them64b held actual powers, in
contrast to Dr. Krauch.
IV. To round off the picture which I was
permitted to present to the Tribunal, it is only necessary to discuss a few
points about Krauch the man. In line with his attitude of reserve, he refused
in direct examination to say anything on this subject. It thus was left to the
defense to prove his humane attitude by introducing a number of documents This
was done by explaining his attitude towards Jews and half-Jews,65 whom he saved from persecution by the Nazis,
whom he helped with the full weight of his personality. Undaunted, he held to
the Church and its institutions, although this might have led to persecution in
the Third Reich.66 Moved with emotion,
renowned scientists described how he defended the freedom of science against
strong adverse Party tendencies, how he also stood up for persons who had
fallen in disfavor with the Nazi regime.67 He
did all this by taking advantage of his honorary position, without which such
comprehensive assistance would have been impossible altogether. And finally, we
have proved a number of facts which I find essential when evaluating Krauch,
the man. Dr. Krauch was one of the few who, when he heard of the humiliating
treatment of concentration camp inmates, had the courage in the face of
personal danger to offer re- [...sistance] |
__________
64a TZ 118.
64b TZ 48a.
65 TZ 9b.
66 TZ 9c.
67 TZ 9a.
933 |
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