 |
Farben knowingly participated in the secret armament program which
was designed to achieve a degree of military might which would make Germany
invincible. Farben largely created the broad raw material basis without which
the policy makers could not have even seriously considered waging aggressive
war. Farben developed, planned, and operated huge plant expansions, stand-by
plants and facilities for the synthetic production of strategic and critical
war materials, including such all important products as synthetic gasoline,
oil, buna rubber, nitrogen and light metals, predominantly as part of the
military economy and as definite preparation for the possibility or “case
of war.” All this was done in closest cooperation with the top
governmental and military agencies immediately charged with carrying out the
program of preparation for aggression as established by the judgment of the
IMT.
Farben’s importance to the German war effort is perhaps best
summed up in a statement attributed to Funk, Minister of Economics and
Plenipotentiary General for War Economy and Schacht’s successor in office.
Funk was convicted of crimes against peace by the IMT. The defendant Kuehne
reported to the defendant Schmitz concerning a meeting held in October of 1941
in the presence of a number of military and government dignitaries [NI-15027, Pros. Ex. 2064]. According to
Kuehne: |
| |
“At the conclusion of his
long lengthy statement, regarding which I hope I will once more be able to
report to you in person, Herr Funk said the following: He felt compelled yet to
refer to the remarks made by Herr Pleiger* and by me. Naturally, coal, iron,
guns and procurement of materials were necessary for waging war and the
importance of the industries must not be underestimated. However, one thing he
must establish, without the German IG and its achievements, it would not
have been possible to wage this war. You can imagine I was overjoyed and
expressed to Herr Funk my thanks in the name of the whole
IG.” |
| The fact that the defendants knew that the program they were
undertaking was part of Hitler's armament program, including many of its secret
aspects, is too well established to admit of any controversy. The universal
defense is advanced, however, that, as rearmament may be for defensive
purposes, or for other legitimate aims in harmony with international law, as
well as for purposes of aggression, the actions of the defendants do not
constitute crimes against peace as defined in Control Council Law No. 10 and in
the London Charter. Each defendant contends that, for lack of knowledge of
Hitler’s aggressive aims and intentions, he cannot be held responsible for
his conduct because the state of mind required to accompany his action
was not present. |
__________
* Reich coal commissioner
and member of Vorstand of Hermann Goering works.
1216 |
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