 |
| [Ver...] mittlungsstelle W (Dr. Ritter and Dr. Eckell) went over with
Krauch to assist in the performance of the tasks assigned to Krauch
[NI-5911, Pros Ex. 407]. These tasks were to help in preparing for war
with reference to raw materials essential to the waging of war. Hitler had
already advised Goering in the summer of 1936: |
| |
“The German Army must be
ready for combat within 4 years. The German economy must be mobilized for war
within 4 years.” |
| and Hitler told Goering further: |
| |
“The German motor fuel
production must now be developed with the utmost speed and brought to
definitive completion within 18 months. This task must be handled and executed
with the same determination as the waging of war. * * * The mass production of
synthetic rubber must be also organized and secured with the same rapidity. The
affirmation that the procedure might not be quite determined and similar
excuses must not be heard from now on.” [NI-4955, Pros. Ex.
411.] |
| The Office of Raw Materials and Foreign Exchange was rapidly
succeeded by the Office of the Four Year Plan following the announcement of
that plan by Hitler at the Nurnberg Party Rally in 1936. Krauch continued under
Goering in the Four Year Plan in charge of facility expansions for strategic
raw materials and synthetics. In a speech delivered to the Reich Chamber of
Labor on 24 November 1936 [EC-373 Pros. Ex. 416], General Thomas, Chief of the
Military Economic Staff of the Office of the Wehrmacht, described the Four Year
Plan as “military economy at its purest.” Krauch was Farben’s
main liaison with the over-all planning of the German armament, but other
defendants were extremely active in their respective spheres of responsibility.
On 6 and 7 August 1936, defendant Buetefisch attended a conference on the
government oil program in Berlin with members of the Raw Materials Staff in
which the government oil program under the Four Year Plan was discussed
[NI-4471, Pros. Ex. 414]. It was explained by Fischer, head of the
Economic Group Motor Fuels, that “the total plan is not adjusted to
meeting peacetime requirements, but to the requirements in case of
mobilization.” Buetefisch stated that a second stage of development is
planned regarding which there would be information 8 days later, “with a
total of 24 months allowed for construction work.” A few days later, on 12
October 1936, defendants Jaehne and Lautenschlaeger attended a meeting of the
Technical Management at Frankfurt/a. M., Hoechst, in which the urgent
requirements of Farben for the production of gasoline, rubber and artificial
fibres under the Four Year Plan were discussed [NI-5909, Pros. Ex. 529].
Increase in artificial fibers to 85,000 tons per annum by the end of the year
was noted as well as “significant increase” of “manufacture of
metals.” On 17 October |
1251 |
. 
