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perpetuate the Krupp family enterprise. This decree was enacted by
Hitler on 12 November 1943. The preamble recites that (1387-PS, Pros. Ex.
475):¹ “The enterprise of Friedrich Krupp, a family enterprise
for 132 years, deserves highest recognition for its incomparable efforts to
raise the military potential of Germany.”
The “Lex
Krupp” provided for special treatment as to matters of inheritance and
taxation, and the regulation of the firm by its own internal statute. By this
decree the Krupp firm became in truth a “state within a state”
created by the Third Reich. Whoever became the owner of this firm was to bear
the name “Krupp” before his own name. The internal statute provided
that the leaders of the Krupp firm must be specially approved by Nazi Party and
Reich officials. The defendant Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach assumed the
sole ownership and control of the Krupp enterprise by virtue of the formal
approval of Martin Bormann, Chief of the Party Chancellery, and of Dr. Lammers,
Reich Minister and Chief of the Reich Chancellery.
Words of grateful
appreciation were expressed by the parents of Alfried Krupp to Hitler, for the
latter’s efforts in establishing the Krupp dynasty in its now legal form.
To the words of appreciation, they added the words of assurance to Hitler,
(D-135, Pros. Ex. 478)² that — |
| |
“We shall do everything in
our power to equip our son, Alfried, the present owner of the family
enterprise, for the task of securing and, if possible, increasing the
production of the Krupp works, both in peace and war, in your spirit, and for
the benefit of our people.” |
No other industrial concern in Nazi Germany was honored by such
privileges as were thus granted to the Krupp family enterprise. By it, Hitler
bestowed on the Krupp firm a unique and most favorable position in the
commercial and industrial life of Nazi Germany.
We have seen that the
Krupp firm favored the creation of a strong central German Government;
assisted, both with its money and its prestige, in the establishment of
Hitler's authority and the dictatorship of the Third Reich; provided the Third
Reich with what it most needed to put its aggressive and warlike policies into
effect; and played a vital part in the waging of the wars which inevitably
followed. We have seen that these things were done not because the Krupp
officials were “Nazis” but because they shared with the Nazis
certain basic ideas and desires. |
__________
¹ Document is
reproduced in section VI B 1.
² Ibid.
130 |
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