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shortcomings of the prosecution and its presentation of evidence.
Summing up, I wish to say that I consider the material brought by the
prosecution against Pfirsch insufficient on all counts of the indictment.
Should the Tribunal still have any doubts on individual points, I am convinced
that the evidence which I shall submit will remove them.
Since I have
to represent the basic principles with regard to count one of the indictment on
behalf of all the defendants, I need, in view of what I have already said, only
refer to the motions submitted by the entire defense. |
| |
| H. Opening Statement for the Defendant Ihn* |
| |
DR. POHLE: Your Honors, like most of the other defendants, my
client, Max Ihn, is also charged with crimes against the peace and with
participation in the criminal preparation and waging of aggressive wars and in
a conspiracy relating to the preparation and waging of such aggressive wars.
Although repeatedly challenged by the defense, the prosecution has neglected to
substantiate its charges in detail and to demonstrate the personal connections
which are alleged to exist between the individual defendants and the criminal
preparation and waging of aggressive wars. I am not dealing with this subject
on behalf of the defendant Max Ihn. For he as personnel chief does not occupy
an important position among the defendants from company owner to the chief of
the supreme camp leadership. Consequently, I merely reserve the right to make
supplementary remarks on this topic, in the evidence procedure.
Likewise, I shall be able to confine myself to brief additional
explanations of count two of the indictment, that is, the so called spoliation.
To this count the prosecution, in spite of the objections raised by the
defense, has not produced anything either that would even allude to a
responsibility of the defendant Max Ihn for these allegedly criminal actions.
Nothing but the fact that he was a member of the directorate of the firm of
Krupp. This subject I also leave to the spokesmen within the defense.
On the other hand I shall comment extensively on the so called
“slave labor program.” On behalf of the entire defense I have taken
it upon myself to explain to you the principles according to which the
employment and treatment of the foreign workers were effected in Germany and at
the Friedrich Krupp A.G. during the war. In this trial, too, I am obliged to
explain these principles to the Tribunal, although during the Flick trial I had
an oppor- […tunity] |
__________
* Opening statement is
recorded in mimeographed transcript. 22 March 1948. pp. 4788 4798.
184 |
. 
