 |
| Plan, announced by Hitler in September 1936, was in the words of
Goering, "to create a foundation upon which preparation for war might be
accelerated." Immediately the Krupp firm undertook to build a synthetic fuel
plant. Through the export of war material the firm procured foreign exchange
and raw materials. An essential part of the Nazi plan for aggression was the
remilitarization and fortification of the Rhineland. On 7 March 1936, in
defiance of the Versailles Treaty, the demilitarized zone of the Rhineland was
entered by German troops. The Krupp firm, which as early as 1933 had begun
working on fortifications, was asked to take a substantial part in the
construction of the West Wall. According to a Krupp report, this construction
would not have been possible without its assistance (NI-764, Pros. Ex.
467) :¹ |
| |
“Fortifications for the
border defense line (cupolas and casemates) of latest construction were first
developed by Krupp after the war. The experience gained thereby served as a
basis for the organization of the present system of fortification. It would
have been impossible to carry out the required tasks had Krupp not been able to
fall back upon its experience in the manufacture of armor plate and upon its
foundries.” |
| |
| On 1 September 1939 the invasion of Poland touched off the Second
World War. Every effort continued to be bent, as previously toward cooperating
to the fullest extent possible with the Nazi government program. As a report
prepared by Krupp in 1942 shows, their contributions to the program of conquest
had already been substantial (NIK-10499, Pros. Ex.
491):² |
| |
“The superiority of German
weapons in the campaigns of the last 2 years, in the battles in the air and
also on the sea, is at the same time the best proof of the achievements which
Krupp attained in the field of armaments.
“The great fighting
strength of the German artillery, the superiority of German tanks, especially
the tank IV over those of the enemy, the performance of the 88mm. antiaircraft
gun in support of other formations in attack as well as in defense against
enemy tank attacks, the successes of the German Air Force and of the
submarines, the fight of the battleship ‘Bismarck,’ speak clearly for
the quality of these weapons, in the development of which Krupp played a
decisive part.” |
| |
| In the light of the available evidence, the conclusion is
inescapable that the Krupp firm under the leadership of Gustav Krupp
|
__________
¹ Ibid.
²
Ibid.
465 |
. 
