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Present were the following gentlemen: Dr. Flick, Dr. Kloeckner, Dr.
Loeser, Luebsen, E. Poensgen, Tgahrt, Dr. Voegler, Zangen, Dr. Winkhaus.
I. Mr. Zangen,¹ gave an account of his conversation with Minister
Funk.² a. Mr. Funk referred to the fact that he has given considerable
assistance to business [Wirtschaft], particularly as regards the problem of
taxation, and he now asked in return that he should receive assistance by a
reasonable attitude in the future, and that care be taken that no excesses
occur, which might give an opening to the opponents of private enterprise to
make accusations against business; particularly one should seek now to repress
all desire for annexation, etc. |
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II. Minette — Mr. Poensgen gives a picture of the task
Steinbrinck³ and discusses the situation in the several countries.
a. Holland — On Mr. Poensgen's suggestion the economic
group adopted the attitude that the Ijmuiden Smelting Works cannot be
usefully taken over. In that connection it was stated that the water piping
used for the transformation of sea water into fresh water had been destroyed by
the British, and that it would take at least one year to repair the plant. Also
the entrance to the harbor was blocked by a sunken ship. He did not know if it
was possible to transport ore inland.
b. Belgium — Those
present took note of the sending-out of the Bulle Commission and of the future
Schwede Mission. The unanimous tendency of those present was that one should
avoid to break up works in Belgium. Those works should remain intact except for
removal of individual pieces of machinery which were lacking here.
c. Luxembourg — In this connection information was received
on previous discussions of Mr. Steinbrinck in Luxembourg, and of the
appointment of Mr. Berve for ARBED4
and Mr. Meier for Differdange.
d. It is reported that
confiscation commissions of the Wehrmacht have secured the supplies and
in part are removing them. It is our unanimous opinion that the materials which
have been |
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¹ Zangen was chairman
of the Vorstand of the Mannesmann-Roehren-Werke Duesseldorf, and president of
the Reich Group Industry.
² Funk, Reich Minister of Economies, was a
defendant in the case before the IMT. (Trial of the Major War Criminals, op.
cit. supra, vol. I.)
³ At this time Steinbrinck was Plenipotentiary
for the steel industry (Generalbenuftregter fuer die Stahlindustrie) in the
occupied territories of northern France. Holland, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
Previously Steinbrinck was a leading official in numerous Flick enterprises. He
was a defendant in the Flick Case (United States vs. Friedrich Flick, et al.,
Case 5, Vol. VI).
4 Acleres Mures de
Burbach-Eich-Dudelange, largest steel plant in Luxembourg.
484 |
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