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| 3. AFFIDAVIT OF THE DEFENDANT ALFRIED KRUPP |
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TRANSLATION OF
DOCUMENT NIK-10332
PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 659
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| AFFIDAVIT OF THE DEFENDANT ALFRIED KRUPP, 30 MAY 1947, CONCERNING THE
FOUNDING OF THE KRUPP CORPORATION IN PARIS |
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| Affidavit |
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I, Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach, after having had it called
to my attention that I am liable to punishment for giving false testimony,
declare herewith under oath, of my own free will and without duress, the
following:
As far as I can remember, Mr. Loeser, sometime during the
year 1942, made mention in the directorate of his intention to found a Krupp
company in France for the purpose of coordinating all existing Krupp interests
in France. During my visit at Liancourt some months later, 1 believe it was in
the summer of 1943, Mr. Johannes Schroeder talked to me about carrying out this
plan. I have, however, no recollection of the details.
Personally I
know nothing about the financial manipulations that led to the foundation of
the Krupp company in Paris. Especially, I don’t know where the funds came
from, that were used for the foundation of the Krupp company in Paris. Neither
do I know anything about the amount of capital for this new undertaking. From
the viewpoint of the Krupp administration, it was Mr. Ewald Loeser’s
responsibility to solve the financial problems connected with the foundation of
a Krupp company in France. Although I cannot say, whether he carried out the
details of this financial plan personally, it is certain that these financial
problems belonged within the sphere of responsibility of Mr. Loeser.
When for instance, the State or the Wehrmacht approached the Krupp firm
with demands which the firm found impossible to finance or could only have
financed with the greatest difficulty, the possibility existed to get loans
from the State for the carrying-out of those investments. Loan contracts
concluded for these purposes contained a so-called war risk clause during the
war. This clause provided that under certain war-conditioned circumstances the
firm was not absolutely obligated to pay back the loans to their full amount.
The erection of the Krupp Bertha Works in Markstaedt* was carried through with
the help of such |
__________
* The Markstaedt plant
(Krupp’s Bertha Works) was built during the war in Silesia. The
utilization of foreign laborer, and concentration-camp inmates in the
construction and operation of this plant was involved in the charges of slave
labor. See VIII B and C below.
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