 |
ore mining department at the time of the acquisition of these mining
properties in France and Yugoslavia. In fact, this department worked closely
with the finance department on all matters relating to the acquisition and
exploitation of mineral resources. Reports on the activities of the Krupp firm
in this field were distributed to defendants Houdremont, Mueller, and Janssen.
After April 1943 Fritz Mueller, who is now deceased, was the Vorstand member
directly in charge of ore mining, but matters of policy and acquisition of
properties required the approval of the other members of the inner Vorstand;
namely, defendants Krupp, Houdremont, Mueller, and Janssen.
The
activities of the Krupp firm in Yugoslavia which I have just reviewed clearly
violated the laws and customs of war and more particularly Articles 43 and 46
of the Hague Regulations. The expropriation of mines in Yugolavia [sic] was not
supported by any concern for the needs of public order and safety or by the
needs of the occupation. The Krupp firm took the initiative in seeking to
participate in the exploitation of the seized property, even urging the
government to expropriate properties. It leased the Jeserina mine from the
government authorities with knowledge of their illegal expropriation. The
seizure of the Asseo shares based upon the anti-Jewish laws was illegal and
subsequent dealings by the Krupp firm with knowledge of the illegality was
likewise illegal. |
| |
| RUSSIA |
| |
| At the time of the attack on Soviet Russia on 22 June 1941 the Reich
government issued a directive concerning the administration of the territories
to be occupied which stated, in part: |
| |
“The regulations of the
Hague Convention on Land Warfare which concern the administration of a country
occupied by a foreign belligerent power are not applicable, since the U.S.S.R.
is to be considered dissolved, and therefore the Reich has the obligation of
exercising all governmental and other sovereign functions in the interest of
the country’s inhabitants. Therefore, any measures are permitted which the
German administration decrees necessary and suitable for the execution of this
comprehensive plan.” |
| This policy, that the Hague Conventions were not applicable at all
in Russia, was openly proclaimed and there was no attempt to keep it secret nor
to comply with the requirements of international law. A decree was issued for
the clarification of doubtful questions which arose “in connection with
the discovery, seizure, securing, |
1471 |
. 
