 |
sequestration, removal, and utilization of raw materials and
materials important for the conduct of the war belonging to the new Occupied
Eastern Territories * * *.” The property already sequestered or still to
be sequestered was “to be treated as the marshaled property of the
Reich.”
The IMT judgment referred to a
decree issued by Goering, 19 October 1939. This decree established different
occupation policies for different countries; in the one group the policy was
— |
|
“* * * safeguarding of all
their production facilities and supplies must be aimed at, as well as a
complete incorporation into the greater German economic system at the earliest
possible time.”¹ |
| In the other group the policy was the removal of —
|
| |
“* * * all raw materials,
scrap materials, machines, etc., which are of use for the German war economy.
Enterprises which are not absolutely necessary for the meager maintenance of
the naked existence of the population must be transferred to Germany * *
*.”² |
| The IMT commented: |
| |
“In many of the occupied
countries of the East and the West, the authorities maintained the pretense of
paying for all the property which they seized.* * * In most of the occupied
countries of the East even this pretense was not maintained; economic
exploitation became deliberate plunder.* * * The occupation of the U.S.S.R. was
characterized by premeditated and systematic looting. Before the attack on the
U.S.S.R. an economic staff — Oldenburg — was organized to ensure the
most efficient exploitation of Soviet territories. The German armies were to be
fed out of Soviet territory, even if ‘many millions of people will be
starved to death.’ ”³ |
| Following the invasion of Russia, the Reich government formed various
quasi-governmental monopoly organizations in order to carry out its policy of
exploitation of the Soviet economy. One of these organizations was the
“Berg- und Huettenwerk Ost” which we shall refer to as BHO. It was
founded upon the orders of Goering by the following partners: |
| |
| (1) |
The Reich, represented by the Minister of
Economics. |
| (2) |
The Economic Group Mining Industry. |
| (3) |
The Economic Group Iron Producing Industry, and, |
| (4) |
The Economic Group Wholesale, Import and Export Trade.
|
|
| |
| The Plenipotentiary for the Four Year Plan (Goering) was to nominate
the chairman, vice chairman, and members of the Ver- […waltungsrat.]
|
__________
¹ Trial of the Major War Criminals,
op. cit. supra, pp. 239 and 240.
² Ibid., p. 240.
²
Ibid., pp. 240 and 241.
1472 |
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