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Georg von Schnitzler on Hitler’s Appeal to Leading German Industrialists on February 20, 1933 (Affidavit, November 10, 1945)

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He then talked about the “Bundnis” (alliance) into which his party and the Deutsch-Nationale Volkspartei had entered. This latter party in the meantime had been reorganized by Herr von Papen. On the end he came to the point which seemed to me the purpose of the meeting. Hitler stressed the importance that the two aforementioned parties should gain the majority in the coming Reichstag election. Krupp von Bohlen thanked Hitler for his speech. After Hitler had left the room, Dr. Schacht proposed to the meeting the raising of an election fund of – as far as I remember – RM 3,000,000. The fund should be distributed between the two “Allies” according to their relative strength at the time being. Dr. Stein suggested that the Deutsche Volkspartei should be included which suggestion when I rightly remember was accepted. The amounts which the individual firms had to contribute were not discussed.

I did not take part in the discussion but reported the matter the next day or the overnext to Dr. Bosch in Frankfurt who together with Geh. Rat Schmitz had reserved exclusively for themselves the handling of distribution of money to political parties, the press etc. and had made a special appoint of "Vertraulichkeit" (secrecy) in this respect.

Dr. Bosch did, as far as I remember, not make any remark to my report, but shrugged his shoulders.

I never heard again of the whole matter but I believe that either the buro of Göring or Schacht or the Reichsverband der deutschen Industrie had asked the office of Bosch or Schmitz for payment of I.G.'s share in the election fund. As I did not take the matter up again I not even at that time knew whether and which amount had been paid by the I.G. According to the volume of the I.G. I should estimate I.G.'s share being something like 10% of the election fund, but as far as I know there is no evidence that I.G. Farben participated in the payments.

I understand the English language.

G. von Schnitzler



Source: Georg von Schnitzler on Hitler’s Appeal to Leading German Industrialists on February 20, 1933 (Affidavit, November 10, 1945). In United States Chief Counsel for the Prosecution of Axis Criminality, Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, Volume VII. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office, 1946, Document 439-EC [Affidavit of Georg von Schnitzler, Member of the Board of Directors of I.G. Farben, 10. November 1945, Regarding a Meeting of Industrialists with Hitler in February 1933, at which Schacht Proposed the Raising of an Election Fund (Exhibit USA-618)], pp. 501-02.

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