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E. FRICK'S PARTICIPATION IN THE PREPARATIONS FOR AGGRESSIVE WAR.

Frick wholeheartedly supported the conspirators' preparations for war. It was his position that:

"Germany would observe her. international undertakings only so long as it suited Germany's interests to do so." (385-PS)

Frick, as Reich Minister of the Interior, was

"The 'civilian' defense minister and as such cooperated prominently *** in the important field of 'defense legislation' and thereby in the development of *** Germany's armed forces." (3119-PS)

Frick's Ministry had a division entitled "Armed Forces and Reich Defense" (3303-PS).

(1) Rearmament and reinstitution of military service. Frick took a leading part in Germany's rearmament in violation of the Versailles Treaty. He drafted the basic laws on military service. These include the law of 16 March 1935 reintroducing universal military conscription (1654-PS); the decree of 6 March 1936

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extending military and labor service to German citizens abroad; the decree of 16 June 1938 extending the military service law to Austria (1660-PS); and the decree of 30 April 1940 extending the Military Service Law to the incorporated eastern territories (see 3043-PS; 1589-PS; 388-PS, item 20).

Frick also supported the military training program of the SA, the financing of which his Ministry of Interior was called upon to supply funds (1850-PS).

Additional evidence that Frick contributed to Germany's rearmament for aggressive war is contained in a secret order, 25 July 1933, from the Supreme Command of the SA on the subject, "Publications of the SA." This order states that several days before 25 July 1933 the Reich Ministry of the Interior at the request of the Foreign Office gave strict instructions to all Reich authorities that the most severe control was to be exercised over all publications which might give other countries an opportunity construe German activities as infringements of the Versailles Treaty (D-44).

(2) Fifth column activities abroad. In further preparation for the aggressive wars planned by the conspirators, Frick used his power, prestige, and funds as Minister of the Interior in order to command support for the organization of a Fifth Column abroad among foreign nationals of German ancestry. In a circular of 24 February 1933 issued less than a month after the conspirators had taken over the government of Germany, Frick ordered all State governments to support, especially financially, the organization work of the League for Germandom Abroad among the

"30 million Germans in foreign countries [Auslands- deutschen] outside of the present contracted borders of the Reich [who] are an integral part of the entire German people." (3258-PS)

Frick at a later date stated even more clearly the true purpose this German Fifth Column he was helping to organize abroad. In his speech at the twentieth annual meeting of the official German Foreign Institute held in Stuttgart, on 11- 15 August 1937, Frick stated that

"the new Germany has recognized that its attention and devotion to the welfare of the millions of Germans who have not the fortune to owe political allegiance to Germany, but who are condemned to live abroad, are not merely a matter of natural sympathy and solidarity, but are in a higher

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degree dictated by the strong political and economic interests of the Reich." (258-PS)

(3) Organization of civilian agencies for war. Frick's principal contribution to the war preparations of the Nazi conspirators lay in his role as General Plenipotentiary for the Administration of the Reich. He occupied this position as a member of the Reich Defense Council, beginning on 21 May 1935 (2978-PS).

In this capacity, Frick had complete authority over

"the uniform direction of the nonmilitary administration with the exception of the economic administrations."

He was given control over the Ministries of Interior, Justice, Education, Churches, and the Office for Spatial Planning, in order to direct their entire planning activities in preparation of war (2986-PS; 2194-PS). This was Frick's responsibility during the more than 4 years that elapsed before the actual launching of the conspirators' first aggressive war.

As General Plenipotentiary for the Administration, Frick was a member of the so-called Three-Man Committee, with Schacht, later Funk (Economy), and Keitel (OKW). This small group, which was empowered to legislate by decree on all matters relating to war preparedness, represented during these decisive years, from 1935 to 1939, a compact, powerful body in which could be concentrated the conspirators' preparations for war (2986-PS; see also Section 3, chapter XV on the Reich Cabinet).

In a speech made on 7 March 1940 at the University of Freiburg, Frick admitted the significant part he played in the preparations for war and as a member of the triumvirate created by the secret Reich Defense

" *** The organization of the nonmilitary national defense fits organically into the entire structure of the National Socialist government and administration. This -state of affairs is not exceptional, but a necessary and planned part of the National Socialist order. Thus, the conversion of our administration and economy to wartime conditions has been accomplished very quickly and without any friction -- avoiding the otherwise very dangerous changes of the entire structure of the State.

The planned preparation of the administration for the possibility of a war has already been carried out during the peace. For this purpose, the Fuehrer appointed a Plenipotentiary General for the Reich Administration and a Plenipotentiary General for the Economy. The Plenipotentiary

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General for the Administration was placed in charge of the coordination of the nonmilitary administrations, with the exception of the Administration of Economics." (2608-PS)

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