Nazi Conspiracy & Aggression
Individual Responsibility Of Defendants

Gustav Krupp Von Bohlen Und Halbach

(Part 6 of 15)

[Page 786]

E. KRUPP SUPPORTED THE CONSPIRATORS' PROPAGANDA PROGRAM; LENT HIS ORGANIZATION TO THE DISSEMINATION OF NAZI PROPAGANDA ABROAD; AND USED HIS EMPLOYEES IN ESPIONAGE ACTIVITIES IN FURTHERANCE OF THE AIMS AND PURPOSES OF THE NAZI CONSPIRACY.

(1) In April 1933, Krupp contributed 20,000 marks to Rosenberg for the purpose of counteracting anti-Nazi propaganda abroad. In a letter to Krupp dated 26 April 1933, Rosenberg said:

"Once more my most cordial thanks for not having shunned the inconvenience of the journey in order to participate at yesterday's intimate conference. I am glad to determine, on the basis of our discussion, that you too welcome the organ-

[Page 787]

ization of an active counter-action abroad, in the interest of State and Economy, and express to you the highest thanks for the support of a monetary kind as well, which you have subscribed to our work. Very shortly a quantity of material will be sent to you promptly and will subsequently be distributed throughout the world in a comprehensive compilation. (D- 158; see also D-208 and D-242)

(2) In a memorandum dated 12 October 1939, entitled "Distribution of Official Propaganda Literature Abroad with the Help of our foreign Connections," concerning a visit by a Mr. Lackmann of Ribbentrop's private foreign office, Von Raussendorff, a Krupp official,

"I informed Mr. L. that our Firm had put itself years ago at the disposal of official Bureaus for purposes of foreign propaganda and that we had supported all requests addressed to us to the utmost. *** Only by personal handling can our connections abroad be used and kept receptive to effective propaganda. With the present lively activity of the Secret Service' it must be avoided, not only in the interest of our firm but also in the interest of Germany as a whole, that our agents in neutral foreign countries would come through improper handling to the attention of the Secret Service' and economically ruined by it within a short

"*** If additional distributions of propaganda literature were desired, a propaganda-leaflet should be sent to us and after examining it, we would advise the official Bureau what quantity of such printed matter could be mailed abroad through us, at our expense, as heretofore." (D-206)

(3) In a memorandum dated 14 October 1937, concerning a visit by Menzel of the Intelligence Office of the Combined Services Ministry, Sonnenberg, a Krupp official, wrote:

"*** Menzel asked for intelligence on foreign armament (but not including matters published in newspapers) received by Krupp from their agents abroad and through other channels to be passed on a Combined Services Intelligence [Abwehrabteilung des RKM.]. ***"

"On our part we undertook to supply information to the Combined Ministry [RKM] as required." (D-167)

The results of a later visit by Menzel, in the company of Kapitaen zur See Globig, of the Information Department, Naval Armaments Branch, are reported in a memorandum dated 25

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June 1939 by Dr. Conn, a Krupp official. In the course of this memorandum, which is entitled "Intelligence and Information," Dr. Conn stated:

"1. Kapitaen zur See Globig whom I had known for a long time, spoke to me quite frankly and openly. It is therefore impossible to embody parts of our discussion in this report."

*******

"Similarly to Kapitaen zur See Globig he [Menzel] stressed the point that in view of the progressive disappearance of public and easily accessible sources of information, the information obtained through our representatives abroad was of increasing value. This method of obtaining intelligence would have to be followed up much more drastically than in the past."

*******

"His [Menzel's] third point was a request to utilize foreign visitors for obtaining intelligence. I replied that this was being done already, but that it was necessary to proceed very carefully, to avoid arousing suspicion on the part of the visitors."

"I gave him to understand that we were slightly disappointed with the collaboration with Intelligence [Abwehr Abteilung] since we had supplied information, but had received none in return. Menzel explained that Intelligence was only a collating centre and that they were merely passing on information, the value of which they were unable to judge by themselves, to the departments concerned; any information for us would therefore have to come from those departments only. Exceptions were only made in the case of intelligence of universal importance such as e.g. the long range gun [Ferngeschuetz] some time ago."

"This remark is important concerning the way in which we should present our information at Berlin. The departments receiving the information through Intelligence, must be able to see that it originates from Krupp, so that they might feel themselves under obligation to let us have some information in return." (D-167)

In a memorandum marked "secret," relating to foreign anti- aircraft guns, Sonnenberg wrote on 8 May 1939:

"I have gained the impression that from no other side do the respective Army departments get such far reaching support

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in their investigation of foreign armaments as from Fr. Krupp." (D-170).

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