The Nizkor Project: Remembering the Holocaust (Shoah)

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   Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, Volume Two, Chapter XIV
                              
                       11. WALTER FUNK

                                                  [Page 715]

A. FUNK ACTIVELY PROMOTED THE CONSPIRATORS' ACCESSION TO POWER.

A recital of Funk's positions and activities is set forth in
a statement made by him (3533-PS). Although Funk signed this
statement, he inserted several reservations and denials with
respect to certain positions and activities. Funk's
submissions in this connection, which are indicated in his
statement (3533-PS) should be evaluated in the light of the
statements set forth in the collection of relevant excerpts
from German publications (3563-PS)

An examination of these excerpts will reveal that the German
publications directly contradict every contention which Funk
has made with respect to his holding the positions and
carrying on the activities listed in his statement (3533-PS). 
For example, in his comment concerning item (b) of his
statement Funk denies that he was Hitler's Personal Economic
Adviser during the 1930's. On the other hand, there are four
German publications, each of which states unequivocally that
Funk was Hitler's Personal Economic Adviser (3563-PS).

As is indicated by these documents, Funk, soon after he
joined the Nazi Party in 1931, began to hold important
positions in the Party and soon qualified as one of the Nazi
inner circle. Thus, he promptly became not only Hitler's
Personal Economic Adviser, but also Chief of the Economic
Division of the Central Nazi Party Directorate and Chairman
of the Party's Committee on Economic Policy (3533-PS). In
these capacities, he advanced the Party's drive for mass
support by drafting its economic slogans. In 1932, for
example, he wrote a pamphlet entitled "Economic
Reconstruction Program of the NSDAP", which, after its
approval by Hitler, became the Party's official
pronouncement on economic matters (3505-PS).

Funk also served as the liaison man between the Nazi Party
and the large industrialists, from whom he obtained
financial and political support on Hitler's behalf (3505-PS;
2828-PS). Thus, for example, he was present at the meeting
of approximately 25 leading industrialists held in Berlin on
20 February 1933 (2828-PS). In the course of this meeting,
which was arranged by Goering and attended by Funk, among
others, and which was designed to obtain the industrialists'
financial and political support for the Nazi program, Hitler
and Goering announced some of the fundamental Nazi
objectives: the destruction of the parliamentary sys-

                                                  [Page 716]

tem in Germany; the crushing of all internal opposition by
force, the restoration of the power of the Wehrmacht. In
addition, Hitler indicated that force was to be used in
solving problems with other nations (D-203). The financial
and political support for the Nazis which Funk secured from
industry promoted the campaign of force and terror by which
the Nazis seized and consolidated their control of Germany.

The importance of Funk's general contribution to the
conspirators' accession to power has been described in a
book published by the Central Publishing House of the Nazi
Party:

     "No less important than Funk's accomplishments in the
     programmatic field in the years 1931 and 1932 was his
     activity of that time as the Fuehrer's liaison man to the
     leading men of the German economy in industry, trade,
     commerce and finance. On the basis of his past work, his
     personal relations to the German economic leaders were broad
     and extensive. He was now able to enlist them in the service
     of Adolf Hitler, and not only to answer their questions
     authoritatively, but to convince them and win their backing
     for the Party. At that time, that was terribly important
     work. Every success achieved meant a moral, political, and
     economic strengthening of the fighting force of the Party
     and contributed toward destroying the prejudice that
     National Socialism is merely a party of class hatred and
     class struggle." (3505-PS)

After he had helped Hitler become Chancellor, Funk, as Reich
Press Chief, participated in the early cabinet meetings, in
the course of which the conspirators determined upon the
means by which they would secure the passage of the Enabling
Act and destroy parliamentary government in Germany (2962-PS; 
2963-PS). This law destroyed civil liberties in Germany
and marked the conspirators' seizure of political control
over Germany.



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