Archive/File: imt/nca/supp-b/nca-sb-02-amann.01-00 Last-Modified: 1997/12/09 Nazi Conspiracy & Aggression, Supplement B XVII. Max Amann* Nazi Acquisition and Suppression of the German Press Excerpts from Testimony of Max Amann, taken at Nurnberg, Germany, 23 October 1945, 1030-1225, by Lt. Col. T.S. Hinkel, IGD. Also present: John Albert, Interpreter; Frances Karr, Reporter. * Max Amann was Reich Leader for the Press; Head of Central Publishing House of the Party; and President of the Reich Press Chamber. Previously he served in the same company with Hitler in World War I, took part in the Putsch of 1923, and was imprisoned for four hand one-half months. He was Munich City Councillor 1924-33; member of Reich Culture Senate since its foundation in 1935; and member of the Reichstag since 1933. See document 3016-PS, vol. V, p. 735; see also vol. I, pp. 330-332. [Page 1521] Q. Do you recall publicly stating in October 1941 that the majority of the larger and medium-sized papers in Germany were financially controlled by the Party? A. Yes, I think even a two-thirds majority. [Page 1522] Q. Well, what was the total circulation, at its highest point, of all Party newspapers? A. If the total circulation amounted to 21,000,000 and I said two-thirds of it is controlled by the Party it would amount to 16 million. Q. Was the highest peak of circulation of German newspapers, including both Party and non-Party, the 21 million figure, you have cited? A. Yes, of all German dailies. You have to add a great many weeklies, which had very wide circulation. Q. Now, isn't it a fact that a large number of private publishing houses that were non-Party went out of existence during the eight-year period from January 1933 until 1941? A. Yes. We bought quite a lot after 1935. Q. How many newspapers were owned by the Party at the time the Party came into power in January 1933? A. I can only estimate, but perhaps 400 newspapers. Q. How many newspapers did the Party own at its highest point? A. Approximately, but this is only an estimate, from 1,200 to 1,500, but I rather think 1,200. Q. Is the difference between the 400 and 1,200 or 1,500 figure accounted for by the purchase of going newspapers or by the founding of new newspapers? A. Through both. Q. Which would you say accounted for the larger number? A. In my opinion, purchase. Q. What were the methods used in acquiring these various newspapers by purchase? A. On my strict order two points had to be observed strictly. First, the newspaper had to be relinquished voluntarily and a legal price had to be paid. Q. Why do you think so many newspapers were willing to sell valuable property to your outfit? A. The reason was that those publishers, who were regarded as politically unreliable by the Party, were told it would be a good idea to hand over the newspapers to their sons, who should have had newspaper training by now, or any other relative, or, if no other person existed in his family who would be qualified, to offer his paper to somebody outside. Q. Who, besides yourself in Germany, was doing any purchasing of newspaper properties during the period in question? A. I don't know that but I am sure that newspapers were also sold in the free market to other publishers. [Page 1523] Q. You don't really think that, do you? A. Yes, I really believe that. Q. You do not mean to imply by that that you didn't know the publishing picture as a whole in Germany, do you? A. Oh yes, I was well informed all the time but I could not recall detailed, single cases. Q. As a matter of fact, if there had been any substantial buying of newspapers by anybody except yourself you would remember it, wouldn't you? A. Yes, then I would remember it. Q. The fact that you do not remember it would indicate that there was no such substantial buying, isn't that correct? A. Yes, that is right. Q. Don't you think it is a fair statement to make, that you were practically the sole purchaser of newspapers in Germany during this period? A. Larger papers, yes, that could be said. May I add one thing? The financial situation of the German newspapers was quite bad during that period. Many papers had collapsed already during the inflation and later on through mass unemployment when few people could afford to buy newspapers. Q. You are speaking of the period from 1933 on now, are you? A. Only since 1934 and 1935 the publishing business flourished again. I bought, for instance, from Hugenberg the Ala Advertising Company, which operated at a deficit at that time and it took about two years until it made profits again. Q. You don't take the position, do you, that all the newspapers you purchased were in a bankrupt condition prior to the time you purchased them? A. No, I don't want to say that. I want to say in general, the situation was pretty difficult. Q. Why do you think people who owned newspapers that were profitable were willing to sell them to you? A. That willingness could be explained by the fact that many publishers were declared politically unreliable and couldn't continue as publishers. Q. Did you ever make any recommendations as to which publishers should be declared politically unreliable in order that their newspapers might then become available for purchase? A. No. The Reich Association of the German Press had to investigate the political reliability of people and they used the assistance of the Propaganda Ministry and the criminal and political records of people were investigated, etc. I remember, for ex- [Page 1524] ample, a case in Zwickau, Saxony, where one publisher would have one Communist, one German Nationalist paper, and one so- called Generalanzeiger, which means neutral press, and that was regarded as politically unreliable to bring out three different newspapers. Q. Weren't your representatives among those who decided as to whether or not a particular newspaper was politically unreliable? A. I myself was President of the Reich Association of the German Press until the Reich Press Chamber was founded. Q. Then you were President of that, is that correct? A. When I became President of the Reich Press Chamber I retired from the Presidency of the Reich Association of the German Press. Q. Wasn't the Reich Association of the German Press under the supervision of the Reich Press Chamber? A. No. If I may explain the difference, the Reich Association of the German Press was a public corporation and represented the interests of the journalists and was not under the Reich Press Chamber. Q. What interest did the Reich Press Chamber represent? A. The Reich Press Chamber had the task of representing the interests of the publishers, of the publishing industry, and to build a new Association of the German publishing business.
Home ·
Site Map ·
What's New? ·
Search
Nizkor
© The Nizkor Project, 1991-2012
This site is intended for educational purposes to teach about the Holocaust and
to combat hatred.
Any statements or excerpts found on this site are for educational purposes only.
As part of these educational purposes, Nizkor may
include on this website materials, such as excerpts from the writings of racists and antisemites. Far from approving these writings, Nizkor condemns them and
provides them so that its readers can learn the nature and extent of hate and antisemitic discourse. Nizkor urges the readers of these pages to condemn racist
and hate speech in all of its forms and manifestations.