Certain German industrialists and financiers aided and abetted Himmler in his relentless program of Germanization, exploitation, oppression, and destruction. A letter from the banker, Baron Kurt von Schroeder to Himmler, dated 27 August 1943, stated:

"My very honorable Reichsfuehrer:

"With great joy I learn of your appointment as Reichsminister of the Interior and take the liberty to extend my heartiest congratulations to you on assuming your new post.

"A strong hand is now very necessary in the operation of this Department and it is universally welcomed but especially by your friends that it was you who were chosen for this by the Fuehrer. Please be assured that we will always do everything in, our power at all times to assist you in every possible way.

"I am pleased to inform you at this opportunity that your circle of friends has again placed at your disposal this year a sum slightly in excess of RM 1 million for 'special purposes.' An exact list showing the name of the contributors will be sent to you shortly.

"Again all my very best wishes -- as well as those of my family -- I remain yours, in old loyalty and esteem.

"Heil Hitler! Yours truly." (EC-454)

[Page 1052]

A later letter from von Schroeder to Himmler, dated 21 September 1943, enclosed the list of contributors. The letter stated:

"Dear Reichsleader:

"I thank you very much for your kind letter of the 14th of this month with which you made me very happy. At the same time, I am enclosing a list with the total amount of funds made available to you by your circle of friends and totalling RM 1,000,000. We are very glad indeed to render some assistance to you in your special tasks and to be able to provide some small relief for you in your still further extended sphere of duties.

"Wishing you, dear Reichsleader, the best of luck, I remain in old loyalty and esteem.

"Heil Hitler! Yours very truly." (EC-453)

The Himmler "circle of friends," it may be noted, was a relatively small, select group. It did not include all, or even a majority of the industrialists and financiers in Germany. These contributions were not like the "Hitler Spende" or the Winter Relief contributions which were exacted from all industrialists by the Nazi state. These were contributions by a small group of very influential industrialists and financiers who, for selfish reasons, were anxious to "do everything in our power at all times to assist you "(Himmler)" in every possible way." By a rather strange coincidence, firms like I. G. Farben, the Flick Combine, and the Herman Goering Werke, which are on the list of contributors to Himmler, were among the chief beneficiaries of the conspirators' program of plunder of public and private property in the occupied countries. (EC-453)

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