TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2793-PS

Confidential Protocol concerning Economic and Financial Collaboration between the German Reich and the State of Slovakia
The signatory plenipotentiaries of the German Reich Cabinet and of the Slovak government agreed today that the German Reich and the Slovak State will cooperate most closely in economic and financial fields on the basis of the following directives.
ARTICLE I
The collaboration will include particularly:
(1) Increase and control of the Slovak agricultural production with a view to market outlets in Germany, i.e., increased pig-raising and milk production.
(2) Development of the Slovak wood industry and forestry by creating long-term industrial plans with a view to market outlets in Germany.
(3) Investigation, development and utilization of the Slovak natural resources. In this respect the basic principle is that insofar as they are not needed to meet Slovakia's own requirements they Should be placed in first line at Germany's disposal. The entire soil research [Bodenforschung] will be placed under the Reichagency for soil-research. [Reichsstelle fuer Bodenforschung.] The government of the Slovak State will soon start an investigation to determine whether the present owners of concessions and privileges have fulfilled the industrial obligations prescribed by law and it will cancel concessions and privileges in cases where these duties have been neglected.
(4) Development and control of industrial production considering the German and Slovak life interests and market relationships and collaboration in the field of export of industrial and other products.
(5) Development of the communication and transportation system in Slovakia.
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ARTICLE II
Slovakia will make its own currency and will create a Slovak National bank as a central mint.
Germany will support Slovakia in the creation of a Slovak National Bank and in the development and execution of the foreign exchange policy.
The German Reich Bank will participate in an appropriate manner in the erection of the Slovak National Bank and will send an adviser to the Board of Directors of this bank who will cooperate in every important decision. The Slovak Cabinet will avail itself of this adviser also when drawing up and executing its State budget and will not raise loans without his approval.
The German tender which was brought to Slovakia during the entry of March 1938 will be exchanged at a rate of 1 Czech Crown = 10 Reich pfennigs.
It is planned that the National Bank in Prague will be induced to immediately transfer tender to Pressburg amounting to 350 million Czech crowns in order to alleviate the currency shortage m Slovakia. ARTICLE III
The two governments will soon start negotiations to come to an agreement about the regulation of commercial and financial exchange. These agreements will be made on the basis that Germany will take Slovak agricultural, forestry and other goods including natural resources and will deliver instead finished products, unfinished products and investment goods.
Slovakia will make economic negotiations with other states only after the agreement with Germany had been reached and will keep Germany permanently informed about these negotiar tions.
No customs-union is planned between the German Reich and Slovakia. However, until further notice, free trade will be permitted for the transition period between Slovakia on the one hand and the protectorate Bohemia and Moravia and the Sudeten German territories on the other hand.
ARTICLE IV
This protocol will come into force on the day of its signing. Both parties will consider the protocol as strictly confidential and will make its contents public only after mutual consent.
Berlin, 23 March 1939.
For the German Reich Cabinet:
Signed v. Ribbentrop For the Slovak government:
Signed: Vojtech Tuka Signed: Dr. F. Durcansky
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