Extracts from an interrogation of Schacht, on his first meeting with Hitler (1931) and the industrialists' contributions to the Nazi Party in early 1933

EXCERPTS FROM INTERROGATION OF DR. HJALMAR SCHACHT on 20 July, 1945 at 2.45 p.m. at "Dustbin". Interrogator: C. J. Hynning
[Pages 23 and 24]
Q. When did you next see Goering?
A. He invited me to a party in his house for the first of January 1931, where I met Hitler.
Q. Did you meet anybody else?
A. At that party Fritz Thyssen was also present, and that evening Hitler made a long speech, for almost two hours, although the company was a small one.
Q. Was that a monologue?
A. An entire monologue and everything that he said was reasonable and moderate that night.
Q. What did he say ?
A. Oh, ideas he expressed before, but it was full of will and spirit. .
Q. What did he say?
A. He elaborated his program as it was outlined more extensively in his book.
Q. And in the party platform?
A. Yes, also the party platform. But the platform is very short and brief, it is not so full of general phrases.
Q. Were there any prominent officers present?
A. No.
Q. Any industrialists like Fritz Thyssen?
A. No.
Q. What was your impression at the end of that evening?
A. I thought that Hitler was a man with whom one could cooperate.
Q. Did you think he was a man of the future and that you had to deal with him as a man of the future?
A. Well, I could not know that at the time.
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Q. Did you think it desirable to join the Nazi Party at that time?
A. I can't tell you as to that time, but if his ideas, which he developed that night, were backed by a big party, as it seemed to be, I think that one could join that group for public purposes. [Pages 27 and 28]
Q. Let us then direct our attention to February and March 1933. I have been told by Goering and by Funk and Baron von Schnizler and also by Thyssen, that there was a meeting held in the house of Goering of certain prominent German industrialists at which you were also present in 1933. This was after Hitler became chancellor but before the elections of that spring. Hitler came into the meeting and made a short speech and left. Then, according to the testimony of Funk, you passed the hat. You asked the industrialists to support the Nazi Party financially to the tune of approximately 7, 8, 9 or 10 million marks. Do you recall that?
A. I recall that meeting very well. And I have answered the same question to Major Tilley. It. must be in one of my former memorandums or in the hearings done by Major Tilley. As far as I remember, the meeting was not in Goering's house, but in some hotel room I think, or some other more public room. After Hitler had made his speech the old Krupp von Bohlen answered Hitler and expressed the unanimous feeling of the industrialists to support Hitler. After that I spoke for the financial part only, not on political principles or intentions. And the amount which I collected was 3 million marks. The apportionment amongst the industrialists was made not by me but by they themselves and the payments afterwards were made to the bank of Delbruck Schickler. The books will certainly show the amounts which were paid in and which went to the party. I had nothing to do with that account. I just played the role of cashier or financial treasurer at the meeting itself. .