Extracts from a book on the German navy's operations to maintain and rebuild its forces in spite of the restrictions in the Versailles Treaty, first in secret and then openly under Hitler

Copy Nr. 274.
SECRET
The fight of the Navy against Versailles 1919-1935 Compiled by Captain Schuessler
Published by the High Command of the German Navy Berlin
1937
M. Dr. Nr. 352
Chapter IV, Page 75
Concealed Rearmament under the Leadership of the Government of the Reich. (From 1933 until military freedom in 1935).
The unification of the whole nation which was combined with the taking over of power on the 30th of January 1933 was of decisive influence on the size and the shape of further rearmament. While the second chamber (Reichsrat) approached its dissolution and withdrew as a legislative body, the Reichstag assumed a composition which could only take a one sided attitude towards the re-armament of the Armed Forces.
The Government took over the management of the re-armament programme upon this foundation.
Development of the Armed Forces This taking over of the management by the Reich Government developed for the Armed Forces in such a manner that the War Minister, General v. Blomberg, and through him the three branches of the Armed Forces received far reaching powers from the Reich Cabinet for the development of the Armed Forces. The whole organisation of the Reich was included in this work. In view of these powers the collaboration of the former inspecting body in the management of the secret expenditure was from then
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on dispensed with. There remained only the inspecting duties of the Accounting Office of the German Reich.
Independence of the Commander in Chief of the Navy.
The Commander in Chief of the Navy, Admiral Raeder, (honorary Doctor), had received hereby a far reaching independence in the building and development of the Navy. This was only hampered insofar as the previous concealment of re-armament had to be continued in consideration of the Versailles Treaty.
Besides the public budget there remained the previous special budget, which was greatly increased in view of the considerable credits for the provision of labor which were made available by the Reich. Wide powers in the handling of these credits were given to the Director of the Budget Department of the Navy, up to 1934 Commodore Schuessler afterwards Commodore Foerste. These took into consideration the increased responsibility of the Chief of the Budget.
Declaration of military freedom When the Fuehrer, relying upon the strengthening of the Armed Forces executed in the meanwhile, announced the restoration of the military sovereignty of the German Reich the last mentioned limitation in re-armament works, namely the external camouflage was eliminated. Freed from all the shackles which have hampered our ability to move freely on and under water, on land and in the air for 1 decades, and carried by the newly awakened fighting spirit of the whole nation, the Armed Forces and as part of it the Navy can lead with full strength towards its completion the re-armament already under way with the goal of securing for the Reich its rightful position in the world.