EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Berlin, November 29, 1937.
No. 3753
Subject: Translations of Hitler's Letter to Schacht Accepting his Resignation as Minister of Economics and of Schacht's Circular Communication to the Officials of the Ministry.
The Honorable,
The Secretary of State,
Washington, D. C.
Sir:
In supplement to the Embassy's telegram No. 283 of November 27, 1 p.m., I have the honor to enclose herewith a translation of the Reich Chancellor's letter to Dr. Schacht accepting his resignation from the Ministry of Economics and naming him Reich Minister without Portfolio. There is also enclosed a translation of Dr. Schacht's brief circular communication taking leave of the officials of the Ministry of Economics. This is considered of some interest inasmuch as it is the only public statement regarding his final resignation thus far made by Dr. Schacht.
At the present stage there is little to add to the comment contained in the Embassy's telegram under reference. The Department's attention is, however, invited to the following portion of Hitler's letter:
"* * * as President of the Reichsbank Directorium, you will make available for the German people and me for many years more your outstanding knowledge and ability and your untiring working strength."
This seems definitely to contradict the belief at one time widely held (see Embassy's telegram No. 255, October 27, 5 p.m.) that Dr. Schacht would not be reappointed to head the Reichsbank upon the expiration of his present presidential term on March 31, 1938. Furthermore, it has apparently given rise to the contrary rumor now current that on next April 1st Hitler will ap-
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point Dr. Schacht Reichsbank President for a life term. This report was also carried in yesterday's edition of the Neue Zuercher Zeitung.
Respectively yours,
(Signed) William E. Dodd.
Enclosures: .
No. 1. Translation of Chancellor's Letter. No. 2. Translation of Dr.Schacht's Circular.
800.2
HPL:GEB
Enclosure No. 1 to despatch No. 3753, dated Nov. 29, 1937 from the American Embassy, Berlin, Germany.
Fuehrer's Letter to Schacht as quoted from Berliner Tageblatt of November 27, 1937
Berlin, W 8. November 26, 1937.
Dear Mr. Schacht:
On July 30, 1934, you declared that you were prepared to take over and continue the tasks of the Reich Ministry of Economics for the period of the illness of the then Reich Minister of Economics Dr. Schmitt. Since then, in this office, you have performed extraordinary services for the new German Reich and me. For this reason I could not, hitherto, make up my mind to comply with your request, repeatedly presented in the course of the past years to be relieved of the Ministry. The combination with the Ministry of Economics which proves necessary as a result of the expansion of the apparatus of the Four Year Plan now permits me to take into account the grounds on which you again requested to be relieved of the tasks of the Reich Minister of Economics. If I accede to your wish it is with the expression of deepest gratitude for your so excellent achievements and in the happy consciousness that, as President of the Reichsbank Direc-torium, you will make available for the German people and me for many years more your outstanding knowledge and ability and your untiring working strength. Delighted at the fact that in future also you are willing to be my personal adviser, I appoint you as of today a Reich Minister.
With German greeting,
Yours
sgd. Adolf Hitler
HCF
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Enclosure No. 2 to despatch No. 3753, dated Nov. 29, 1937 from the American Embassy, Berlin, Germany.
Circular Letter from Dr. Schacht to his Collaborators in the Reich Ministry of Economics (as quoted from BERLINER BUERSEN ZEITUNG of November 28, 1937)
The Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor, at my wish, relieved me as of today of the tasks of the Reich and Prussian Minister of Economics. On departing from this office, which I held for over three years, I want to thank all the officials, employees, and laborers of the Ministry of Economics for their faithful cooperation. My appointment to direct the Ministry of Economics took place at a time when it was essential to guarantee the creation of employment and rearmament of the German people by increasing our raw material imports and by increasing domestic production of raw materials. With these few key-words I sketch the path which you, my collaborators, traveled with me in a decisive period of National Socialist economic reconstruction. Now that for quite some time the unemployment problem may be regarded as solved and our Fuehrer, supported by forces of defense which have become strong again, has in the last few years step by step liberated Germany from the degrading bonds of the Treaty of Versailles, you may all proudly realize that you also, no matter how restricted the field of activity of the individual may be, have been helpers in the achievement of these aims.
It will always remain the decisive thing in our work whether we serve the German people with all the strength of our heart and brain. During my tenure of office it was my effort always to let this point of view be the most important criterion in judging every achievement. Let the general welfare in future as well be the guide of your hction, and, true to the promise given our Fuehrer and unconfused by the business of the day, continue to keep only one goal before you: Germany!
Heil Hitler!
Dr. Hjalmar Schacht.
HCF