admission of the exhorbitance of the indemnity for the maintenance of occupational troops, since Germany was able to utilize the credit put at its disposal, and was unable to utilize this credit, especially as most of these served to finance expenses relative to armament, operational troops, and feeding of Germany, which is shown by document EX 232, which I submit under No. 230 of the French Documentation. maximum sum of the indemnity which might have been exacted amounted to seventyfour billion five-hundred thirty-one million eight-hundred thousand francs; taking as a basis the medium daily price of upkeep per troop unit in the course of the entire Allied occupation of the Rhineland in 1919, mainly the sum of seventeen francs increased to twenty-one francs, taking into account the billeting, which was at that time furnished by the German Government, and according to the report of the average indices of living cost of 3.14, the sum of 21 francs should correspond to 66 francs, taking it at the 1939 value of standard; and, applying the co-efficient of depreciation of the franc during the occupation, that is 2.10 per cent, or a daily average price at 139 francs per day, granting that the real expense of the occupational army, probably speaking, were half of those expenses according to Hemmen's accounts, that is to say, twenty-seven billion thirty-two million two-hundred seventynine thousand one-hundred twenty marks. This sum is still lower with seventyfour billion five-hundred million proposed by the Economic Analysis Institute; from this accepting the most favorable solution of the accused which would be estimated, the indemnity imposed without justification amounted to sixhundred thirty-one billions eight-hundred sixty-six millions, less seventyfour billions five-hundred fifty-one millions eight-hundred thousand, or, five-hundred fifty-seven billions three-hundred thirty-four millions fourhundred and twenty thousand francs. Hemmen writes, "during the four years which have passed since conclusion of the Armistice, there has been paid an occupational cost and parity costs, thirty-four billions Reichmarks, or six-hundred eighty million francs. That France at best contributed forty per cent approximately of the total cost of occupations, and war contributions raised in all the occupied and Allied countries.
Per Head this represents a charge per cost of eight-hundred thirty Reichmarks, or sixteen-thousand six-hundred Francs. of Clearing. The Tribunal acquainted with the next chapter, the function of Clearing device, we shall not revert to this. I shall indicate under what condition the French Government at the time was ready to fight agreements which were imposed upon it. of occupational troops, discussions were entered into relative to the Clearing Agreement. would shortly submit a project. On 8 August 1940, Hemmen submitted to the French Delegation a regulation project of the francs -- a German regulation project of payment by compensation. This project, which I submit under No.231 of the French documentation, shows drastic rules, which could not indeed be freely accepted. out any equivalent in financial transfer from Germany to France. In the second place, it fixed the rate of conversation of twenty francs for one Reich Mark by a unilateral, and clearly an arbitrary decision, whereas the rate on the Berlin Exchange was approximately 17.65, reparity of 2.35 limit taken, and for their respective purchasing power the two marks was approximately ten francs for one mark.
I shall pass on: The French Delegation of the Armistice Commission submitted unsuccessfully on 20 August 1940, a counter project, and attempted to obtain a modification of the most unfavorable clauses. I submit this project under No. 232 of the French documentation. brought up in detail the question of the franc-reichmark parity, and it called attention to the fact of the prohibition of the financial transfer from Germany to France creating a profound inequality, whereas the transfer in the other direction were organized, and which for the French Government meant giving its agreement to real expropriation of French credit. Extract from this report is presented and submitted under No. 232.
argument as to the rank of the Franc-Reichmark parity. I submit this letter under No. 234. a modification of the most unfavorable clauses of the projected Clearing Agreement, but it encountered an absolute refusal. The German Delegation meant to impose under the appearance of a bilateral agreement a project established by it alone. I quote a passage from the report, from the statement of Monsieur Schone. I can not -- I am not - "I am unwilling to reopen discussion of this question. I can make no concession. I examined the FrancReichmark parity on 4 October 1940." Hemmen notified the French Delegation that the Reich at twenty francs used to be considered as the definity, and according to his own works this is no longer to be discussed. He added that when on the. French side there was a refusal, to conclude the payment, agreed that it should be a drastic contract imposed by Germany, it would advise the Fuehrer of this, and that all facilities for the line of demarcation would be suppressed. I submit this under No. 236. I submit the passage of this report. 1940, the French Delegation attempted once more to obtain a modification of the drastic condition which was imposed upon it, but the terms remained invariable.
THE PRESIDENT: Do these negotiations lead up to a conclusion, because if they do would it not be sufficient for your purposes to give us the conclusion without giving all the negotiations which lead up to it?
M. GERTHOFER: I am just finishing the statement with the last quotation, in which the Tribunal may see what was the pressure -- what was the threats made upon the French, who were then in contact with the Germans. I shall conclude the discussion of the Clearing with this quotation, if the Tribunal will allow it. My last quotation concerning this point, in the last meeting 10 October 1940, in the course of which Hemmen declared the following; I submit this under No. 237: "But you are attempting to make the rate of the Mark irregular, I beg you to warn your government we shall break off negotiations. I have in fact foreseen that you would be unable to prevent the prices from rising, but now you are systematically causing them to rise in export.
We shall find other means of achieving our aim, We shall go and take the Bauxite." This is the end of the quotation.
If the Tribunal will allow me a very brief commentary. At the Armistice Commission an attempt on the questions was made to negotiate, and at the time the French Delegate resisted, for Germany wanted immediately to take, or to seized the Bauxite resources, which were in the unoccupied zone. This last sentence is a threat. "If you do not accept our agreement -our Clearing Agreement, we shall go and help ourselves to the Bauxite." That is to say, "We shall occupy militarily the free zone." The socalled compensation agreement functioned as a socalled protective of Germany. The result of the agreement is the following. At the moment of liberation the total of the operation made from France to Germany amounts to twohundred twenty-one billions one-hundred fourteen million francs, while the total of the operation made in the other direction, from Germany to France, amounts to five-hundred millions francs. The difference, that is, onehundred seventy bi llions six-hundred forty millions francs, credit amount on the French account, representing the means of payment which Germany without justification obtained through the functioning of the Clearing Account, which it had imposed.
brief. These are the seizure of the current specie under collective fines. Aside the fact from the operations that were carried on, the Germans proceeded to make seizure on imposed collective fines in violation of the principles of International Law. Israelites, 17 December 1941. There is no pretexts. This is testified to by document submitted uner No. 239.
Secondly, the certain number of collective fines were imposed. The sum actually verified by service of the Finance Ministry amounted to four-hundred twelve millions six-hundred thirty-six thousand five-hundred fifty francs.
Thirdly: Germans proceeded to make immediate seizure of gold stock. Hemmen recognized in his last secret report, on pages 33 and 34, 72 of the French translation, that on the 24 September 1940, the Germans seized 257 kilogram gold in from the Bayonne, which represented that the 1939 rate of twelve million three-hundred thirty-six thousand francs. to thirty-five millions. Still following the secret report of Hemmen for the period between, or beginning from 1st January to the 30th of June 1942, Germany had seized in currency two-hundred twenty-one thousand seven-hundred thirty kilograms gold belonging to the Belgium National Bank, which represents at the 1939 rate the sum of nine billions five-hundred million francs. It is not possible for me to present in detail the conditions under which these Belgium gold was delivered to the Germans. This question by itself would cause me to go into explanation which would bely several questions. The fact, however, is recognized by Hemmen in his undeniable report. I shall simply indicate that from the month of September 1940 -- I follow up, the month of September 1940 in violation of the International Law Hemmen had adopted the delivery of this gold. It had been confided after the month of May 1940, by the Belgium National Bank to the Bank of France. These facts are, for a matter of fact, a part of the grief, which relates to ex-minister of the Government of Vichy put before the High Court of Justice in Paris. The result from this procedure we know were frequent discussions that took place by the Armistice Commission, and an accord was concluded 29 October 1940, but was not carried out by reason of the difficulty raised by the French and Belgians.
the pressure of the German Occupied Force became stronger and stronger. Laval who was then determined to pay at any costs the conversion, goes to Berlin where he was anxious for the wholesale liberation of prisoners, and the reduction of the occupational costs, as well as the elimination of the line of demarcation, yielded to the German demands. Thus, on 11 December there was delivered to the Reichbank, and there was requisitioned an order on the Four-Year Plan. The document relative to this question is submitted under No. 240. French Republic submitted to the National Bank of Belgium, an equal quantity of gold equal to that which the Belgium Bank bad confided to the Bank of France in the month of May 1940. Germany was unable to obtain the gold resources of France since these had been prior put in safekeeping in time. Still, according to the secret report of Hemmen, page 29, and page 47 of the French translation, at the moment of retreat the Germans seized without any right in the French -- the Bank of France of Nancy, the sum of six billions eight-hundred twenty-seven millions. seized great quantities of gold. seized great quantities of gold which they caused to be brought by private citizens. I cannot set a figure to this. I simply the question for the record. France, we shall reach--taking still the solution most favorable to the defendants and taking the maximum representing the cost of maintaining occupation troops--a minimum total of 745,833,312 frans, in round figures 750,000,000 francs. I shall skip the details in my brief. I think that it's unnecessary to go into these in the session.
sums and, first of all, the black market organized by the occupying power. Here again I don't want to take advantage of your good nature. I have had the honor of presenting to you the mechanism of the black market in all the occupied countries. I have indicated how it arose, how the Germans utilized it, how, under the orders of the defendant Goering, it was localized and exploited, I do not wish to revert to this, and I shall pass over the whole part of my written expose which was devoted to the black market in France.
I come to page 69 of my written expose, chapter 3: Acquisitions of regular outward appearance. Under the pressure of the Germans, the Government of Vichy was forced to be willing to reserve for them a percentage of products of all kinds in exchange. The Germans undertook to furnish raw materials, the quantities of which were determined by themselves. But these raw materials, when they were delivered, which was not always the case, were for the most part absorbed by the industry which was forced to furnish than finished products. In fact, there was no compensation since the occupant recouperated in manufactured objects the deliveries of raw materials without in reality giving any equivalent. submitted under No. 107, the following example may be noted which I shall read to the Tribunal:
"An agreement permitted the purchase in the free zone of 5,000 trucks destined for the German G.B.K. against the Reich furnishing five tons of steel per vehicle or a total of 25,000 tons of steel destined to the French industry. In view of the habitual destination of products of our metallurgy at this period, this was obviously a fool's exchange. Indeed, if our information is exact, the compensations in steel were not even expected and they were partially employed for the defense of the Mediterranean coast, anti-tank rails, etc." of the levies in kind were the object of no regulation whatever, either because the Germans remained debtors in these transactions or that they considered without justification that these levies constituted war booty. In this regard the documents are lacking. However, the Army of the United States had discovered a secret report of one Kraney representing the R.O.G.E.S., an organ ization which was both charged with the bringing together of acquisitions in the black market and of war booty.
It appears from this report that in September, 1944, the R.O.G.E.S. had resold to Germany for 10,858,499 marks, or 217,169,980 francs, objects seized in the southern zone as war booty. I submit this document under No. 224. regulated or not regulated by her, France was literally despoiled. Enormous quantities of things of all kinds were removed by the occupants, according to information given by the French statistical services; provisional estimates of these levies have been made. These estimates do not include damage resulting from military operations but solely the German spoliations computed in cases of doubt at a minimum figure. They will be summarized in the eight following sections.
1. Seizures, levies of agricultural produce.
I submit under No. 245, a report of the Ministry of Agriculture on the statistical table established by the statistical commission, summarizing the official German levies which include neither individual purchases nor black market purchases which were both considerable. It is not possible for me to read to the Tribunal a table as long as this is. I shall limit myself to give a brief resume of this statistical table. Here are some of the chief agricultural produce which have been seized:
Cereals: 8,900,000 tons; in round figures, evaluation in thousands of francs: 22,000,000.
Meats: 900,000 tons; estimate: 29,000,000 francs.
Fish: 51,000 tons; estimate: 1,000,000 francs.
Wines; liquors: 13,000,000 hectolitres; estimate: 18,000,000 francs.
Colonial products: 47,000 tons.
Horses and mules: 690,000 heads.
Wood: 36,000,000 cubic meters.
I shall pass over the details. The Germans have regulated by clearing and by indemnity arrangements 133,700,000 francs. This has been subject to no regulation. To be sure of these estimates, these estimates do not include considerable damage caused to the reduction of forests in the area under cultivation. There is no mention, either, in the reduction in live-stock and damage caused by extensive cultivation. This is a brief summary of the percentage of official levies of agricultural produce in relation to the total of French production:
Wheat: 13% Oats:
75% Hay:
80% Meat:
21% Eggs:
60% Butter:
20% Preserved fish:
30% Champagne:
56% Wood for industrial uses:
50% Forest fuels:
50% Alcohol:
25% These percentages, I repeat, do not include quantities of produce which the Germans obtained either by individual purchases or on the black market. tions had a considerable scope and amounted for France to several hundred billions of francs. The quantities of agricultural produce thus taken from French consumers are incalculable. I shall simply indicate that aside from certain privileged persons. Wines, champagne, alcoholic beverages of all kinds, meat, butter and eggs were the object of a very considerable secret traffic to the benefit of the Germans and that the French population was almost entirely deprived of these products. levies of raw materials.
THE PRESIDENT: That would be a good time for us to adjourn for ten minutes.
(A recess was taken from 1526 to 1530 hours)
M. GERTHOFER; I will summarize briefly the content from the statistical procedure in the chart of which I shall not inflict the reading upon the Tribunal. I will lodge it under No. 246 and point out that the total sum of these supplies reaches the sum of 38,000,000,000; on page 77 I will make a summary of this chart and I consider it is not possible to read the summary because the figures are underneath. According to the information provided by the French authorities, the Germans paid that sum for occupation purposes through clearing a sum of 59,254,639,000 Francs. The difference then charged to the French Treasury was 19,506,109,000 Francs. The percentage of the German levies in their relation to the whole French production can be summarized in a chart which I have reproduced and I shall ask the Tribunal for permission to read it. Page 82.
"The percentage of levies of raw materials relating to French production, Coal 29% Electric power 22% Crude oil and motor fuel 80% Iron ore 74% and half finished.
51% Copper 75% Lead 43% Zinc 38% Tin 67% Nickel 64% Mercury 50% Platinum 76% Bauxite 40% Aluminum 75% Magnesium 100% Sulphur Carbonate 80% Industrial soap 67% Vegetable oil 40% Carbazol 100% Rubber 38% Paper and cardboard 16% Wool 59% Cotton 33% Flax 65% Leather 67% Cement 55% Lime 20% Acetone 51% materials seized officially by the occupying power; that these statistics must be qualified in two ways:
A great part of the quota of raw materials which were directly left to the French economy, was in fact reserved for industries which had a priority on them; that is to say, those industries for which the production was reserved for the occupying power. charter, include only the figures of official deliveries. Now, we have seen that the Germans acquired considerable quantities of raw materials from the black market, especially precious metals, gold, platinum, silver, radium, or real metal, mercury, nickel, tin, copper, and so forth; in fact, we can say in theory that the raw materials which were to be utilized for the needs of the population were insignificant.
Now, I reach Section 3. Levies and Manufactured Objects and the Mining Industry. As I had the honor to point out to you in my general remarks, using divers means of pressure, the Germans succeeded in utilizing directly or indirectly the greatest part of the French industrial production. I shall not go over these facts again and I shall now pass a summary of the products which were delivered. I lodge under the No. 248 a chart which includes a statistical information or data by categorical industries, these levies of manufactured objects during the course of the occupation, by the occupying power.
I don't want to take advantage of the kindness of the Tribunal by reading this. I shall simply point out the summary of this chart, which is as follows: Orders for finished products on the 25th of June, 1940.
Naval construction, 6.104,000,000 a total, then, of 184,640,000,000. These statistics should be commented upon as follows: The information which we have and have pointed out, does not include the production of the very industrialized Departments of the North and Pas de Calais, allowed to the German administration in Brussles, and it does not include either the manufactured products of the Naut-Rhin Department or the Bas-Rhine and Moselle, included, in fact, in the Reich. Out of the total sum of 184,640,000,000 Francs of supplies, the information which we have up to date does not permit us to fix the sum paid to the Germans either as an occupation indemnity or through clearing, or the balance not having been paid in any way whatsoever. If you evaluate the industrial production levied by Germany, the Departments of the North and Pas de Calais, you will obtain a figure for those two Departments of 18,500,000,000 which will bring the genera total up to more than 203,140,000,000, The proportion of the German levies on manufactured products is summarized in the following chart which I submit to the Tribunal, which I have summarized on page 87. I should permit myself to read to this Tribunal and to show the proportion of the manufactured objects removed from French consumption.
Automobile construction, 70% Electrical and construction, 45% Industrial precision parts, 100% Heavy steel, 100% Foundries, 46% Chemical industries, 34% Rubber industry, 60% Paint and varnish, 60% Perfume, 33% Wool industry, 28% Cotton weaving, 15% Flax and cotton weaving, 12% Industrial leather, 20% Buildings and public works, 75% Construction wood and wood for furniture, 50% Lime and cement, 68% Naval construction, 79% Aeronautic construction, 90% The scrutiny of this chart leads to the following remarks:
The proportion of entirely finished products is very large; for instance:
Automobiles, 70% Precision instruments, 100% Heavy steel, 100% Foundary, 46% Chemical industry, 34% the products which were not being manufactured in theory for the French population, towards finishing industries which had priority; that is to say, whose production was reserved for them exclusively.
Through their purchases on the black market, the Germans procured an enormous quantity of textiles, machine tools, leather, perfume, and so forth; textiles, particularly, which the population lacked completely during the occupation; and that is also true for leather.
Now, I reach Section 4, the removal of industrial tools. I shall not take advantage of your kindness. I know this question has already been treated as far as the occupied countries is concerned, but I simply like to say that as a result of the statistical evaluation which I submit to you under the No.-251, these statistical evaluations show that the value of the material which was removed in the divers French factories of the private districts or of the Republic of France, exceeds the sum of 9,000,000,000. For many machines which were removed, the Germans were principally satisfied to point out that they did not put out the value of the machines which were removed.
I now read Section 5. Securities and Foreign Investments, Page 96, is the Exhibit 137, which I have lodged under No. 105, and I would like to point out that the Defendant Goering, for his own information the German economic purposes, felt that the extension of the German influence over foreign industrial enterprises was one of the purposes of the German economic policy. This directive was to be expressed much more precisely in the document of the 12th of August, 1940, which I depose as No. 252, from which I shall read short extracts.
"It is given that the principal economic enterprises under the form of companies have been responsible to put in securities which are in France. The execution or the seizure also was done through ordinances. Every means which was used to succeed and notably foreign issue of all concerned.
"According to Article 46 of the Hague Convention, concerning the terrestrial warfare, private property cannot be confiscated. The confiscation of securities is to be avoided in the measure - securities are not concerns belong to the State. According to Article 42, and following of the Hague Convention concerning terrestrial warfare, the authority exercising power in the occupied enemy territory, must restrict himself from utilizing measures which are necessary to re-establish or maintain order and public life; to conform to International Law; it is forbidden to deviate from these social organs or social organizations which are there and to replace them through Kommissars." Such a measure was probably not considered in the international point of viewand from the law of nations as efficacious. Consequently, we must strive to force the various social organizations to work for the German economy but not to render destitute, not to strip the persons who comprise them, of these articles.
Further on: "If these organizations will not permit themselves to be directed, we must do away with them and replace them by forces which we can utilize." financial investments, which is the purpose of the German spoiliation during the occupation. exploited in a foreign country. On the 14th of August, 1940, an ordinance V.O.B.I.F, page 67, was published forbidding any negotiation of credit for foreign securities. A simple freezing of securities did not suffice for the occupying power. They required for the form to come to the proprietor of this security in order to be able to eventually negotiate in neutral countries.
There were some agents who purchased foreign securities from private citizens who needed money, but above all, they put pressure on the Vichy Government in order to obtain the handing over the principal French investments in foreign countries, investments notably, that after long discussions in the cause of which the German pressure was very great, important concessions of investments were handed over to the Germans. It is not possible for me to submit to the Tribunal the numerous documents which they should be in, the handing over these investments, transcripts, correspondence. It would be, without exaggeration, several cubic metres. copper mines which were found in Yugoslavia, the greatest part of the country which was in French hands. The Germans installed on 26 of July 1940, a Kommissar who was an administrator of the establishment of this company situated in Yugoslavia. This is found in Document 254 which I submit to the Tribunal. The Counsel General of Germany, Neuhausen, then declared, in the transcript of which I submit to the Tribunal, No. 255, the meeting of the Armistice Commission on the 22nd of November. Here is his statement:
"Germany wishes to acquire the shares of the company without concern for the juridical observations made by the French. Germany obeys in fact the imperious considerations of the economic order. It suspects that the Bor Mines are still delivering copper to England and she has decided absolutely to take possession of these mines." Faced with the refusal of the French delegates, Hemmen declared at the meeting of October 4, 1940, which I submit to the Tribunal, under No. 256, and I will read an extract from this:
Mr. Hemmen speaks:
"I should regret to have to transmit such a reply to my Government. See if French Government cannot reconsider its attitude. If not, our relations will become very difficult. My Government is anxious to complete this matter. If you refuse, the consequences will be extremely grave."
M. de Boisanger, the French Delegate, replied:
"I am going to ask you once again this question".
And Hemmen replies:
"I await your reply; I shall expect your reply tomorrow. If it does not come, I shall transmit the negative reply which you have just i and I submit again an extract from the minutes, document 257.
Hemmen: "I had, from the beginning, been entrusted with this affair at Wiesbaden. Then it was discussed by the Counsellor, General Neuhausen, on behalf of a very highly placed personage, Marshal Goering, and it was discussed directly in Paris with M. Laval and M. Abetz." concerned, the pressure was not less. In the course of the meeting of October 10, 1940 of the Armistice Commission, Hemman stated - and I submit this under document 258, an extract from the minutes of the meeting:
"We shall continue ourselves, moreover, with the majority of the stocks. We will leave in your hands anything which we do not need for this purpose. Can you give us an acceptance on this point? The matter is urgent. As for the Bor Mines, there we wish everything." of the minutes of the Armistice Commission meeting I submit under the number 259:
"We are still at war and we need to have an immediate influence over petroleum production in Roumania. We cannot await a peace treaty". against a real compensating consideration, Hemmen stated, at the time of that meeting: "Impossible. The sums which you are to receive from us will be taken out of the occupation expenses. This kind of participation will be generalized on the German side when the collaboration policy will have been defined." more serious from the point of view of the violation of the provisions of the Hague Convention. agreed to after German pressure.
those who had handed over their property, and enormous property for those who had acquired those properties, without the latter having furnished any real compensating consideration. companies, in the enterprises of Central Europe, Norway and the Balkans, especially those of the French Company of the Bor Mines. These concessions were paid through francs coming from occupation indemnities, and rose to the sum of 2,090,852,000 francs. The others were paid through stocks, which had been French shares issued in a foreign country, notably in Holland, and through the clearing method. affairs in the foreign countries, I should like to rapidly examine the German seizure of the capitals of French industries. Defendant Goering, a great number of French industries were the object of proposals on the part of German groups anxious to acquire all or part of their assets, or the assets of their companies. This operation was facilitated by the fact that the Germans, as I have had the honor of pointing out to you, had practically the control of the industry, and they had taken over the direction of production, particularly by the system of Paten Firma. French Minister of Finance, whose department strove, without success, sometimes, to limit to 30 percent the maximum of German investments. It is not possible for me to enter into details of the seizure of these investments. I shall point out, however, that the Finance Minister handed to us a list of the principal seizures, which are reproduced in a chart appended to the French Document Book under the number 260. The result was that the seizure of investments, particularly paid through clearings, rose to the sum of 307,436,000 francs; out of the occupation expense accounts, through foreign stocks, was a sum which we cannot determine; and finally, divers or unknown ways, 28,718,700 francs. part of the Hemmen report relative to these questions. At page 63 of the original and 152 of the German text, here is what Hemmen states, in Strasbourg, in January 1944, concerning this subject:
"The fifth report upon the activity of the delegation is devoted to the difficulty of future seizures of investments in France. Given the strongly accusing attitude of the French Government concerning the concession of domestic and foreign property having value, this opposition has been strengthened during the time of the report to such an extent that the French Government was no longer disposed to give the slightest approval to the transfer of investments against the putting at the disposal of France economic compensating considerations."
Further on, in the second paragraph:
"During the four years of the occupation of France the Armistice Delegation transferred, in all of the French property to German property, shares representing, in toto, 121 million Reichsmarks, of which the investment enterprise is of first importance for the war in the third country, in France and in Germany. Details in this respect are found in the reports of prior activities of the delegation. In about half of these transfers compensating considerations were given on the German side for the delivery of French foreign shares acquired in Holland and in Belgium. For the remainder, the sums were paid through clearing or from out of the occupation expenses. From the fact of giving payment in French shares in foreign countries, the differences, as far as the shares were concerned, between the German purchasing price and the French rates which resulted from this, were these: The Germans/achieved gains of a sum of about seven million Reichsmarks, which were delivered to the Reich." from the financial point of view is not 7 million Reichsmarks, or 140 million francs, according to Hemmen, but much greater. In fact, Germany paid principally for their acquisition through occupation indemnities, through the clearing operation, and French loans issued in Holland or in Belgium; and the expropriation by Germany was the true cause of the spoliation of these countries.
It could not constitute a compensating consideration for France. These concessions or investments, carried out under the cloak of legality, moved the United Nations, who, in their statements made at London, January 5 1943, said in theory that such concessions should be declared null and void, even when carried out with the apparent consent of those made the concessions.
I submit, under No.261, the solemn statement signed in London, 5th of January, 1943, and which was published in the French Official Journal the 15th of August, 1944, at the time of the liberation. I submit that all these concessions are of interest to the French Justice for prosecution under the cloak of betrayal, particularly for French who collaborated with the Germans despite indisputable pressure which was exerted upon them. of buildings in France. It is difficult to give at this time the exact situation of this subject, for these operations were made most often through the intermediary of an assumed name. An example is that of a certain Skolnikoff, who during the occupation spent nearly 2 billion francs in the purchase of large buildings. This individual, of indeterminate nationality, lived in poverty before the war, was enriched in a splendorous fashion, thanks to his connection with the Gestapo and his operations on the black market in cooperation with the occupying power. But, whatever may be the profits that he derived from his dishonest activities, he could not acquire personally almost 2 billions worth of buildings in France. I submit, under the number 262, a copy of a police report concerning him. It is not possible for me to read this completely to the Tribunal, but this report contains a list of the buildings and real estate companies acquired by this individual. These are without question buildings of a great value. It is evident that Skolnikoff, an agent for the Gestapo, was an assumed name for German personalities whose identity has not been discovered up to the present. A report from the French administration gives us statistics which are reproduced in the very complete chart, which I shall not read to the Tribunal. I shall merely point out to the Tribunal that most of the locomotives and rolling stock in good shape were removed, and the total sum of the levies on transportation material reaches the sum of 188,452,000,000 francs.