Archive/File: imt/nca/nca-06/nca-06-3901-ps
Last-Modied: 1999/12/14

                                         TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 3901-PS

November 1932
Your Excellency;
Much Esteemed Herr Reich President:

Filled, like your Excellency, with profound love for the German people
and the fatherland, the undersigned welcome hopefully the fundamental
change which your Excellency has initiated in the conduct of state
affairs. We agree with your Excellency on the necessity of a government
run independently from parliamentary party matters; the ideas which your
Excellency formulated with regard to a PresidiaL Cabinet bring this
thought into the open.

The outcome of the Reichstag elections of November 6 of this year had
demonstrated that the former cabinet, whose sincere intentions no one
among the German people doubted, did not find adequate support within
the German people for the pursuit of its course; it also demonstrated
that the goal at which your Excellency is aiming has the support of a
full majority of the German people if we-as we should-exclude the
Communist party whose attitude is negative to the State. Not only the
Black-White-Red party and its related smaller groups, but the National
Socialist German Workers Party as well are fundamentally opposed to the
former parliamentary party regime; thereby they have agreed to the aim
of your Excellency. We consider this result extremely gratifying and
cannot imagine that the realization of the goal should now founder at
the maintenance of ineffective methods.

It is evident that an oft-repeated dissolution of the Reichstag with
increasingly frequent and sharpening elections would not only be
detrimental to a political pacification and solidity but to an economic
one as well. It is equally clear, however,

                                                              [Page 797]

that any constitutional change which is not supported by the broad
masses would elicit even worse economic, political, and psychical
results. We therefore consider it a moral duty to ask your Excellency
respectfully that, in order to attain the goals of your Excellency which
all of us support, the reorganization of the Reich Cabinet be carried
out in a manner which would line up the greatest possible popular force
behind it.

We confess to be free of any narrow party-political attitude. We
recognize in the national movement which penetrates our people the
promising beginning of an era which, through overcoming of class
contrasts only now creates the essential basis for a rebirth of German
economy. We know that this rebirth will claim many sacrifices yet. We
believe that these sacrifices can be made willingly only when the
largest group of this national movement receives a leading share in
government.

Entrusting the leader of the largest national group with the responsible
leadership of a Presidial Cabinet which harbors the best technical and
personal forces will eliminate the blemishes and mistakes with which any
mass movement is perforce afflicted; it will incite millions of people
who today are still standing apart, to a positive effort.

With full confidence in the wisdom of your Excellency and your
Excellency's feeling of solidarity with the people, we greet your
Excellency with the most profound respect.

Signed       Signed         Signed      Signed      Signed

Helferich    Schacht        Hecker      Tischbein   Kalkreuth
Krogmann     Reinhart       Voegler     Jaenicke    von Oppen
R. Slomann   Schroeder      Rosterg     Rob. Bosch  Keudell
Witthoeft    Fink           Silverberg  Ullrich     Rabethge
Cuno         Kurt           Theyssen    Luebbert    Wenzel
             Eichborn
Kiep                        Reusch      Beidorff of Keyserling
Albert                      Haniel      Reindorff   
Much                        Krupp       Wentzky     
Kurt Woermann               Siemens                 
                            Springorum              

Krogmann     Schmitt [?] B  Ullrich R               
Helferich    Thyssen Sch    Rabethge                
Schacht      Reusch [?] Sch Wenzel                  
Reinhart     Veegler [?]    Krupp                   
Schroeder    Haniel [?] Sch Brandes                 
Hecker       Rob. Boscsh [?] K
Rosterg      Fink [?] B                             
R. Slomann H.  Kalkreuth B       

                                                              [Page 798]
                                                                        
Witthoeft H. v. Lussinch x
Cuno-Kiep H. v. Oppen B
Albert (Hecker)      Eichborn R
Silverberg   Merck H
Tischbein    Leubbert B
Jaenicke     v. Keudell B
             
          Copy from scratch paper
             
Helferich    Kecker
Krogmann     Voegler
R. Slomann   Rosterg
Witthoeft    Silverberg
Cuno         Thyssen
Kiep         Reusch
Albert       Haniel
Much         Krupp
Kurt Woermann Siemens
Schacht      Springorum
Reinhart     Tischbein
Schroeder    Jaenicke
Fink         Rob. Bosch
Kurt Eichborn Ullrich
             Luebbert
             Beirdorff oder Reindorff
             Wentzky (name schlecht leserlich)
             Kalkreuth
             von Oppen
             Keudell
             Rabethege
             Wenzel
             Keyserling
                                                                        

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