(2) The Secret Cabinet Council. Proof that there was only an artificial distinction between the ordinary cabinet, the Secret Cabinet Council, and the Council of Ministers for the Defense of the Reich, is shown by the unity of personnel among the three subdivisions. Thus, on 4 February 1938, Hitler created the Secret Cabinet Council (2031-PS):

"To advise me in conducting the foreign policy I am setting up a secret cabinet council.

"As president of the secret cabinet council, I nominate: Reichsminister Freiherr von Neurath

"As members of the secret cabinet council I nominate:

Reichsminister for Foreign Affairs, Joachim von Ribbentrop

Prussian Prime Minister, Reichsminister of the Air, Supreme Commander of the Air Forces, General Field Marshall Hermann Goering

The Fuehrers Deputy, Reichsminister Rudolf Hess

[Page 96]

Reichsminister for the Enlightenment of the people and of Propaganda, Dr. Joseph Goebbels

Reichsminister and Chief of the Reichs Chancellery Dr. Hans-Heinrich Lammers

The Supreme Commander of the Army, General Walther von Brauchitsch

The Supreme Commander of the Navy, Grand Admiral Dr. (honorary) Erich Raeder

The Chief of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces Lt Gen Wilhelm Keitel." (2031-PS)

It will be noted that every member of this group was either a Reichsminister or, as, in the case of the Army, Navy, and OKW heads, had the rank and authority of a Reich Minister.

(3) The Council of Ministers for the Defense of the Reich. On 30 August 1939 Hitler established the Council of Ministers for the Defense of the Reich better known as the Ministerial Council). This was the so-called war cabinet. The decree establishing this Council provided (2018-PS):

"Article I

"(1) A Ministerial Council for Reich Defense shall be established as a standing committee out of the Reich Defense Council.

"(2) The standing members of the Ministerial Council for Reich Defense shall include: General Field Marshall Goering as chairman; Fuehrer's Deputy [Hess]; Commissioner General (or Plenipotentiary) for Reich Administration [Frick]; Commissioner General (or Plenipotentiary) for Economy [Funk]; Reich Minister and Chief of the Reich Chancellery [Dr. Lammers]; Chief of the High Command for the Armed Forces [Keitel].

"(3) The chairman may draw on other members of the Reich Defense Council including further personalities for advice." (2018-PS)

Again, all members of this group were also members of the ordinary Cabinet.

The Reich Defense Council, for secret war planning, was created by the Cabinet on 4 April 1933 (cf. the unpublished Reich Defense Law of 21 May 1935 (2261-PS) ). The membership of that Council when first created is shown by the minutes of the second session of the working committee of the delegates for Reich Defense, dated 22 May 1933 and signed by Keitel (EC-177):

[Page 97]

"Composition of the Reich Defense Council:

President: Reichs Chancellor
Deputy: Reichswehr Minister
Permanent Members: Minister of the:

Reichswehr
Foreign Affairs
Interior Finance
Economic Affairs
Public Enlightenment and Propaganda
Air
Chief of the Army Command Staff
Chief of the Navy Command Staff

"Depending on the case: The remaining ministers, other personalities, e.g., leading industrialists, etc." (EC-177)

All but the Chiefs of the Army and Navy Command Staff were at that time members of the ordinary cabinet.

The composition of this Reich Defense Council was changed by an unpublished law on 4 September 1938, which provided as follows (2194-PS):

"*** (2) The leader and Reich Chancellor is chairman in the RVR. His permanent deputy is General Field Marshall Goering. He has the right to call conferences of the RVR. Permanent members of the RVR are

"The Reich Minister of Air and Supreme Commander of the Air Force,
The Supreme Commander of the Army,
The Supreme Commander of the Navy,
The Chief of the OKW,
The Deputy of the Fuehrer,
The Reich Minister and Chief of the Reich Chancellery,
The President of the Secret Cabinet Council,
The Chief Plenipotentiary for the Reich Administration,
The Chief Plenipotentiary for Economics,
The Reich Minister of Foreign Affairs,
The Reich Minister of the Interior,
The Reich Finance Minister,
The Reich Minister for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda,
The President of the Reichsbank Directorate.

The other Reich Ministers and the Reich offices directly subordinate to the Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor are consulted

[Page 98]

if necessary. Further personalities can be called as the case demands." (2194-PS)

On that date all the members also belonged to the ordinary cabinet, for by that time the supreme commanders of the Army and Navy had been given ministerial rank and authorized to participate in cabinet meetings (2098-PS). It is also worth noting that two members of the Reich Defense Council also appear in the Ministerial Council under the same title -- The Plenipotentiary for Administration, and the Plenipotentiary for Economy. The former post was held by Frick, while the latter was first held by Schacht and then by Funk. These facts are verified by Frick on the Nazi governmental organization chart (Chart Number 18). Many other ministries were subordinated to these two posts for war-planning aims and purposes. These two officials, together with the Chief of the OKW, formed a powerful triumvirate known as the "Three-Man College" (Frick, Funk, and Keitel) which figured prominently in war plans and preparations.

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