“1. Obtaining of a detailed survey of the Russian Armament industry, its location, its capacity and its associate industries.
“2. Investigation of the capacity of the different big armament centers and their dependency one on the other.
“3. Determine the power and transport system for the industry of the Soviet Union.
“4. Investigation of sources of raw materials and petroleum (crude oil).
“5. Preparation of a survey of industries other than armament industries in the Soviet Union.
“These points were concentrated in one big compilation ‘War Economy of the Soviet Union’ and illustrated with detailed maps, etc.”
“Furthermore a card index was made, containing all the important factories in Soviet-Russia, and a lexicon of economy in the German-Russian language for the use of the German War Economy Organization.
“For the processing of these problems a task staff, Russia, was created, first in charge of Lieutenant Colonel Luther and later on in charge of Brigadier General Schubert. The work was carried out according to the directives from the Chief of the Office, resp. the group of depts. for foreign territories (Ausland) with the cooperation of all departments, economy offices and any other persons, possessing information on Russia. Through these intensive preparative activities an excellent collection of material was made, which proved of the utmost value later on for carrying out the operations and for administering the territory.” (2353-PS)
By the end of February 1941 this preliminary planning had proceeded to a point where a broader plan of organization was needed. General Thomas held a conference, with his subordinates on 28 February 1941 to call for such a plan. A memorandum of this conference classified Top Secret and dated 1 March 1941, reads as follows:
“The general ordered that a broader plan of organization be drafted for the Reich Marshal.