Keitel also took part in the war-planning activities of the Reich Cabinet, of which he was a member. The cabinet consulted by meetings, and by the circulation of decrees among its members for their approval or disapproval. (See generally Section 3 of Chapter XV on the Reich Cabinet.) Keitel was a member of the Secret Cabinet Council, which has been described as “a select committee” of the cabinet for deliberation on foreign affairs. (1774-PS)
A Reich Defense Council was established by the ordinary cabinet in 1933. It was a war-planning group, and Keitel took part in the meetings of its working committee. (EC-177; EC-406; EC-407)
On 4 December 1938 a Secret Defense Law was passed, which defined the duties of the Reich Defense Council. As Chief of OKW, Keitel was a member of the council, and he also presided over the Council’s Working Committee (Reichsverteidigungsausschuss). (2194-PS)
The Secret Defense Law of 1938 provided for a Plenipotentiary for Economy, whose task was to “put all economic forces into the service of the Reich defense, and to safeguard economically the life of the German nation”, and for a Plenipotentiary for Administration, whose duties were to take over “the uniform leadership of the non-military administration with exception of the economic administration” upon the declaration of a “state of defense”. Certain ministries were, in peace-time, bound by the directives of the plenipotentiaries. The latter were bound, in turn, under certain conditions, together with the ministries subordinate to them, to take directions from the Chief of OKW. Keitel could also, in a state of defense, issue orders to the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Posts. In addition, he presided over the Council’s Working Committee, which prepared the Council’s decisions, saw that they were executed, and obtained collaboration between the armed forces, the chief Reich offices, and the Party. Keitel regulated the activities of this committee and issued directions to the plenipotentiaries and certain Reich ministries to assure uniform execution of the council’s decisions. (2194-PS)
The two plenipotentiaries and the OKW formed what was known as a “Three Man College” (2608-PS). This system of a three man college functioned as follows, from a legislative point of view: The Plenipotentiary for Economy was empowered by paragraph 4 of the Secret Defense Law of 4 September 1938 to issue laws within his sphere, with the consent of the OKW and the Plenipotentiary for Administration, which differed from existing laws. Similarly, the Plenipotentiary for Administration was empowered by paragraph 3 of the same law to issue laws within his sphere, with the consent of the OKW and the Plenipotentiary for Economy, which differed from existing laws.
In the spheres of the Reich Minister of Posts, the Reich Minister of Transport and of the General Inspector for German roads (Generalinspektor fuer die Strassenwesen), the Chief of the OKW had the right, under paragraph 5 of the same law, to issue laws, in agreement with the Plenipotentiaries for Administration and Economy, which differed from existing laws. (2194-PS)
The legislative function of the three man college, prior to 9 September 1939 was one of drafting decrees to be used in time of war.
The Council of Ministers for the Defense of the Reich was established by a decree of Hitler on 30 August 1939. It was formed out of the Reich Defense Council, and included among its members the two plenipotentiaries of the council and the Chief of OKW. (2018-PS)
The Council had the power to pass decrees with the force of law, and to legislate for the occupied Eastern Territories (1939 RGBl, I, 2077). Decrees of the council were circulated, before enactment, among all the members by written communication from Dr. Lammers, who was also on the Council. (2231-PS)
Frick has referred to the Council of Ministers as “the highest permanent organ of the Reich with comprehensive jurisdiction, responsible only to the Fuehrer”. “The composition of the Ministerial Council for the Defense of the Reich”, he added, “shows the real concentration of power in it”. He said also that Keitel was liaison between the council and the armed forces, it being primarily his duty to coordinate the measures for civilian defense in the area of administration and economy with the genuine military measures for the defense of the Reich. (2608-PS)