Funk also served as the liaison man between the Nazi Party and the large industrialists, from whom he obtained financial and political support on Hitler’s behalf (3505-PS; 2828-PS). Thus, for example, he was present at the meeting of approximately 25 leading industrialists held in Berlin on 20 February 1933 (2828-PS). In the course of this meeting, which was arranged by Goering and attended by Funk, among others, and which was designed to obtain the industrialists’ financial and political support for the Nazi program, Hitler and Goering announced some of the fundamental Nazi objectives: the destruction of the parliamentary system in Germany; the crushing of all internal opposition by force, the restoration of the power of the Wehrmacht. In addition, Hitler indicated that force was to be used in solving problems with other nations (D-203). The financial and political support for the Nazis which Funk secured from industry promoted the campaign of force and terror by which the Nazis seized and consolidated their control of Germany.
The importance of Funk’s general contribution to the conspirators’ accession to power has been described in a book published by the Central Publishing House of the Nazi Party:
“No less important than Funk’s accomplishments in the programmatic field in the years 1931 and 1932 was his activity of that time as the Fuehrer’s liaison man to the leading men of the German economy in industry, trade, commerce and finance. On the basis of his past work, his personal relations to the German economic leaders were broad and extensive. He was now able to enlist them in the service of Adolf Hitler, and not only to answer their questions authoritatively, but to convince them and win their backing for the Party. At that time, that was terribly important work. Every success achieved meant a moral, political, and economic strengthening of the fighting force of the Party and contributed toward destroying the prejudice that National Socialism is merely a party of class hatred and class struggle.” (3505-PS)
After he had helped Hitler become Chancellor, Funk, as Reich Press Chief, participated in the early cabinet meetings, in the course of which the conspirators determined upon the means by which they would secure the passage of the Enabling Act and destroy parliamentary government in Germany (2962-PS; 2963-PS). This law destroyed civil liberties in Germany and marked the conspirators’ seizure of political control over Germany.
B. FUNK, BY VIRTUE OF HIS ACTIVITIES IN THE MINISTRY OF PROPAGANDA, ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED IN THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE CONSPIRATORS’ CONTROL OVER GERMANY.
The Nazis created a vast propaganda machine which they used to proclaim the doctrine of the master race, to inveigh against the Jews, to impose the leadership principle upon the German people, to glorify war as a noble activity, to create the social cohesion necessary for war, and to weaken the capacity and willingness of their intended victims to resist aggression. (See Section 9 of Chapter VII on Propaganda, Censorship and Supervision of Cultural Activities.)
The operation of this propaganda machine was principally the responsibility of the Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda. Funk played a significant role in the operations of that Ministry and in related agencies of the Nazi State. On 30 January 1933, the day on which Hitler became Reich Chancellor, Funk was appointed Press Chief of the Reich Government. In that capacity, and even after the establishment of the Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda, he reported regularly to Hitler and President von Hindenburg (3505-PS; 3501-PS).
On 13 March 1933, the Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda was established with Goebbels as its Chief and Funk as its under-Secretary (2029-PS; Voelkischer Beobachter 15 March 1933, p. 2. (South German Edition)). In an interview with a reporter from the Voelkischer Beobachter on 30 March 1933, Funk made clear the importance which propaganda was to have in the Nazi State. He stated:
“Propaganda is the most modern instrument of power and fighting weapon of state policy. The establishing of the Propaganda Ministry is vital, for the national political policy of the new State Leadership is to be the general good of the whole people. Therefore, the total political, artistic, cultural and spiritual life of the nation, must be brought on to one level and directed from one central point.” (Voelkischer Beobachter, South German Edition, 31 March 1933).
In order to achieve this purpose, the Ministry of Enlightenment and Propaganda was organized so as to reach and control every medium of expression within Germany. In the language of the decree defining the duties of the Minister of Propaganda, he was to have