DISSENTING OPINION OF THE SOVIET MEMBER
OF THE INTERNATIONAL MILITARY TRIBUNAL
The Tribunal decided:
a) To acquit the Defendants Hjalmar Schacht, Franz von Papen, and Hans Fritzsche;
b) To sentence the Defendant Rudolf Hess to life imprisonment;
c) Not to declare criminal the following organizations: the Reichscabinet, General Staff, and OKW.
In this respect I can not agree with the decision adopted by the Tribunal as it does not correspond to the facts of the case and is based on incorrect conclusions.
I. The Unfounded Acquittal of Defendant Schacht
The evidence, submitted to the Tribunal in the case of Schacht, confirms, the following facts:
a) Schacht established contact with Göring in December 1930 and with Hitler at the beginning of 1931. He subsequently established contact between the leadership of the Nazi Party, and the foremost representatives of the German industrial and financial circles. This, in particular, is confirmed by the testimony of Witness Severing (Transcript, Afternoon Session, 23 May 1946; USA-615).